How this Black-owned distillery is 'breaking the ceiling' in Kentucky's bourbon industry

For just under two years now, a triad of brothers from Louisville's West End has been making history daily.

Victor, Bryson and Chris Yarbrough own and operate Brough Brothers Distillery, the first Black-owned bourbon distillery in the state of Kentucky. Without having any prior connection to the bourbon industry, the Yarbrough brothers are paving a way forward for other Black entrepreneurs hoping to break into Kentucky's historic industry by penetrating spaces traditionally dominated by white men.

“There's been so much passed historically, where Black people were involved with the actual manufacturing of the processes and behind the scenes [in bourbon], but never ownership,” Victor told the Courier Journal.

According to city data, 23.4% of Louisville residents are Black, but only 2.4% of them own businesses, which is often attributed to the racial wealth gap.

Through brotherhood and inclusivity, Brough Brothers Distillery, 1460 Dixie Highway, wants to help change that statistic by inspiring other Black entrepreneurs "break the ceiling" in the bourbon industry while simultaneously changing the narrative about the "typical" bourbon consumer.

“I think diversity is always a great thing,” Victor said. “It always provides a different lens of whatever you're doing...I think there should always be a different ear or a different eye to visualize things from. It's always empowering, and it always gets better with whatever you're trying to accomplish being in Kentucky.”

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'Accessible to whoever wants to enjoy the drink'

Accessibility is key for the Brough Brothers brand, which is intended to appeal to a middle/working-class audience. With a retail price point of under $30, its bourbon is significantly cheaper than many competing spirits on the market.

“It's accessible to whoever wants to enjoy the drink,” Victor said. “That's intentional, even by pricing point.”

The bourbon industry “has always been like a club,” Victor said. “An exclusive club and I believe that our intent is to make it more accessible whether you’re Black, white, Hispanic, Chinese, whatever. We want it to be accessible....[which] helps change the perception of bourbon itself.”

And their model is working. In less than two years, Brough Brothers Bourbon has expanded its footprint in the bourbon market and it's now available in more than 25 states.

“We're one of the fastest-growing brands in the U.S.,” Victor said. “We're very pleased with the progress of the company, the brand itself, and now we look forward to future growth."

But "at the end of the day, we all still are a small business, so you have those nuances of being a small business," he added.

Those nuances, including personal interactions, aren't lost on some of Brough Brothers' business partners.

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Stephen Emery carries Brough Brothers Bourbon at Stogie Annie’s, a small locally-owned liquor store in La Grange. Since May of 2020, Brough Brothers Bourbon has been a staple on the shelves of his store, he said, adding that it's a fast-selling bourbon.

“Some of our customers are [bourbon tourists] since we are so close to I-71,” Emery said. “Those customers love products unique to Kentucky. Although Brough Brothers Bourbon is widely known and available, we are often the first to introduce it to our tourist buyers.”

It's not a hard sell, either.

“I knew immediately that they had 'a hook' that would be good for our tiny little store in beautiful Buckner, Kentucky,” Emery said. “The story of their beginnings and the vision that they had is impressive to all who hear of it. I was immediately proud to sell their bourbon. The Yarbrough brothers have put in motion a force that will stimulate change and progress in the bourbon industry.”

Emery also complimented the brothers for their ongoing commitment to their product and attributes it to an "unmatched work ethic."

“The Yarbrough brothers try harder,” Emery said. “Chris reached out to me. That's rare in our business. We immediately found a connection. The kindness and genuineness is felt. These are good men with a vision. I'm proud to sell the bourbon and even prouder to know them.”

And the legacy they're creating is more than just a good product.

"It's extremely important to have [Black-owned bourbon companies]. We need more," said Kentucky’s Original Black Bourbon Enthusiasts founder Jamar Mack. "In a state that is basically selling itself 'on what we are' and 'this is who we are,' it's definitely great to have some people of color...in the industry."

Inspiring future Black entrepreneurs

Brough Brothers Bourbon officially launched in 2019 and is currently owned by Victory Global, LLC. However, the trio has been in business for more than nine years in what initially started as an import and export business, which gave the Yarbroughs an opportunity to access the distribution channel in a way that not all small businesses understand.

“My job is ... overseas,” Victor said. “Primarily our distribution channels, our supply channels in terms of the actual brand itself, as well as the overall general health of the company.”

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Victor's responsibilities are just one part of the whole at Brough Brothers Distillery, each as important as the next.

“Bryson is Kentucky’s first African-American master distiller. His job is actually to make our bourbon,” Victor said. “He uses British ingredients from corn and barley. His whole role is to make great bourbon at the distillery.”

Brother Chris' job is two-fold.

“One is our marketing,” he said. “Chris is the chief marketing officer, where his goal is to make sure we're navigating our marketing direction in terms of branding to the public, whether it be through social media or a cardboard cutout in the store. He also assists on tour days, being a 'Brough Brother' people meet in person.”

Each element of their business is something the brothers hope will inspire future Black entrepreneurs.

“People want to be successful,” Victor said. “As African-Americans, I think it helps to showcase that. It’s possible with hard work, diligence, consistency, and not giving up. Know you're going to take some losses, but you know those are learning points. You can do whatever you want to do.”

Victor stressed the importance of people seeing Black business owners in the distilling industry and hopes others will be motivated to learn how they can start their own business and ask questions like “I want to see how you guys built it from the ground up.”

With continued expansion on the horizon, Victor said neither he nor his two brothers have forgotten where they come from and are committed to giving back to the west Louisville community.

“We would like to hold food drives or book drives,” he said. “These are things that we've been working on behind the scenes, but the pandemic kind of threw off our schedule a bit.”

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But they're already making an impact on the community. Right down the street from the distillery is Red Dog Liquors, which also sells Brough Brothers Bourbon.

"Bourbon is becoming more and more popular," said Assistant Manager Vonda Robinson. "The sales are great. [The Yarbrough brothers] do the tours and direct them to us to purchase. The sales have really picked up as the brand has become more popular. ...We get people who come in after the tours and have nothing but good things to say about their experience."

Robinson said she appreciates the referrals and how the money coming into Brough Brothers Distillery circulates within the same area.

"It means a lot to the community. It brings something to be proud of to the community. People come down for the tour and then to the store," Robinson said. "It lets people see a better part of the West End of Louisville."

Culture and diversity reporter Jason Gonzalez can be reached at jgonzalez1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: How Black-owned Brough Brothers Bourbon is changing the industry