The second-largest beer maker in the U.S. is buying a hot Kentucky whiskey brand

Janet Patton
·3 min read
53

A Kentucky-based distillery has been sold to an unlikely buyer: A major beer company..

Beer maker Molson Coors announced on Tuesday that it is purchasing Blue Run Spirits, which announced in March plans to build an innovative $51 million distillery in Lanes Run Business Park in Georgetown, with a design by the same firm that did Google’s headquarters. The distillery is expected to open in 2025.

Those plans will go forward, according to the announcement. As will Blue Run’s association with Bourbon Hall of Famer Jim Rutledge, who will continue to serve as the brand’s distillery consultant.

A purchase price for Blue Run was not immediately announced.

Blue Run Spirits released a rendering of its proposed $51 million distillery in Georgetown. The non-traditional design incorporates production and aging in one curving building topped with photovoltaic tiles. Beer maker Molson Coors announced on Tuesday it has purchased Blue Run.
Blue Run Spirits released a rendering of its proposed $51 million distillery in Georgetown. The non-traditional design incorporates production and aging in one curving building topped with photovoltaic tiles. Beer maker Molson Coors announced on Tuesday it has purchased Blue Run.
Blue Run Spirits, which has released several bourbons and rye whiskies since the company was founded in 2020, announced plans to build a $51 million distillery in Scott County.
Blue Run Spirits, which has released several bourbons and rye whiskies since the company was founded in 2020, announced plans to build a $51 million distillery in Scott County.

What is Molson Coors?

Chicago-based Molson Coors is the second-largest brewer in the U.S. with more than $10 billion in sales and the parent company of Coors Light, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian, Blue Moon Belgian White, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy and many other alcohol brands.

“Molson Coors has been on a journey to broaden beyond our beer roots and build powerful brands in growing categories, and Blue Run joining us is an exciting next step as we establish Coors Spirits Co.,” said Molson Coors’ chief commercial officer Michelle St. Jacques in a news release. “Blue Run has accomplished in three years what many brands hope to do in a generation and has done it at the luxury end of the whiskey category. Importantly, we are committed to maintaining Blue Run’s well-known quality, design and innovation as we continue to grow our spirits portfolio.”

Blue Run launched in October 2020 and almost immediately became a hot whiskey brand, with individual releases selling out in minutes. Releases have won many awards in spirits competitions.

Three new Blue Run releases are slated for late summer/fall release, according to the news release. Blue Run, known for its bottles with the butterfly medallion, is available online and in 31 states.

Blue Run Spirits has released several acclaimed bourbons and rye whiskeys. The brand is building a distillery in Georgetown.
Blue Run Spirits has released several acclaimed bourbons and rye whiskeys. The brand is building a distillery in Georgetown.
Blue Run will join Molson Coors’ other whiskey brands, Barmen 1873 Bourbon and Five Trail Blended American Whiskey, in the new Coors Spirits Co. under the larger Molson Coors umbrella.
Blue Run will join Molson Coors’ other whiskey brands, Barmen 1873 Bourbon and Five Trail Blended American Whiskey, in the new Coors Spirits Co. under the larger Molson Coors umbrella.

Blue Run joins the newly established Coors Spirits Co., which is an expansion of its current spirits business.

Rising spirits star Shaylyn Gammon will serve as whiskey curator for Coors Spirits Co. and Blue Run co-founder and CEO Mike Montgomery will become VP of Coors Spirits Co. David Coors will continue to lead Molson Coors’ full-strength spirits strategy and business development as executive chair of Coors Spirits Co.

Shaylyn Gammon, who worked with whiskey legends Jimmy and Eddie Russell at Wild Turkey, has been named the first whiskey director at Blue Run Spirits.
Shaylyn Gammon, who worked with whiskey legends Jimmy and Eddie Russell at Wild Turkey, has been named the first whiskey director at Blue Run Spirits.
Jim Rutledge will continue as contracted distillery consultant for Blue Run under the new Coors Spirits Co.
Jim Rutledge will continue as contracted distillery consultant for Blue Run under the new Coors Spirits Co.

Molson Coors sells more than beer, now sells whiskey

Molson Coors, known primarily as a publicly traded beer company, entered the spirits business in 2021 with the launch of Five Trail Blended American Whiskey. In 2022, Molson Coors introduced Barmen 1873 Bourbon.

“Since launching Blue Run, we have always strived to do things a little differently to truly embrace today’s younger, more diverse generation of whiskey drinkers,” Montgomery said. “We are humbled by how the whiskey community has embraced our vision and that Molson Coors wants to join and support us in this journey.”

Blue Run Spirits released renderings of the $51 million distillery that is planned for Georgetown’s Lanes Run Business Park. Construction will begin later this year; it’s expected to open in 2025. Molson Coors announced on Tuesday it has purchased Blue Run.
Blue Run Spirits released renderings of the $51 million distillery that is planned for Georgetown’s Lanes Run Business Park. Construction will begin later this year; it’s expected to open in 2025. Molson Coors announced on Tuesday it has purchased Blue Run.

Other big Kentucky distillery sales

The Blue Run sale is at least the fourth major sale in the last two years. In March 2022, Bardstown Bourbon Co. was sold to Pritzker Private Capital. June 2022 Bardstown Bourbon Co. bought Green River distilling in Owensboro. And in October 2022, Wilderness Trail Distillery in Danville, the 14th largest in the world, sold for $600 million to Campari Group.