Bourbon Pursuit

Ever wonder how your favorite bottle actually gets onto the liquor store shelf? I'm not talking from a production standpoint but from the actual shipment. This is a fun episode becuase we're going to cover something almost completely invisible ito the consumer, trucking and logistics. Joining the show is Rebecca Estes, VP of Sales and Marketing at Mr. P Express. At Pursuit, we talk to logisitcs companies all the time because we're shipping pallets out the door but there's so much going on that most take for granted. Rebecca was eyeing to be a college professor but left to join the family-owned shipping network founded in 1987. Rebecca takes us through her journey from joining the family business in 2011 to managing a non-stop, 365-day operation where weather patterns, scheduling margins, and road safety dictate whether or not distilleries hit their numbers. This episode is a look into the high-stakes supply chain infrastructure that keeps the entire bourbon trail moving.
Show Notes:
Rebecca Estes’ pivot from aspiring college professor to navigating a legacy family trucking business

The invisible logistics web managing raw grains, glassware, and heavy barrel movements across the country

Demystifying direct vs. brokered freight, BOLs, pro numbers, LTL, and FTL shipments

Alcohol hauling regulations, DOT compliance checkpoints, and the immense pressure of control state delivery windows

The dark side of whiskey supply chains: Deconstructing modern cargo theft, electronic paperwork fraud, and load diversion

Fleet safety protocols, advanced tracking systems, driver training, and rigorous fleet maintenance structures

The physics of hauling barrels, calculating axle weight limits, and managing rigid legal driver hours

Trailer mechanics, truck cab configurations, and an honest executive outlook on autonomous self-driving fleets

Inside the community-first mission of Mr. P Express, including their specialized driver training school programs

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Blood Oath Pact 12 blends 7, 9, and 12-year bourbons with an Italian wine-finished component, creating layers of strawberry compote, pound cake, dark fruit, and earthy complexity. One of the more interesting wine-finished bourbons we've tried lately... but is it a hit or a miss?DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.
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It's This Week in Bourbon for June 19th 2026. Green River Distillery Select Toasted Double Oak Bourbon, the debut of SHANG from the whiskey house, and Lost Lantern has announced the launch the United States of Bourbon collection.Show Notes:
Spec’s Family Corp. acquires Lee’s Discount Liquor in first move outside Texas

Give 270 launches restored 1989 Ford Bronco raffle for Kentucky Jailers Association

Liberty Pole Spirits and MB Roland team up for America's 250th anniversary blend

Green River Distilling Company debuts 8-Year Toasted Double Oak Bourbon

Coors launches exclusive 110.5-proof Blended American Malt Whiskey in expansion into premium spirits

Whiskey House of Kentucky and global partners debut innovative SHĀNG baijiu whiskey line

Town Branch Distillery releases groundbreaking Bourbonola Tropical Style banana seltzer

Industry veteran Jason Wooler makes comeback with launch of Wooler Brands whiskey

Lost Lantern launches United States of Bourbon featuring first-ever 50-state blend

Belmark and ADI Distilling partner for distillery packaging and revenue webinar

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What does it actually look like when your family dinner table conversations literally shape the history of American whiskey? Well today we're sitting down with a true legend of Kentucky distilling royalty: 2025 Bourbon Hall of Fame Inductee, Craig Beam. Growing up with a last name that defines the entire category, Craig shares what it was really like sitting at the table listening to his father, Parker Beam, and grandfather, Earl Beam, talk shop about Heaven Hill’s fermentation and equipment hurdles while simultaneously working cattle and farming. Craig takes us through his early days of pulling grunt work in vacant rickhouses in 1983, learning the legendary family jug yeast process, and eventually stepping up as Master Distiller. We even get to hear Craig's story about how casual conversations while working the farm led to the birth of Elijah Craig, Evan Williams single barrels, and the iconic Parker’s Heritage Collection. A master distiller's job used to mean grain buying, pressure washing, and lab work and not just marketing campaigns but that's why he's here today to give us the details about his exciting next chapter at Jackson Purchase Distillery.
Show Notes:
Craig growing up listening to Parker and Earl Beam balance Heaven Hill distilling mechanics with western Kentucky farming

Craig’s journey from sweeping out empty rickhouses in 1983 to mastering the family's secret jug yeast lineage

An inside look at how farming conversations birthed legendary labels like Elijah Craig and Parker’s Heritage

Why historic distilling roles required hands-on labor, from grain buying and lab work to pressure washing warehouses

How Craig Beam and Terry Ballard teamed up in 2021 to scale a hidden contract distilling powerhouse

Technical insights into how a warmer regional climate impacts early barrel color extraction and aging physics

Mapping out Jackson Purchase’s experimental library, including wheated mash bills, air-dried staves, and American single malts

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We’ve had a great run relying on volunteers and that original bottling setup in the back of the warehouse—it got us where we are today—but to be honest, things had to change. When you’re looking at your annual sales goals and trying to maintain a consistent product across the board, you eventually hit a ceiling where "the way we’ve always done it" just doesn’t cut it anymore. We spent a lot of time weighing our options, looking at contract bottling and beefing up our hand-lines, but at the end of the day, investing in our own internal infrastructure made the most sense for the future of Pursuit.

Today on the podcast, we’re pulling back the curtain on the process of installing our new bottling line. We’re talking about the headaches, the logistical hurdles, and the small wins that proved we were finally at the scale point to make this a reality. We also get into the weeds on our latest Meat Church collaboration: the Honey Hog Bourbon release. We discuss the inception of the project and, more importantly, the technical challenge of working with honey compared to the wood-finished profiles we’re typically known for. It’s a deep dive into the operational side of the spirits business that you don’t usually get to see.Show Notes:
Investing in a Bottling Line

Challenges and Learning Curves with New Equipment

Future Needs and Scaling Up

Considering Bottling for Other Brands

Navigating Tax Challenges in Distilling

The Importance of Operational Control

Future Considerations for Growth

Quality Control in Bottling

Introducing the Honey Hog Collaboration

Reflections on Product Development

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