Behind The Pursuit: Don’t Ask Us About Bottling

The Bourbon Pursuit team reveals the chaotic, high-stakes journey of installing their first automated bottling line—a $350,000 investment that was born from frustration with unreliable volunteers and contract bottling delays. What began as a simple push to scale production quickly turned into a four-week nightmare of misaligned labels, recalibration hell, and near-panic moments when the line nearly shut down. The hosts admit they were 'ignorant enough' to embrace the mess, knowing the long-term payoff would justify the chaos. Now, with the line humming at 100 cases in 45 minutes, they’ve unlocked unprecedented control—especially for single barrel releases and rapid product testing. But the real story isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about the cultural shift: from a laid-back, volunteer-driven operation to a precision-focused machine where every millimeter matters. The episode culminates in the debut of their new Honey Hog bourbon—a collaboration with Matt Pittman of MeChurch—crafted with Texas wildflower honey, finished in custom barrels, and proofed at 105 despite hydrometer inaccuracies caused by sugar. It’s a product that defied their own skepticism, proving that even the most stubborn critics can be wrong when the right ingredients align. The episode also exposes a deeper truth: growth demands sacrifice. The team reflects on how their old model—relying on Bardstown’s contract bottling—was too rigid, too slow, and too dependent on others’ schedules.