Skip to main content

Frequently asked questions

Where to Find Us: Getting to the Distillery and Parking

  • What are Old Forester’s hours of operation?

    Old Forester is open Tuesday – Saturday from 10am – 5pm.  We are closed Sunday and Monday.   Please note, Old Forester and Louisville, KY are on Eastern Time.

    Any schedule updates or closures will be posted at oldforester.com.

  • Where is Old Forester Distillery located?

    Old Forester Distillery is located at 119 West Main St in Louisville, Kentucky.

  • Where is the main entrance?

    Please enter Old Forester Distillery at 119 West Main St.

  • Where should I park?

    Many parking meters are located around the Old Forester Distillery, and there are several parking garages nearby. Some nearby parking garages are located at the KFC Yum! Center (1 Arena Plaza), the 1st & Main Garage (100 E Main St), as well as East Washington Street Garage (131-299 E Washington St). Ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft are available in the Louisville metro area. Please see an associate if you would like to coordinate a safe ride.

Tours

  • Are guests under the age of 21 allowed to visit?

    Guests of all ages are allowed to visit and to tour the facility. Children must be supervised by an adult, and only guests over 21 years old are able to participate in the optional tasting at the end of the tour. Tasting only experiences are reserved for those 21 and older. A government-issued photo ID is required to sample beverage alcohol.

    Guests must be 21+ to visit George’s Bar.

  • Are purses, diaper bags, etc., allowed on tours?

    Purses and bags are allowed at Old Forester Distillery and can be brought on tours. A limited number of lockers are available onsite if you want to store your belongings during your tour.

  • Can I take pictures while I’m on a tour at the Distillery?

    Photographs are welcome on tour but may be limited to certain areas of the tour experience. A staff member will highlight any areas where photographs are not permitted. Professional photography may not be conducted without prior written permission.

  • Do you allow pets on tours?

    Old Forester is an active production facility and pets are not permitted onsite.  Service animals are allowed but may be limited to certain parts of the distillery.

  • Do you offer any discounts?

    We do offer discounts on our distillery tour. These discounts do not extend to tasting only experiences and may not apply on some tour offerings. When applicable, the discounts offered include, Veteran/Active Duty, First Responder (Firefighter, Police, EMT), Senior (65+) and Minor (U-21). Proper identification for discounts will be required at check-in.

  • How long do the tours last?

    Times may vary depending on the tour experience.  The standard tour time is between 70-75 minutes and includes the tasting at the end.  Duration and experience times are noted when booking.

  • How often do you have Distillery tours?

    Tour times may vary but are typically offered on the hour and half-hour.  Additional tour times may be added during busier times.  Tours can be booked at oldforester.com.

    The last tour of the day will depart at 4pm.

  • Is the Old Forester Distillery ADA compliant?

    Old Forester offers an ADA tour experience.  Wheelchairs are available upon request.

  • What if I am late for my tour?

    We encourage guests to arrive 15-minutes prior to the start of their tour.  Guests arriving more than 10-minutes after the start of their scheduled tour will not be added to the tour late and will be moved to the next tour time if availability permits.  Joining guests to tours already in progress can be disruptive to the guide and the other tour guests.  Refunds will not be issued for late arrivals.  Old Forester is located in a downtown location.  Please allow additional time for parking and for any potential construction around the facility.

  • What is included in the Distillery Tour?

    When touring Old Forester, guests will have the opportunity to see fermentation, distillation, barrel making, maturation and bottling.  The tour concludes with a tasting in one of our tasting rooms.  While guests will see all of the production areas on tour, not all portions of the tour may be active each day.  Old Forester is an operational production facility, and the production schedule impacts which areas are functioning at which times.

  • What is your tour refund / cancellation policy?

    A full refund will be provided for cancellations made at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled tour time. For cancellations made less than 24 hours prior to the start of the scheduled tour, no refund will be given. A full refund will be issued for large group bookings of 11 or more provided the cancellation is made at least 2 weeks prior to the scheduled tour. No refund will be awarded for cancellations made within 2 weeks of the scheduled activity.

  • What will I be tasting at the end of my tour?

    Guests of legal drinking age (21+) are able to participate in an optional bourbon tasting as part of the tour experience. A unique offering of Old Forester expressions are offered in the tasting experience, and we encourage guests to sip responsibly if they choose to participate.

Gift Shop

  • Can I engrave a bottle onsite?

    Unfortunately, we cannot currently engrave bottles on site. We will be sure to update this section should anything change.

  • Can I reserve one of your premium or specialty bottles in advance?

    Guests are not able to reserve any bottle in advance and must be onsite to purchase when the product is released.

      

  • Do you have any special releases available?

    The Old Forester Gift Shop may have premium and specialty bottles available for purchase.  These products are released at any date and time and are not announced or made public to ensure all Old Forester fans have a fair equitable opportunity to purchase.

  • If I purchase a bottle of Bourbon at the gift shop, can I have it shipped to me?

    At this time, recent changes in legislation allow us to legally ship beverage alcohol to only a handful of U.S. states, and no international shipping from Old Forester Distillery is permitted. Please check with a retail associate for details on where bottles may be shipped legally.

  • What day is Old Forester Birthday Bourbon released?

    The 2023 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Sweepstakes entry window has officially closed. On or about September 2, 2023, Sponsor will randomly select five hundred (500) potential winners. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries. Potential winners will be notified via email (as noted in the entry) and must visit the Old Forester Distillery in Louisville, KY, in person to purchase a Prize beginning September 8, 2023 until December 23, 2023.

    See full terms and conditions.

    There will be no in-store distillery release on September 2. Please do not make plans to travel to the distillery in anticipation of purchasing a bottle. There will be none on-site.

General Questions

  • Do you accept cash?

    We do not accept cash at this time.  Old Forester is currently credit card only.

  • Is the Old Forester Distillery closed on holidays?

    Old Forester will be closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years Eve.

    Our production and homeplace annual shutdown typically occurs the first two weeks of January.  There may be limited hours of operation during this time.

    Please check oldforester.com for any updates on additional closures or changes.

  • Is there a dress code?

    Old Forester is a fully-functioning distillery, and we recommend guests wear closed-toe shoes for safety purposes. Open-toe shoes are permitted but are not recommended.

  • What is your smoking policy?

    Old Forester Distillery is a non-smoking facility. No smoking, vaping, or e-cigarettes of any kind are permitted in and around Old Forester Distillery property. Louisville Metro maintains a smoking ordinance which prohibits smoking within 15 feet from the outside entrance of any building.

Online Ordering and Direct-to-Consumer Shipping

Orders & Shipping

Returns, Exchanges & Damages

  • My order arrived damaged, what do I do?

    If you receive any damaged items, please contact us within 5 days of receiving your package at ofdretail@b-f.com and we are happy to work with you to exchange or refund the damaged item(s). Please provide your order number, photos of the damaged item(s) as well as a contact number for us to reach you. You may be asked to return the damaged product.

  • What if I want to return my purchase?

    Non-Alcohol Merchandise: Any non-alcohol items you purchase can be returned within 30 days of receiving your item(s). Please contact us at ofdretail@b-f.com to begin the process. Please add your order number in the subject line. Shipping fees may apply.

    Alcohol: Beverage alcohol is not returnable.

Gifts & Gift Cards

  • Are gift cards available?

    Gift cards are available to purchase at our distillery located in Louisville, KY and are redeemable ONLY at the distillery gift shop.  We are unable to offer e-cards to use with our website at this time.

    If you would like to pre-purchase a gift card to use during your visit to the distillery or as a gift, please contact us at  502-779-2268 or email us at ofdretail@b-f.com. Gift cards are available in all denominations. 

  • Can I add a gift note or can you gift wrap my order?

    Gift wrap and gift notes are not available at this time.

  • Can I make a purchase as a gift?

    You may make a purchase as a gift. The purchaser and the receiver must be 21 years of age or older, and eligible under each state’s laws. The delivery process will always include proof of age and possibly identity.

Discounts

  • Do you ever have sales or offer any type of discounts?

    Yes, occasionally on general merchandise we do offer a sale price. If we are offering any special promotions, the item will be discounted during your purchase. We do not offer a discount on our Old Forester spirits products.

Please Enter Your Birthday

This site uses Cookies. I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Please Sip Responsibly

Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, 43-57.5% Alc./Vol., Old Forester Mint Julep Cocktail, 30% Alc./Vol. Old Forester Distilling Company at Louisville in Kentucky. OLD FORESTER is a registered trademark. “AMERICA’S FIRST BOTTLED BOURBON” is a trademark. ©2024 Brown-Forman Distillers. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

Please do not share or forward this content to anyone under the legal drinking age.

To find out more about responsible consumption, visit Responsibility.org and OurThinkingAboutDrinking.com