A small batch of these 'Kentucky Kicks Ass' and 'Heaven Must Be a Kentucky Kind of Place' barrelheads be available on our website this Friday at 10:00AM! Made in KY.
As Kentuckians, we understand just how essential of a role bourbon plays in our lives. It's part of our history as a state, as well as our key element of recreation. There are more barrels of bourbon than people in Kentucky, so when the bourbon goes down the hatch, what happens to all of those empty barrels? Father-daughter team, Bryan and Amie Uittenbogaard of Nicholasville, KY, have a kick-ass answer to this question. They re-purpose Kentucky bourbon barrels in so many creative ways it would blow your mind, one way resulting in these amazing 'Kentucky Kicks Ass' and 'Heaven Must Be a Kentucky Kind of Place' barrelheads! Since barrels can only be used once to age sweet, sweet bourbon, they are then either re-used to age scotch or re-purposed as art or furniture by companies such as Amie Rae Designs.
'Heaven Must Be a Kentucky Kind Of Place' quote by Daniel Boone and design by Tim Jones.
'Kentucky Kicks Ass' designed by Cricket Press.
These barrelheads come from a variety of distilleries throughout Kentucky, covered in char, but the Uittenbogaards work their magic to produce these engraved pieces of artwork, finished, stained and glossed to perfection. They begin the process by running the barrel heads through a planer, which knocks off the dirt and grime that collects on the barrels in the bourbon aging process. After planing, the barrelheads dry for one month which minimizes the shrinkage of the final product. They then reassemble the planks with a plywood backing that holds them together securely. After sanding down to a smooth surface, the barrelhead is placed under a laser that can read the image to be engraved, just like a printer reads where to apply ink to paper. After the engraving, the barrelhead is finished with stain and a top seal coat to complete this badass piece of art. These kick-ass barrelheads are perfect for your man cave, your woman cave, or any bourbon-loving setting (so, any room in any Kentucky establishment will do just fine). A small batch of these 'Kentucky Kicks Ass' and 'Heaven Must Be a Kentucky Kind of Place' barrelheads be available on our website this Friday at 10:00AM! Y'all don't miss your chance to complete your true Kentuckian home-decor! It's just what you need to pay tribute to our kick-ass commonwealth.
Words and Photos by Savanna Barnett