DANNY KAHN

Danny’s extensive background in brewing and passion for the science, art, and history behind bourbon is what led him to become the Master Distiller at Barton 1792 Distillery in 2018.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in Fermentation Science from the University of California, Davis, Danny embarked on a career in the brewing industry. He began his career as a brewing supervisor with Anheuser-Busch, Inc., and from there was promoted to a number of technical and managerial roles in a variety of locations, including being in charge of its craft beer innovation and new brand development and later, the Executive Assistant to the Vice President, Brewing. In due course he became the company’s Senior Brewmaster at its Cartersville, Georgia brewery. While Senior Brewemaster, Danny also earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of Georgia, Terry College of Business.
Following a 27-year career with Anheuser-Busch, Danny went on to become the Brewery Technical Director at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. where he oversaw the company’s brewing, quality, R&D, new beer development, raw materials, barrel aging and sensory operations. After holding a variety of brewing roles for 31 years, Danny accepted the opportunity to use his expertise to distill spirits for Barton 1792 Distillery. Danny is fond of saying that with his brewing background, he has been preparing his whole life for this Master Distiller role. After all, beer wants to be bourbon when it grows up!
Danny was named Master Distiller at Barton 1792 Distillery, located in Bardstown, Kentucky in 2018. In this role he oversaw the distillation and the spirits barrel aging programs where he continued his beverage art and science experience, to further the Distillery’s tradition of producing award-winning whiskies. In addition to producing all of the 1792 expressions of whiskey, Danny recently created and introduced the Thomas S. Moore line of whiskeys that are bourbons that have been aged for an extended period of time in a secondary beverage cask.
In October 2022, Danny was promoted to Master Distiller & Distillation/Aging Operations Director – Sazerac where he will continue his distillation passion and oversee and guide the technical operations at the Barton 1792, Buffalo Trace, Collingwood distilleries and our off site barrel aging warehouse operations.