Bluegrass Bitters
Like many, Shawn and Kathy Herbig enjoy an evening of visiting with friends over drinks. They go to an event, and there’s likely a cash bar available.
Shawn even remembers the days when parents would rub a bit of bourbon on their toddlers’ gums, and whether that’s considered acceptable today, it’s the way it was, and he says he’s been a bourbon sipper since he was a little tyke.
Of course, these days, it’s less medicinal and more relaxation and quality.
What would be better to celebrate National Bourbon Day on June 14 than a simple cocktail — the old fashioned.
An old fashioned has only three ingredients: whiskey (rye or bourbon), bitters and a sweetening agent, but Herbig says Kentucky bourbon can’t be beat.
After numerous social gatherings and having friends over for drinks and dinner, Herbig started toying with creating something unique for friends and family.
“I wanted to make the best old fashioned for my wife and our friends to enjoy. I started looking at the ingredients and what happens if you use another sugar? Let’s play with this and see what these little micro-changes can do,” Herbig says. “It started out as just a hobby or passion project six or seven years ago, but I noticed the only thing you could get from Kentucky was the bourbon. Everything else in the glass was from out of state, and I was wondering why we aren’t complimenting our great Kentucky bourbon with flavoring agents right here.”
Over time, his recipes were refined and he became consistent, testing out his latest iteration on “willing guinea pigs” at the couple’s latest get-together.
“They started telling us we should commercialize this and start a business. I have owned a research and data analytics firm (IQS Research) since I was 28, so I’m not afraid of entrepreneurship. My wife is a CPA, and when I sat down with her to look at this, surprisingly, she was all in,” Herbig says. “She said we can afford it; you love this, we’re having fun, and if it fails, it’s okay. Let’s see where it goes.”
Moving forward, Herbig says, it became serendipitous.
He reached out to Louisville-based Flavorman, experts in beverage development and analytical testing for the beverage industry, and the two began working together.
Bluegrass Bitters was established in June 2024, and they began selling products in September 2025.
In just the past few months, they’ve already sold to people in 23 different states, and the Black Walnut Bitters was featured on Whiskey Advocate’s 2025 annual gift guide.
Bluegrass Bitters offers a Smoky Simple Syrup, 5-Spice Orange Bitter, Black Walnut, and their latest on the market, the Infused Cherry.
“We’ve leaned into our Kentucky heritage, and I think a lot of people appreciate that. We’re incredibly intentional with high-quality ingredients and outstanding flavor profiles,” Herbig says. “It’s just a good product.”
While Herbig won’t divulge his complete recipe, he says finding the perfect balance in the way the bitters play with the bourbon, recognizing the complexity of the drink and simply adding small elements to enhance the flavor is nothing short of scientific.
“I’m not trying to fix the bourbon. It’s not broken. It’s the other ingredients — all natural with no artificial flavors or colors — that make the difference. Two years ago, I wasn’t thinking about the chemistry of an orange peel, but it changes how we enjoy the drink,” Herbig says. “New bourbon drinkers are surprised by the pleasant flavors, and experienced bourbon drinkers can taste the complexity in the drink.”
Herbig is sharing his passion with others, too.
In 2026, they partnered with Bourbon Women Kentucky to offer events in which he walks guests through products and drink combinations.
He’s also looking at ways to reach bourbon drinkers at home.
“When you’re hosting, a lot of people are kind of nervous. You want it to be a good event for people you care about, and you want everyone to enjoy the evening,” Herbig says. “I’d love to eventually have a set of video tutorials that kind of break down that host role.”
He knows the need is there because each monthly newsletter sent out receives a variety of questions from men and women, and Herbig does his best to answer.
“I just recently had someone say she just served beer most of the time because she’s intimidated at the bar. I’d like to do something on how to stock your bar; what you need and what isn’t necessary,” Herbig says. “There are no dumb questions, and when I think about the bourbon culture, I think there’s a responsibility to be welcoming. We want to be friendly and serve drinks, but we also want to be respectful of people’s knowledge and preferences.”
Most importantly, Herbig wants hosts to feel comfortable and confident in their role.
“If we’re having a party and we have a few die-hard bourbon drinkers mixed with some people who just dabble in it, I take it as a personal challenge. If I can’t give you a cocktail you genuinely enjoy, that’s a failure on my part,” Herbig says. “We want to make you the hero. We want to elevate your experience and set you up to mix cocktails that are as easy and predictable as possible.”
Herbig is still working on new flavor profiles and anticipates rolling out new products over the next few years.
“We have other profiles I believe will be out in 2027. We’re working on one with coffee beans, and it’s crazy when you’re thinking about timing, texture; do you chop or grind the beans? We’re sweating the details all the time so you can make simple decisions to put in the glass,” Herbig says.
Some bitters companies create products for any drink, but Herbig is focused on the famous Kentucky bourbon and believes he’ll end up with around 10 different expressions of flavors available.
“We take this very seriously, and 2026 and 2027 are going to be amazing. This is our first full calendar year, and we have some cool partnerships developing. We’re just super excited to be here.”
Visit bluegrassbitters.net or follow Bluegrass Bitters on Facebook for more information.
