Welcome to
ZAK Cooperage
We are a third-generation family-owned cooperage established in 1990 and located in Athertonville, Kentucky. We make new American oak whiskey barrels entirely in-house and take pride in our commitment to quality and craftsmanship.
At ZAK Cooperage, we procure all our Kentucky white oak from within a 100-mile radius around our cooperage and log yards in eastern Kentucky. This region’s limestone-rich soil provides ideal conditions for healthy white oak growth, contributing to the distinctive bourbon flavor profiles of our barrels. Sourcing locally benefits our nearby communities, supports our local loggers, and promotes proper forest management in our region.
We offer a range of custom toasting, charring, and air-seasoning options tailored to suit your unique flavor preferences. Explore our range of premium barrels and experience the quality and craftsmanship that define ZAK Cooperage.
Discover why distilleries in Kentucky and around the world choose ZAK Cooperage.
Mission Statement
Our mission at ZAK Cooperage is to preserve the tradition of high quality coopering while pioneering innovative barrel solutions. We are dedicated to supporting the success and growth of our distillery partners through our commitment to excellence and craftsmanship. By sourcing our materials locally, we not only ensure the highest quality but also benefit our communities, support our loggers, and promote proper forest management in Kentucky.
Crafting Tradition
At ZAK Cooperage, crafting barrels is a family tradition that has spanned three generations. Our skilled coopers handcraft each barrel, drawing on years of experience and a deep commitment to quality. From selecting premium American white oak to ensuring precise assembly, we attend to every detail to guarantee durability and excellence. By choosing ZAK Cooperage barrels, you are supporting a legacy of craftsmanship, innovation, and community values.
Aging Excellence
The excellence of our barrels begins with our choice of materials. We carefully select premium white oak from our region, ensuring that each log embodies the unique qualities of the limestone-rich soil of central Kentucky. Our staves are air seasoned on the banks of Knob Creek, allowing them to mature naturally and develop the perfect characteristics for aging spirits. This meticulous attention to our air seasoning process transcends into the quality of the whiskey that ages in our barrels, imparting rich, complex flavors and ensuring an exceptional final product.
Custom Solutions
We excel in providing custom solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of each distillery. Our ability to customize our toast, char, and air seasoning programs allows us to create barrels that perfectly match your desired flavor profile. With decades of family experience and the invaluable expertise of our co-founder, Bert Zimlich, who served as VP-Director of Engineering at Brown-Forman and President of Bluegrass Cooperage, we bring a wealth of knowledge to every project. Our extensive experience working closely with our customers on countless collaborations ensures that we can handle projects of any size, from small batches to large-scale production runs. Partner with ZAK Cooperage for custom cooperage solutions that enhance the distinct characteristics of your whiskey and deliver exceptional quality.
Sustainable Practices
At ZAK Cooperage, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to operate as a zero-waste facility, ensuring that every byproduct of our cooperage process is recycled and repurposed. Our commitment to the environment extends beyond our facility to the forests from which we source our white oak logs. We practice proper forest management, working closely with local loggers to ensure that our white oak is sustainably harvested from the central & eastern Kentucky regions. We not only support our community but also reduce our carbon footprint by sourcing our oak locally. Our dedication to sustainable practices ensures that we can continue crafting bourbon barrels while preserving the natural beauty of our region for future generations.
