Restaurateurs Laurie and Keith Farlow are honoring Laurie’s hometown Kentucky roots by implementing century-old “Prohibition Wood” into the design of their new steakhouse, Chophouse285, currently under construction at 285 Dearborn Street in the heart of historic downtown Englewood, Florida.
“As someone who grew up in Kentucky, it’s deeply personal to me to have this piece of bourbon history in our Englewood restaurant,” said Laurie Farlow, co-owner of Chophouse285.
“It carries more than 100 years of history, and now it will be part of Englewood’s future.”
The wood was salvaged by the owners and Master distillers of Hemingway Bourbon from the Green River Distilling Company in Owensboro, Kentucky, and recently trucked down to Florida. The distillery is the 10th-oldest registered distillery in Kentucky, founded by J.W.
McCulloch in 1885, and its whiskey was world-renowned before fire and Prohibition relegated it to history. It reopened, following an extensive renovation in 2016. It was at this time the owners of Hemingway Bourbon had the foresight to save that wood thinking it may have a use in the future.
The wood is a combination of Pine and Oak dating back over a hundred years. It was used in the “rickhouses” which aged bourbon until prohibition.
Chophouse285 will feature the wood in several interesting ways including constructing a rustic bar that will be the centerpiece of the restaurant. Guests will be able to enjoy tasting part of history by ordering specialty bourbon cocktails using the wood to not only enhance the aromatics, but also allowing the liquid and smoke flavors to combine into a new cocktail experience.
Coming soon: www.chophouse285.com
Did You Know? Prohibition Wood Factoids
• Origin: Salvaged from the bourbon aging “Rickhouses”
• Composition: Pine and Oak
• Aesthetic: Features diverse colors and textures, creating a distinctive, historical appearance.
• Uses: Popular for flooring, wall paneling, and other architectural or decorative Applications.
