From the Bluegrass to the Hawkeye State: Crafting a 5-Foot Statement for Cedar Ridge Distillery

In the heart of Louisville, Kentucky, the air often carries the sweet, toasted aroma of aging bourbon. It’s a city where craftsmanship isn’t just a hobby—it’s a heritage. At Open Grain Woodwork, we live and breathe that heritage every day, turning raw timber into functional art that tells a story.

Recently, we had the pleasure of bridging the gap between two great whiskey-producing regions: the rolling hills of Kentucky and the fertile plains of Swisher, Iowa. Our mission? To create a massive, custom-built barrel head sign for the legendary Cedar Ridge Distillery.

A Shared Language: Bourbon

While Kentucky is the undisputed capital of bourbon, our friends at Cedar Ridge have been putting Iowa on the map with their award-winning spirits. When they reached out to us for a centerpiece for their Barrel Room, we knew it had to be more than just a sign. It needed to evoke the soul of the rickhouse.

There is a sacred connection between the wood and the whiskey. In Louisville, we know that the barrel is responsible for 100% of the color and much of the flavor of the spirit. By mimicking the structure of a barrel head on a massive scale, we wanted to pay homage to the vessel that makes the magic happen.

The Build: Oak, Scale, and Precision

This wasn’t your average wall hanging. This project was an exercise in scale and structural integrity. To achieve a 5-foot diameter, we couldn’t just use a standard barrel; we had to build one from the ground up using premium oak—the gold standard of the industry.

The challenge lay in joining these oak lengths to create a seamless, sturdy canvas that mimicked the traditional “stave” construction of a whiskey cask. After the glue-up and a precise circular cut, the massive oak head was sanded to a smooth finish that highlighted the beautiful, open grain—a signature of our shop.

The Finishing Touches: Dimensional Detail

To give the sign a modern, professional edge that would pop in the Cedar Ridge Barrel Room, we moved away from traditional paint or stencils. Instead, we utilized 3/16″ black PVC raised dimensional letters.

By mounting these letters directly to the oak surface, we created a shadow-play effect that changes as you walk past the sign. From the “Cedar Ridge” logo to the “DSP-IA-15001” designation at the top, every detail was meticulously aligned to ensure the brand’s identity was represented with the prestige it deserves.

Hanging a Heavyweight

When you’re dealing with several dozen board feet of solid oak and a 5-foot spread, weight becomes a major factor. To ensure this piece stays exactly where it’s put, we utilized a French Cleat mounting system. This allows the sign to sit flush against the wall while distributing the weight evenly, making the installation as rock-solid as the spirits Cedar Ridge pours.

The Result

The finished piece is a true cross-country collaboration. It carries the “Built in Louisville” pride of Open Grain Woodwork to the “Barrel Room” of Swisher, Iowa. It’s a testament to the fact that whether you’re in the Bluegrass or the Hawkeye State, great whiskey starts with great wood.

Keep an eye out for this giant. It’s a 5-foot reminder of the craftsmanship that goes into every bottle.