Kelci Koonce

I became a tour guide because I love teaching people about whiskey and the sense of community that comes with it. During the pandemic, I was thrilled to find out Kings County offered virtual tastings and jumped at the opportunity.
 
Transcript: "I decided to become a tour guide because I love teaching people about whiskey. I love people coming together to learn about whiskey, those who may be new, some who may be seasoned. I just love the reaction in the community of bringing people together through whiskey. So during the pandemic, I took a virtual tasting with Kings County and I was blown away, super excited that they had moonshine. And so when the opportunity came, I did not hesitate."

I enjoy having conversations with seniors about how they used to do things in their hometowns, especially when it comes to whiskey. The exchanges of knowledge and love of the drink always lead to a unique and warming experience.
 
Transcript: "Some of my most unique conversations while giving tours have been with seniors, actually the elders. I love hearing them talk about how they have done things in their hometown, especially the ones who are not from New York. And you know, you start talking about moonshine, which means a lot of different things to a lot of people. And it's always unique to see how they've done it back in their time and the things they appreciate about how we're doing it now. And it just opens a door to a just a warming, unique person to person experience and exchange of knowledge and just love of whiskey."

There is no minimum age requirement for bourbon, but straight and bottled in bond bourbon must be aged at least two and four years respectively.
 
Transcript: "So this is a very common question. So there is no minimum age requirement for bourbon in general. However, there are some exceptions. So if it's a straight bourbon whiskey, it must be aged for at least two years. And if it's a bottled and bond bourbon whiskey, it must be aged for a minimum of four years."

I use simple terms and examples, add in some jokes, and let my bubbly personality shine when leading workshops and classes.
 
Transcript: "This is a really great question. So I am an educator at heart. I've been working in higher ed for about 10 years. So I've led workshops and done some small classes. And one thing I always keep in mind is to keep things very simple. Use simple terms, use simple examples so it's relatable. Also, I'm a jokester by nature. So I will throw a joke in, add some fun. And I'll just really let my personality fly because I'm a bubbly person. I like making people laugh and do that so they can understand it and really grasp the concepts that I'm talking about."

Bourbon is a type of whiskey made in the US that must be at least 51% corn and aged in new charred oak containers. It must be distilled at no more than 160 proof and bottled at 80 proof or higher with no additives allowed by law.
 
Transcript: "So what is bourbon? Bourbon is one of the most beautiful things of life. So bourbon is a type of whiskey that has some rules and regulations. So number one, it must be made in the United States of America. Bourbon is a distinctive product of the USA. It must be at least 51% corn. Corn is a dominant grain in bourbon. It also, you cannot distill it at more than 160 proof. And it must be aged in new charred oak containers. So every time you make a batch of bourbon, you have to use a new charred oak container. You cannot reuse a bourbon barrel to make another batch of bourbon. And it cannot enter that container at more than 125 proof, which is known as the ancient proof. You can also not add any additives to bourbon. By law, additives are not allowed in bourbon. And it must be bottled at at least 80 proof. So if you meet those requirements, you got a bourbon."

Hi, I'm Kelsey Coons and I'm a lover of American craft whiskey. I'm a tour guide at a craft whiskey distillery and enjoy teaching others about whiskey.
 
Transcript: "Hi, my name is Kelsey Coons. I am a lover of American craft whiskey. I love teaching about it, all things whiskey. I'm currently a head tour guide at a craft whiskey distillery and here to answer lots of questions. So welcome!"