Whether you stop in for cocktails or a casual bite, the bar at Proof is one of Louisville’s best places to people watch. With a carefully selected spirits collection – that reflects a dedication to quality, diversity and originality – our bartenders are always ready to shake it up. We spoke to Chea Beckley, the Area Beverage Manager and Beverage Director at Proof on Main.
(courtesy of Proof on Main)
Chea, what is your background? What were you doing before joining Proof on Main.
CB: Prior to Proof on Main, I was a server at Angelina’s Ristorante and task force trainer for Epic Food Concepts out of Naples, Florida and was prepping to manage at their new venture (at the time), Agave Southwestern Grille. I also bartended/served at various restaurants around Louisville including the Blind Pig, Zanzabar, and the Irish Rover off and on since 2000. The beauty of 21c Museum Hotels is that they invest wholeheartedly in their team members, provide an amazing network of support and a flexible forum that promotes an incredible level of learning and development. I received irreplaceable skills, ethos, and mentorship through my previous experiences, but, as a manager, buyer, and concept developer, I truly honed my chops with Proof on Main.
So just to get into it, how did Proof on Main get started? What was the vision behind the project? Tell us about the name.
CB: 21c Louisville and Proof on Main was founded in 2006 by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, contemporary art collectors and preservationists who believe in the power of innovative and thought-provoking art to transform communities. Laura Lee and Steve, both native Kentuckians, believe that revitalizing urban centers can help ease suburban sprawl and protect farmland. They were instrumental in safeguarding nearly 2,000 acres of Kentucky farmland from development including the 1,000-acre Woodland Farm where they live.
Proof on Main sources ingredients from the best producers and purveyors in the region, including Woodland Farm, located 24 miles east of downtown Louisville. Our carefully selected spirits collection reflects a dedication to quality, diversity and originality. 21c is all about the element of discovery and that really carries through to our beverage program. We encourage our guests to explore and discover new things whether it’s a fantastic local beer or spirit, a new wine or a new cocktail.
The name Proof on Main is a nod to our building’s history as 19th century tobacco and bourbon warehouses.
(courtesy of Proof on Main)
Can you tell us a bit about your role and what does it entail?
CB: For Proof on Main, I oversee the ever evolving beverage concept and menus; education, beverage service, and training; beverage cost; our private selection spirits program, 21c Selects; special dinners like our Fork & Bottle series and Hog & Barrel dinners, and everything you expect from a floor manager. All this being said, it would be impossible to do without our wine director, Bill Kehrwald, a fantastic management team, and our enthusiastic lounge team and restaurant team members. At a brand level, I help develop beverage programs and assist in logistics and systems for our new properties and offer our beverage directors support wherever needed.
(courtesy of Proof on Main)
What was your proudest moment of working at Proof on Main?
CB: It would be hard to pin to just one moment, our team is constantly one-upping themselves in this department. I feel proudest when a team member uses something they have learned through the education and experiences we provide and convey that knowledge genuinely and organically to provide a one of a kind dining experience. We constantly see our team members being lauded for their craft, knowledge, and exceptional service.
How do you stay current with all the latest whiskies? With all the independent bottlers?
CB: We are always on the hunt. We have great relationships with our distributors and brands that keep us up to date with what is new in the market. There are great industry newsletters like Shanken News Daily and Mark Brown’s (of Sazerac) Industry News Letter that we rely on. Whiskey groups and publications like the Bourbon Review and Whiskey Advocate are prolific these days and keep us on the pulse of what is going on.
How many different types of whisky do you have available at your venue?
CB: You made me count. Currently, we have about 280 whiskies offered in our bar. This number fluctuates with allocation releases and consumption.
(courtesy of Proof on Main)
Are you known for anything else besides a great whiskey selection?
CB: Yes! Although not quite as extensive in breadth, Wine Director, Bill Kehrwald, maintains an exciting list of wines designed to be a place of exploration and discovery. We also have an extremely talented group of bartenders that are constantly pushing the envelope and winning awards and nominations for their inventive cocktails.
Would you say now is the most exciting time to be a whiskey lover?
CB: I suppose that depends. The category, as a whole, is still on the rise and the demand, interest, and support is certainly higher than in recent decades. With that comes higher prices and high competition to land bottles. I certainly would have liked to see the industry pre-prohibition before distilleries were nearly wiped out in the U.S. Or in my own lifetime, wished I had the money to build my collection in the ‘90s and early 2000’s.
When it comes to making the classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned, how do you determine which whiskey to use?
CB: Taste is subjective, so ultimately, the one that puts a smile on your face is the obvious choice. That being said, there are some guidelines we use. Proof, mash bill, price, and maturation are all considered. You want a proof that will stand up to the accompanying components of the cocktail and balance the body (this may also include filtration). The mash bill and maturation are selected to meld harmoniously and appropriately to the cocktail of choice. Price, because it doesn’t always ensure quality, but may affect your expectation and bottom line. Then again, if you want us to make a Boulevardier with Michter’s Celebration, you’ll get it sans judgment and with a smile.
(courtesy of Proof on Main)
What type of crowd do you get at your venue. Whiskey noob, the know it all, maybe the quite connoisseur ?
CB: All of the above. While our list at Proof on Main has garnered the respect of connoisseurs and offers the opportunity to taste hard to find whiskies, we are also a 91-room award winning hotel and contemporary art museum. Proof on Main is often the 1st stop and gateway to your Bourbon experience. With this comes responsibility, and our team is adept to catering to any level of pre-existing knowledge and experience.
What are you most excited about in the whisky scene?
CB: Private selections! In the past couple of years, we have ramped up our private selection program, 21c Selects. Selfishly, this allows myself and our team to visit distilleries and pick some incredible spirits that have a bit of influence from our collective tastes. We also get to pick the brains of moguls in the industry and learn as much as we can from them. For our patrons, they get to try some exclusive selections and be able to take a bottle or two home with them. One of the top questions we get from our whiskey nomads is “where do we go to buy hard to find bottles?”. Now, we can direct them a few feet away to our 21c Museum Shop where we exclusively sell our 21c Selects.
Is there any particular type of whisky that sells more than the other?
CB: Well, this may surprise you…. but it is hands down, Bourbon. It’s Kentucky! Especially hard to find Kentucky bourbon.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of Tastethedram?
CB: Thank you!
