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Horse Soldier Bourbon to open Kentucky distillery

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Published  May 29, 2025 1:34pm EDT
St. Petersburg
FOX 13 News
Horse soldiers embark on ‘spirited’ new adventure

Horse soldiers embark on ‘spirited’ new adventure

Horse Soldier Bourbon, which began in the Bay Area, plans to open a new distillery in Kentucky. FOX 13's Lloyd Sowers reports.

The Brief

    • Horse Soldier Bourbon launched years ago in the Bay Area and is now available nationwide.
    • Horse Soldier Bourbon business owners also built a restaurant and event venue in St. Petersburg called Urban Still House.
    • Now, they have plans to open a distillery in Kentucky on July 4, 2026, America’s 250th anniversary.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A group of retired Green Berets who started a bourbon business in the Bay Area are planning to open a distillery in Kentucky with hopes of leaving a lasting legacy for the next generation.

The backstory:

Scott Neil remembers the September 11 attacks like they were yesterday. 

"It was 24 years ago, but those emotions are still raw," explained the retired soldier who got the chance to get even in an exciting but dangerous special operation following the attacks. 

RELATED: Retired Green Berets’ story of riding horseback in Afghanistan inspire ‘Horse Soldier’ bourbon brand

He was with the Horse Soldiers, the U-S Army Green Berets and special operators who quickly headed for Afghanistan. They found that riding horses in the rough country was the best way to fight those who attacked us. 

Later, Neil and his buddies were discussing what would come next. The answer was bourbon. 

They launched their Horse Soldier Bourbon several years ago from their home base in the Tampa Bay Area. It’s now available nationwide. 

They also built a restaurant and event venue in St. Petersburg called Urban Still House. It’s full of memorabilia and art that helps tell their story on the battlefield and the bourbon business. 

What they're saying:

"We wanted to leave a legacy for our kids that's not footlockers full of medals and dirty boots, but a small business," Neil shared.

Why bourbon? 

"Everything that's the American ideal, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness might involve a drink with friends and family," Neil said.

Dig deeper:

Now, they’re expanding and building a large distillery complex in Kentucky, not far from several established distilleries, near the town of Somerset. 

Some of the Horse Soldiers are now grandfathers, so they want the distillery to occupy only a portion of what will be offered.  

"We’ll also have horseback rides and other family activities. We bought an old golf course right on Lake Cumberland," Neil stated. "We hope to be the largest employer in town."

Neil says the story will go on as they build their business.  

"This is just a reminder that anything is possible, to make something from nothing in this country. Servicemen have been coming back from conflicts for generations to build businesses and we're doing the same thing," says Neil. 

What's next:

The Horse Soldiers plan to open the distillery in Kentucky on July 4, 2026, America’s 250th anniversary. They also plan to keep the Urban Still House in Tampa Bay, where U-S Special Operations Command is based, because it is their home.

The Source: This story was written with information gathered by FOX 13's Lloyd Sowers. 

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