Latest news with #Somerhalder
Forbes
21-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Brother's Bond Bourbon Looks To Stir Up Sustainability During Earth Month
Earth Month and Earth Day are a time that many are trying to make a bit more effort to support more sustainable practices. For some though, it's a constant effort. A great example is Brother's Bond Bourbon. This brand may get a lot of attention for their bourbon, but they are equally established for their consistent sustainability efforts. Espresso Regentini from Brother's Bond Bourbon. Brother's Bond Bourbon In fact their Regenerative Grain Straight Bourbon was one of the first small batch bourbons in the U.S. made with regenerative grains and the brand has donated a portion of every Brother's Bond bottle sold to Kiss the Ground, which supports soil health. Now, the brand is marking Earth Month in a special way with their Shake & Stir Up change campaign in an effort to support sustainability and regenerative agriculture. Ian Somerhalder, who co-founded Brother's Bond with Paul Wesley, chatted with in an email interview about this Earth Month initiative, but he explains for this brand, sustainability isn't an add-on; it's a founding principle. "From day one, our mission has been to create exceptional whiskey while protecting the planet for future generations," said Somerhalder, who says his team is committed to helping transition U.S. farmland to regenerative agricultural practices, with an ambitious goal of supporting 100 million acres by 2030. "Regenerative farming rebuilds soil health, enhances biodiversity, and captures carbon; it's one of the most hopeful and scalable solutions to the climate crisis. Every bottle of Brother's Bond helps support this transition, with 1% of our sales donated to advancing soil health. It's about legacy, impact, and crafting a better future, sip by sip," said Somerhalder. To this end, the Regenerative Grain Bourbon is a small-batch release made with grains grown using regenerative practices within 20 miles of the distillery in North Carolina. "It's a blend of a nuanced three-year bourbon and a distinct six-year wheated bourbon, and it's one of the first in the U.S. made with regeneratively farmed grains," said Somerhalder, who shared sourcing these grains wasn't easy. "There's no existing roadmap, but we felt strongly about leading the change. This release represents a tangible step toward more environmentally responsible bourbon-making, and the flavor speaks for itself: rich caramel, toasted oak, campfire marshmallow. It's an award-winning bourbon with depth and purpose," said Somerhalder, As part of their sustainability efforts, Brothers Bond is also working with Kiss the Ground, a nonprofit that's changing how we think about soil. "They advocate for regeneration as a solution to the climate, water, and wellness crisis, and they make the science accessible and inspiring," said Somerhalder. "I've been involved with them personally for years and helped produce both Kiss the Ground and Common Ground, two powerful documentaries about the regenerative movement." Brother's Bond supports their mission financially and through awareness. "With every bottle sold, we're contributing to their work helping U.S. farmers shift to regenerative practices—over 36 million acres and counting. It's a partnership grounded in shared values and real impact," said Somerhalder. For Earth Month's Shake & Stir Up Change campaign, the team created two coffee-forward cocktails: The Espresso Regentini, which is made with certified regenerative coffee beans from Kiss the Ground, as well as the Carbon Capture Cold Brew, a bourbon-forward spin with a touch of sweetness. "Coffee and bourbon share deep roots in agriculture and craftsmanship, and we wanted to use that connection to tell a bigger story about regeneration, flavor, and making better choices," said Somerhalder, who believes the Espresso Regentini especially gives the classic espresso martini a more soulful, whiskey-rich profile. "Bourbon and coffee were meant to meet, and this Earth Month felt like the perfect time to introduce them," said Somerhalder.
Fox News
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
'Vampire Diaries' star says farming is 'in my blood,' reflects on growing up poor in Louisiana
Ian Somerhalder found success and fame on "Vampire Diaries" and "Lost," which wasn't the norm for the Louisiana native. During an interview with Fox News Digital, the "Common Ground" star said his father is from the Bayou in Louisiana and his accent is so thick he has to translate the English he speaks to other English-native speakers. On the other hand, his mother comes from a long line of Mississippi farmers who "understood the aspect of farming in a holistic regenerative way." The Brothers Bond Bourbon co-founder explained that he was raised "super poor" and wasn't introduced to the finer things in life until he became the face of Versace at 16. "My dad taught me about the wetlands in Louisiana. When you take more than you give back, there's an imbalance. And guess who loses? We do. Nature will always find a way to regenerate. It's us who loses because, look man, we were super poor, but we were so rich. We had, I'm talking freezers full. We had a shed of boxes of Louisiana blue crab, Gulf shrimp, red fish, speckled trout, Amberjack. "I'm talking fresh tuna. I'm talking all the good stuff. And it wasn't until I was 16 as a model – I was the face of Versace when I was 16 – and you walk into a restaurant, even in 1994, and you order a dozen Louisiana blue crabs or oysters, and it was $100. And I thought… I have a thousand of these things in freezers. I was like, 'Oh.' So while we didn't have a lot of money, we were rich in culture and the things that we needed," Somerhalder said. "We were super poor, but we were so rich." The actor recently wrapped the "Common Ground" documentary, which "unveils a dark web of money, power, and politics behind our broken food system." WATCH: Ian Somerhalder reflects on growing up poor in Louisiana "The film reveals how unjust practices forged our current farm system in which farmers of all colors are literally dying to feed us. The film profiles a hopeful and uplifting movement of White, Black, and Indigenous farmers who are using alternative 'regenerative' models of agriculture that could balance the climate, save our health, and stabilize America's economy – before it's too late," the summary states. Somerhalder was eager to be a part of the project due to his roots in farming. "My family on both sides are multigenerational farmers going back to the 1700s. So this is very much in my blood. This is what I'm about." When addressing health in America, Somerhalder explained that he grew up in "Cancer Alley," which is an 80-mile stretch along the Mississippi River. "There's about 150 petrochemical plants or facilities, whatever you call them. And they call it cancer alley for a reason, right?" According to Somerhalder, once you fix problems like "Cancer Alley," you will have healthier people, healthier economies and a healthier planet. "When you heal and build nutrient density, you build healthier people. You also build healthier, robust economies. Then you build a healthier planet because you balance the climate. It does not matter what side of the aisle you sit on or if you sit in the middle of it. If you sit on the top left or the bottom right, it does not matter. We have a massive climate issue. Whether you believe it's man-made or not, that doesn't matter." Somerhalder has the solution, and it all ties back into farming. "Well, I mean, that's the re-industrialization of middle America, that's how we rebuild the United States of America. We do it through soil, and we do it for money. Let's be honest, man, money talks, BS walks. You tell a farmer that their constituents, I mean, that their elected officials in Congress are allowing these agrochemical companies to just pillage. You know what they're going to do? They're going to say enough is enough. I want my family to be healthy. I want money in my bank account. This is not fair." "And that is how we do it," Somerhalder said. WATCH: 'Vampire Diaries' star says farming is 'in my blood' During a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Somerhalder explained that there's a certain level of "respect" that comes with living on a farm that "populated, urban areas" just don't understand. "It's a lot of work, but the reality of it is like, especially with these fires that just happened in California. You know, for me, that's how I grew up, right here in Louisiana. For me, it gives me a sense of balance." "But what people don't realize is, a vast amount, a pretty large percentage of Americans, live that way. They respect and love that lifestyle. We live here now," he said. Somerhalder continued, "While … the very populated urban areas may not get it, they still benefit from it because they benefit from the quality products and produce that these people produce. So there's this amazing sort of flow of commerce and business and sort of like mutual respect that I love." Along with Somerhalder, Jason Momoa, Laura Dern and Woody Harrelson make up the "Common Ground" cast. The documentary, which is a sequel to the 2020 "Kiss the Ground," is available for streaming worldwide on Earth Day, April 22. During his interview with Fox News Digital, Somerhalder thanked Amazon and its founder, Jeff Bezos, for "sucking up" the rights to stream the documentaries and said "Common Ground" is going to "change the freaking planet." WATCH: Ian Somerhalder says new documentary 'Common Ground' is going to change the planet A special live global event will be held on April 22 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST on YouTube for one hour.
Fox News
17-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
'Vampire Diaries' star Ian Somerhalder says farm life gives him balance he can't find in Hollywood
"Vampire Diaries" star Ian Somerhalder admits that living on a farm is "hard work," but he wouldn't have it any other way. During an interview with Fox News Digital, The Brother's Bond Bourbon co-founder explained that there's a certain level of "respect" that comes with living on a farm that "populated, urban areas" just don't understand. "It's a lot of work, but the reality of it is like, especially with these fires that just happened in California. You know, for me, that's how I grew up. Right here in Louisiana. For me, it gives me a sense of balance." "But what people don't realize is, a vast amount, a pretty large percentage of Americans, live that way. They respect and love that lifestyle. We live here now," he said. Somerhalder continued, "While . . . the very populated urban areas may not get it, they still benefit from it because they benefit from the quality products and produce that these people produce. So there's this amazing sort of flow of commerce and business and sort of like mutual respect that I love." "It's a lot of work, but the reality of it is like, especially with these fires that just happened in California. You know, for me, that's how I grew up. Right here in Louisiana. For me, it gives me a sense of balance." Somerhalder, his wife, "Twilight" actress Nikki Reed, their two kids and nearly 20 animals all live together on a farm. In 2019, the couple left Los Angeles. In 2023, Somerhalder told E! News that he preferred the farm life to his life in Hollywood. WATCH: 'Vampire Diaries' star Ian Somerhalder says farm life gives him balance he can't find in Hollywood "Walking through the farm with kids and dogs and family," he told the outlet at the time. "Every stop, you're pulling off of trees or off of bushes, pulling up out of the ground and feeding everyone as you're moving through the farm." While raising their daughter, Bodhi, and their one-year-old son, the couple enjoy growing herbs, including rosemary and lavender, and taking care of multiple animals such as cows, mini-donkeys and goats. "It is a lot of work," Somerhalder added. "It's unbelievable when you see these amazing creature life forms ... and how they all live on the farm together is really special." "We're farm people, we produce most of our own food, I live in my cowboy boots," he said. Since Somerhalder left the acting industry behind a little over five years ago, he's directed his focus on his bourbon company, Brother's Bond, which he owns with his "Vampire Diaries" co-star, Paul Wesley. The actors launched their brand in 2021. WATCH: 'Vampire Diaries' co-stars Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley's bourbon brand is not another 'celebrity whiskey' "Paul Wesley and I, you know, we did 'Vampire Diaries' for eight years. And, you know, it's funny, like season two, Paul and I said to each other, 'We should do a bourbon.' I mean, these guys, you know, my character loved bourbon. He drank it at seven in the morning, but the thing is, these boys, they bonded on-screen over bourbon. And then Paul and I bonded off-screen over bourbon," Somerhalder said. "Vampire Diaries" was on-air for eight seasons from 2009 to 2017. Along with Somerhalder and Wesley, the drama series starred Nina Dobrev, Candice King and Kat Graham. Somerhalder attended Fred Minnick's New Orleans Bourbon Festival prior to SuperBowl LIX. The actor told Fox News Digital that Minnick has given him "so much lift" beneath his wings in the bourbon industry. "I think while there are a lot of headwinds into the sort of, you know, food and beverage or alcohol industry, the reality of it is, is that that community that's built, that community and within the food and beverage industry is so potent, and it's so powerful that I think when we stitch this country back together through soil and through food and through beverage and community, we just win in every shape and form on the economy side, on the community side. WATCH: Ian Somerhalder believes its a 'powerful' time for Americans and whiskey "And this all comes from whiskey and food, right? So, as these economies grow, our educational systems get better, our water systems get better," Somerhalder continued. "You know, after school programs get better, recreational centers get better. So, this is how we're going to build America. And it's really powerful. And this is not like some political statement. This is about people and Americans and whiskey. It's a very powerful time. And so that's what I'm really excited about."
