I like bourbon and I like beer, so sure, let’s put them together and see
what happens. I love pizza and beer too, and while that infused beer turned out
to be an evening of oregano burps, you never know.
Lexington Brewing makes Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale and several other
brews that are aged six weeks or so in charred oak bourbon barrels. The parent
company also makes bourbon, so while they don’t say, it’s a good bet some of
those barrels end up in the mix. The brewery’s parent company, Alltech, also
does a lot of animal feed supplements, so I’m hoping for bright eyes and a
shiny coat.
The cardboard carrier for the four, not six, bottles recommends a
snifter, but I went with a pint glass. It pours a clear copper with almost no
head. The whiff is bourbon, of course, with vanilla and maple filtering
through.
It’s a thicker mouth feel than you might expect, with a bit of boozy
heat. I expect that’s more the strong ale’s 8.19% alcohol content than the
bourbon essence. Don’t expect a boilermaker. The bourbon flavor is definitely
there, but it’s an essence or flavoring. That vanilla/maple/bourbon element is
enhancing the malty sweetness of the beer itself. Think Innis & Gunn or Hen’sTooth.
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale is not something to slam on a hot, sweaty
afternoon. It’s a sipper, a chewer, a very “autumn” beer – which makes me
curious to try the brand’s new pumpkin spiced ale once the temps dip again.
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