Kentucky Ale - Alltech’s Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co.

bditty187

Nebraska

3.13/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Clear, golden-amber in hue, no animation. A foamy white head of a finger in height topped off the beer; the head retention was very good, it slowly faded before gently resting as a tight cap. The subsequent lacing was spotty and insignificant. Still the appearance of this beer was decent. The nose doesn’t say much. All I get is an impression that this is an ale because there is very vague fruitiness. The hops contribute minimal aromas, maybe a kiss of citrus. Little more. There are some notes of grain and a hint of caramel maltiness. The potency is weak. The bouquet is not inviting but not offensive either, in other words it is apathetic. The palate vaguely falls into what I would call a Pale Ale. It obviously lays closer to the English versions than a hoppy-ass American adaptations. I am always happy to quaff a good EPA, is this one of them? The bitterness is odd, it is not very bright and it seems very wide yet swallow. And largely flavorless, a faint kiss of citrus. This works in combination with yeast fruitiness, which is also faint. The grainy, caramel malt flavors easily penetrate the hops, which kind of muddles the taste especially in the middle and finish. The malt isn’t tasty like an English Pale Ale, it is boring like an American but without the bold hoppiness the palate comes off dull. Lazy aftertaste, nothing tries to standout. This is far from a bad beer; honestly it doesn’t taste much of anything. Nothing is very distinct and the muddled flavors do little for me. Medium in body, low carbonation but not low enough to be bothersome, the mouthfeel is passable. It is drinkable; I think this is little more than lawnmower beer. So there is a time and a place for Kentucky Ale. Thanks SheepNutz!

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2004 19:21:38 | More by bditty187

chugamugofsud

Oregon

4.03/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Kentucky ale is brewed here in Lexington and I have had it both on tap and in the bottle. It is frequently offered for 2 bucks a pint at Pazzo's and is a great deal at that price. The ale pours as a slightly darker/amber lager, it's a combination of the lager and scottish ale styles actually. When served cold, the beer will have a medium frothy head and will have a slight fruit smell to the top of it. The taste is very solid for a lager, not tasting too bitter nor getting overpoweringly sweet. This beer is great for drinking several of, very easy to get down and recommended for the price.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2004 22:18:38 | More by chugamugofsud

merlin48

Kentucky

3.8/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle pours a clear, orange amber body. Skimpy offwhite head falls flat in a few seconds and leaves very minimal lacing.

Aroma is subdued, with caramel malt, a hint of floral hops, and some fresh baked bread.

Mouthfeel features medium carbonation and reveals a light to medium body.

I love the taste of this, although there is really nothing stellar to speak of. Seems like pale malt, some buttery notes, fresh baked bread, and a restrained use of floral hops. Very smooth and pleasantly drinkable. Reminds me of a fresh Bass Pale Ale. This would be an ideal session ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2004 00:58:35 | More by merlin48

yankeeheel

Maine

3.25/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a translucent gold with a two finger whiteish head. Little retention or lacing.

Smells slightly of caramel with a little citrus coming through.

Tastes like an average pale ale. Nicely toasty/buttery up front with the pale malts doing the talking. Perhaps a little underhopped as the end just kind of fades off without any real character.

Mouthfeel is moderate. Carbonaton is acceptable.

It's ok, but so are a thousand other pale ales.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2004 00:22:15 | More by yankeeheel

SheepNutz

Kentucky

3.13/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz. bottle poured into a tulip-style glass. It pours a deep amber color with one finger of head that dies away quickly. There is minimal lacing left on the glass. The smell is malty and sweet, with just a touch of hops. Not too much on the nose. The taste is malty and a little bland. Some sweetness to it. Not much hops presence. The mouthfeel is a little watery, but the drinkability is fairly good. A sub-par pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2004 22:03:19 | More by SheepNutz

WVbeergeek

Ohio

2.28/5  rDev -31.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Acquired from Sheepnutz on a trade, first Kentucky brew. Appearance: Very soid amber tone with a fluffy but creamy textured caramel tan head nice, leaving specks of lace and sports good head retention. Seems to be a flagship pale ale from Lexington Brewing Co. Aroma: Fruity undertones with a nice solid caramel malt characteristic and finishing hops are apparent as well definitely immaculate in balance. Taste: Grainy sweet flavors with some hop bitterness splashing at the palate but not overdoing anything some buttery characteristics from the malts used nothing spectacular but painstakingly solid can't say anything bad about this beer. Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body crisp smooth and decently complex. Drinkability: Nice quality lawnmower pale ale, seems English in inspiration not as edgy as some American style pale ales, but nice thanks Ryan.

Update: 2/28/10

Appearance is a deep golden completely see through nice sized white head large bubbled carbonation, lacing is intricate and nice. Aroma is slightly metallic, semi sweet watery malt profile. A bit grassy and herbal in the nose with a subtle sweetness, very reserved overall. Flavor has a sour twang that just isn't working again light herbal hops maybe some prickly citric notes coming through just barely. Again watered down malt profile leaves a grainy cereal sludge with minimal sweetness, just a poorly made beer. Very different experience than I had years ago before this became the official beer of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Mouthfeel is heavy with carbonation and watery in body, leaves a slight metallic note in the finihs of each sip, whta's going on. Drinkability overall, this beer is so forgettable it's really not worth another shot, let's move on to the Bourbon Ale I've never had or seen that one yet.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2004 17:31:15 | More by WVbeergeek

ALESwhatCURESya

Wisconsin

2.6/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I really like the looks of this beer, but the smell had a lot to be desired. I guess this is considered a pale ale, but compared to others I enjoy, this was very weak! It seemed very watered down without any bold characteristics. There was little hops noticed and I couldn't specify anything that struck me as a good pale ale. I would take a Sierra Nev anyday over this.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2004 22:43:44 | More by ALESwhatCURESya

tavernjef

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Golden dark yellow in color with a firm off-white head about a finger high with some looser bubbles staying present, fades slowly to nothing, lace in fast drippings that don't stick. Aroma has a fairly nice malty sweetness with a great breadish tone of sourdough, nice and fresh with just a touch of grassy/citrusy hops. Taste is more of the same with a nice malt load, good bready sweetness of bagel dough with some nuttyness upfront and into the midway, light hops dot the finish which lingers of some sticky sweet malts and slight crispness. Good smooth medium body, clean, light creamyness ventures well as it warms, very nice drinker at that stage, sure its not as hoppy as most Pale Ales but for some reason that didn't bother me with this one. Its quite nice. Thanks to Brent for the KY sample pack of bottles!

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2003 19:17:32 | More by tavernjef

AtLagerHeads

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Good looking brew that is smooth as silk. I really liked this one. The look ia mid amber, clear, with a nice ivory head of about two fingers. The head shrinks back rather quickly but leaves a layer that never stops lacing. The aroma is light and flowery smelling, floral I guess and that sense came to me in the taste as well. It is very malty, sweet, and floral with a slight peppery spice hint.

Very smooth and creamy mouthfeel. I'd put the ABV somewhere around 5% which makes this an all day beer. Had it with a cheese pizza at Pazzo's and loved the combo. Very nice from the Bluegrass.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2003 22:51:07 | More by AtLagerHeads

dwarbi

New York

2.93/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Good color: darker than you would expect. A light amber. Good head, but it fizzles away rather quickly. Smells like wheat fields. Smells like summer. Not a very good taste. Tastes tart and weak. Not nearly enough going on here. Not a bad aftertaste or unpleasant on the palate, but nothing much on the mouth in general. No rush to have another, I just have to finish this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2003 20:55:57 | More by dwarbi

aaronh

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I brought some of this back from my trip to Lexington. This golden amber colored beer pours with a white head that slowly fades to a thin film. The aroma is mostly of malt sweetness, with a bit of grassy, herbal notes. The taste is a very solid malt profile, with much more sweetness than bitterness. The finish produces a bit of a mineral taste, presumably from the limestone water the beer is brewed with. The mouthfeel is solid, and the drinkability is excellent. I had several of these my first evening in Lexington. It is a very refreshing beer, and one of the few it seems from Kentucky.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2003 15:52:36 | More by aaronh

johnrobe

Tennessee

3.65/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Quite a unique tasting brew. Don't expect this to taste like any other American Pale Ale. I actually find it to be much closer to the English Pale Ale style. It pours a pale amber in the glass with a brilliant white head that shrinks to a cap. The smell is pretty muted, mostly grain and some lightly roasted malt...it even vaguely reminds me of the smell of the mash from a bourbon distillery (yes, I've toured a few). Hmm...but that would mean, among other things...corn...which doesn't translate to the taste, maybe it's the water??? The taste leans toward bready malt, in fact it has a very grainy/bready taste, but some herbal hops make an appearance and provide ample support. Mouthfeel is pleasantly creamy and light-bodied. The finish is dry with a unique mineral taste. A highly quaffable brew, worth a try for the experience but not outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2002 22:03:23 | More by johnrobe

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dense rocky head. Deep amber hue showing a zesty carbonation through lines of tiny bubbles. A really nice appearance. The aroma is sweetly malty with a slight bit of hop. The flavor is of fruity, delicate malt lightly backed by hops. Light to medium in body. Not astonishingly different from a standard pale ale, but very unique in its own way which keeps me going back for more. A very drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2002 16:52:37 | More by NeroFiddled

Brent

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a very nice ale, with a good balance of hops and malt, with a slightly floral hops at the finish. Limited distribution area, but a good ale if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2001 21:20:09 | More by Brent