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

innersanctum

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is the best bourbon aged beer that I've had thus far! Having started my journey with the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout this is a tall order. KBBA is an extremely drinkable and likeable ale.

The only element this brew lacked was its aroma, which took some time to open up and share some vanilla notes. The taste has a nice blend of oak and vanilla which is picked up nicely from the barrels. I could not discern the specific type of ale which this brewe is from but it does not have a hoppy presence. Its mouthfeel is smooth and consistent and about as heavy as Champagne while lacking the carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 15:39:41 | More by innersanctum

FosterJM

California

4.18/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

1473rd Review on BA
Bottle to Great Lakes Snifter
12oz

2012 Vintage

Thanks to EgadBananas for the trade

App- Was really suprised at the coloring of this beer. Was more of a golden color and was expecting a deeper brown/crimson color. The head was a quick receding off white with maybe 2 dots of cling.

Smell- Incredible bourbon notes. Char, vanilla, oak and malts. The beer is as close to pure bourbon I have smelled on a -BA beer before. Floral and pleasant to say the least.

Taste- It's a very tasty beer. Lots going on but blended well. Malty and smooth with a rich vanilla flavor and a little bit of oak on the back end. Not overly boozy but you get a lot of the bourbon notes to it.

Mouth- A thinner medium body with a low/medium carbonation. Residual spicey boozey flavor with hints of vanilla.

Drink- A good beer. Very barrel and booze forward. I really enjoyed it. I bet this would be a good one for aging.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 01:59:07 | More by FosterJM

Greggy

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Poured into a large snifter leaving a quick 1 finger head that recedes quickly into a thin cap with decent lacing. No sediment present in the golden amber body.

S- Big waft of bourbon as well as what i perceive to be scotch. There is a definite caramel, vanilla, butterscotch and light baking chocolate that is reminiscent of scotch ale. Digging deeper I catch some darker fruits like figs and even a touch plum.

T- starts off with a nice light bourbon taste that is a little oaky and dry on the finish which is nice. I get notes of light butteriness (oak), a touch of vanilla, and just a hint of butterscotch.

M- Just a hint of light carbonation which is nice for an oak aged beer. The mouthfeel is quite dry and oaky which is nice.

D- This beer hides its 7% with ease; however, I think this beer got most of its character form the barrel. I would have liked to see a bit more complexity of bourbon and maybe a little more smokiness. If you can get it, definitely try it. It's not the greatest oak aged beer, but I will definitely enjoy the rest of mine.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2008 02:05:19 | More by Greggy

drtth

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a standard Shaker-style glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: The beer pours out a clear dark golden color with ½" white head that soon recedes to thin film and a small ring around the glass. Sipping leaves a light lacing but the lacing is mostly gone by about half way through the beer.

Smell: The aroma is soft and filled with the coconut, vanilla and oak of the bourbon cask with some hints of faint caramel from the malt. There is no sign of any hops here.

Taste: The flavor here is all about the bourbon barrel with active support from the malts in the ale. There is coconut and vanilla as expected from the aroma. This is layered over the sweet caramel malt that provides a nice backbone. The flavor is almost too sweet but somehow seems quite right and I suspect having the hops play a more active role would be a mistake.

Mouthfeel: The mounthfeel is medium bodied to light bodied, with moderate carbonation that becomes very faint and hard to detect well before the end of the beer. The finish is medium length and is soft and sweet with no hops detectable. (Seems to me that it is in the finish where a bit of dry bittering effect from the hops would be nice to prepare one for the next sip.)

Drinkability: This is a sipping beer and it is easy to let one sip follow another, but it is also a one per evening type beer because of the sweetness of the malt and bourbon character of the beer. As an example of bourbon barrel aging this is a very nice beer that illustrates well that such aging need not be restricted to Stouts and Barleywines. The bourbon barrel comes through clearly and adds a nice aroma, flavor and character to the ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2009 01:28:28 | More by drtth

alkemy

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This pours a clear light amber with only about a finger of head and minimal lacing. The aroma is strong with bourbon. That may be a bad choice of words. By strong, I mean it's the dominant scent. Overall the aroma is not terribly strong. I'm a fan of this because I really don't want to be overpowered with bourbon. There's also wood and vanilla. The taste begins with a bourbon and vanilla note. There's some caramel malts, but the bourbon and vanilla reappear and linger after each drink. It's in this malty middle that an actual "beer" taste is most present. This is incredibly smooth and easy to drink. Alcohol is completely muted. I was shocked that 8.19% was listed on the bottle. Mouthfeel is a bit thin, but it works well for this style. I'd gladly have this one again.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 19:48:01 | More by alkemy

julian89

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

4/27/2012
Got a growler of this from work at Hop City.
Poured from growler into pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a clear honey color with a half inch head no lacing, decent retention. Bubbling is seen through the glorious translucent amber.

Smell: Vanilla and coconut dominate. Bourbon smell of sweet butterscotch. Last I smell earthly notes of smoked oak.

Taste: The progression... smooth bourbon and malty taste, then I received a strong medium bodied vanilla and coconut taste, then the earthly feel on the back end.

Mouthfeel: A medium to soft bodied feel with watery flow. Decent carbonation from a growler.

Drinkability: Very good taste and smell. It is a very pretty beer. I will say it's downfall if mouthfeel and it could be a bit stronger due to it's ~8% ABV but alas. It still gets a fairly high rating from me.

Serving type: growler

04-28-2012 17:55:06 | More by julian89

GossageBrewery

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured this English Strong Ale from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. This ale poured a amber color. Produces a very small white head, poor retention and it leaves a small amount of lacing on the glass. The aroma of this ale consists of bourbon whisky, vanilla and oak. Full bodied, this ale has a foundation of malted grain, features the flavor of bourbon ale throughout. There are also hints of vanilla, and oak. High ABV- Dry finish, this one is a sipping beer,- Overall impression is that this is very unique- It easy to forger your drinking a beer and not a mixed drink. Extremely unique- its a must try!

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 19:49:33 | More by GossageBrewery

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - pours a deep golden color. A finger of feathery white foam hangs around for a minute but is losing the battle quickly.

Aroma - a vapor of bourbonesque aroma starts out of the glass on the pour. Upon settling, much of that fades and while there is still some oaky smell remaining, it is mixed with a mild diacetyl, vanilla, and coconut as it warms.

Taste - a brief underpinning of grain, quickly met by the sweet, mashy flavor of bourbon. The wood, vanilla, whiskey, it's all there. The balance is uncanny for a barrel beer. Solid flavors but they don't overrun their boundaries. A mild alcohol warmth but not hot at all. A great way to experience the barrel without doing a number on the palate. Not much beer flavor to this but I'm just so very impressed with the balanced flavor of oak and bourbon. Being somewhat diluted to 7% allows the nuances of the flavors to emerge and stand or fall on their own merits. This beer stands.

Mouthfeel - medium to slightly light, crisply carbonated. Feels like a 5% session beer. I wish it were bigger.

Drinkability - the most sessionable bourbon beer so far. A great intro to the style too.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2008 03:41:06 | More by brewdlyhooked13

bnes09

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Caramel color and semi-transparent. White head forms then dissipates quickly leaving a ring around the glass and minimal lacing.

Rich aroma of oak, caramel, toffee and nuts. Complex, intricate and inspires curiosity.

Similar flavors in beginning and middle. Definitely a sweet tone with caramel and brown sugar. Some vanilla and mild bourbon notes. Fruity with cherries and apples adding to the sweetness. Finishes fairly clean with lingering bready malt flavor.

Surprising light feel, just barely medium bodied. Crisp, even carbonation. Exceptionally smooth texture.

I really like this. Highly complex and well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 03:41:08 | More by bnes09

EagleTalon

Arkansas

4.13/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours to a nice off white head and low lace. Amber color. Clear. Aroma is oak and bourbon dominant with vanilla. Flavor is much like a barleywine with a shot of the finest aged bourbon in it. Really. Mf is light and slight EtOH nip. Overall THE ultimate bourbon drinker's brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2012 03:27:36 | More by EagleTalon

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this brew on tap at the fish market in Newport Kentucky.

A- pours a clear dark copper in appearance with a sticky white lacing that sticks to the side.

S- subtle scent of bourbon and oak with a touch of sweet malt, barely a trace of spicy hops. Was looking for a bit more oaky bourbon smell.

T- sweet vanilla and oak presence up front, followed with a splash of bourbon. Finishes slightly sweet and malty with light oak lingering on the palate. Great balance and the linger on the palate is very refreshing.

M- medium carbonation, light and refreshing

O- this ale does a great job of showcasing the oak and bourbon flavors while still staying light enough for an ale. The linger on the palate was most impressive, almost similar to the linger of a good cabernet, but with a touch of bourbon. This complemented rare yellowfin tuna quite well and even saved some for a dessert afterward.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2012 15:44:17 | More by Treyliff

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

4.13/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale pours a dark golden color, with very little head. There is a nice oaky aroma, with hints of scotch. The taste had a strong oak like barrel flavor, with strong hints of scotch like flavors. Very easy to drink, and good full flavor. Overall a found this a very enjoyable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2013 03:30:54 | More by vette2006c5r

SheepNutz

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is basically regular Kentucky Ale that has been aged in bourbon barrels. It's only available at a few places in Lexington, so get it while you can bourbon lovers!

On tap poured into a snifter glass. It pours a medium amber color with two fingers of head. There is a good amount of lacing. The smell is malty with lots of sweet cherry and oak. A nice aroma. The taste starts fairly malty with charred oak under brown sugar sweetness. The bourbon REALLY comes out after it warms up some. The finish has a nice little dose of citrusy hops. The mouthfeel is fairly thick and smooth. The drinkability is very very good. This is a big improvement to regular Kentucky Ale. They need to bottle this stuff. It would really put them on the map.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2004 03:15:45 | More by SheepNutz

Mistofminn

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to auroracrisis for sending me some bottles of this! Wanted to try this for a long time, so thanks Ben for the chance.

I needed a boubron beer fix (see my review for BBC Reserve Boubron Barrel Stout to see why) so I grabbed one of these next.

My bottle didn't look like the sweet one in the picture above, it was simply a brown 12 oz bottle.

Pours a slightly hazy golden amber color into a pint glass. Off white head is produced on the pour, and shrinks to a small pillow and ring around the outside edge of the glass. Doesn't leave a ton of lacing. I love the color though.

The nose is...fantastic! This has to be my first bourbon barrel beer that isn't a stout, porter, barleywine or brown ale so this is very good news for the rest of bourbon barrel beers in my eyes. I get bourbon soaked fruits...incredibly fruity. A nice woody character in the background and a nice warming bourbon smell, which is mostly soaked into the fruit aromas.

The taste is similar to the nose, very fruity with a bourbon soaked fruit/wood character. This is tasty stuff, but it's just not as tasty as the nose advertises unfortunately. Still, very tasty. Totally not expecting it to be so fruity. It's like it's an average beer with bourbon (and good bourbon mind you) soaked fruit dropped in. Great stuff.

The mouthfeel is light, and slightly overcarbonated. I'm not feeling this section of the beer, but I'm definitely into the taste and smell.

Drinkability is great. If the ABV were slightly lower this would be an awesome session beer. I really like the aroma and flavor of this, and I could have a few without getting knocked on my ass. What more could you ask?

If I lived in an area where this was readily available, I would buy this all the time. At $12 a four pack, how could you go wrong?

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2009 06:18:56 | More by Mistofminn

mavbrew

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into my Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale snifter that came with the beer.

A: Pours a transparent amber color with an off-white head that dissipates into a thin lace.

S: Smells like I am drinking a Manhattan. Some serious bourbon scent with a bit of a woodiness and a hint of vanilla.

T: The taste is just as it smells. A quick explosion of bourbon upfront which is immediately followed by a vanilla burst that carries into the finish and well after.

M: Thin/medium bodied with average carbonation.

D: The name on the label fits this beer perfectly. You get the bourbon flavor in the smell and right upfront, but then the vanilla flavor comes in and takes over. It seems that this is exactly what they were going for and it works nicely.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2011 23:57:07 | More by mavbrew

Mario61Aler

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A nice suprise from the 335 ml bottle, poured into a pint glass. It poured a nice golden color, with a white head that disapated quickly. Hardly any lacing at all. Aroma was of carmel and a just hint of the bourbon. Taste was of Malts and a hint of alcohol, bourbon and then a sweetness comes into play, like a dried cherry. Was slightly creamy with a medium body that makes this a very drinkable Ale. I will revisit this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 23:00:22 | More by Mario61Aler

KYBrewgrass

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a KY Bourbon Barrel Ale snifter obtained at a Pazzo's Pint Night years ago... I remember not liking this beer the first time I had it, but oh how my tastes have changed! This is now one of my favorite go-to locals...

A- 4 Pours an attractive, clear burnt orange / amber color with a one finger fluffy white head. The head lacks retention as it dies down quickly but there's a nice ring left around the edges and the tiniest of bubbles lace the glass smoothly.

S- 4.5 Caramel, malt, bourbon and wood... In no particular order. Just balanced and pure. The oak makes its presence felt as much as anything, and the rest composes a nice sweetness that has me itching to raise the glass... The snifter is worthwhile here because there really is some good stuff going on.

T- 4 Though I generally detect the same elements in its taste as I did from the aroma, the taste is notably sweeter and not quite as balanced. That said, it is quite good. I get a bit more caramel and bourbon here, with just a touch of oak on the finish. Though it has a respectable ABV, it is just barely detectable at the end of the drink.

M- 4 KBBA is medium in body with a smooth creaminess that is quite manageable. It is heavier on the palate than I expected from its appearance. It has a good level of carbonation. It is a little syrupy on the finish, with the slightest bit of heat from the alcohol.

D- 4 I really enjoy this beer and could put down a few of them. I don't think I could do it all night because it is a little sweeter than I prefer ideally. Regardless, this is an enjoyable ale with a bourbon presence that fits in nicely. I'd definitely recommend trying this if you enjoy bourbon brews or are visiting KY where you can easily find it in bottles or draft. It also blends well with Guinness, ala a 'black and tan,' and is known as a 'black barrel.' It is a succulent combination... Cheers to Lex-Vegas and the growing popularity of KBBA!

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 14:10:58 | More by KYBrewgrass

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It seems like the beers with lighter Bourbon barrel influence get less love on this website, from the first few sips I think this is a good use of barrels.

A- Golden-orange ale into my DFH snifter. A small white head forms and dies out quickly leaving a small cloud on the beer and a ring around the edges. Some legs but no lace.

S- I mostly get fruit and a moderate amount of Bourbon influence in the aroma. The fruit is dark like cherries and raisins. Also some oak and vanilla.

T- Very interesting. Diluted Bourbon works out well, giving off some great flavors (oak, whiskey, vanilla, toast) without totally dominating the base beer. It seems like the base beer contains some yeast spice, bread, caramel, toasted nuts, citrus and floral hops, raisin and general fruit.

MF- Highly carbonated, lighter-end body (for barrel aged) with a somewhat creamy and silky feel. Ends with a bit of warmth on the back of the palate and throat.

I think this deserves more than a B. The wood and whiskey flavors come through nicely and do not take over the whole flavor, a nice base still remains after aging. Interesting and a beer that I had a lot to write about, which is always a nice thing.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 01:57:30 | More by cbutova

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

Pours a clear bright copper in color, small ring of head forms and recedes away. Aroma is full of vanilla, bourbon, butterscotch, and alcohol fumes. The taste follows suit, but does so nicely. There is a sweetness from the oaky tannins of the bourbon barrels, vanilla like. Bourbon flavor makes itself known, with a vaguely smokey sweet alcohol grain flavour. The english pale/irish red base beer lends itself perfectly in its lightness to pick up all the flavors from the barrel. Alcohol is there but not overwhelming. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with good carbonation. Overall, this beer really highlights what fresh bourbon barrels can do to a simple base ale. Quite nice.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2011 15:41:38 | More by Stinkypuss

Crundy

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clear dark amber, bourbon color, white foamy head and thin lacing

S: the bourbon smell hits you up front, next comes a pleasant sweetness that reminds me of banana bread and vanilla and some clove

T: Again the bourbon is prominent, the oakiness comes out more as well, some vanilla and a hint of hop bitterness and minimal malt presence.

M: very mellow and smooth but slightly dry on the finish, it has a subtle sweet aftertaste and it light bodied

O: very good beer, though a bit too sweet for me but not overly so. Very drinkable and very pleasant oaky bourbon flavors. If you don't like the strength and bite of bourbon but still like the associated flavors, this is a good beer for you.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 01:33:39 | More by Crundy

KickbacksSteve

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Kickbacks in Jax. Poured into a small snifter. Off-white head, moderate retention on a light amber body. Aroma is mainly caramel malt and whisky. Taste is sweet with malts with a slight vanilla flavor, very faint bitterness. I actually expected a let down after seeing the beer but is actually pretty excellent the way the whisky has rounded out this beer and made it way too easy to drink considering the abv.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2012 02:22:08 | More by KickbacksSteve

brentk56

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a clear honey color with a modest head that quickly fades to a ringlet and leaves a few shards of lace

Smell: Caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, oak and coconut

Taste: Starts out with a nice bourbon influenced caramel flavor, with lots of vanilla and coconut arriving by mid-palate; after the swallow, there is a brief flourish of very smooth bourbon and oak but it all fades dramatically to the finish

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate to low carbonation; aqueous on the finish

Drinkability: Boy, would I like to give this beer higher marks overall, as it has some great flavor, but the poor mouthfeel and the fading flavors after the swallow are real drawbacks; reading through the reviews, I sense that the beer on draft is very different (kind of like Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout used to be) so I hope to taste this on draft at some point

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2007 23:18:31 | More by brentk56

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle, Kentucky Ale aged in bourbon barrels. Served in a chalice, the beer pours a clear amber/orange color with no head at all. Not much lacing either. It smells like oak, bourbon, vanilla and caramel. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some toasted/smoked malt and even a bit of coconut in there too. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, with average carbonation. Drinkability is good, it's smooth and easy to drink. Alcohol surprisingly isn't very noticable at all. Overall I think this is a pretty good beer, I liked it a lot. A pretty decent choice, I think.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2008 02:39:38 | More by bluejacket74

beefnbarley

Kentucky

4.08/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Fresh, poured a light amber color. Had a light colored head that quickly fell. Great aroma of reminent bourbon from barrel. Vanilla notes from the barrel. Slight alcohol in the nose as well, but not fusel. Easy drinking, pleasant beer. Medium-light body and well balanced. Finishes slightly sweet. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 03:03:16 | More by beefnbarley

spitInTheOcean

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

golden brown. crystal clear. poor head retention, and poor lacing.

toffee, caramel, malty, sweet, alcohol smells. there is some bourbon aroma there too but not as much as the name would suggest. i think the bourbon notes are coming off as caramel and toffee. dont taste oak, just toffee and caramel. some of the vanilla from the bourbon come through as well.

immediately huge caramel an toffee flavor. like biting into a skor bar. sweet and crisp, very malty flavor. again it doesnt taste immediately taste like whiskey, but the flavor of whiskey is what lingers after the finish.

medium body. crisp finish.

this is definitely an interesting beer. this beer has benefitted from being bourbon barrel aged, i have tried the original. a beer with decent complexity. i would like to serve this to a friend who drinks nothing but cheap whiskey and cheap domestic lager and see if he digs it.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 03:47:14 | More by spitInTheOcean