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

UCLABrewN84

California

3.1/5  rDev -16%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks to Skuter for sharing this one at his UCLA vs. USC viewing party.

Pours a clear orange with a foamy orange-tan head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Tiny dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of malt, bourbon, wood, and a distinct funky aroma. Taste is much the same but no funk comes through in the flavor. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty average beer that is a pretty poor example of a barrel aged beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 01:26:30 | More by UCLABrewN84

IcarusComplex

Florida

3.18/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Alright, I need to get back to reviewing before I start to lose the vocabulary for it...I haven't posted my 300+ beer journal notes to the site yet(which I stopped taking, being well past 800 tastings now), and I've never had a laptop on hand at the exact moment I'm tasting a brew. First time for everything right? So here we go: Tasted at Riverside Market Cafe in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. From bottle to Guinness-style pint glass.

Appearance: Even an aggressive pour fails to produce any head, just spatterings of fine white mist, with a constant outer ring that displays subdued, champagne-like activity. Visible carbonation remains steady and slow along glass's edges, none at the center of the brew. Absolutely no lacing, but almost displays legs if stirred, though it lacks the colour to make it prominent. The colour is actually quite nice, a highly refined clarity with a brilliant gold as its base that picks up lively orange and deeper, woodier amber shades in varying light.

Scent: A bit lacking, for what was expected. Grows with warming, but not significantly enough; it makes you hunt hard for every note. White bread and caramel malts, alcohol, sweet cream corn, oaky vanilla notes, fizzy watery lager scent is too prominent, and there is a long last bit of boozy esters, almost more brandy-like than bourbon.

Mouthfeel: Pretty decent. Light to-medium, perhaps leaning more into medium with warming. Some slight viscosity, just enough to coat the tongue, and a small amount of creaminess along the tongue's edges and mouth's roof. Carbonation feels lazy and lifeless, however. Has the rare character of actually dimishing in mouthfeel as it warms, rather than gaining richness. Very strange.

Flavour: Okay, this department is a bit of a mess, but a mess with major potential. Unfortunately, as of current this beer is wholly dominated by a decadent and entirely unrepeatable buttercream taste. Buttercream and sweet cream of corn, and artificial tasting, Mexican-brand vanilla extract, a high fructose corn syrup backing, mountain-region American lager taste, mediocre amber ale notes....really, corn and sugars are all over the place. I would guess this beer contains a significant amount of corn grit in the mash, alongside being aged in bourbon barrels that previously contained a tipple that was highly corn-heavy. Also, not sure what kind of char those barrels boasted, but I'm guessing it wasn't too dark, because this has none of the desired, earthy wood edge to its taste that you would look for in bourbons of bold character. Just this light-toasted vanilla aspect that feels forcibly inserted. Almost no boozy bite though. The diacetyl-like, heavy butter essence ensures that, but in the most vulgar of ways. It's a shame, too, because in controlled amounts all of these flavour elements could be highly desireable. The finish is longer than you'd like it to be, and continues on a cream and sugar note rather than anything involving hops, dryness or booze.

Overall: This is an okay beer to give a spin if you're a bourbon nut or an oak-aging nut, BUT with a caveat: try it knowing it is an extreme example of results of the style, and expect that you may not enjoy it enough to finish it. If you go in with that expectation, and find it at a fair price, you can forgive yourself for the possible drainpour and still feel like you overall benefited from the experience. It has certainly expanded my understanding of what bourbon aging can do to a beer. I just won't likely be having it again, unless it's with rosemary rotisserie chicken and mash. With the right food this could actually complement quite well. Hell, this may even be a fun craft brew to go full-taboo with and drop a shot of woody, smoky, harsh bourbon in to balance the flavour and imbalance your sobriety. However you try it, do it responsibly! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 21:08:56 | More by IcarusComplex

KickbacksSteve

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +11.1%
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

jdkitchi

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured an amber color with a good size head from a hard pour. The head disappeared fairly quickly and left little lacing. This looks like an amber ale.

I got a definite bourbon smell and amber ale smell.

The taste is of bourbon and alcohol on top of a typical amber ale and gets a little sweeter and more alcoholic as it warms. The mouth feel is light.

Overall this isn't a bad beer. This is a light style of beer with bourbon barrel aging. The barrel aging really is pronounced because of this and makes this a pretty enjoyable brew. The 8% ABV helps too.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 02:05:23 | More by jdkitchi

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to the BAer who brought this to our Nov. '12 Philly 'burbs bottle share.

I was told this comes from a land where you can order Bud, Miller Lite, or Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale. So yay, for this. Poured a clear, honey-brown color with a thin bubbly white head that didn't stick around for too long. Aroma of caramel malts, bourbony oak, toffee. It's always interesting to taste a bourbon-aged beer that isn't a stout or porter, and it really works for this beer, which would probably otherwise be a simple, timid, English ale. Pale malts, caramel, toffee, butterscotch, bourbon and vanilla; pretty much nothing as far as hoppiness goes. Medium body, fairly smooth and creamy, slick with booze but not harsh or hot, lower carbonation. Yeah, it was different, and it was good.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 09:33:51 | More by Rifugium

uhcougar

Texas

3/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I bought this on a trip this summer. Poured it into a Jester King Tour Glass.

Copper Color,very little head but decent lacing. This bottle is dated
Dec 2011, but it has been cellared since June, and considering the high abv, it should have been able to hold up.

Smells like bourbon, but not like very good bourbon.

Taste is OK, pretty much bourbon and nothing else. Malt doesn't come through.

Not thin or heavy on the mouthfeel.

This beer is OK, but I am not super excited about trying to get it again. I think that my preference is for stouts aged in bourbon barrels and not this type of ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 21:37:43 | More by uhcougar

sardonicone

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Sent into a beer mug.

Appearance: Light amber, 2 finger head that left nice lacing and a bubble ring around the glass.

Smell: Vanilla bean and scotch. Not overpowering, in fact it's a very mellowing scent.

Taste: Fantastic imho. Vanilla, scotch, almost nutty, something roasted, can't quite make out what, but I love it. Bitter on the back end.

Mouth: Medium, slightly over carbonated, the liquor burns on your tongue while you leave it there, burns on the back end and has a familiar warming sensation all the way down.

This has quickly become a favorite of mine, and is a routine member of my rotation.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 03:30:15 | More by sardonicone

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.65/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a snifter glass.

Appearance: Transparent amber, light bubbles on the body and a white head that is maybe 1/4" off the body.

Smell: Light scotch smell and just sniffing it just a bit more you can feel the sweetness of this brew.

Taste: This right off the bat tastes like something familiar, already like feels your scotch ale but little richer.

Mouth: Medium not exactly sticking but still well made. I would pair this after the whole dinner and would probably compliment a dessert.

Overall: I have heard the hype and was expecting a little more but it is definitely not a disappointing brew. I would buy it again but wouldn't go nuts looking for it like it was the best thing made since hops. Salud!

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 05:34:31 | More by BlurryVisi0n

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.35/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Auburn color pour, you get little glimmers of red, orange and light brown throughout it, small beiege head on the beer. Aroma, toffee, oak and bourbon, its a little strong.

On the palate, the alcohol heat isn't as strong, tastes nice, integrates well. It is very strong on the charred oak and bourbon mouthfeel, this isn't all that nuanced. Some dark cherry, vanilla, caramel, toffee and plum tinge to it, hard to discern through the massive amount of oak and bourbon. Nothing in terms of hops to pick up on. The most minimalistic bitterness, and even probably half of that in which I am picking up on, is probably just alcohol heat + carbonation confusing my tongue. If there was any aspect that could use significant improvement, its the mouthfeel, the beer just felt a little too watery or thin for all the flavor and heat to it. I think more two row would bulk this up to 9-10% but taste wise, it wouldn't feel like it.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 16:16:24 | More by Beerandraiderfan

kevanb

Illinois

2.9/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured on tap at Lockdown Bar and Grill in Chicago, served in an 8oz snifter

Pours a nice amber color, hues of brown, ruby, honey and copper when struck by the light, opaque, no head, no lacing. The aroma is of cheap bourbon, some oak, mild vanilla, rich malt. The bourbon is really prominent in the nose, which is both impressive, as it really highlights the bourbon, but unfortunately, it's clearly a cheaper or lower shelf bourbon and isn't the most inviting. The flavors are sub par, predominately watered down bourbon, and again, not a great bourbon either, mild vanilla and nougat are also detectable, but this beer really just drinks like an oddly thick watered down bourbon, not pleasant. The body is okay, carbonation is good but not great, could have had a bit more, almost a bit syrupy, the beer is a bit thinner than I'd like, perhaps that enhances the watery aspect, it is rather smooth at the finish, however it's just not remarkable.

Verdict: It's an ambitious beer, that's for sure, it does a great job of highlighting the bourbon character, however, it must be highlighting a really awful bourbon. This is a beer with a lot of potential, but at present, it's average at the best, happy to have tried it, but in a vast spectrum of barrel aged beers, this one is pretty close to the bottom of the barrel.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2012 14:45:14 | More by kevanb

cvm4

Mississippi

3.18/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - Pours a clear amber in color with a thin, one finger head that dissipates quickly.

S - Predominantly bourbon with sweet vanilla malts backing it up.

T - Sweet oak and vanilla. I hate to say it, but cheap or watered down bourbon is pretty much how I see it.

M - Thin, but then again it is an ale. Low carbonation as well.

O - It was nice to try. I won't buy again simply because it blurs the lines, if I wanted watered down bourbon then I'd reach for something on the low shelf, not high shelf.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 19:16:16 | More by cvm4

GossageBrewery

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev +12.5%
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

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

3.4/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a Horny Goat pint glass.

Appearance- A yellow orange and red tint to the beer with a very small amount of white head that fully dissipates. Lots of carbonation bubbles.

Smell- Burbon and lots of sweet and sour fruits. Some sweet carmel malt notes too.

Taste- Bourbon begining with a sour hop middle and the big bourbon comes back for the finish. Honestly I am a Jameson on the rocks drinker and this tastes a lot like that. A watered down whiskey.

Mouthfeel- Very watery

Overall- Basically if you are a whiskey fan you will probably enjoy this since it tastes like whiskey on the rocks. For what it is, it misses the mark. Do I enjoy it? Yes!

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 21:39:49 | More by BrownAleMale

bennetj17

Arizona

3.55/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A very beautiful beer, light brown colored, with amazing clarity. The bubbles of carbonation stream upward in numerous lines, supporting a half inch thick off-white foam with excellent retention. Nose is straightforward bourbon, with vanilla notes and sort of a nutty malt character.

The flavor is rather unsweetened and a bit dry with toasty oak and vanilla notes, and yet more nuttiness, almost like almonds. It's suprisingly not overpowering, but something is a bit off here. Perhaps it's a bit too one dimesional, I think it actually needs a bit more kick. The finish is dry and without much depth, it could use a little more bitterness or even some heat to round things out. Mouthfeel is a bit light, carbonation softer than it would appear.

Not as bad as I was expecting, but not good either really. This beer is more of a novelty, probably to entice whisky fans into trying a bourbon-esque brew that will suit their tastes. Hardcore beer fans will likely pass on this one as the beer itself lacks complexity.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 05:54:52 | More by bennetj17

GrumpyGas

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a 10 ounce brandy style glass, the ruddy amber colored nectar was every bit bourbon, despite a lack of odor. I was surprised by the missing sense and tried to determine if there were other contributors to my inability to detect (nearby food, smoke, or perfume) and found none of them either. I think I was so expecting to smell bourbon and alcohol that without either I missed the more subtle malt odor I later tasted.

Regardless, the first, and predictable, flavor was bourbon, followed by a strong alcohol taste. Given the name and the abv, I expected this and was not disappointed. As a liquid, the Bourbon Barrel Ale is very drinkable. It is smooth and without any aftertaste, a clean finish and mouthfeel.

The remainder of the pour was less bourbon/alcohol and more red ale malt, which I prefer. All it really needed was a cigar.

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2012 04:03:28 | More by GrumpyGas

Greywulfken

New York

3.65/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: medium gold body, finger of head

S: bourbon is predominant, secondary malty caramel and vanilla

T: nice malt character enhanced by bourbon, vanilla, and oak

M: thin on the palate, mild carbonation, no aftertaste

O: reminiscent of Innis & Gunn beers, but with a slightly denser character and more sweetness - I personally prefer this to them - a decent drink, worth the try, but probably not something I'd return to

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 16:57:50 | More by Greywulfken

SGDJosh

2.93/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

On draft at Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop on 9/14:

A - New penny copper in color with very little head. What head was there has dissipated quickly leaving a soft lace on top.

S - Bourbon, burnt sugar, malts.

T - Sweet oak, lots of vanilla and little hint of chocolate. Tastes like a cheap Bourbon to me...

M - Light-Medium Body, carbonation is nice but it doesn't carry the alcohol well.

O - Not a great combination of body, flavor, and booze. It's sweet but doesn't hide the alcohol with such a light body. Just not my thing.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2012 14:30:36 | More by SGDJosh

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Received this in a BIF, along with a matching snifter. My only glass specific to a single beer, so I've gotta use it. Tasted 2 September 2012, reviewed from notes.

Pours a very clear, pale golden-orange. Half-finger of whitish head, not much lacing. OK.

Smells like whiskey. Really, that's all I get from it. But that's what it's supposed to smell like, so I'm fairly impressed. Not much beer character at all.

Tastes like watered-down whiskey. I get some grainy flavors up-front, but it's a whole lot like a shot of whiskey with water. Interesting. There's no sharpness at all, no alcohol bite, no burn. It's like they pulled just the flavor out, and somehow made the beer taste like that.

Mouthfeel is fine. Watery, with medium-low carbonation.

The thing that amazes me about this beer is how they seem to have pulled all the flavor, the essence, or bourbon out, without the alcohol or the sharp edges. Probably the mellowest bourbon-forward beer I've ever had. Unusual, and quite tasty.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 03:08:26 | More by zeledonia

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.1/5  rDev -16%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not bad, but a bit too oaky and sweet. Pours amber with very little head, Smells sweet and oaky with a bourbon nose of brown sugar, vanilla, and oak. Simple, and a bit sweet, but not bad. Similar taste, with the same notes in the nose, but it feels a bit more washed out and fades toward the end. Right at the finish, there is a fairly bit hit of vanilla. Overall, although there are indeed Bourbon flavors here, it's not any Bourbon I'd ever drink- far too one dimensional and lacks subtlety, yet at the same time is a bit washed out and lacks punch, substituting oaky sweetness instead. Just okay.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 02:26:07 | More by Georgiabeer

brureview

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Doherty's in Pawtucket, RI. The served beer had a light honey color and poured a 1/2 finger head.

Carbonation bubbles streamed upwards from the bottom of the glass.

The beer smells like bourbon, and tastes like bourbon with vanilla overtones.

This is a special treat, and it doesn't taste like beer- it tastes like whiskey. A bit overwhelming, but worth drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2012 01:32:33 | More by brureview

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: mostly clear, somewhere between straw and golden. The full creamy off white saves it.
Smell: Oak and vanilla, brown sugar, and bourbon, but fairly tame, not as rich as all those flavors would suggest.
Taste: matches the nose.
Overall: very nice. I still prefer the monsters but this is a solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 00:02:16 | More by cindyjeffsmith

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a beautiful clear coppery amber with a thick and rather persistent fluffy ivory head. Malty aroma has a strong, oaky overtone of bourbon barrel and a hint of caramel. Bourbon and oak dominate the flavor, but not too much, letting through malty and subtle fruity notes plus a caramel hint. Firm texture has OK fizz and leaves a nice bourbon-barrel finish. I hope that this is a year-round beer and not a one-and-done special.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 21:21:31 | More by Cyberkedi

WoodBrew

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Tried this beer at the midwest brew fest. The beer poured a copperish color with a minimial head. Smells like whiskey rather than beer. Taste like a combination of bourbon and beer which I find unique. Went down smooth as beer and with a hint of whiskey. Overall a good beer for those who like bourbon.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2012 00:12:59 | More by WoodBrew

FosterJM

California

4.18/5  rDev +13.3%
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

vfgccp

New York

3.35/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Surprisingly clear orange brown body. Fine white head with low retention and ok lace.

S - Super sweet with brown sugar and yellow raisin, slightly boozy, lots of vanilla, touch of wet oak.

T - Vanilla ice cream, cream soda, and bourbon complete with vanilla and an edge of oak. Touch watery.

M - Light frame, especially for the style. Low on carbonation.

O - The sweetness is definitely off balance, but when you sit back and work through flavors it tastes like a bourbon ice cream float, and at face value that's a pretty tasty.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 23:09:00 | More by vfgccp