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

WVbeergeek

Ohio

2.28/5  rDev -38%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Appears a pale copper translucent color with a large bright white head, fine bubbled lacing forms evenly as it dwindles and continues the pattern with each sip.

Aroma is straight up oak barrel and vanilla with whiskey just coming out of it's pores. It smells like Hank Williams Jr in the 80s or Tim Mcgraw's new cologne that's out now. When leather, oak, brown sugar and vanilla collide without any cohesion. Big charred oak characteristics, the base beer just seems so lifeless I guess the whiskey barrel aging gives it what's here doesn't really complement the beer like so many other versions of brews that sit in the whiskey soaked oak. There's something very solvent and chemical about the aroma that doesn't even make me want to take my first sip.

Flavor yep there's a reason why I didn't want any part of it, it's like sipping on whiskey without the 80 proof. Whiskey tea we'll call it. Sour mash is evident with vanilla, charred oak and hints of caramel and toffee with some serious booziness for a beer this thin in body. Makes it seem like such a gimmick beer that's only really being brewed for the Kentucky Derby, there's no other audience that is going to take to this beer.

Mouthfeel is thin way to thin for alcohol level and the flavor profile it just doesn't carry it too well, it's like watered down whiskey tea. Booze gives a bit of a burn, but it's really the charred oak flavor bringing out a bit of cinnamon like expressions on the palate. Gag reflux get ready I'll be lucky to make it through 12 oz of this brew.
Drinkability overall when in Rome I guess, like if I was at the Derby bidding and I was really worn out of the official mixed drink of the Alltech F.E.I. than yeah maybe I would have this abomination. I'd rather have brews run through whiskey soaked oak chips in an infuser like Bocktown has been doing for quite some time now.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2010 06:11:01 | More by WVbeergeek

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

2.38/5  rDev -35.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Huge thanks to wisconsinality for another Kentucky brew. Poured into my pint glass the beer is golden amber with about one finger of off white head. Not much head retention no lace.

The aroma is mostly bourbon barrel and sweet malt. That's about all I can pick up. So not real complex but close to style.

The flavor was rather dissapointing. Pretty much bourbon and more bourbon. I got no other flavors. It reminds me of a whiskey and water at the bar.

Thin and watery body. Light carbonation.

Overall nothing special at all. I actually had this on my wants at one time. I'm glad I never pulled the trigger.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2010 02:26:14 | More by beerwolf77

suspect

New York

2.38/5  rDev -35.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Real Ale Snifter.

A: Pours a crystal clear amber color. Aggressive pour leads to a 1 finger fast fading white head.

S: BIG Bourbon in the nose. Wood and some vanilla and hints of tannin-y saw dust type of smell.

T: Bourbon is tamed down a little with some sweetness and wood. Not complex and an underwhelming

M: Thin and undercarbonated. Messy finish.

O: Boy this is a beer that's completely all over the place. It's got such a big bourbony nose but falls flat on the flavor. It's thin and watered down and the color is weird.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 03:44:21 | More by suspect

br3wmeister

Colorado

2.4/5  rDev -34.8%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

A- Light gold colored beer with a nonexistent head.

S- Biscuity with some caramel, vanilla, nuts, bourbon and coconut.

T- Large biscuit flavor with lots of butter. Hint of vanilla, some caramel nuts, and again coconut.

M- Not too much going on. Medium bodied with a light oily feel.

Overall I would say this is just not my style, though i could tolerate it I did not feel compelled to finish the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2009 00:26:30 | More by br3wmeister

match1112

Illinois

2.46/5  rDev -33.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2.25

a: clear amber body with a fizzy off white head. retention and lacing are poor.

s: some vanilla and oak from the barrel but the bourbon is minimial at best.

t: a little on the sweet side. there is a fruityness to it. again i pick up on the vanilla from the bourbon. the bourbon is short lived, could use more time in the barrel.

m: thin and watery, carbonation is lacking. not much hop presence, dry finish.

o: glad i got to try it for free. not saying it is bad, it's just not what i look for in a barrel aged beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 00:07:14 | More by match1112

MrDanno96

Ohio

2.48/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A: Pours a deep golden color with hints of red. A thin white head encircles the edges of the glass with some spotty lacing.

S: Strong aroma of bourbon and that's pretty much it. Notes of vanilla come through along with the strong booziness of bourbon.

T/M: Meh. All you can really taste is bourbon. This typically would not be a problem, but it really just tastes like really watered down bourbon - no real beer character at all except for its medium, slightly carbonated body.

D: I did not really enjoy this to be honest. I don't think this is a good base beer to age in bourbon barrels - pale ale and bourbon don't really mix. It just tastes like someone took a session beer and poured several shots of bourbon into it.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 00:41:24 | More by MrDanno96

hoptualBrew

Florida

2.48/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle pours a transluscent light copper color. Little off white cream head dies down quick. No lacing, but pretty descent alcohol legs. I was expecting a thicker, fuller beer - but lets see what we have here...

Nose is some sweet malts & seemingly watered down bourbon. Very bourbon dominant here.

A sweet kick up front & bourbon all over the palate. Its not overwhelmingly strong, but its just not good - very one dimensional. In the back end I get a kick of corn, yes - corn, semi sweet & not so tasty. There is a little boozy burn at the back too.

Too thin (4/10) for my taste . In my opinion, this brew needs more complexity (no corn taste please) & a bigger body.

Overall, I really did not enjoy this one. If you like bourbon, you will probably like this beer. But I dont - I prefer beers with a hint of bourbon, not a smack of it to the mouth. I will be giving out the rest of the 4pack unfortunately.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 03:29:23 | More by hoptualBrew

SWMeyer4141

Texas

2.5/5  rDev -32.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance-Light copper with a 1/2 finger off white head that immediate dissapears.

Smell-Definitely get Bourbon..lots of booze, sweet malts, vanilla. Kind of what I was expecting.

Taste-First taste wasn't so bad, Lots of bourbon and vanilla. Then it kind of just went downhill. Just tastes watery, almost like a Bourbon and Coke thats been sitting out for a while and all the ice has melted. Not very good.

Mouthfeel-Boozy. Very light in the body and a medium amount of carbonation.

Overall-I like Bourbon, but I don't really get this beer. The aroma was nice, but it was just watered down whiskey with carbonation. I'm going to give my other bottle to someone else, I just can't appreciate this beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 06:54:16 | More by SWMeyer4141

Cresant

Kentucky

2.53/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured this undated 12 oz. brown bottle into a snifter. This beer is now in regular bottles not the specialty bottle pictured. Pour created a minor head which faded to nothing quickly. The body was a very clear honey color, the color of bourbon. I held up a bottle of Maker's Mark next to my snifter, they were the same color.

Smell was bourbon. Sweet alcohol. Bourbon.

Taste was toned down bourbon. There is a hops presence which strives to balance the sweet bourbon/malt flavors. Sweet finish. This tastes like a cocktail, not a beer.

Mouthfeel was smooth with some alcohol zestiness in the swallow. Body seemed to start out full but near the end it thinned out. This is a sipper, but not one I will seek out again. When I want bourbon I will grab my bottle of Woodford Reserve.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2007 16:18:00 | More by Cresant

Beejay

Virginia

2.53/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A; A pale yellow amber.. Low level of white head.

S: Whiskey, bitter like coffee, smells like driving by a distillery, or waking up in a frat house after an all night Jim Beam bender..

T: Sweet at first with a hint of whiskey, The flavors progress to a little more bitter. and it finished with a toasted malt taste.. A very strange brew indeed..

M: Slightly oily, and the flavor takes your mouth on a roller coaster..

D: One off... Don't think I will buy this one again, which is sad.. as whiskey ( And preferably Whisky) is my other drink of choice..

Don't buy a sixer, get a single for a change of pace.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2009 02:33:47 | More by Beejay

Lukafer

Indiana

2.53/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Appearance is a thin, clear gold with no head. Smells are bourbon, that's all. Tastes like Jim Beam, vanilla and some cinnamon at the very end, not that good. I love bourbon beers, but this beer did not have the malty backbone to balance out the booze. To me, it really tasted like drinking a beer version of Jim Beam. The mouthfeel is thin as hell. Damn, I really wanted to like this beer, but I don't. I'd like to try it in a bottle just to see if maybe I had a bad pour from a bad keg.

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2010 05:25:16 | More by Lukafer

brewski09

Ohio

2.58/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Wow, talk about a strongly flavored beer...

A - This was a little bit darker of a beer with a good head to it. It looked great and the head stuck around for me throughout the drink.

S - I really liked the bourbon barrel smell, but it was a bit strong. Still, I give it high marks here because it smelled wonderful to me as I like liquors too.

T - This is where I had an issue. The bourbon flavor dominated and didn't let any of the maltyness show though for the beer. There was no hop character to speak of and I didn't really get significant bitterness either. Sadly, his was just unbalanced.

M - Very silky, smooth, and thick on the way down. I wanted to love this beer for so many reasons.

D - This was not drinkable to me due to the bourbon imbalance. Other people really loved the beer, but I just couldn't get over the imbalance. Sorry.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 00:36:13 | More by brewski09

Stigs

Pennsylvania

2.63/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle, got this as an extra from a trade with BA user BEERchitecht. poured into a SA perfect pint glass.

A - got about a finger worth of slightly off-white foam which fell to a thin layer + ring rather quickly. the beer is a crystal clear, solid gold color with slight amber accents, with active visible carbonation.

S - lots of grain, rice and corn...weird bourbon twinge...like the sour mash without the bourbon. turns slightly fruity then finishes with somewhat harsh rubbing alcohol.

T - odd...this one tastes like a beer for a hot second, light and grainy before transforming rather ungracefully into a watered down and slightly sweetened bourbon. this actually just took me back quite a few years when i frequently drank (cheap) bourbon and ginger ale in college, this tastes like a strongly poured one that was left to melt and sweat until the next day, taking on an odd and somewhat stale taste (yes i didnt let any booze go to waste then). some sweetness in the finish, vanilla and an aftertaste somewhat like cream soda.

M - quite syrupy and coats the mouth, thicker body than expected. carbonation kind of gets lost fighting through the thickness.

D - dont know what to say about this one, it is truly unique - not like any beer i am familiar with. as a bourbon fan, im actually a bit put off by the in-your-face booze taste. bourbon can be a great accenting or secondary taste in a beer when done gracefully, this is not.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2010 02:42:30 | More by Stigs

goatgoat

California

2.65/5  rDev -28%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a clear gold with just a hint of orange. A white one finger head quickly falls to nothing. No lace.
Aroma is heavily bourbon and oak with a sharp alcohol. As it warms it lets a bit more vanilla through.
Taste opens up a bit. More oak than bourbon and still strong though less overwhelming. I'm still missing the "beer" in this beer. A vanilla alcohol finish, very sweet, with a bit of a burn. Though that may be more a sensory memory association due to the bourbon aroma.
Light body with more carbonation that the appearance lets on.

My first bourbon barrel brew, gotten in a trade. It's a very new experience, interesting, not something I'll seek out again. I've never been a fan of brown liquor, though.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2009 01:07:32 | More by goatgoat

Pencible

Virginia

2.65/5  rDev -28%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

This poured a clear dark gold with some off-white head. It smelled strange, like light sulfur and sweet bourbon, with some fresh oak and peaches and sour apple. It tasted much like it smelled, with sulfur and light bourbon and oak, along with some cabbage and vanilla and peach and bready yeast. It was slightly thick with a bit of carbonation, and had a sour aftertaste. Overall I'm not sure if this was how this beer is supposed to taste, or if it was skunked. But if this was actually a "good" bottle, then I am really not a fan.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2010 16:27:25 | More by Pencible

SFLpunk

Vermont

2.65/5  rDev -28%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Purchased at Liquors 44, Northampton, MA. 12oz brown glass pry-top bottle. Neck dated Oct, 13 2011, 13:48, 44-286. Trying this at the behest of a former client...here goes:

Pours a orange amber with very thin white head. Nose is a mix of orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla extra and toffee/caramel. But non of the items are very distinct.

Palate is very sharp with alcohol burn. Thin caramel extract, butterscotch schnapps (very boozy), butterscotch and fusel/alcohols all over the place.

This beer is a train-wreck. A huge mess of butterscotch and booze. I can only assume that the Bros had a different batch than this one. Feels a lot like a marketing beer approach to barrel-aged beers. I think the AB Winters Cask is better than this.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 02:48:13 | More by SFLpunk

JMBSH

Colorado

2.68/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - Golden in color. Pours about an inch of head that disappears to just a thin coating not quite covering the total surface of the beer.

S - Light bourbon oak scent. Also some vanilla probably from oak. Reminds me of a watered down bourbon that has been sitting on ice a bit.

T - Again a watered down taste to the bourbon (but then again if I wanted massive bourbon - I'd have bourbon). Other flavors like tart fruit and bread come up. Very sweet aftertaste.

M - Very light. I get a thick coating at the back of my tongue like I get when I have had some "alca-pop" like drinks. The sweetness is a bit off for me.

D - The one of the lightest in color bourbon beers I have had. But the bourbon taste seems too watered down which hides the alcohol level of the beer. While I could have a couple more before the true level of the alcohol hits me, I don't think I would want to have another anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2010 05:03:39 | More by JMBSH

Hojaminbag

Colorado

2.7/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

After a huge hiss, this one proved to be a gusher. The head is massive and fizzy looking, quickly filling my glass with a huge tower that quickly dissipates. Besides the fact that there's decent lacing it looks a lot like soda.

It doesn't smell good. It seems a bit sour, with a touch of bourbon and black malt.

It's not sour, but it isn't good either. There is a little blast of bourbon with just a bit of wood. Next there is a charcoal flavor. The finish has just a bit of bitterness to it, and it manages to leave the overall impression of being sweet without any real sweet flavor. The finish has the slight taste of charcoal, or maybe even cigarettes.

The mouthfeel is pretty bad. Really light and fizzy; it doesn't just look like a soda, it tastes like one also.

I'm not a fan of this one. Not much going on here. It isn't unpleasant tasting, but the smell and feel are off, and it really isn't good either.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 22:34:15 | More by Hojaminbag

Tone

Missouri

2.7/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a clear, dark gold color. 1/5 inch head of an off-white color. Slight retention and poor lacing. Smells of strong bourbon and slight sweet malt. Fits the style of an American Strong Ale. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of strong bourbon, slight sweet malt, and slight grain. Overall, the bourbon was over-powering. Not well blended in either aroma or body.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 16:51:58 | More by Tone

ATLbeerDog

Georgia

2.73/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

From a 12oz brown bottle - Pours a clear reddish/orange. No carbonation, very light lacing . Smells of strong bourbon. First sip tastes like a glass of scotch on ice that whose ice has completely melted leaving a watery flavor. Other than the bourbon there is not much going on. A big disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2008 00:57:12 | More by ATLbeerDog

tectactoe

Michigan

2.75/5  rDev -25.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.5

Pours a mild amber color with a very slight amount of haze, slightly off white head fades quickly; very faint amounts of lacing are left along the walls of the glass. The aroma is big heavy bourbon - no faintness, no notes, hints, or nuances - straight up bourbon, through and through. Woody, oak aromas reside somewhat along the outer edges along with a touch of creamy and subtle vanilla. Much like the nose, the mouth senses heavy bourbon upon the first sip as well. If you were to tell me it was a malted-up ale and someone dropped in a shot of Evan Williams, I'd believe it. Very malt forward; lots of sweetness from the malt, toasted, slight caramel flavors, grainy. Hops aren't very noticeable, at least in flavor. A slight harsh, dry bitterness grabs the palate halfway through, but it's hard to detect any hop flavors at all. Slick body, thin, with adequate carbonation.

This is a bourbon beer, through and through. Literally tastes like someone dropped a shot of bourbon or whiskey into a malty ale. If bourbon is your thing, you'll love this. I guess it's okay if you're looking to drink bourbon. But if that's the case... just drink bourbon.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 22:39:55 | More by tectactoe

shivtim

Georgia

2.78/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Have to agree with aforbes10 that this wasn't that great of a beer. Maybe we just got a bad six-pack? I got it from Kentucky and transported it to Indiana myself, so I know it was somewhat fresh.
Poured out clear yellow/orange with no head whatsoever. nose was old bourbon and cork, with cornmeal. taste was watery bourbon and vanilla, like bourbon on the rocks with the ice all melted. Not disagreeable, but not great. Slight medicine qualities. Mouthfeel was pretty average. Overall it's just a so-so beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2008 16:56:37 | More by shivtim

bashiba

Iowa

2.78/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured a nice clear amber color with long running carbonation and a thick and fluffy sticky white head.

Has a light sweet caramel smell along with some mild bourbon vanilla and alcohol notes.

The flavor is very mild with a light toasted grain body and a touch of bourbon notes. Slightly sweet and very low on hops.

The mouthfeel is light, surprisingly thin, and full of carbonation.

Pretty average, not much going on other than mild bourbon aging qualities almost like drinking and extremely watered down glass of whiskey. Barely any beer flavor to speak of.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2010 23:05:48 | More by bashiba

THECPJ

Delaware

2.78/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed from notes:

appearance: orange copper with a 1 finger head

smell: bourbon, vanilla, fruity

taste: sour fruit, something went wrong in this bottle

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, medium body,

overall: I think I'm going to need to try it again. But sincne I haven't reviewed anything from this company I had to add my review.

Cheers,l
The CPJ

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 14:53:18 | More by THECPJ

kbutler1

Minnesota

2.78/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Bottle. Pours a clear, medium copper color with a thin white head. Interesting aroma of cherry, bourbon, vanilla, and oak. The aroma slightly reminds me of New Glarus Enigma just not as strong. Medium mouthfeel with carbonation. Banana is the first flavor that comes to mind in this one followed by some bourbon notes like a watered down whiskey and coke. Lingers with a slight sweet bitterness. Taken as is the beer isn’t terrible but I’m not sold on this being anything great either. On the plus side, I think the booze is fairly well hidden. Curious how long this spent in bourbon casks. Oaked Arrogant Bastard slays this beer hands down.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 21:53:13 | More by kbutler1