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

Dogbrick

Ohio

2.8/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bottle from Party Source. The beer is a clear amber-orange color with a medium off-white head that dissipates steadily. Thin ting of lacing with spots under it. The aroma is pretty much all bourbon, with maybe a hint of malt buried under it. Medium-bodied with a bourbon overkill character of which the smell warned. Touches of woody malt and hops but again the bourbon overwhelms. The finish is oak and bourbon with a lingering whiskey aftertaste. Not for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2008 15:51:16 | More by Dogbrick

ktrillionaire

Florida

2.8/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

This review is going to be brief, as there is very little I can add to the testament of BA 'radioscooter' in the review below this one. It does smell like a Budweiser with a half-drop of Bourbon in it, and it does taste like a Bud Light with a half-drop of Whiskey, to boot. It also looks fairly pedestrian, which is apt, I guess. Wimpy mouthfeel.

I differ from him in that, a) I had not had the beer at anytime prior, so, b) I did not have a fond recollection of it, and, c) I was more irked than BA 'radioscooter' over the absolute banality of the brew.

My bottle was uber-special too. It was 'Brewed Exclusively for the 2011 World Equestrian Games'.

To be honest, the label looked dangerously close to copyright infringement of 'Killian's Red'. Not that I give a damn about such things...

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2011 06:22:10 | More by ktrillionaire

Keginator70

Massachusetts

2.81/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

For the record this is the first time I've ever given a negative review. If I hadn't paid $12.99 for a four pack I would have let it go but there are too many great and very good beers waiting to be had that get less hype.

No head or aroma to speak of. In a nutshell I just had a 12 oz boilermaker watered down with vanilla extract. I needed salted pistachios to eliminate the strange aftertaste at sip number three.

If I'm drinking whiskey and want a beer chaser this might be more appealing.

I'm going to try it in a chile or a lamb and lentil soup recipe.

As a stand alone quaff definitely not recommended. Won't try it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 18:58:12 | More by Keginator70

ElGeordie

Virginia

2.85/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On a recent visit to Lexington I tried a pint of this at the hotel bar. Visually it was a lot lighter than I expected: light abmber with a half inch of dense white head. The noese was quite fruity too.
I wasn't sure what to expect on the first sip, and after a pint of kKntucky ale the first taste was a shock to the system. The bourbon flavour was overpowering, the hops were nowhere to be found -the sweetness of the bourbon just eliminated any bitterness that the hops may have imparted, almost like drinking a boilermaker. I'm pretty sure I pulled a face ! I did persevere with it and after a few more sips my palatte adjusted to the bourbon sledgehammer and I began to discern some familiar beer flavours. I'm glad I tried it but it wasn't one of my favourites.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2009 18:07:41 | More by ElGeordie

AgentZero

Illinois

2.88/5  rDev -22%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Clear golden color, nothing real special going on here, small white head that dissipated rather quickly leaving no lacing.

S - Well, definately can smell the bourbon. Strong bourbon kick wrapped around carmel malts.

T - Not my think, the bourbon is very strong, but doesn't meld with the rest of the beer at all. Tastes like I'm drinking whisky and water, albeit not quite to that extent. No complexity to speak of, really lose the beer taste here. Sweet brown sugary taste, but outside of the bourbon, that's really about it.

M - The strength of the bourbon makes this beer seem a lot more watery than it really is, but don't really care much for the feel of this, I keep checking expecting to see ice in here.

D - It's not hard to drink, other than it tastes bad, so that one made me end this relatively quickly. Would not drink again.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2010 15:27:17 | More by AgentZero

mklinger

North Carolina

2.88/5  rDev -22%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a 12 oz snifter. Deep golden color. Thin white head, but lots of carbonation. Fine looking beer.

Aroma is all bourbon. Smells exactly like a bourbon with ice & water. I don't get much else that I would characterize as beer-like.

Flavor is interesting, not what I was expecting. There's beer character in there, some light malt character & a bit of hops, but it is a very light in character beer to be paired with such a strong bourbon flavor. I've had Lexington's Kentucky Ale & it's still one of my lower rated beers. This tastes like it's probably not much of a different beer than that but with some barrel aging with a lot of bourbon still in the barrel.

Mouthfeel is remarkably thin for some big beer with the barrel flavor. This really is one of the odder barrel aged beers I've had. The base beer is pretty unremarkable I think, bringing the focus all on the bourbon barrel. This makes the base beer better & improved, but still not great.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2010 03:04:43 | More by mklinger

divineaudio

Michigan

2.88/5  rDev -22%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

tulip glass

a - pours a transparent golden color with a few streams of carbonation rising up. forms a finger's worth of sudsy, white head that dissipates quick. some leggy lacing.

s - maple syrup, vanilla, slight booziness.

t - starts off a little toasty with faint vanilla notes and moves quickly into bourbon flavor. very faint hop bitterness on the back of the tongue. really tastes like a watered down bourbon, or as if someone poured a shot of bourbon into a bottle of light lager. seems almost cloyingly sweet without much else to back it up.

m - lighter side of medium with a little too much carbonation. has a pretty significant alcohol warming going on.

o - not a bad beer, but not great either. proof positive that barrel aging doesn't make everything better. worth a try i guess, but i'd never buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 22:42:51 | More by divineaudio

BeerBelcher

Ohio

2.9/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

I'd previously had the Kentucky Ale, but when I ordered this at the Brews Cafe in Granville, I was expecting something dark....usually bourbon-barrel aging usually equals RIS, not an amber ale! Surprising, and different, but not the greatest outcome. THis beer had a ton of bourbon character without a ton of booziness, which is admirable, but somehow it seemed overly sweet to me and not all that drinkable.

Color is a clear and (for a barrel aged beer) surprisingly brilliant amber color with a fine head coating. Aroma is fruity, a touch boozy and very bourbon-y. Flavor was (thankfully) less boozy, but very bourbon-y and also quite sweet, perhaps too much so. A bit too sweet for my tastes, pretty astringent, and not much else to appeal to me besides some bourbon character. Just OK. Mouthfeel is dry and warming.

This beer was just sort of OK...not terrific. I had this on-tap at the Brews Cafe in Granville.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2009 22:12:54 | More by BeerBelcher

zhooker

New York

2.9/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From the tap into a standard pint glass. Not much foam up top, hence not much lacing either. Deep, dark golden-amber in color, and rather clear.

The nose is light but enjoyable. Wood and an oaky sweetness come out, like a very mild bourbon. There are some roasted malt scents as well. Frankly, I am a little underwhelmed.

The taste is even more underwhelming. Incredibly light. A well-rounded malt flavor with a tinge of sweetness, but not much bourbon or oak/wood on the tongue. Hops mild, hardly present. Disappointed.

I will admit, as a beer (in general), this is a good ale. But I'm thinking barrel-aged when I drink this, and compared to other barrel-aged ales (bourbon barrel in particular) this just tastes weak. Drinkable? Very. And it hides its 7-9% ABV well. But it really fails to deliver in the flavor department.

Overall, it feels like a Kentucky brewery trying to cash in on the Kentucky bourbon legacy, making it palatable and consumable, but really missing the amazing powers that barrel-aging can impart.

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2010 07:37:09 | More by zhooker

bobhits

Kentucky

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

OK I'm going to break the rules here and feel free to remove my review if this offends anymore. I've had this beer 20+ times over the last few years and I've had it both on tap and in bottles almost equally. The advantages of living in Lexington where it's brewed I suppose. This beer varies so much imo it's impossible to review a single bottle and do it justice. As a result I wanted to use this review to tell you my thoughts on this kentucky favorite.

A OK nothing major changes here. Dark amber almost brown in color. A nice off white head will form and this is pretty consistent.

S Here is where this beer gets interesting. Every batch of this seems a bit different. This a nice amber beer (site says English pale ale for the Kentucky ale...dunno about that one) with a touch of malt and some subtle hops way back there. They then barrel age it and from talking to the sales reps they don't consistently pick the same barrels to use. This results in a nose that goes from strong vanilla to strong oak to almost smelling like a boiler maker with a shot of bourbon in there. That said there's nothing wrong with any of this in the nose, but don't go in expecting a certain aroma cause they'll throw you a curve ball every time.

T I recall my fist time having this a few years back. I bought a nice 4 pack of it and was excited to try it. I truly struggled to get a single bottle down. It was this amazingly strong bourbon flavor that just took control of the beer. The abv seemed a joke and it was a sipper beyond words. I never liked that 4 pack...each bottle was just too much. That said this beer is everywhere and I had to try it again. The next time I picked it up I expected much the same and was prepared. The problem was I got a completely different beer. The first beer was harsh and the bourbon dominated so much that I couldn't taste anything else. This second batch was overwhelmingly vanilla. It was smooth, silky, the original beer was shining through with its caramel malt and earthy hop character. It was actually lacking that bourbon flavor I wanted and instead the oak and vanilla where all that the beer offered. Fresh and on tap however this beer often hits a near perfect balance of the vanilla and bourbon and creates this true gem. When this beer gets things right it mixes a fairly thin and mild ale with some amazing vanilla and oak flavors finishing with a nice bourbon flavor while mixing in the caramel malt and subtle hops. This is a beer that will turn a whiskey drinker for at least a night into a beer drinker and turn even the biggest beer snob into a fan. The problem is this isn't what I normally find.

At its best this beer is a solid 4's with a few 4.5's mixed in there. At its worse just avoid. On average and the majority of bottles I have had, this is a really solid beer. It looks good, the bourbon nose is solid, it tastes as you'd expect a bourbon aged english ale to be, and it drinks pretty well. It's a shame this is not more consistent and isn't on that better side of things more often, but go in with these expectations and hopefully you get one of their better bottles.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2010 05:15:32 | More by bobhits

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

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

This beer was poured into my crystal mug and showed a clear old copper gold color with a white head building about one finger high. It dissipates fast and left no lacing
Smelling this beer, you will instantly recognize the bourbon whiskey flavors and the oak barrel wood notes.
Tasting the beer, you will be strongly introduced to those sweet bourbon notes. In the middle the bourbon is still dominant, but some malty notes are present. At the end, I only can guess the hint of some hop. For my taste the bourbon whiskey flavors are just to much and powerful. I see no balance in this beer and would not buy it again, but it might suit others.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 04:00:43 | More by Hopfenpeter

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

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

aasher

Indiana

2.95/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I had to at least try this one since it's been all the rage in Indianapolis for the past couple months. It pours a crystal clear dark gold in color with a one finger off white head that dissipates into a white lacing around the glass. It smells of syrupy artificial bourbon, honey, and vanilla with a touch of alcohol. It's odd and where's the bourbon? This smells fake. It tastes of essentially watered down bourbon with honey and a touch of vanilla. The flavors are too mellow and blase overall. Why are people going crazy about this? The bourbon is so subtle and is really only present in the aftertaste. You would think a bourbon barrel aged ale would be able to give off more bourbon aromas and stronger flavor. Overall this beer is just average all around. It drinks light and is easy to drink but I don't think it's what they were going for and just didn't live up to the abv or attention that this has gotten in the midwest. That said, it does "taste good", being a honey ale in my opinion and is easy to drink. This beer just doesn't rate very well in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2011 03:48:12 | More by aasher

becktone

Ohio

2.98/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance is poor. The color is very nice-crystal clear copper. The beer looks dead very little carbonation bubbles floating to the top. This beer's inability to form a head and or lacing and keep what little film it did form is sorely disapointing.

Wow! Strong aroma of burbon, almost overwhelming! I can't say that this is bad, however I am not really a fan of burbon. However, I saw this beer and decided to try it. No hop or malt aromas, just burbon and alcohol. It is a burbon barrel aged brew and it definitely smells like burbon so I guess it achieves what the brewers were going for.

Weirdest beer that I've ever drank. It tastes like burbon, though I've never had it I can assume that it tastes like burbon. I've had scotch though, and it reminds me of that. Lots of flavor, some butterscotch in there. As I Said before I am not a fan of burbon or scotch for that matter, ever since I drank a whole bottle of scotch in one night.

Can't really finish this brew, it tastes too much like scotch/burbon. Sure that's what the brewer was going for but I can't take it. It is light on the palate and almost flat, very low carbonation. Alcohol is obviously apparent. I will not buy this brew again. I can't abide the taste of scotch/burbon. Since I am reviewing this brew with an open mind and trying to judge it by the brewer's interpretation of an American Strong Ale aged in Burbon barrels I'll give it flat 3's across the board...except for appearance, all beer should be able to form and keep a head.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2007 02:25:03 | More by becktone

sweemzander

Illinois

2.98/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12oz. bottle poured into a nonic. Thanks to BeerFMAndy for this one!

(A)- Pours a clear orange amber color that produced a thin film of white foam.

(S)- A sweet oaky vanilla and caramel/toffee/brown sugar sweetness. Tons of bourbon sweetness in this.

(T)- Very similar to the smell. Very sweet caramel/butterscotch character with a dry oaky vanilla. Some corn meal in the far background, but the bourbon definitely takes center stage.

(M)- A decent carbonation level. A very sugary sweet richness with obvious bourbon notes. A bit syrup-like in feel. Rather boozy too for the ABV.

(D)- An interesting take on the style. Very obvious with the bourbon barrel aging that totally takes over what the beer is and becomes the main focus of the beer itself. Decent, but way too sweet to have more.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2011 01:48:53 | More by sweemzander

DanH83

New York

2.98/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

It tastes like what it is. A cheap light ale aged for a short time in barrels. It's sticky sweet on the nose with a touch of bourbon. It has an oily and light mouthfeel.

It looks average, tastes okay if a little bit strange.

You can pass on this one with no remorse. It's not offensive, but I don't think I'll make it through the bottle, it's just not worth it.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 00:46:15 | More by DanH83

burnheartsMKE

Wisconsin

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

I must admit this was the first time I had ever enjoyed a lighter-bodied ale that had spent any amount of time inside the guts of a bourbon barrel. I had unceremoniously consumed Lexington’s daily ale a few days earlier and I could only imagine, while drinking this bourbon ale, that the weaker beer was used as it’s base (I believe I am wrong). Thankfully, that bubbly malt beverage had no real inspiration therefore letting those beautiful barrels do the real man’s job.

In my mouth this bourbon ale sang with an almost artificial bourbon essence like a vocoder covering up the very real mistakes. High notes of cherry, coconuts and vanilla extract made this taste almost like bourbon & cream-soda cocktail.

Strange though, through all my negativities, I actually enjoyed it and could see it’s rightful place in a styrofoam cooler on some double-wide’s cement slab, The Derby blaring on a tiny old tube TV. Just me & a couple good old boys lazing on a sun-bleached couch.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 16:33:47 | More by burnheartsMKE

nickapalooza86

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to my little brother for picking this up in Ohio on his trip.

Pours a clear goldish amber.

Smell is very one note bourbon in front, middle and back.

Taste is the same bourbon all the way with a hint of vanilla and oak.

Mouthfeel is very thin, to thin for a beer of this alchol imo.

It is not bad, I will drink it all. It is just to one note for me. I know some bourbon lovers might like this but if so, why not just drink strait bourbon??

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 02:19:02 | More by nickapalooza86

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

jimmah120

Minnesota

3.01/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.75

growler served in a brandy snifter

brownish ale color, with a small filmy brown cap. smell is warm with alcohol, also charred brown sugar and bourbon. flat feel to the beer, like a thinned-out aunt jemima. taste is mostly generic bourbon and oak, alcohol is evident. no hops to speak of, ends up disappointing all around.

much less savory than I'd hoped

Serving type: growler

04-23-2013 06:11:40 | More by jimmah120

mattcrill

Ohio

3.03/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Aroma: Vanilla, oak, spicy undertones. No hop aroma. Clean fermentation character.

Appearance: Brilliantly clear amber pour with a sticky white head. Head retention is poor.

Flavor: More oak and woody notes. Faint biscuity malt background and some earthy hop bitterness. Finish is clean and dry.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, moderate-high carbonation, and slightly slick. A touch of astringency and warming alcohol on the back of the palate.

Overall impression: A clean, wood-aged ale. Not really sure what this beer would be without the bourbon and wood-aged character. Maybe an amber? Very one dimensional. Not a big fan of bourbon/barrel-aged beers and this does nothing to help that.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2008 01:03:20 | More by mattcrill

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.03/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a small brandy snifter. Color is clear, light amber gold. In fact, it looks like lightly carbonated bourbon. The nose offers up some muted alcohol aroma mixed with some citrus. In other words, it smells like a screwdriver.

Flavor is somewhat hop-forward. It's light and fizzy and there is a faint taste of bourbon that just doesn't complement the beer flavor at all. Mouthfeel is average.

Overall, this was disappointing. I wouldn't say that this is a poorly-made beer, just that it was poorly thought out. Bourbon-barrel aging just cries out for a beer that is rich and malty, not a light ale that is crisp and hoppy. I don't want a beer that tastes like bourbon, I want a beer whose flavors are complemented by the bourbon notes (see Founders Backwoods Bastard or BBC Bourbon Barrel Big Brown). This was not what I was looking for.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 17:20:25 | More by deadonhisfeet

far333

Connecticut

3.05/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to Brent for sharing this one. Crystal-clear, brand-new-penny copper colored with fine columns of tiny bubbles rising quickly to the top and capping it off with a fine frothy off-white head.

Aroma of caramel and brown sugar maltiness, with a definite vein of bourbon rising up through.

Dry mouthfeel, but rich and full, a mixture of creamy richness and fine bubbly tingles.

Flavor is not overly complex, very malty, but tending to sweet, nearly cloying for me. No hops to speak of, but lots of bourbon flavor coming through, plus some banana and vanilla. Not very drinkable for me, a bit overwhelming to the taste buds.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2006 00:53:55 | More by far333

mdaschaf

Washington

3.05/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Review from notes.

A: Pours a light orange/copper color with small white bubbles that made up a smallish head, moderate lacing. Lots of small carbonation bubbles released from the bottom.

S: A little bit of caramel and vanilla, light bourbon aromas, some darker fruit, and a little bit of molasses and brown sugar.

T: It tasted very similar to apple juice, with a slightly sour flavor to it, almost vinegary. Not sure whats going on as the flavor profile is extremely different than the aroma.

M: Medium bodied, but seemed a little thin, with moderate carbonation.

O: A puzzling beer, not really sure what happened, or why the beer tasted as it did. Can only hope to try it again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 20:52:49 | More by mdaschaf