Lexington Brewing Company- Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale: Like a 12 ounce shot…
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 9:26AM | by Wes 
My buddy Mike recently went back to his hometown of Cincinnati for a wedding. When this happens I make him pick me up something exclusive that I can’t get in Chicago. Today’s adventure was from a brewery simple called Kentucky Ale. I have had my share of bourbon barrel aged beers before, but usually they are stouts, so I was interested to give this a spin.
Bourbon Barrel Ale pours the color of cream soda. It was well carbonated at first but had a very similar profile to a soda. This beer smells like a double shot of cheap whiskey. Like when your local dive beer has $1 "you call it" well drinks. There is also a sweet caramel scent. Have I mentioned how much this beer reminds me of cream soda, because in case I didn’t, I just wanted to say, this beer smells and looks like cream soda. Cream Soda…
Kentucky Ale is trying to pay homage to the legacy of the many great southern bourbons with this brew. However they forgot one important factor, at the end of the day this is still a freaking beer. The flavor is an overly sweet, watered-down whiskey with an overpowering blast of butterscotch. There is nothing to even hint that this is a beer. Maybe a strong amber or something more weighty needs to serve as the backbone of this ale. Cask aging is becoming more and more popular amongst breweries, the important thing to remember is that barrel aging is supposed to enhance flavor, not destroy it. This beer is a classic example of a good idea, gone horribly wrong…
ABV: 7.9%
Consumed: Pint Glass
Verdict: Bum one from a friend
