Kentucky is not known for its beers, but I had to try them while I was there. It took some effort to get the beer, as OC is a dry county. Did the research and found that there are 2 microbreweries in the state, Bluegrass Brewing Co and Kentucky Brewing Co. Found the store that sold the Kentucky Ale, and stopped by to pick up a couple of six packs. I was looking for a couple of packs off the shelf, as it was going to be several hours before we reached a refrigerator. I asked the lady working at the store, who didn't take the cigarette out of her mouth before she told me they didn't keep any beer other than Bud, Busch Light and Miller Lite on the shelf...what was in the fridge was all they had. So, the purchase had to wait before we headed home.
Made my first trip through a drive-thru for alcohol. The boys were convinced they could get a milk shake.
First up was the Bluegrass Brewing Company's Nut Brown Ale. By far the best of the 3. Really was an average ale, drinkable and possibly chuggable. Drank 2 of 'em. At $8.99, I thought it overpriced. Grade=B-, PQ=21
Next up were the Kentucky Brewing Company offerings. I started with the Bourbon Barrel Ale. I like bourbon and I like beer, so this should've been win-win, but it was far from a winner. This stuff smelled like bourbon, which isn't a bad thing normally, but when you're expecting beer it just doesn't feel right. They must've left a lot of bourbon in the barrels, before the beer was poured in. The taste of bourbon is strong. Really, this tasted like a bourbon beer mixture, with the bourbon flavor overpowering the beer. Yet the beer was still there, making this a horrible concoction slightly better than the Fruity NAs of the middle east. Grade=D, PQ=5.45
Their other offering, Kentucky Ale wasn't that great. An average ale at best that's very overpriced. Grade=C, PQ=11.
Next time I'm in Kentucky, I'll stick with the bourbon.
