Cream Ale Gets Bourboned

BEER REVIEW: WEEK ONE

The phrase “life changing” is used way too much in today’s social media era of photo-documenting meals from your favorite vegan diner. But, my first Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale was exactly that, life changing. The year 2006 should be remembered for the Alltech Brewing launch of Bourbon Barrel Ale, especially here in my old Kentucky home. A moment that should forever be taught to future generations of Kentuckians in Bevin’s concentration camps, oops I mean charter schools. I was completely and pleasantly surprised at how smooth and robust that first taste of that unique beer was, that had more than a hint of that oaky bourbon we all grew up stealing out of our fathers’ liquor cabinets. (Sorry, dad.) I am from a long lineage of bourbon and beer drinkers. The combination of the two in one drink was historical for me, no exaggeration. Again, it was plum life changing. Plain and simple. That love I found in 2006 led to the sampling of the entire Alltech catalog, all of which I have enjoyed. Recently, I decided to pick up a sixer of the Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale. I am a big fan of cream ales. My go-to cream ale for years has been Braxton’s Storm as I am a former Covingtonian and Braxton is near and dear to my beer loving heart. The Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale has that cream ale, refreshing taste but is accompanied by that light heaviness you find in Alltech’s other brews aged in bourbon barrels. The beer is brewed with a hint of flaked corn and bourbon vanilla beans, and aged in freshly decanted bourbon barrels for a minimum of six weeks. At 5.5% ALC/VOL, you won’t be stupid-blackout, crazy-ancient-alien-theory-shit, make-your-friends-angry-with-your-political-views drunk after drinking a few cans as you do with the other bourbon barrel flavors. You can enjoy this beer in bulk. Go out and find this brew. You will not be disappointed. It might make you feel a little more Kentucky-ish. Jump on a horse, cut your bluegrass and marry your cousin. Alltech Brewing continues to kill it with the bourbon barrel beers.