Drink Local

presents Dri Local Bourb Kentucky Sp Wine Restaur Kentucky Pro drink cipes Places local entucky Mon agazine pres @jessdholly

a guide to Kentucky Spirits

2020-2021

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m

by Kentucky Monthly Magazine

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Kentucky gets creative with alcohol on page 24!

Cheers

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from the Kentucky Monthly team.

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Drink Local is presented by Kentucky Monthly Magazine.

We hope you enjoy the first edition of Drink Local! Kick back, make a cocktail and share a photo with us @kymonthly.

COVER ARTIST @JESSDHOLLY Drink Local cover artwork

by Jessica Holly. Holly is a Kentucky native and freelancer with more than nine years of experience in higher education communications. Her work has been nationally recognized in exhibitions and published books.

She has a degree from Berea College, with a master’s in Design Strategy + Innovation from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. For more information, visit jessicaholly.com.

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ADVERTISE kentuckymonthly.com ad@kentuckymonthly.com 888.329.0053 or 502.227.0053 KENTUCKY MONTHLY (ISSN 1542-0507) is published 10 times per year by Vested Interest Publications, Inc., 100 Consumer Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601. Periodicals Postage Paid at Frankfort, KY and at additional mailing offices.

Kentucky Monthly is printed and distributed by Freeport Press, New Philadelphia, Ohio.

Kentucky Monthly

Drink (and eat) local! SpiritServing Kentucky Restaurant Guide on page 30!

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THE OLD FASHIONED: A TIMEHONORED CLASSIC

2 One Fine Mixer

20 Farm to Glass

The Commonwealth's premier soft drink, Ale-8One, blends well with Kentucky spirits

West Sixth Brewing’s Franklin County farm is a destination and a work in progress

8 Decadent Dessert Beer

26 Some Like It Sweet

Braxton Brewing’s collaboration with an iconic ice cream maker attracts new customers

14 Peerless Revival “New” Louisville distillery continues an old family tradition

Paducah’s Purple Toad produces popular fruity wines

28 Mix It Up at Home With these recipes using spirits produced in Kentucky

Publisher + Editor-in-Chief STEPHEN M. VEST Associate Editor PATRICIA RANFT Assistant Editor DEBORAH KOHL KREMER Contributing Editor TED SLOAN Creative Director REBECCA REDDING Business Manager BARBARA KAY VEST Account Executive LINDSEY COLLINS Circulation Specialist JOCELYN ROPER k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 1

The

Recipes and photos courtesy of Punch Media.

Kentucky

mixer Since before the repeal of Prohibition, Kentuckians have been mixing Ale-8One with their other favorite drink, bourbon.

The unique ginger and citrus flavor profile pairs perfectly with bourbon, and

ALE-8 CAVE Mammoth Cave isn’t the only Kentucky Cave you can explore. There is an Ale-8 Cave in Winchester, Kentucky where you can purchase ice cold cases of Ale-8.

it complements just about any other spirit on the market.

Ale-8 is located in Winchester and offers tours weekly!

JUBIL8 ½ cup water ½ cup Ale-8-One ½ cup white sugar

FIND MORE AT

ale8one.com

2 teaspoons minced ginger 2 teaspoons Ale-8-One Simple Syrup 6–8 mint leaves

Gently muddle simple syrup and mint leaves in a silver julep cup.

Fill cup with crushed ice.

Add bourbon and fill cup with Ale-8. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

COOPERS’ CUP

1½ ounces bourbon

2 parts Coopers’ Craft Bourbon

Ale-8-One

1 part fresh lime juice

Crushed ice

For the simple syrup, Combine water, Ale-8-One, sugar, and minced ginger to a stovetop pot. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes until desired consistency is reached.

Top with Ale-8-One (roughly 6 parts) Served over crushed ice in tin cup, garnish with mint sprig.

Ale-8 was first sampled at the 1926 Clark County fair, where a slogan contest was held. “A Late One” was the winning entry.

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 5

The Old Fashioned

Kentucky’s Largest Bourbon Collection Lexington’s Bluegrass Tavern has a history of being one of the best bourbon bars around. It boasts an extensive selection of bourbon and a staff dedicated to acquiring new bourbons and educating customers. Staff members pride themselves on finding a bourbon guaranteed to fit your palate.

What makes Bluegrass Tavern’s Old Fashioned so good?

Owner Sean Ebbitt says it’s their Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrel pick and the type of cherries used in the recipe. We won’t spoil too much. You’ll have to taste it yourself. Bluegrass Tavern offers bourbon flights and is ready to help you find the perfect one. “We tailor your flights to your flavor profile,” Ebbitt said.

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“a bourbon for everyone...”

Bluegrass Tavern ON 115 CHEAPSIDE, LEXINGT thebluegrasstavern.com @becklynn88

The components of an Old Fashioned have remained the same throughout its history: A base spirit; sugar, whether granulated or as simple syrup; and bitters.

Did you know?

1880

The Old Fashioned was first concocted at The Pendennis Club in Louisville. James E. Pepper, esteemed master distiller, was said to have invented the drink before he brought the recipe to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar in New York City.

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Come Visit Us Today We love visitors. So next time you're in town, stop by, say hi, and join us for a Bourbon tour and tasting. Find us in Bardstown at the Bourbon Heritage Center, or in Louisville at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience.

One Award-Winning Distillery, Two Unforgettable Experiences.

HeavenHillDistillery.com/visit-us.php 502-272-2623 Evan Williams Bourbon Experience 528 W. Main St., Louisville, KY 40202

Bourbon Heritage Center 1311 Gilkey Run Rd., Bardstown, KY 40004

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 7 Heaven Hill Distillery. Bardstown, KY Š 2020

Come to Covington

Find it in Frankfort

Three cities tell the authentic Kentucky Bourbon story.

All three cities offer top shelf experiences and together present a rich variety of bourbon venues that run the gamut from rustic to ultra-modern, mom-and-pop to conglomerate, historic to brand new. Whether you’re a new bourbon drinker or bourbon connoisseur, there’s much to enjoy.

From world-class distilleries to award-winning culinary experiences, off-the-beaten-path treasures to oneof-a-kind accommodations, memorymaking activities and attractions to eye-opening museums and shopping venues, you can pack a whole lot of bourbon-related fun into a weekend getaway or longer stay when you visit Covington, Frankfort and Bardstown.

ComeFindBourbon.com Come Find Bourbon is a partnership between meetNKY, Visit Frankfort, and Visit Bardstown.

Bourbon Comes From Bardstown

Decadent Beer

By Deborah Kohl Kremer

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Braxton Brewing’s collaboration with an iconic ice cream maker attracts new customers

@braxtonbrewing

hen the Rouse family opened Covington’s Braxton Brewing Co. five years ago, they launched with four beers and a building they were not sure anyone would want to come to. Three of those beers continue to be on offer, but Braxton quickly began adding new seasonal flavors and types of beverages, including IPAs, barrel-aged brews, ciders and hard seltzers.

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The Rouses purchased a 130-year-old building that once had housed a Sears department store in the heart of Covington. The brewery’s taproom soon became a popular hangout for people of all (drinking) ages and was consistently near capacity.

In the summer of 2019, the upstairs was renovated, and the 5,000-square-foot rooftop is now open to the public. This inviting space has lots of plants, along with a wide variety of seating and stunning views of the Covington and Cincinnati skylines.

Braxton Brewing Co. 27 West 7th Street Covington 859.261.5600 braxtonbrewing.com

Braxton Labs inside The Party Source 95 Riviera Drive Bellevue 859.291.0036

Braxton Barrel House 5 Orphanage Road Fort Mitchell 859.331.0296

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 9

KEY LIME PIE ALE The perfect combo of sweet and tart, this ale is brewed with vanilla beans, cinnamon, lactose and key limes that have been freshly zested.

The brewery’s public space expanded further with the opening of Braxton Labs inside The Party Source in nearby Bellevue. There, the company experiments with new flavors, and

guests can choose from around 40 varieties of beer on tap. Most recently, the brewery opened Braxton Barrel House in Fort Mitchell, which has a taproom above a basement

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full of bourbon barrels containing Braxton’s popular barrel-aged beer. Housed in a former grocery store, the Barrel House uses the former loading dock as a hip patio, where friends can

THE BREWS Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Milk Stout A dark Braxton brew, this stout has black raspberry puree and notes of toasted barley in a creamy texture.

Black Cherry Chocolate Chip White Stout Brewed with cherries, cacao nibs and coffee beans, this stout features flavors of sweet cherry and rich chocolate.

Blueberry Pie Brown Ale This brown ale is brewed with blueberry juice and vanilla bean, and tastes of graham cracker pie crust.

Pumpkin Pie Ale Reminiscent of your favorite slice of pumpkin pie, this brew features all the familiar pumpkin pie spices and even hints of pie crust.

choose from about 20 beers on tap.

Although these expansions have been positive, they each might have been considered risky and were not in the company’s original

business plan. This growth is a testament to how well Braxton has been able to shift gears and reach out in different directions. g g g

One direction in which the brewery has gone is a sweet collaboration.

The story is that Richard Graeter, of Graeter’s Ice Cream, was enjoying some beers in Braxton’s taproom when he got k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 11

Braxton Brewing Co. Co-founder and CEO Jake Rouse

the brewery had trouble keeping it in stock.

the idea for ice creamflavored beer. Graeter’s has been making rich French pot-style ice cream for more than 145 years. The ice cream boasts fans all over the world, so when Graeter approached Jake Rouse, Braxton cofounder and CEO, with the idea, Rouse had no hesitation.

They spent countless hours in the lab perfecting the brew.

But there wasn’t much debate about what the first flavor, which came

out in 2017, should be.

“If you’re going to partner with Graeter’s, the first flavor had to be black raspberry chocolate chip,” said Rouse, referring to Graeter’s most popular ice cream, made with sweet berries and bittersweet chocolate chunks.

As with all things new and uncharted, Braxton and Graeter’s did not know exactly what to expect. But they should not have worried: The collaboration was an amazing success. In fact,

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“It turns out that, for us, it was a phenomenal way to bring new customers to our brand and to introduce dessertstyle stouts,” Rouse said.

“We saw customers who had never had a craft beer before.”

The two companies have collaborated on a few other flavors since then, and each has been popular. The Graeter’s brews are considered seasonal, so check Braxton’s website for availability. Next up for fall: Key Lime Pie Ale. Q

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 13

Q&A

PEERLESS REVIVAL Master Distiller Caleb Kilburn @kentuckypeerless

“New” Louisville distillery continues an old family tradition

The name “Peerless Distillery” may not be readily recognizable to many Kentuckians who might mistake it for a newcomer. But Peerless actually is an old-timer. First distilled by E.W. Worsham & Co. in Henderson, Peerless whiskey dates back to the early 1880s. The company later was purchased by Henry Kraver, who changed the name to The Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company in 1907.

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By 1920, the distillery was going gangbusters, but alas, Prohibition became the law of the land, and liquor production was halted. Peerless had 6,000 barrels in storage that were available for “medicinal” uses. Yes, the Peerless brand was available by prescription.

Sadly, when the last of the barrels was empty, the Peerless brand was gone, too.

In 2014, Kraver’s greatgrandson, Corky Taylor, came out of retirement from BENCOR Inc., the financial services company he had founded, to open Peerless Distillery with his son, Carson. The Taylors renovated a 100-year-old building in downtown Louisville, and in 2015, the first barrel was filled with the new incarnation of Peerless. Just four years later, the bourbon was ready, and in June 2019, Peerless released its first bourbon in 102 years.

Peerless Master Distiller Caleb Kilburn, 29, joined the Taylors in 2014 doing what he describes as “grunt labor” while he was in college. Originally from Salt Lick in Bath County, Kilburn worked on his family’s dairy farm from a young age, so he was no stranger to physical

Wet your Whistle in Winchester!

Visit the Always Original Winchester for fun and relaxation with locally made wine, and spirits. Sip a homemade cocktail made with their very own small-batch moonshine at Wildcat Willy’s or sit and enjoy the breathtaking views of Harkness Edwards Vineyards while drinking delicious artisan-made wine.

Wildcat Willy’s Distillery 859-355-5000 wildcatwillysdistillery.com

Harkness Edwards Vineyards 859-644-5140 harknessedwardsvineyards.com

visitwinchesterky.com

Q What is your favorite way to enjoy bourbon?

Do you have a cocktail recipe you would like to share?

I have developed a taste for bourbon, and I realize I have a good palate for recognizing the flavor and depth.

When I’m tasting, it is always served neat, but for enjoying, I love a good cocktail.

I got married to the love of my life, Hannah, in June. We had His, Hers and Theirs Bars set up [at the reception]. At mine, we served a pour of Peerless neat. Being a proud Kentuckian, Hannah loves Ale-8One, so at her bar, we served this over ice.

At the Theirs Bar, we combined the two and created the Kentucky Collins, a Kentucky take on a Tom Collins.

Try one yourself

Kentucky Collins 1½ ounces Peerless Bourbon 1 ounce lemon juice ½ ounce simple syrup Ale-8-One Citrus wedge Pour the first three ingredients into a cocktail shaker.

Shake well, pour over ice, and top with Ale-8-One and a citrus wedge.

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labor. He attended Morehead State University, where he majored in chemistry with a minor in integrated sciences. When he had the opportunity to join Peerless to help them physically create the distillery and see it grow from the ground up—no matter what his job title was—he jumped right in.

Kentucky Monthly Assistant Editor Deborah Kohl Kremer recently enjoyed a conversation with Kilburn.

Q What is it about the magic of distilling that got you hooked? Most people go into this industry because they have family ties or they love to drink bourbon. I grew up in a household without alcohol, so I had very little interest in drinking. But I love chemistry, physics and biology, so when I learned about distillation and how all of these aspects are interwoven, well, I fell in love.

Q What does a typical day entail? Well, there is not a standard day, because this is not a standard job. Some days involve greeting the public, signing bottles and tasting product, but other days I’m shoveling gravel, fixing processes and even rolling barrels. There are tons of innovations to be made, and because I love to experiment, I find it all fascinating. As the master distiller, I am responsible for people and equipment from grain to bottle.

Q What makes Peerless different from other brands? Even though it is a new age and a new concept, we have family history to draw from. It is fascinating to revive something that was dormant for so long. Although we didn’t have a recipe, we knew [the family’s] dedication to quality. So this allowed me to start from scratch to create a bourbon but combine their artisanship into our finished product.

This is not something that can be mass-produced, so we look at how consumers look at us instead of numbers on a spreadsheet.

Q When visitors come to Peerless, what are they most surprised to learn? People love the intimacy they have with us. They see Carson and Corky working right along with everyone else, and they get to see the whole process. There is nothing staged here. Every drop we produce is made in these four walls.

Home of WineFest and the first commercial vineyard established in the United States!

Jessamine County has three award-winning vineyards.

& VENTURE.

Q Discover Gallatin County

WHERE TIME PASSES SLOWLY JE W E L S O N MA I N NE E LEY FA MI LY D I S TI L L ERY E AGLE C R EEK V I NEYA R D TAS TIN G R O O M HO METOW N PI Z Z A MT T’ S L I Q U O R LO NGO S BA R S U NS E T G R I L L DIE TZ TAV ER N HAMM Y’S R ES TAU R A NT & BA R

859-380-0256

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 17

The Spirit of Southern Kentucky.

Welcome to Somerset-Pulaski County, Horse Soldier Bourbon!

This $50 million distillery project has attracted top minds in architecture and design and will bring a legendary boubon brand created by legendary American heroes to The Capital of Lake Cumberland.

Learn how we’re leading the way, and join us. somersetkyleads.com @spedaky

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 21

IF YOU GO: West Sixth Farm 4495 Shadrick Ferry Road, Frankfort 859.705.0914 westsixth.com

Farm to

Glass West Sixth Brewings ’ Franklin County farm is a destination and a work in progress

BY DEBORAH KOHL KREMER

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Drink KY is the go-to app for enthusiasts of Kentucky wineries and breweries, brought to you by the Kentucky Grape & Wine Council and the Kentucky Guild of Brewers. It gives you everything you need (except the glass) to enjoy, explore and experience Kentucky’s vibrant, fast-growing wine and craft beer scene. Available for iPhone and Android devices. kyproud.com @becklynn88

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 21

Now in its third year of operation, West Sixth Farm grows berries, hops and apple trees and is open to the public April through October.

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ith the rise in demand for farm-to-table meals and locally sourced foods of all types, West Sixth Brewing in Lexington invites guests to see where it all begins—right from the brewery’s own farm.

“People want to know where their food comes from,” said Joe Kuosman, one of West Sixth’s founders. “But most people don’t think beer comes from the earth, so now we can show them.”

The brewery’s owners purchased a 120-acre farm, located north of Frankfort off U.S. 127 in

Franklin County. The acreage checked all the boxes for a site between Lexington and Louisville and was not so rural that it would be hard to find. In its third year of operation, the farm is growing hops, berries and apple trees.

Although it will be a few years before those hops will be mature enough to use in the brewing process, and a few more years until the 100 apple trees produce enough fruit to make West Sixth’s hard cider, the folks at West Sixth see the farm as something else.

“We see it as similar

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to a winery,” Kuosman said. “People go there for the experience, and they can do the same thing here.”

The farm is serene, with rolling hills of grassland, shady woodlands and two small ponds.

Looping around and through the acreage are four miles of hiking and mountain bike trails that take visitors past a catch-andrelease lake, two cows, a few dozen chickens and honeybee hives.

The goal has never been to grow all of the ingredients for their beers; it is more of an evolving experiment.

FOLLOW @WESTSIXTHFARM Kuosman said he and the other owners are farming the land and learning as they go.

But mainly, they want people to come out and do whatever they want to do.

“We want people to treat it like a park,” Kuosman said. “The environment is what is important.”

An open-air taproom with picnic tables scattered about is just the introduction to the property. West Sixth invites visitors to support the food trucks there or bring their own sandwiches and have a picnic on the hillside.

Little ones can run

around and fish, and dogs on a leash are welcome, too.

The farm is open April through October, but the outer loop trail is open year-round.

West Sixth Brewing opened its doors in 2012 in the former Rainbo Bread factory in Lexington. The company brews, cans and bottles its flagship West Sixth IPA, along with favorites such as Pennyrile Pale Ale, Strawberry Kölsch, bourbon barrel-aged Pay It Forward Cocoa Porter, and Sixfold VI: Wild Sour with Tart Cherries, which is aged in oak wine barrels. Q

Founded in 2012, West Sixth Brewing produces beer in Lexington. It can be purchased at bars, restaurants, and grocery and liquor stores throughout Kentucky and across the Ohio River in Cincinnati.

NEW LOCATION West Sixth NuLu is West Sixth Brewing’s newest taproom project. The Louisville taproom, brewery, private event space and open-air courtyard are in the NuLu Marketplace on Market Street.

LEARN MORE WESTSIXTH.COM 23

Unique Ways to DrinkLocal In a slushy.

The mint julep isn’t the only adult beverage that can be enjoyed over crushed ice.

Some Kentucky wineries offer wine slushies, while breweries and distilleries get creative, too.

TRY IT:

Purple Toad Winery purpletoadwinery.com Sig Luscher Brewery sigluscherbrewery.com Evan Williams Kentucky Slush heavenhill.com

With your coffee.

Coffee lover? Why not enjoy your coffee with a little something extra or a coffee-flavored beverage?

TRY IT:

Kentucky Coffee Barrel Cream Ale lexingtonbrewingco.com Kentucky Native Café michlers.com

eam Joe Brett’s Ice Cr

Newberry Bros. Coffee newberrybroscoffee.com

m

@joebrettsicecrea

@becklynn88 Kentuckians and visitors to the Commonwealth have plenty of interesting options for enjoying spirits.

As a tourist.

Explore your backyard with a distillery or brewery tour. See why many tourists visit our beautiful state!

Grab and go.

Most people think of bourbon when they consider Kentucky spirits, but hard teas, ciders and hard seltzers are among the fun choices.

TRY IT:

As a treat.

Who says popsicles are for kids? Locations across the state are serving alcoholinfused popsicles, ice cream and other tasty treats.

TRY IT:

Libby’s Southern Comfort libbyssoutherncomfort.com

Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. Hard Teas lexingtonbrewingco.com

Joe Brett’s Ice Cream facebook.com/ joebrettsicecream

Mint Julep Tours mintjuleptours.com

Mirror Twin Brewing Canned Cider mirrortwinbrewing.com

Crank and Boom crankandboom.com

Derby City Brew Tours derbycitybrewtours.com

Vive Seltzer viveseltzer.com

TRY IT:

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k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 27

Sweet SOME LIKE IT

Paducah’s Purple Toad produces popular fruity wines

BY DEBORAH KOHL KREMER

Join Purple Toad and many other Kentucky wineries at the annual Wine & Vine Fest in Jessamine County.

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IF YOU GO: Purple Toad Winery 4275 Old U.S. Hwy. 45S Paducah 270.554.0010 purpletoadwinery.com

T

he phrase “black and bruised” might not carry good connotations, but those words happen to be the name of Purple Toad Winery’s most popular wine.

The Paducah winery’s Black & Bruised is a sweet wine made from blackberries and Concord grapes.

It also is one of Steven Dossey’s favorites. Dossey is the general manager and winemaker there.

“We like to say that the best kind of wine is the kind of wine you like,” he said.

“You shouldn’t choose your wine from a friend or a magazine article. Just drink what you like.”

The winery was built in 2009

by Steven’s parents, Allen and June, who started the venture with the intention of making sweet wines. Steven explained that dry wines made in California are hard to beat, and there were not a lot of sweet wines on the market when the winery was first conceived.

Today, Purple Toad makes 46 wines, from dry to sweet, but 99 percent of the sales are of sweet wines.

The family first recommends fruity wines such as the Black & Bruised at a wine tasting. They also suggest the interesting Cotton Candy wine, followed by the label’s Tropical Sangria.

“After we see what [visitors] like, then we can prescribe the next round of tastings,” he said.

These sweet wines draw a lot of new wine drinkers.

Purple Toad is in about 450 stores in seven states and produces 5,000-7,000 cases per month, making it Kentucky’s largest winery. g g g

Originally, the Dosseys had hoped to get all of their fruit from Kentucky farms, but the winery grew so quickly, they found there weren’t enough fruit farms in the Bluegrass State to keep up with demand.

Purple Toad sources its fruit from all around the country, using red raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, peaches, cranberries and apples for its wine.

“Some fruits aren’t pretty enough to sell in the grocery stores, but each piece is full of flavor and perfect for us to use,” Steven Dossey said.

Although sweet wines are Purple Toad’s signature products, other varietals also are produced there, including cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, merlot and chardonnay.

Around three acres of grapes are grown on site and are used only for the chardonnay and cabernet.

The majority of grapes are sourced from California.

“We get them in and crush, de-stem, ferment and make our wines here, and they can easily compete with the California wines that are so well known,” Dossey said.

Purple Toad is named as a play on words for how the toes of people stomping grapes barefoot might look, referring to the ageold method of extracting the juice from grapes to make wine.

This fall, Purple Toad will bring Strawberry Jalapeño Wine to the table. Dossey said it tastes just like the jelly he grew up on.

The winery is open for tastings and invites visitors to come to Paducah, shop in the stores, eat in the restaurants, and make a weekend of the visit. Q

The first commercial winery in the United States was founded

by John James Dufour in 1799 on the banks of the Kentucky River in modern-day Jessamine County.

Toward the latter half of the 19th century, Kentucky was one of the largest grape- and wineproducing states in the nation. Since the mid- to late 1990s, the Commonwealth’s grape and wine industry has seen rapid growth and expansion. Currently, there are more than 70 small-farm wineries in the Commonwealth.

Kentucky’s wine industry blends history and heritage with modern winemaking practices and techniques. kyproud.com

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 27

Spirits of Kentucky Kentucky enjoys worldwide recognition for its bourbon, but there are plenty of premium spirits produced in the Bluegrass State aside from the amber nectar, including gin, vodka, rye, moonshine and even absinthe.

Kentucky Monthly asked Covington-based restaurateur and mixologist Bill Whitlow to mix up some cocktails using several of the Commonwealth’s best spirits.

He responded with inspiring and taste bud-tempting recipes you can try at home.

Whitlow’s days behind a bar started at the tender age of 16. Bar-backing throughout high school provided a strong introduction to and education of the craft. At 20, he began bartending and has continued to grow as a mixologist.

Whitlow tended bar at Louisville’s illustrious Seelbach Hotel before helping develop the Wiseguy Lounge brand for Goodfellas Pizzeria. Five years and four locations in four cities later, he stepped out on his own, opening Rich’s Proper Food and Drink in 2018 in the Madison District of Covington.

Rich’s Proper Food and Drink 701 MADISON AVE, COVIN

GTON

richsproper.com

As a two-time winner of the Woodford Manhattan Experience, Whitlow is active in competitive bartending. He also is a national champion for Ole Smoky Moonshine and, most recently, the 2019 winner of the Four Roses Bourbon Rose Julep Competition.

PHOTOS BY MORGAN WHITLOW

Vivid Green A bright, refreshing original cocktail to enjoy on the lingering warm days, this cocktail highlights the peppery and herbal aspects of Castle & Key Restoration Release Gin. 10 black peppercorns 3-4 medium-sized leaves basil 1½ ounces Castle & Key Restoration Release Gin

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½ ounce Lillet Blanc ½ ounce fresh grapefruit juice ½ ounce simple syrup 3 ounces Jarrito’s lime soda Mint sprig, for garnish In a cocktail shaker, muddle peppercorns with basil leaves. Add gin, Lillet Blanc, grapefruit juice, simple syrup and ice.

Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.

Top with lime soda and garnish with mint.

syrup and both bitters. Add ice and stir. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with cherry.

In a blender, add all ingredients with ice and blend.

Pour into a pint or soda glass and garnish with blackberries or other fresh berries.

H.B.I.C. (Head Buffalo In Charge)

Sazerac Cocktail

A fun and refreshing original cocktail that makes a great introduction to guests who might be new to bourbon.

The epitome of classic cocktails, the Sazerac has spawned generations of bartenders and can be made easily at home.

2 ounces Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Old Fashioned A classic bourbon cocktail and a staple at any professional or home bar.

2 ounces Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

3 dashes Angostura bitters

Splash absinthe (I suggest Copper & Kings Barrel Finished)

Cherry (not a neon-red cherry, something nice)

In a mixing glass, add the bourbon, bitters, simple syrup and the zest of the orange peel. Add ice and stir. Strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with orange peel and cherry.

Maple Manhattan This cocktail can be adapted with different bitters you may have sitting around the bar.

This is a twist on a classic on which you can put your own personal touch.

2 ounces Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon ¾ ounce sweet vermouth 1 bar spoon maple syrup (bourbon barrel aged, if you want to get fancy) 2 dashes Woodford Reserve Chocolate Bitters

2-3 ounces Jarrito’s grapefruit soda

Lemon peel

Fill a rocks glass with ice and water to chill as you are preparing the cocktail.

In a mixing glass, add rye, simple syrup and both bitters.

Add ice and stir briefly. (This cocktail shouldn’t be heavily diluted.) Empty rocks glass and add splash of absinthe; roll absinthe around the glass and discard the excess. Strain the cocktail into the chilled glass. Zest a lemon peel over the cocktail and rub the outside of the peel around the lip of the glass before dropping it into the cocktail.

Sprig of rosemary or lemon peel for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, add bourbon, ginger syrup, lemon juice and bitters. Add ice and shake. Strain into a Collins glass with ice and top with 2-3 ounces grapefruit soda. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary or lemon peel.

Moonshine Margarita Margaritas are great any time of the year, and so is moonshine.

This cocktail is a twist on a margarita, substituting Casey Jones Moonshine for tequila.

1½ ounces Casey Jones Moonshine ½ ounce triple sec

Frozen Blackberry Lily To celebrate the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, no matter what time of year they are run, this is a variation of the Oaks Lily.

1½ ounces Wheatley Vodka ½ ounce triple sec

2 dashes Woodford Reserve Spiced Cherry Bitters

3 ounces cranberry juice

Cherry for garnish

½ ounce simple syrup

½ ounce fresh lemon juice 6-8 blackberries

In a mixing glass, add bourbon, vermouth, maple

2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters

4 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters (do not substitute) 1 dash Angostura bitters

Orange peel

½ ounce fresh lemon juice

½ ounce simple syrup

2 ounces Old Forester Bourbon Small splash simple syrup (less than a tablespoon)

½ ounce ginger syrup (homemade or store bought)

3 ounces brut Champagne or sparkling wine

¾ ounce simple syrup 1 ounce fresh lime juice Lime wedge Salt

Begin by wiping the rim of a rocks glass with lime wedge.

Run the rim through some salt to get a nice salt rim and add ice. In a cocktail shaker, add moonshine, triple sec, simple syrup and lime juice. Add ice and shake. Strain into salted rocks glass.

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 29

Drink & Eat Local y

We’ve heard lots of good things!

uLOCAL FEED

214 South Water Street Georgetown localfeedky.com

uOBC KITCHEN

3373 Tates Creek Road Lexington obckitchen.com uRAMSEY’S DINER

Four Lexington locations ramseysdiners.com

Bluegrass Region RESTAURANT + BAR 303 West Main Street Danville @CopperandOakKY uDOODLES

262 North Limestone Street Lexington doodleslex.com uHARVEY’S

120 South 4th Street Danville @harveysdanville

uHOLLY HILL INN

143 Jefferson Street Lexington stellaskentuckydeli.com

253 2nd Street, Pikeville bank253pikeville.com

uRED RIVER ROCKHOUSE

4000 KY Route 11 Campton redriverrockhouse.com uTHE BLUE RAVEN

211 Main Street, Pikeville theblueraven.net

uWRIGLEY TAP

ROOM & EATERY 207 South Main Street Corbin thewrigley.com

uTHE STAVE

5711 McCracken Pike Frankfort thestavekentucky.com uTHE STILL AT AMBRABEV

Louisville Area uBARDSTOWN

BOURBON COMPANY KITCHEN + BAR

522 Techwood Drive, Danville thestillky.com

1500 Parkway Drive Bardstown bardstownbourbon.com

uTRACKSIDE RESTAURANT

uCOUVILLION

132 East 10th Street, Paris tracksideatthedepot.com

1318 McHenry Street Louisviile eatcouvillion.com

426 North Winter Street Midway hollyhillinn.com

uWEST MAIN CRAFTING CO.

uTHE KENTUCKY CASTLE

135 West Main Street Lexington westmain.com

230 Pisgah Pike, Versailles thekentuckycastle.com

uBANK 253

uGARAGE BAR endly 700 East Market Street Dog-Fri

w

uCOPPER AND OAK

uSTELLA’S KENTUCKY DELI

Eastern Region

Louisville garageonmarket.com

uMAYAN

CAFÉ

813 East Market Street Louisville themayancafe.com The Mayan Café began as a food truck, opening in August 2017 in partnership with craft brewery Gravely Brewing Co. on Baxter Avenue. It was an appropriate beginning, as Mayan food, at its heart, is street food.

30 K E NT U CK Y M O NT H LY DRINK LOCAL

NOW AVAILABLE “Deeply researched and thoroughly indexed, this guide should satisfy any thirsty and curious visitor to the Bluegrass State.”

—Publishers Weekly Find it at an independent bookseller near you and Kentuckypress.com

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 31

Drink & Eat Local uTHE 859 TAPROOM

2230 Frankfort Avenue Louisville jakeandelwoods.com

AND GRILL

y

uJAKE AND ELWOOD’S

uMAMMY'S

KITCHEN & BAR

Don’t pass on the pie!

116 West Stephen Foster Avenue, Bardstown @btownmammys

w

uRECBAR

12522 US Hwy. 41, Robards farmerandfrenchman.com

10301 Taylorsville Road Jeffersontown

recbarlouisville.com

w

FARMER AND FRENCHMAN WINERY & CAFÉ

They play vinyl!

Pizza Love ers More than 100 be to choose from!

y

uAPOLLO PIZZA +

uTHE SILVER DOLLAR

1761 Frankfort Avenue Louisville @TheSilverDollarLouisville uSIMPLY SEAFOOD

MARKET & DINER 1482 Boston Road Bardstown @simplyseafoodmarket

Northern Region

BEER EMPORIUM

uBEEHIVE TAVERN

Berea, Lexington + Richmond Locations

101 West Riverside Drive Augusta beehiveaugustatavern.com

apollopizzamenu.com

uMATT B’S 1411 Main Street Murray @MattBsMainStreetPizza

uMIGUEL’S PIZZA 1890 Natural Bridge Road, Slade miguelspizza.com

uLIBBY’S SOUTHERN COMFORT 35 West 8th Street Covington libbyssoutherncomfort.com uMOLLY MALONE’S IRISH

PUB & RESTAURANT 112 East 4th Street Covington mollymalonesirishpub.com uNEWBERRY BROS. COFFEE

530 Washington Avenue Newport newberrybroscoffee.com uRICH’S PROPER

FOOD AND DRINK 701 Madison Avenue Covington richsproper.com

32 K E NT U CK Y M O NT H LY DRINK LOCAL

8720 Bankers Street Florence 859taproomandgrill.com

Southern Region uHICKORY & OAK

705 State Street Bowling Green hickoryandoakbg.com uGERARD'S 1907 TAVERN

935 College Street Bowling Green gerards1907tavern.com

uGUTHRIE’S GRILL 6075 US Hwy. 27, Somerset guthriesgrill.com uMARIAH’S

360 East 8th Avenue Bowling Green mariahs.com

Western Region uTHE CROWDED HOUSE

26 West Center Street Madisonville thecrowdedhouse.com

uTHE FREIGHT HOUSE 330 South 3rd Street Paducah freighthousefood.com uMOONLITE BAR-B-Q INN

2840 West Parrish Avenue Owensboro moonlite.com uPATTI’S 1880’S SETTLEMENT

1793 J.H. O’Bryan Avenue Grand Rivers pattis1880s.com

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 35

FOOD BOURBON HORSES TOURS

Kentucky Bourbon. Thoroughbred Racing Champions.

Fresh Food.

Hermitage Farm celebrates Kentucky’s unique agricultural heritage and the signature industries that make us a place like no other. Experience our renowned thoroughbred operations, farm-to-table dining at Barn8, bourbon, and art experiences.

Plan your atYHermitageFarm.com 36 K visit E NT U CK M O NT H LY DRINK LOCAL