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Jim Beam Kentucky Coolers Review

By Richard Thomas Rating: C- In introducing the new drinks line in early 2023, Jim Beam declared that, come summertime, Kentuckians like to drink lemonade or fruit punch with bourbon on their front porches. Well, I’m a born and bred Kentucky horse farmer’s son, and I prefer to make mules with our native Ale-8-One or …

By Richard Thomas

Rating: C-

Jim Beam Kentucky Coolers
(Credit: Beam Suntory)

In introducing the new drinks line in early 2023, Jim Beam declared that, come summertime, Kentuckians like to drink lemonade or fruit punch with bourbon on their front porches. Well, I’m a born and bred Kentucky horse farmer’s son, and I prefer to make mules with our native Ale-8-One or mint juleps, but I won’t quibble beyond that. I’m sure there are folks around who are sipping on lemonade and bourbon.

Those drinks are the basis for the RTD line of Jim Beam Kentucky Coolers. The line is a sprawling collection of smashes, punches and lemonades (the lemonade mixers alone include Black Cherry, Strawberry, Blueberry and Sweet Tea variants). Each Kentucky Cooler is formulated to be just 120 calories, fairly light compared to a typical mixer of similar size.

That lightness is where the problems with these RTDs start, and that is underscored by the alcohol content. Jim Beam did these in conjunction with the Boston Beer Company, makers of Sam Adams. So, the alcohol in the drinks is derived not from bourbon or any actual whiskey, but malt. The strength is a mere 5%, approximately the same as a typical lager, but not what one would normally get from the bourbon mixers these drinks were supposedly inspired by.

These drinks weren’t for me, but in fairness I also don’t think someone of my tastes was the target audience. With their light body, light flavor profiles and relatively low level of alcohol my guess is that these are meant to compete for the trendy seltzer market. I don’t care for those seltzers, so ’nuff said. The thing there, though, is that if a bourbon fan who enjoys a bold mixer or a strong cocktail picks up one of these, they’ll also come away as disappointed as I was by the general lack of heft, to say nothing of the absence of actual Jim Beam Bourbon.

The Price
Jim Beam Kentucky Coolers come in a 12-can variety pack for $16.99, $9.99 for a single flavor six-pack, and $3.49 for a single 24oz. can.

Town Branch Maple Barrel Stout Finished Bourbon Review

By Richard Thomas Rating: C+ Before there was a Town Branch Distillery or even a sourced brand, there was a Lexington Brewing Company, with the distillery erected on the property of the original brewery. Today’s joint Lexington Brewing & Distilling Company isn’t quite what most people imagine when they think “brewstillery,” because the brewery and …

By Richard Thomas

Rating: C+

Before there was a Town Branch Distillery or even a sourced brand, there was a Lexington Brewing Company, with the distillery erected on the property of the original brewery. Today’s joint Lexington Brewing & Distilling Company isn’t quite what most people imagine when they think “brewstillery,” because the brewery and distillery aren’t under the same roof or even fully adjacent (although there is a brewery next to the distillery, large parts of the brewing operation are conducting elsewhere in Lexington, Kentucky).

Yet no romantic and crafty image changes what the actual value of a brewstillery is, and Lexington Brewing & Distilling certainly enjoys that: synergy. Such is the case with the Town Branch Maple Stout Finished Bourbon. This starts with an imperial stout, brewed with brown sugar “for extra kick;” and an ex-bourbon barrel that has been used to age maple syrup. The imperial stout is then aged for 18 months in what is now ex-bourbon maple syrup barrels, becoming Kentucky Maple Barrel Stout.

Those barrels were then taken over to the distillery and filled up with already mature bourbon again. This second, November 2023 batch of Town Branch Maple Barrel Stout Finished Bourbon has received two years in the finishing casks; the third batch due out later this year will raise that finishing period to three years. After that lengthy finishing spell, the bourbon was bottled at 94 proof.

The Bourbon
The pour took on a light, dulled amber look in the glass. The nose had a core current of benchmark bourbon notes: vanilla, candy corn, a sliver of oak, but add to that a whiff of earthy cocoa. The flavor spun around a bit to lead with the earthy, coffee-ground bitter flavor of stout, but behind that came up those previously mentioned benchmark bourbon notes. The dry finish mixed that bitter coffee-stout current with the oak sliver, but didn’t linger for a particularly long time.

Certainly the stout influence on this bourbon is strong, but not so much so that it overwhelms the core point of it being bourbon. The one thing I thought was largely absent was the maple syrup part, but having never actually tried the Kentucky Maple Barrel Stout, I can’t say how strong the maple influence was on the root beer. The problem here is that while some people like their bourbon spicy, I can’t recall anyone ever saying to me that they like it to have a bitter aspect. I find myself wondering if perhaps this would not have been a better effort on their rye, but that is just me being speculative.

The Price
This bottle is listed at $70.

Lexington Brewing Kentucky Old Fashioned Ale Review

By Richard Thomas Rating: A- Although Lexington Brewing occupies a clear place in my heart, their place in the beer world is not quite as easily summed up. On the one hand, the company is owned by Alltech, not a big drinks conglomerate. Although Alltech is a substantial company, their base is in animal feed, …

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A-

Kentucky Old Fashioned Ale
(Credit: Richard Thomas)

Although Lexington Brewing occupies a clear place in my heart, their place in the beer world is not quite as easily summed up. On the one hand, the company is owned by Alltech, not a big drinks conglomerate. Although Alltech is a substantial company, their base is in animal feed, with brewing and distilling being an adjunct that draws on their existing yeast expertise. On the other, their output and national distribution footprint puts them outside what almost everyone thinks of when they speak of “craft beer.” They fit in the tiny class of mid-sized brewers aren’t part of Big Booze.

There is some synergy between Alltech’s brewery and its various distilleries, especially when it comes to barrel stock. Their latest creation takes full advantage of this, and is the sort of thing that I wonder why nobody thought of it before, certainly once Ready To Drink (RTD) canned and bottled cocktails came into vogue during the Pandemic: Kentucky Old Fashioned Ale. What they’ve done is taken their classic Kentucky Ale (now the Kentucky Irish Red Ale) and brewed it up with cherries and orange peels, then aged it in freshly dumped bourbon barrels. That is a key advantage of running a brewstilling operation: you can get the freshest of freshly dumped bourbon barrels.

The Ale
As you can see from my photo, this is a deep brown ale with red highlights, too dark to be anything like amber. The head off my pour was minimal, and what I did get faded fast.

The name is exactly what you get: it is an ale that leans very heavily into Old Fashioned territory. In particular, that Old Fashioned is one that has tripled down on the orange, as if the bitters chosen were orange, the simple syrup had an orange zest infusion, and the cocktail was served with two peels instead of one. This isn’t to say its orange ale, however: the bourbon vanilla is very present, and the accents of red berry and cookie spice round the picture out.

This is a must-have for anyone who likes their beer interesting and their cocktails classic. I fully intend to go get a four-pack the next time around.

The Price
A four-pack is listed online for $16.

Lexington Brewing & Distilling Unveils Old Fashioned Bourbon Barrel Ale

Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., the only brewstillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, has unveiled its latest beer this week with nationwide availability for its Kentucky Old Fashioned Bourbon Barrel Ale (SRP $14.99 / 4pk Bottles). This is a new seasonal beer release. Coming in at an uncharacteristically high 10% abv versus 8.0% abv as …

Coming in at an uncharacteristically high 10% abv versus 8.0% abv as per other previous seasonal releases – simply put by the innovation team at Lexington, “…this one just needed more booze to live up to its namesake.” Coaxing the flavors of an iconic cocktail out of a beer can be tricky, but given that the brewstillery also makes Town Branch Bourbon, they have some experience relevant in the task. Access to some of the freshest ex-bourbon barrels in Kentucky including their own from Town Branch Bourbon barrels, nearly 20 years of experience barrel-aging beers (the famous Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale) and an expertise in distillation provides the perfect catalyst when blurring the lines between cocktail and beer – all in one bottle.

Brooklyn Brewery Black Ops Bourbon Barrel Stout Review

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ A major league connection between bourbon and beer comes to us through the Japanese brewing company Kirin, but not in the most predictable way. Many bourbon fans already know Kirin bought and revived Four Roses some twenty years ago. However, Kirin isn’t using Four Roses bourbon barrels to age Kirin …

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B+

Brooklyn Brewing Black Ops Bourbon Barrel Stout
(Credit: Richard Thomas)

A major league connection between bourbon and beer comes to us through the Japanese brewing company Kirin, but not in the most predictable way. Many bourbon fans already know Kirin bought and revived Four Roses some twenty years ago. However, Kirin isn’t using Four Roses bourbon barrels to age Kirin beers (although they are using them to age certain Japanese whiskies). Instead, Kirin acquired some American craft brewers, including Bell’s, New Belgium and Brooklyn Brewing. The latter is where the Four Roses bourbon barrels went.

Black Ops is a Four Roses barrel-aged imperial stout, made with Goldings and Sorachi Ace hops. The stint in the barrels lasted for several months, and after all that was said and done, it came out at 11.5% ABV.

The Beer
This pours as a pitch black, velvety brew, with a quite modest head. The flavor has the roasted malts, deep vanilla, cocoa powder and hints of coffee that I would expect from any stout of this kind, but also a strong current of tart red berries. The stout is too heavy for truly casual drinking, but it is quite yummy. The fruit dimension makes it a good choice for a dessert beer or a moody pour for indulging a boozy sweet tooth.

The Price
Black Ops comes in four-packs of 16 oz cans. Expect to pay about $20 for one, which is pretty reasonable compared to what a pint at the bar costs nowadays.

Brooklyn Brewery And Four Roses Stout Collaboration Ready To Pour

Four Roses and Brooklyn Brewery have released the 2023 edition of their Brooklyn Black Ops. This is the fifth year for this bourbon and beer collaboration, and it also marks the 135th and 35th anniversaries respectively for the two booze-makers. This year’s Black Ops is a Russian Imperial Stout aged for nine months in ex-Four …

Alltech Does Another Brewstilling, Crossover Of Bourbon And Beer

Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., the only brewstilling operation in Kentucky, has announced another in-house, goes both ways crossover between their bourbon and their beer: Town Branch Maple Barrel Stout Finished Bourbon and Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout are now available nationwide in limited quantities. In late 2021, the brewery made its first release of Kentucky …

In late 2021, the brewery made its first release of Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout after 18-months of aging in barrels that had previously held Kentucky bourbon whiskey and then maple syrup as a second fill. This first release of the award–winning beer inspired a multi-year commission of several releases to come between beer and spirits in pursuance of the Life of the Barrel.

After decanting the inaugural batch of Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout barrels, they were quickly allocated to the distillery production team and re-filled with Town Branch Bourbon to let those barrels finish, achieving flavors of the beer alongside traditional flavors of bourbon. The blending team at Town Branch Distillery acknowledges that “Not all ex-beer barrels work for finishing bourbon, but something like a big 12% abv Imperial Maple Stout was too good to pass up the opportunity to try, especially from our own brewing team.”

Over a year later in September 2022, the first release of Town Branch Maple Barrel Stout Finished Bourbon saw about half the barrels blended and released in tandem with the second release of Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout in honor of National Bourbon Heritage Month. The result, a distinctly finished Bourbon where flavors of beer-meets-bourbon collide, all the while building upon the DNA of all the products to rest within the Life of the Barrel. The remaining bourbon barrels not emptied would continue their finishing journey for an extended period.

What’s next? – with a handful of bourbon barrels still resting in the projects original ex- Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout barrels and scheduled to be released in 2024 with over 3-years finishing time, the brewery has also already laid down another brew to align for release.

Lisa Rope Wicker To Head Alltech’s Brewing And Distilling

What began as a personal passion and a toast to family tradition for the late Dr. Pearse Lyons has become a global beverage business with six breweries and distilleries in Kentucky, USA, and in Ireland crafting an award-winning line of beers and spirits. The legacy continues with Dr. Mark Lyons, the seventh generation of the …

The legacy continues with Dr. Mark Lyons, the seventh generation of the Lyons family to be involved in brewing and distilling, as well as his mother and Pearse’s wife, Deirdre Lyons. Recently, Mark and Deirdre developed a new global brand name for their family of breweries and distilleries. Lyons Brewing & Distilling Co. now represents their beverage entities, including Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., Dueling Barrels Brewery & Distillery, Pearse Lyons Distillery and Pearse Lyons Brewery. This new name is reflective of the business’ private and family-owned nature and will enable the business to better tell its story.

With the development of this new global brand, the Lyons family also began an international search for its first CEO.

“We were looking for a leader who shares our team-focused values, commitment to excellence and passion for brewing and distilling,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president of Lyons Brewing & Distilling Co. “We were delighted to find those qualities in Lisa Wicker. When Lisa and I met, one of the elements that stood out most to me was her background as a scientist and journalist. As we appoint our first-ever CEO for Lyons Brewing & Distilling Co., it seems fitting that we found someone who, like my father did, has a deep enthusiasm for and expertise in the craft — both the science and the storytelling.”

Wicker most recently served as the president and master distiller at Widow Jane Distillery, a rapidly growing whiskey brand in New York. Her early interest in the beverage business began on an Indiana vineyard, where she picked grapes as a farmhand and proved she was not afraid to get her hands dirty. Since then, her 20-year career journey has spanned many facets of the spirits industry, including winemaking, whiskey production, product development and fermentation management. She has held progressive roles in distilling and management at Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky; Starlight Distillery in Starlight, Indiana; and Preservation Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky.

Wicker’s strengths include building teams and mentoring others in the industry. She has trained brand ambassadors and distributors and conducted masterclasses at WhiskyFest in New York, Whiskies of the World in Washington, D.C., and The New Orleans Bourbon Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana.

“I am delighted to return to Bourbon country and have the opportunity to be part of the next phase of growth for Lyons Brewing & Distilling Co.,” said Wicker. “The Lyons family’s story is unique in the brewing and distilling space, and the passion that the team has for their brand and their brewing and distilling processes is authentic. They have all of the elements to generate even greater success in the future, and I am looking forward to this next phase of growth alongside them.”

“Our breweries and distilleries were founded on family tradition, are steeped in rich history and are reflective of their communities,” said Lyons. “They hold stories that, when well-told, help connect people to our brand. Lisa’s experience with product development, combined with a degree in journalism and a shared belief in the power of storytelling, make her uniquely qualified to deliver on our vision for Lyons Brewing & Distilling Co. and to share what we find to be so special with even more people.”

Wicker began in her new role as CEO of Lyons Brewing & Distilling Co. in November and is based at the company’s Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. in Lexington, Kentucky.

Brooklyn Brewery And Four Roses Join Forces With Barrel-Aged Stout

Bourbon lovers and beer fans alike can yet again raise their glasses to the release of the 2022 edition of Brooklyn Black Ops (11.5 % ABV), a collaboration between craft beer innovator Brooklyn Brewery, and Kentucky-based bourbon brand, Four Roses Distillery. This year’s vintage of the limited edition beer, the brands’ fourth annual release, will …

The collaborative brewing partnership between Brooklyn Brewery and Four Roses dates back to 2019 and stems from a longstanding friendship between Brooklyn Brewery Brewmaster, Garrett Oliver and Four Roses COO and Director of Operations, Ryan Ashley. The much-anticipated 2022 edition of Black Ops – a Russian Imperial Stout – was aged for around 9 months in Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon barrels, that were hand-selected by Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliott, resulting in a beer with just the right hint of bourbon character and a very smooth finish.

Black Ops calls forth big chocolate and coffee notes with a rich underpinning of vanilla-like oak. This vintage delivers depth and complexity with its many layers of oak, malt, and fruit flavors. This is a culinary beer, great with Stilton cheese, vanilla ice cream, cheese cake, panna cotta, Tiramisu and buttery pastries. It is truly decadence in a glass.

“Black Ops is unlike any other barrel-aged imperial stout. Rather than being thick, sweet, heavily roasted, and cloying, this beer is brisk and light on its feet, despite its 11.5% ABV,” explains Brooklyn Brewery’s James Beard Award-winning Brewmaster, Garrett Oliver. “On the nose, we have coffee, chocolate, vanilla, coconut, caramel and toasted oak. A light tang of roast acidity on the palate is followed by layers of caramel, chocolate and a slight bourbon bite. I think it’s fair to compare this beer to “third-wave” coffee, showing less roast and greater balance, structure and elegance.”

“Collaborating with Garrett has led to extremely unique, high quality releases over the past four years and the new edition of Black Ops is no exception.” said Brent Elliott, Four Roses Master Distiller “The mellow fruit, spice and oak tones of the Small Batch Bourbon barrels perfectly complement the rich, malty character of the Russian Imperial Stout, creating layers of complex flavors that both beer and bourbon drinkers will appreciate.”

Connoisseurs can now enjoy the 2022 Brooklyn Black Ops in a limited edition snifter glass exclusively-designed with the brands’ logos to celebrate the continued partnership. It will be available to purchase via Brooklyn Brewery’s website, as well as in person at Brooklyn Brewery’s Williamsburg Tasting Room and Four Roses Distillery’s gift shop in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky while supplies last. The limited-edition Brooklyn Black Ops – which is the second vintage to be canned – will be available throughout the U.S. where Brooklyn Brewery products are sold across the Brewery’s 30+ state footprint in 16-ounce four-packs.

Breckenridge Distillery And Brewery Tag Team Whiskey And Bear In Double Release

Breckenridge Distillery, the ‘World’s Highest Distillery,’ and Breckenridge Brewery return this season for the second ever Buddy Pass, a unique barrel-exchange program to create a limited-edition Imperial Stout Cask Finish Whiskey and a Whiskey Barrel-Aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout Beer. After selling out last year’s inaugural limited release in Colorado, Buddy Pass has expanded nationwide, entering 10 …

Buddy Pass is a unique collaboration between two iconic Colorado brands that allows you to sip the best of barrel-aged beer and beer-aged whiskey. The collaboration begins with Breckenridge Brewery’s Imperial Oatmeal Stout beer aged in Breckenridge Distillery Bourbon barrels to imbue boozy flavors from the whiskey barrel. After the beer is sufficiently aged, the barrels are returned to Breckenridge Distillery where they are filled once again with the distillery’s award-winning whiskey and aged again for about a year.

The whiskey, Breckenridge Distillery’s Imperial Stout Cask Finish Whiskey, highlights notes from the Imperial Oatmeal Stout resulting in a 114.7 proof spirit dark and sultry with notes of cinnamon and oak and a light background of fresh orange zest and chocolate. Smooth abundant caramel and dark chocolate hit the palate first as a dry matured oak and bold cinnamon spice follow and ride out for a long dry, spicy finish. The whiskey has an ABV of 57.35% and an MSRP ranging from $49-$60, depending on the market.

The beer, Breckenridge Brewery’s barrel-aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout, is a quintessential “big beer.” With a velvety mouthfeel, this beer is meant to be sipped, not slammed. The Imperial Oatmeal Stout imparts notes of dark chocolate-covered cherries, espresso, and toffee; its time in the Breckenridge Distillery’s high-rye bourbon barrels imparts hints of caramel sweetness that take it to the next level.

Buddy Pass is a bold, boozy brew that is meant to be shared. The subsequent spirits and suds are a perfect marriage between the two treasured craft brands that both beer and whiskey lovers alike will enjoy.