Announcing the blazing of a new trail across the state of Kentucky, one that will be of huge interest to craft beer fans across the Commonwealth and far beyond. Microbreweries, bars, specialty-beer shops and homebrew enthusiasts are proud to introduce The Brewgrass Trail.
The time is right.
With craft beer microbreweries and general interest on the rise in the Bluegrass State, The Brewgrass Trail represents a partnership in resources for connoisseurs of fine ales and lagers to access all Kentucky has to offer in the realm of tasty craft beer.
The official website (http://brewgrasstrail.com) is a one-click stop for Kentuckians and visitors to gain information on some of the top breweries and “hops spots” in the Bluegrass State. Web crawlers will also find a calendar popula
ted with the latest craft beer events, the latest news from the industry, and the opportunity to subscribe for future updates. The Brewgrass Trail website has all the major social media bases covered as well, including Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr to name a few.
One stop along The Brewgrass Trail, Lore Brewing Company, opened its doors in 2011 and reports nothing but praise and positive figures.
“The numbers seem to indicate that Danville now has more breweries per capita than any other city in the country,” said Lore Brewing Company owner Lee Rossman. “People come from all over the country to visit Danville and stop at the breweries.”
Country Boy Brewing, a new microbrewery in Lexington next to UK’s campus, is another stop along the trail. The location will offer quite a few brews prepared at Country Boy, but will also offer an impressive guest list of beer.
“Started, funded, and owned by three native Kentucky Country Boys, Country Boy Brewing isn’t scared to push the beer scene to places Lexington has never been,” said Daniel Garrison of Country Boy Brewing, who is excited about pushing the craft beer envelope. Garrison thinks there is room for more than one signature adult beverage in the Bluegrass.
“Building on Kentucky’s rich bourbon heritage, Country Boy plans on helping make Central Kentucky a destination for craft beer lovers from around the world.”
“The world of beer has been vast and complex for hundreds of years, and now the world of Kentucky beer is widening,” said Brian Holton, owner of the Beer Engine, Danville’s oldest microbrewery that opened in early 2011. It is likely to find people lined out the door on a Saturday night at this 25-seat popular destination.
“The craft beer market has continued to grow through the recession, and people are becoming more educated about good beer. We know that in Danville, we have become a beer destination.”
Against The Grain, a gastropub and brewery, is another exciting location along The Brewgrass Trail. According to co-owner Sam Cruz, the beer brewed in-house will cover the full spectrum of possibilities. “The beer will be an ever-evolving array that always covers the gamut of flavors by providing a session, hoppy, malty, dark, smoked, and an experimental beer at all times.”
ATG will also offer down-home gastropub fare and a menu that features local favorite foods.
According to all parties involved, the concept of The Brewgrass Trail is a great partnership with huge potential to impact tourism for the state.
“The Brewgrass Trail has been a rewarding project thus far because of the tremendous collaborative spirit shown by all involved,” said Adam Johnson, Executive Director of the Danville/Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau and ideaman behind The Brewgrass Trail. “Marketing to the growing ‘beer tourist’ segment has shown great promise and is seen in the exploding growth of breweries, specialty shops, and craft beer bars across the Bluegrass. Our hope is to make things easier for the culinary traveler to find these uniquely Kentucky beer spots with this website and social networking campaign.”
Kentucky is known for its fabulous bourbons and its world-famous distilleries. But just as traffic on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® has grown, so has the craft beer movement in the Bluegrass State. Breweries are now scattered across Kentucky, with more and more thirsty travelers seeking out these small craft brewers while sampling the classic bourbons. The Brewgrass Trail follows the growing craft beer movement in Kentucky and the region.
