• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Craft Brewing Business Craft Brewing Business
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment & Systems
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale pours into new territories

June 27, 2014Jason Morgan

Brews from Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co. have expanded into new states, including Texas, New Mexico and New Hampshire, where fans are eager for the brewery’s unique brews, particularly its flagship Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale. The award-winning ale is aged in bourbon barrels from Kentucky distilleries in the heart of bourbon country for at least six weeks and has developed a devoted fan following since its launch in 2006.

Kentucky Bourbon Ale Pours into new territories
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale is created by aging the brewery’s Kentucky Ale – a marriage between an Irish red ale and an English pale ale – for up to six weeks in freshly decanted bourbon barrels.

Distribution will also spill into Pennsylvania, South Carolina, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island in late summer and early fall, including an expanded reach in current territories of Illinois and Tennessee, bringing total distribution to 25 states. Already available internationally in Canada, Ireland, France and China, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale also recently became available on a limited scale in Hungary as well. The Kentucky craft brewery — known as a “brewstillery” since it also produces spirits on the same grounds at its Town Branch Distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail — is partnering with various distributors in the new territories.

As the thirst for craft beer has continued to grow nationwide, and even globally, Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co. has amped up production, adding new equipment, including a larger, faster bottling line. Particularly experienced in barrel aging, the company’s brewers regularly age 3,000 to 5,000 barrels at a time in the brewery’s large cold storage warehouse and handle up to 1,000 barrels per week. The brewery continues to expand its sales team as it adds new territories and plans to continue filling out the eastern portion of the United States with distribution, while spreading north from its westernmost distribution points in Texas and New Mexico.

While most new territories will eventually carry the full line of the Kentucky Ale family of beers, which includes Kentucky Ale, Kentucky Kölsch, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout and Kentucky IPA, the initial focus will be on rolling out the flagship Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale. The brewery’s rotating barrel-aged seasonal series, launched in the fall of 2013 to further showcase the brewery’s barrel-aging expertise, will also be part of that portfolio, and so far has featured Kentucky Pumpkin Barrel Ale, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Barleywine and Kentucky Peach Barrel Wheat.

“Every day we hear from our craft beer fans across the country who ask us, ‘When are you going to make it to my state?’” said Hal Gervis, global sales director for Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co. “We’re excited now to be able to bring Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale to those enthusiasts so they can enjoy a unique, barrel-aged craft beer that embodies the spirit of Kentucky.”

The craft beer market in the United States grew 20 percent in dollar sales growth from 2012 to 2013 and now is a $14.3 billion market. In Kentucky alone, state craft beer production boasts a $271.3 million impact, according to the Brewers Association.

Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co. is expanding its capacity in downtown Lexington, Kentucky.
Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co. to quadruple capacity as demand grows
alltech brewing degree
CBB Cheers: Yet another Alltech employee earns masters in brewing, distilling from Scotland’s Heriot-Watt University
global craft beer
World brewery total now over 19,000 (94 percent are craft beer)
World of Beer Craft: Alltech releases first Global Craft Beer Survey against backdrop of AB InBev/SABMiller deal

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. kickoutthejame5 says

    June 27, 2014 at 12:34 pm

    RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale pours into new territories: http://t.co/LlFlqzlNmb @KentuckyAle

    Log in to Reply
  2. crsimp01 says

    June 27, 2014 at 12:33 pm

    Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale pours into new territories http://t.co/pgUkGRhd0z via @craftbrewingbiz

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • The who, what, where, when and how (to register) for Homebrew Con 2023
  • Twenty Tennessee breweries prep 2023 Craft Brewers Conference collab and more beers to know this week
  • Karben4 Brewing to relaunch Ale Asylum brand
  • Caius Farm Brewery opens in Branford, Conn.

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • Koga-brothers-karben4Karben4 Brewing to relaunch Ale Asylum brand
    March 20, 2023
  • 4 steps to understanding the filtration process in craft beer
    March 20, 2023
  • newbelgium_2023_wildnectar-shopping-basket_family_IMG_2Beyond beer: Examples of craft breweries exploring canned cocktails
    March 16, 2023
  • brooklyn 35 featureBrooklyn Lager turns 35 and more beers to know this week
    March 14, 2023
  • Backwoods Brewing to open a 19-acre resort called Party Acres in the Columbia River gorge this May
    March 13, 2023
  • Distribution update: NYC’s Alewife Brewing now sells in eastern Pennsylvania + news from Maui, Urban South and more
    March 13, 2023

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2023 · CBB Media LLC