Bourbon Trail - KY
#1
03-26-2014, 11:55 AM
Join Date: Mar 2014
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Bourbon Trail - KY
Hello -
I am new to the forums. Figured I would poke around in here and see if anyone has done the Bourbon Trail in KY? I am putting together plans to do it on the Harley from Columbus, OH in a 3 day weekend. It is a bit aggressive considering there are now 8 distilleries on the trail. If anyone is interested I can post my plans once they are finalized. It definitely helps to get the input from someone who has done it.
-Adam
[EDIT] 6.9.2014 - Here is my write up after having completed the trip this past weekend.
SHORT SUMMARY (in order):
Friday - Rode from Columbus to Cinci to Louisville to Bardstown. Stopped at Evan Williams and Jim Beam
Saturday - Stopped at Heaven Hill, Maker's Mark, Four Roses, Wild Turkey
Sunday - Stopped at Woodford Reserve and Town Branch then rode back home.
EXTENDED SUMMARY:
*Please note that the samples are 1/2 oz samples and at no point did I feel like I left a place with a buzz which was good for us being on the bikes. I think the laws prohibit them from having bars on site - probably for the best.
Cinci/Newport:
If you are heading there from Ohio make sure you stop in Newport and check out the Hofbrauhaus. Its a German beer hall type of place and had some really good food and beer. It didn't open until 11am but that was fine.
Evan Williams:
This was the first stop so we were excited. However, looking back this was not my favorite. The distillery is not at this location and it is in down town Louisville. We did the Speak Easy thing which was $12. We went to the basement and knocked on a safe door in the wall then it opened up to a really neat room with a bar. The guy gave us a history of prohibition while we got to sample 3 bourbons including a 23 yr old that was great.
Jim Beam:
We got here shortly after the last tour so we missed it but we were able to do two free samples of our choice so that was nice. There was a smokehouse on site so we ate there. Pretty good stuff
Holt's Campground:
This was in Bardstown and it was a small campground that is poorly labeled but the guy was really nice and a primitive site was only $15. It worked great for what we needed plus there was a gas station 2 miles away for beverages and Heaven Hill is like 5 minutes away. Just follow your GPS to the campground - if it is labeled as something else and the 'office' building is completely empty - you are there! Bathrooms and bath house on site - its OK.
Heaven Hill:
Evan Williams and Heaven Hill are somehow related so they have the same products at both locations but Heaven Hill has actual equipment and a nice visitors center with some cool displays. Didn't do much here. There is a bonus stop around the corner called Kentucky Bourbon Distillers. It is only a half mile away but we didn't stop because we had a full day ahead of us.
Maker's Mark:
This was our first tour and I was really excited to check it out. This was probably my favorite property of all of them - its a beautiful location and a nice ride. The tour was something like $9 and lasted about an hour. Got to see the whole production and then get 4 samples at the end. Look into their ambassador program - it is free to join and pretty neat. Everyone was really nice and in the gift shop you can dip your own bottle if you buy one. This is one of the recommended tours and we were really happy with it.
Four Roses:
This was also a really nice ride. Actually everything from Heaven Hill to Maker's Mark to Four Roses to Wild Turkey was great riding. We did not do a tour but they offered a tasting for $5. We got a short version of the history of the company then sampled 3 bourbons THEN got to keep the glass which had their name on it. This was the best deal yet. (Made the $12 at Evan Williams seem a little steep). I actually bought a bottle of their yellow label which was only $20.
Wild Turkey:
This was the last stop for the day so we decided to do a tour. It also was somewhere around $10 (I think). Their property is a little more spread out so they load you onto a bus (that has AC) and drive you to the destinations. They weren't running production but once you've seen one tour you get the process. At this point it is just picking out the little things that the places do differently. I found it interesting touring Maker's Mark then a place like Wild Turkey because MM comes off as a company that puts a little more care into each bottle and produces less where WT just mass produces but has a larger product line as well. I recommend touring either Jim Beam or Wild Turkey in combination with Maker's Mark just to see the differences.
Lexington:
We camped out at Kentucky Horse Park which is a state park about 10 minutes north of Lexington. This is a much much larger campground than Holt's and was only $20 for a primitive site. 2 miles down the road back towards the highway follow the signs for Red State BBQ. It's a hole in the wall place that has some legit BBQ for a good price. Try the Beer Cheese Grits - they are awesome. FYI - they typically run out of brisket after lunch.
Woodford Reserve:
On Sunday, none of the places open until noon which kind of stinks. The ride to Woodford is one of the best as it takes you along one of the scenic byways which is basically a back road sandwiched between horse farms/ranches. Another great ride that ends kind of back in the hills a bit. Woodford was my second favorite ride and property - definitely beautiful. I would have liked to tour here but we were in kind of a hurry to get going because we had to head home later. They only have two products and did not offer a sampling - you had to do a tour to do a sample. The tour was also something like $9-12.
Town Branch (Alltech brewing):
This ride is not bad but you are heading back towards Lexington which is a larger town so it started to remind me of Louisville but not nearly as big. Be on the watch for this place as we almost zoomed right past it. They brew beer and spirits here which is unique to the rest. If you have ever had the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale they make it. We just wanted to do a sampling; your choice between beer and spirits - we chose spirits. The tour went thru the beer and spirits process which is probably neat. The sampling was free and we got four samples! We also got to tag along with the tour group for the end of the tour and basically got to tour the bourbon process for free. The tour guide was also one of my favorites - so this was a great way to end the trip. They only started making bourbon a couple years ago but it was pretty good but a little pricey.
CONCLUSION:
Definitely an overall great time and repeatable trip. If you are traveling from a few hours away you will no way complete the trail in less than 3 days. This was probably the minimum needed to complete it and tour a couple places. You won't get buzzed or drunk at the distilleries so don't worry about that. Some places you can only sample if you do a tour. Most of the tours are a good hour if not longer. Most places are open 10-5 during the week and Saturday. Sunday none of them open until noon. This leaves you limited on time plus there is a good amount of driving between some of them. Plan accordingly! Make sure you do some tent camping. I think that in combination with the bikes and the trail it make it a weekend to remember.
If you have any questions feel free ask.
-Adam
I am new to the forums. Figured I would poke around in here and see if anyone has done the Bourbon Trail in KY? I am putting together plans to do it on the Harley from Columbus, OH in a 3 day weekend. It is a bit aggressive considering there are now 8 distilleries on the trail. If anyone is interested I can post my plans once they are finalized. It definitely helps to get the input from someone who has done it.
-Adam
[EDIT] 6.9.2014 - Here is my write up after having completed the trip this past weekend.
SHORT SUMMARY (in order):
Friday - Rode from Columbus to Cinci to Louisville to Bardstown. Stopped at Evan Williams and Jim Beam
Saturday - Stopped at Heaven Hill, Maker's Mark, Four Roses, Wild Turkey
Sunday - Stopped at Woodford Reserve and Town Branch then rode back home.
EXTENDED SUMMARY:
*Please note that the samples are 1/2 oz samples and at no point did I feel like I left a place with a buzz which was good for us being on the bikes. I think the laws prohibit them from having bars on site - probably for the best.
Cinci/Newport:
If you are heading there from Ohio make sure you stop in Newport and check out the Hofbrauhaus. Its a German beer hall type of place and had some really good food and beer. It didn't open until 11am but that was fine.
Evan Williams:
This was the first stop so we were excited. However, looking back this was not my favorite. The distillery is not at this location and it is in down town Louisville. We did the Speak Easy thing which was $12. We went to the basement and knocked on a safe door in the wall then it opened up to a really neat room with a bar. The guy gave us a history of prohibition while we got to sample 3 bourbons including a 23 yr old that was great.
Jim Beam:
We got here shortly after the last tour so we missed it but we were able to do two free samples of our choice so that was nice. There was a smokehouse on site so we ate there. Pretty good stuff
Holt's Campground:
This was in Bardstown and it was a small campground that is poorly labeled but the guy was really nice and a primitive site was only $15. It worked great for what we needed plus there was a gas station 2 miles away for beverages and Heaven Hill is like 5 minutes away. Just follow your GPS to the campground - if it is labeled as something else and the 'office' building is completely empty - you are there! Bathrooms and bath house on site - its OK.
Heaven Hill:
Evan Williams and Heaven Hill are somehow related so they have the same products at both locations but Heaven Hill has actual equipment and a nice visitors center with some cool displays. Didn't do much here. There is a bonus stop around the corner called Kentucky Bourbon Distillers. It is only a half mile away but we didn't stop because we had a full day ahead of us.
Maker's Mark:
This was our first tour and I was really excited to check it out. This was probably my favorite property of all of them - its a beautiful location and a nice ride. The tour was something like $9 and lasted about an hour. Got to see the whole production and then get 4 samples at the end. Look into their ambassador program - it is free to join and pretty neat. Everyone was really nice and in the gift shop you can dip your own bottle if you buy one. This is one of the recommended tours and we were really happy with it.
Four Roses:
This was also a really nice ride. Actually everything from Heaven Hill to Maker's Mark to Four Roses to Wild Turkey was great riding. We did not do a tour but they offered a tasting for $5. We got a short version of the history of the company then sampled 3 bourbons THEN got to keep the glass which had their name on it. This was the best deal yet. (Made the $12 at Evan Williams seem a little steep). I actually bought a bottle of their yellow label which was only $20.
Wild Turkey:
This was the last stop for the day so we decided to do a tour. It also was somewhere around $10 (I think). Their property is a little more spread out so they load you onto a bus (that has AC) and drive you to the destinations. They weren't running production but once you've seen one tour you get the process. At this point it is just picking out the little things that the places do differently. I found it interesting touring Maker's Mark then a place like Wild Turkey because MM comes off as a company that puts a little more care into each bottle and produces less where WT just mass produces but has a larger product line as well. I recommend touring either Jim Beam or Wild Turkey in combination with Maker's Mark just to see the differences.
Lexington:
We camped out at Kentucky Horse Park which is a state park about 10 minutes north of Lexington. This is a much much larger campground than Holt's and was only $20 for a primitive site. 2 miles down the road back towards the highway follow the signs for Red State BBQ. It's a hole in the wall place that has some legit BBQ for a good price. Try the Beer Cheese Grits - they are awesome. FYI - they typically run out of brisket after lunch.
Woodford Reserve:
On Sunday, none of the places open until noon which kind of stinks. The ride to Woodford is one of the best as it takes you along one of the scenic byways which is basically a back road sandwiched between horse farms/ranches. Another great ride that ends kind of back in the hills a bit. Woodford was my second favorite ride and property - definitely beautiful. I would have liked to tour here but we were in kind of a hurry to get going because we had to head home later. They only have two products and did not offer a sampling - you had to do a tour to do a sample. The tour was also something like $9-12.
Town Branch (Alltech brewing):
This ride is not bad but you are heading back towards Lexington which is a larger town so it started to remind me of Louisville but not nearly as big. Be on the watch for this place as we almost zoomed right past it. They brew beer and spirits here which is unique to the rest. If you have ever had the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale they make it. We just wanted to do a sampling; your choice between beer and spirits - we chose spirits. The tour went thru the beer and spirits process which is probably neat. The sampling was free and we got four samples! We also got to tag along with the tour group for the end of the tour and basically got to tour the bourbon process for free. The tour guide was also one of my favorites - so this was a great way to end the trip. They only started making bourbon a couple years ago but it was pretty good but a little pricey.
CONCLUSION:
Definitely an overall great time and repeatable trip. If you are traveling from a few hours away you will no way complete the trail in less than 3 days. This was probably the minimum needed to complete it and tour a couple places. You won't get buzzed or drunk at the distilleries so don't worry about that. Some places you can only sample if you do a tour. Most of the tours are a good hour if not longer. Most places are open 10-5 during the week and Saturday. Sunday none of them open until noon. This leaves you limited on time plus there is a good amount of driving between some of them. Plan accordingly! Make sure you do some tent camping. I think that in combination with the bikes and the trail it make it a weekend to remember.
If you have any questions feel free ask.
-Adam
Last edited by akers8806; 06-09-2014 at 08:04 AM.
#3
03-26-2014, 01:38 PM
I ride it every year and highly recommend it. Was easy to do the original 6 then in 2 days but with 8 will change it up a bit. My favorite tours are Woodford, Wild Turkey & Makers Mark. Didn't care so much for Town Branch just because it is in town and feels less like a destination but worth doing as many as you can.
#4
03-26-2014, 03:50 PM
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#5
03-27-2014, 07:32 AM
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Columbus, Ohio
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I ride it every year and highly recommend it. Was easy to do the original 6 then in 2 days but with 8 will change it up a bit. My favorite tours are Woodford, Wild Turkey & Makers Mark. Didn't care so much for Town Branch just because it is in town and feels less like a destination but worth doing as many as you can.
Ah yes, if you have done the BT, please reply to this thread with recommended tours, bourbons to try, places to stay, etc, etc. I love input from experience.
Here is the short version of my planned trip:
Friday - depart Columbus and head to Louisville. Visit (in this order): Evan Williams, Jim Beam (+tour?), Heaven Hill. Stay in Bardstown that night.
Saturday - Visit Makers Mark (+Tour), Four Roses, Wild Turkey, Woodford (+tour?). Stay in or near Lexington that night.
Sunday - visit Town Branch (+Tour). Head home.
It makes it difficult considering most of the distilleries are not open past 4 or 5 and on Sundays they all have shortened hours. This was the route that made the most sense with time and route taken into consideration. I will follow up in June with my final route and experiences. Until then, please share your thoughts, experiences, recommendations, etc. Thanks!
#7
03-27-2014, 09:10 AM
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#8
03-27-2014, 10:01 AM
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We did part of it coming home from Nashville in 2012, summer. Stopped at Jim Beam for obvious reasons. They were still building all the visitor stuff and it was real hot. Unfortunately it was a disappointment compared to Jack Daniels which we had done two years prior. Even the two samples didn't help us forget that there wasn't much to see and the riding was only OK. But I did not do the entire trail, again just a portion on the way to JB.
#9
03-27-2014, 09:41 PM
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The old Talbots Inn on the circle in the center of Bardstown had over 80 different bourbons to sample when we visited. My favorite was/still is Four Roses Single barrel. We enjoyed the tour at Makers Mark. Beam tour was a disappointment. Beautiful country. We also stopped in Perryville at the battle field and found that to be very interesting.
#10
03-29-2014, 02:05 AM
