Lexington, KY Advice

Mostly doing a small bourbon trip for my wife but will be spending a night in Lexington. If I can go to one place, where should it be? Country Boy brewing is top rated but I've never even heard of them. Is one of the bars a better stop?

Also, best place for growler fills?

Thank you

If you're into traditional lager, Blue Stallion is brewing a couple very respectable things. Really nice German-style pils with 100% noble hops that's very bitter and brightly hoppy. The rauchbier was also quite solid. I can't say much for their ales, though, or their dark lagers like the doppelbock and dunkel. But the pils ought to make you happy, if you were to leave with a growler. Best beer in Lexington, IMHO. Enjoy your adventure!

I'd go to The Beer Trappe and drink up whatever vintage Cantillon they have for on-site consumption. If that doesn't interest you, I'd do West Sixth over Country Boy.

Great!

Thanks for the info, looks like Blue Stallion followed by The Beer Trappe if we have time.

Damn, forgot that I'll also have a baby with me, hope these are somewhat baby friendly.

Country Boy - doing great things and now packaging more beer including Half Way Home and Cliff Jumper
Ethereal - some of the best beer in town if you like Belgian style, saisons, etc. but also good IPAs
West Sixth - all solid on tap and ask about what's in the barrel room if it's not open. They will pour from there if not busy. They do crowlers. Smithown seafood inside. Good comfort food
Blue Stallion - great beer, mostly German, but some non as well. They are doing some cookie beers this weekend
Rock House - small but high quality
Mirror Twin - the first hazy beer in Lex is theirs. On right now.
Pivot - mostly cider
Beer Trappe if you want a beer bar with bottle shop. Great beers on usually. Last night they did a Bearded Iris take over. Not sure if/what is left.
Downtown you have Hop Cat and Pies and Pints, Casual Pint - but these are all chains.
Lexington Beerworks is downtown and not a chain. Beer bar with usually good taps, but not as rare as Trappe might have.
Not kids allowed in Beer Trappe. Kids allowed in all the breweries.
Everyone does growler fills as does the Liquor Barn store chain. Enjoy. This is my town!

They keep this pretty up to date: http://www.lexbeerscene.com/taps.php

Originally posted by shrubber85
They keep this pretty up to date: http://www.lexbeerscene.com/taps.php

Oh, and FWIW, the ambience at Blue Stallion is about 2/10, and can feel pretty cold and sterile, not to mention dirty. So there is that.

Also, I am saddened to report that yesterday while stopping by to try the helles as I was driving back to Asheville, there were several new lagers on the board which were brewed with...wait for it...girl scout cookies. So, it appears that even the serious lager brewer isn't above adulterating his lagers. The gose and fruit "saisons" are goofy enough (presumably many of their ales are brewed by another one of their brewers, but I'm not quite sure), but I didn't think I'd ever see something so misguided in the lagers. IMHO, the helles was pretty lackluster...popcorny/husky, though well hopped, but the pils was drinkin' purty guhd.

Oh, and if you're getting samples, they pour them with zero head in those useless tall glasses, meaning that the beer will come across as thin with excessive carbonation that's seltzery and pointy. Might be worthwhile to ask for an empty glass and pour the sample into that one with sizable foam and suddenly the beer will be transformed into something more palatable. I've made this mistake while there, so I'm not trying to tell anyone how to enjoy their beer. It helped a lot when I went back to my car for my snifter. Sorry, I just obsess over these things, hehe. :)