Altech Brewery and Distillery (Lexington, KY)

I tend to hunt down places to go for food and drink before I visit a new town and Lexington was definitely no exception.  And what do you need to have in Lexington?  Bourbon, of course!

Alltech made my pick because they don't just have the bourbon distillery, they also have a brewery at the same location.  So I researched tour times (Every day but Tuesday 10-4 on the hour), cost ($8 per person) and loaded up my mom and my sister and we went.

So much fun to be had!

It's a small facility, basically three buildings (for the tour, anyway).

You start in the gift shop building with a roughly ten minute video talking about the history of the company and the types of beer and bourbon they offer (there's also coffee and some very nice clean bathrooms here).    No need to pick anything up from the giftshop yet, you'll probably end up here before you go, too.

Then you move over into the beer brewing building.  Mmmmm.  They walk you into the area where the beer is fermenting and talk to you a little about the process behind making the beer (I got put on the spot last time we went as a homebrewer to explain how I do it, then they explained the differences. Eek!  Did result in an extra at the sampling station though!)  Then back to the sampling room.  It gets crowded in here, but both times I went it was a great group of people and everyone was so cheerful and helpful you really don't much mind.  Plus you'll only be in there for a little while.

Now happily slightly tipsy, you move on to the distillery building, passing a hop vine on the way.  The guide usually shows you the unaged bourbon (completely clear and more or less scentless) and a few other samples of various ages, then talks to you about some random facts before taking you in the wort room.

 (a bubbling tub of wort.  It smells heavenly)

(Two gorgeous copper alembics.  Definitely the eyecatchers)

Here you talk a bit more about the actual process of making the bourbon and the types of bourbon you'll be trying.  If your group is big enough, they might have you try it here instead of in the next room, which is very very small.

Definite must-tries?  The Kentucky Kolsch (beer) and the Kentucky Sundown (bourbon)

You're also just a few blocks down from a pizza place called The Mellow Mushroom, which-although it is a chain-is very good, so if you have a bit more than was wise while you were here you can just walk down and have a bite while you're waiting for it to wear off.

Words of wisdom: The $8 gets you FOUR samples on your tour.  There are SIX beers (and usually a seasonal) and FOUR bourbons.  No, you can't buy extra tickets (I asked).  However, if you go with a group of friends, you can stretch your tickets by sampling each other's choices.

Words of wisdom 2: You can buy their liquor here on site (And I love the Kentucky Sundown with a passion), but you can't buy the beer.  Check out on of the local liquor stores (Liquor Barn is a popular local retailer)