On Friday night, a buddy of mine came over and we talked Bourbon. We discussed our favorite brands and some of the flavor profiles of what we were drinking, and I got to thinking about how much my drinking pallet has changed over the years. In my teenage years, it was whatever we could steal from dad and drink in the cemetery, while my college years could be referred to as my “Red Dog” years. I may not have matured much, but my drinking has. Like many others, I enjoy craft beer. But bourbon is now my go-to drink.
While our kids were trashing my house, and our wives chatted over a bottle of wine, we got to talking about one of our favorite cities in America: the Bourbon City, Louisville.
If you have not been to Louisville, or “Loo-a-vul”, as the locals say, then you are really missing out. If you enjoy sporting events, restaurants, or nature, there is plenty to do and see in and around the city. But the biggest reason to visit Louisville is bourbon. Even if you don’t enjoy the drink, you will probably enjoy the history, the process, and the friendliness of everyone involved.
Though there are not any top-tier professional sports teams in Louisville, the city is still a great place to visit for any sports fan. Its most famous for the Kentucky Derby, perhaps the most famous horse race in the world. Even when the race isn’t happening, Churchill Downs is still a great place to visit any time of the year to learn about horse racing (and enjoy a mint julep!). If you are not into racing, there is minor league soccer and baseball. Boxing fans can enjoy the Muhammed Ali Center, college basketball fans get the Louisville Cardinals, and everyone should check out the Louisville Slugger Museum.
Nature lovers are also in luck. Our crew loved checking out the fossils at the Falls of the Ohio State Park across the river in Indiana (although we did not see any waterfalls). And not too far away is Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system in the world.
Foodies would also love this place, as its probably one of the most underrated restaurant and bar scenes in America. Besides tons of great restaurants, it also has a cool bar scene with plenty of microbrews and speakeasies to visit. So check out their food offerings, and make sure you try a Hot Brown.
But the real reason you should visit Louisville is the bourbon. In Kentucky, bourbon is not just a drink, its an art. And the artists there are more than happy to share their magic with you. Downtown Louisville has several bourbon bars and tasting rooms where you can sample the local craft. But the best way to experience Kentucky bourbon is to visit the distilleries and learn about things from the distillers themselves.
But how do you choose where to go? There are over 50 distilleries all over Kentucky! And is it really a smart idea to drive around and limit how much delicious bourbon you get to try at these places? After all, most of it might not even be available where you live. Luckily, there are plenty of groups that will take care of that work for you. But in our opinion, the best is the Kentucky Bourbon Boys. Want to visit Louisville or other distilleries around Kentucky? Just tell them where you want to go, and they will book your tours, drive you there, and even make sure you eat. And they do it all with the Southern Hospitality you would expect from Kentucky!
But what the hell do we know? You would rather hear about this from an expert, right? Well good news! Tomorrow, we are going to have a post from our friend Tim at the Kentucky Bourbon Boys. And he will tell you all about how and why you should enjoy bourbon, and why you should visit Louisville and let them show you around. Stay tuned!
