I don’t limit my bourbon consumption to the colder months of the year, but during a hot spell like the one we’re having in Kentucky, even I think twice about a drink known for its warming qualities.
So when I visited the new AP Crafters Kitchen & Bar in Westport Village tonight, I decided to get my bourbon fix in the form of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale ($5.50) from the Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co.
Aged for up to six weeks in freshly dumped barrels from Kentucky distilleries, this 7.9% abv ale has a lovely reddish-amber color. There’s nothing distinctively bourbon-like about the nose, but the aging process gives the beer a sweet taste, much like a brown ale, and a nice dry finish.
AP Crafters has a nicer atmosphere than former occupant Indigo Joe’s, with lots of wood and leather accents, but the same acoustic issues (don’t come here for quiet conversation). For some reason, the servers wear porkpie hats. There is an outdoor seating area that would have been tempting had the temperature been about 5 degrees cooler. Next time, maybe.
The menu includes eight hand-crafted burgers, but being in the mood for lighter fare I went with the grilled portobello sandwich ($8), which I highly recommend. Read a full restaurant review by The Courier-Journal’s Marty Rosen here.
