Until you tour a Bourbon distillery, you don’t really know what the spirit of America smells like.
Oh, sure, you’ve whiffed hot dogs on the grill, a fresh-baked apple pie, just-mowed lawn, a forest after a rain shower, a packed baseball stadium, and even a horse farm, but only bourbon is “America’s Native Spirit”. This is an honor bestowed upon bourbon in 1964 when Congress officially declared it a “distinctive product” of the United States. The B-Line® in Northern Kentucky calls to you to fill your lungs with bourbon’s aromas and discover a world of flavors.
The B-Line is a self-guided bourbon experience standing at the top of Kentucky, welcoming explorers to Northern Kentucky and to Kentucky Bourbon. The current lineup includes 9 Kentucky Bourbon Trail Distilleries, 9 of some of the best Bourbon Bars in the country, and 10 restaurants serving a variety of bourbon inspired dishes.
The B-Line makes it easy to plan a trip whether you come for a day, weekend or longer: Hit up the participating stops for a fun, flexible itinerary. Stick close to the urban core or take a day trip to Maysville and Augusta or Sparta. Buzz to each stop during one visit or use The B-Line as an excuse to keep coming back. Focus solely on bourbon or dip into rye whiskey, gin, rum, or moonshine too. The choice is yours. Best of all, it’s not possible to make a mistake unless you miss out on The B-Line altogether!
Grab a free B-Line Passport at any participating stop on The B-Line, or download the digital guide to your phone, and get ready to “find your sipping point” in Northern Kentucky. Collect free stamps in that Passport or check in with the digital guide as you go; once you collect two in each category, cash it in for some cool free swag.
Heavenly Scents
When poured into a glass, bourbon wafts a complex mix of vanilla, caramel, toast and other aromas. That’s the end of the story, not the whole story. While walking around a distillery you’ll smell the corn, malted barley and rye or wheat used in the sweet or sour mash. Each step in the production process has its own perfume, from the dusty grain mill to the sterilized bottles, from the limestone-filtered water to a copper pot still and fresh-charred barrel.
Barrel aging is a key to bourbon. It’s the blackened oak that transforms white dog whiskey into the ethereal amber liquor. Wood gives bourbon its vanilla, honey, caramel, butterscotch and other aroma and flavor notes. Straight bourbon is aged a minimum of two years, and barrels aren’t air tight. As they rest, whether piled high in huge rickhouses or tucked into corners at an artisan distillery, surrounding temperatures rise and fall as seasons change. Evaporation happens.
The vapors drifting through the air are considered “The Angels’ Share.” Stand in a rickhouse alongside the angels and breathe deep. That heavenly scent is pure American spirit.
All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Some bourbon qualifications are: it must be made of at least 51 percent corn, aged in new, charred oak barrels, and made in the U.S.—bourbon doesn’t have to be made in Kentucky, but 95 percent of it is!
Northern Kentucky Distilleries
Whether you’re a connoisseur or newbie, the distilleries on The B-Line offer experiences to help expand your understanding and appreciation for bourbon.
Augusta Distillery – Augusta, KY: Augusta Distillery’s mission is to create authentic, curated, Bourbon-centric experiences that delight their guests, consumers, and neighbors.
Becker & Bird Distillery – Maysville, KY: Among the most historic spirits sites in America, Becker & Bird is named for the original distiller, John Baker, a Revolutionary War fighter.
Boone County Distilling Company – Independence, KY: Distilling since 2015, but their legacy roots trace back hundreds of years. They honor their history and proudly declare their Bourbon is “Made by Ghosts”.
Neeley Family Distillery – Sparta, KY: The Neeley family has distilled moonshine in the hills of KY for 11 generations, and the current one decided to take the family business legal.
New Riff Distilling – Newport, KY: New Riff has been pushing boundaries since 2014. Their design inspired distillery will lift your spirits and give insight to the art & science of Bourbon crafting.
Pensive Distilling Co. – Newport, KY: Pensive blends rich history with a bright future where the tradition of fine spirits continues with modern recipes. Complete with a Speakeasy lounge.
Second Sight Spirits – Ludlow, KY: This unique, artistic distillery produced the first legal bourbon in Kenton Co, KY since Prohibition. Come for an espresso drink and pastry in the morning or a cocktail in the evening.
The Old Pogue Distillery – Maysville, KY: The Pogue Family has been making Bourbon in Mason, Co, KY for more than 150 years. The current generation has honed their product and the distillery experience.
Wenzel Distillery – Covington, KY: Wenzel is reviving Covington’s Bourbon history. In addition to the distillery, they also offer a hands on, whiskey blending experience.
