Fernweh, An Ache for Distant Places

BOURBON COUNTY
Bourbon County, Kentucky was established in 1785 and its distilling industry was off to a strong start. Any whiskey transported out of Bourbon County was, simply enough, called Bourbon whiskey, but eventually just shortened to Bourbon.

Skip ahead to 1964 when the US Congress declared that bourbon is an indigenous product of our country, and no other country can make any products with the same name. Since then, bourbon has been known as “America’s Official Native Spirit.”

More than 95% of the world’s true Bourbon is made in Kentucky, and Lexington is a major hub for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

THE KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL
In 1999, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) founded the Kentucky Bourbon Trail as a road trip to guide bourbon lovers to each of Kentucky’s signature distilleries. Over time, the list has grown to nearly 50.

There are four official Kentucky Bourbon Trail stops in Lexington including the James E. Pepper Distillery, Barrel House Distilling, Bluegrass Distillers, and Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. Additional places found on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail map are the Fresh Bourbon Distillery and Registered Distillery One (RD1) Spirits, the first federally registered distillery in Lexington.

By 2012 the KDA had created the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour, which is basically a Bourbon Trail for local craft beer instead. Craft beer lovers should also check out the Brewgrass Trail, which is very much like the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour, so take your pick.

DISTILLERY DISTRICT
The Distillery District is a popular entertainment and nightlife district in downtown Lexington, also described as a ‘bourbon-themed destination zone.” It is located along Old Frankfurt Pike where it becomes Manchester Street, right at the intersection of Thompson Road.

On your first visit, it may seem strange driving through lot after lot of building materials, textile and lumber yards, and train tracks, but the circular configuration of the Distillery District’s restaurants and shops will not disappoint.

The James E. Pepper Distillery and Barrell House Distilling, Ethereal Brewing, Wise Bird Cider, and Elkhorn Tavern are just a few of the stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Kentucky Bourbon Craft Beer Trail, and Brewgrass Trail, and they are all located in Lexington’s Distillery District with several carefully curated shops and restaurants in the mix.

If you are visiting for the first time, or for the first time in a long time, here are my suggestions for spending a day in the Distillery District.

1. Grab a latte and a pastry at Brevede
Brevede is a play on the word brevity, and the coffee shop is owned by a family who moved to the US from Eastern Europe when they were young. There are a few subtle religious hints but nothing overt or judgy.

The interior has an airy, relaxing vibe with lots of natural and low lighting. You can buy local art here, take classes or join ongoing workshops, rent the space for events, or even hire them for catering.

2. Shop for gifts and home décor at Relic

Relic is an awesome shop full of rustic, vintage, and reclaimed items.

It definitely appeals more to masculine preferences in home, office, and “man cave” décor but we (women) found countless things we just love and that are similar to what is my own home.

We really enjoyed their selection of vintage furniture and electronics, framed posters, sports memorabilia, snarky notebooks and tabletop accessories, paperweights, centerpieces, rugs, and so much more.

3. Have lunch at Goodfellas Pizzeria & Bourbon Bar
Goodfellas is often packed in the evenings with a super long wait lists at times, so I recommend going in the day time. Grab a slice or share a pizza, and admire the historic interior.

They have expanded to new locations the last few years but still fit the “local” place criteria. Check out other locations in some of my favourite regional cities like Louisville, Covington, and Cincinnati.

4. Indulge in a sweet treat from Crank & Boom
Crank & Boom is an ice cream shop that uses locally-sourced products to make delicious and booze-infused ice creams. 

They also have several specialty desserts and booze float drinks. I ordered a scoop each of Bourbon + Honey and of the Coffee Stout, but they had around a dozen or more unique flavours.

5. Schedule guided tours of The James E. Pepper Distillery,  Barrel House Distillery, or Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co
A historical plaque in the Distillery District states that a distillery was first started here by the Headley & Farra Company in 1869, then taken over by James E. Pepper & Co. in 1879, a decade later.

Pepper converted his bourbon distillery and warehouse into locked storage during the Prohibition years, for his products and other distillers. Imagine the party they had when Prohibition ended!

In the following decades, ownership of the distillery and label names changed many times. New warehouse were built, burned down by raging fires, and were rebuilt again. Eventually the site was abandoned in 1958 and sat idly for half a century.

Redevelopment began in 2008, and by 2017 the remaining James E. Pepper structures were fully restored and open to the public, available for tours, and with the new motto “History is Brewing.”

Barrel House Distillery is located in the former barrel house of the historic James E. Pepper Distillery. It has a restaurant, a gift shop, and you can book a tour there too.

Just outside of the Distillery District, literally a mile, is the Lexington Brewing & Distilling Company. When we toured it a few years ago, it was called Town Branch, and the property has the awesome distinction of being the only place on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail with its own brewery AND distillery in the same location.

A bit west of downtown Lexington is Woodford Reserve and Castle Key Distillery, then Wild Turkey and Four Roses are a bit further south from those.

6. Have dinner at Halligans or Elkhorn Tavern
Halligans is a firehouse-themed bar and grill owned by a former firefighter, and while it was started as a place for first responders to network and chill, it is open to everyone. They offer the standard pub fare, burgers and fries, deep-fried foods, and the like. 

The Barrel House Distillery has a restaurant called The Elkhorn Tavern, that has a low-key lodge feel. Elkhorn Tavern has charcuterie, fancy appetizers, shareable plates, sandwiches, desserts, and unique cocktails.

7. Bowl and play games at District 7 Social Hall
District 7 Social Hall has bowling lanes, ping pong tables, giant screened golf simulators, and a self-serve wall of beer.

They have a “beer garden’ in the breezeway and a restaurant called German-Ish inside with the usual American bar foods and pub standards under the guise of German names; pretzels, brats, and the like.

I have become a little jaded with Americans overusing the “German concept” for bars and restaurants, but I heard they have a Goetta brunch special and that makes them vastly more authentic in my book. Everything looked delicious, from what we saw. Mental note to return here and investigate ASAP!

8. Try a new cocktail or local brew at Wise Bird Cider and Ethereal
Wise Bird Cider creates small-batch craft ciders with local Kentucky apples and some fancy ones from Midwestern farms. We are not huge cider fans, but fell in love with their Pommeau at the Farmers Market booth earlier.

Wise Bird Cider has a “trailer gourmet” permanent food truck restaurant on the patio called Little Fork that offers a farm-to-table menu, named in honour of an old Distillery District staple called Middle Fork that is no longer in operation. Don’t miss out on the Oreo beignets!

Across the parking lot, Ethereal Brewing has a diverse and interesting collection of beers on rotation. Ethereal even has their own yeast lab, which gives them a lot more gears and switches to flip when it comes to creative experiments, and sets them apart from other brewers nearby.

9. Catch a live show at The Burl or Manchester Music Hall
Manchester Music Hall is the only surviving building from the old Tarr Distillery, which was built in the early 1800s and closed in the early 1900s.

It was the first commercial property to be purchased and redeveloped in the old district back in 2015, which makes it the forerunner in revitalizing the Distillery District.

Just about any night of the week, you can go to concerts and other events at Manchester Music Hall or at The Burl.

The Burl has grown exponentially since I first started going years ago. It has become more like an entertainment complex of its own now versus a mere concert venue.

On one side is The Burl Arcade, packed with old arcade games, pinball machines, and a wall of tv screens that broadcast anything from hypnotic fuzz to music videos. There is also a snack bar and café called Kismet where you can walk up to the window and order, even from off the street.

On the other side is the venue itself, and both main buildings have a bar. There is a firepit next to this wild mural that pays tribute to Kentucky native and author Hunter S. Thompson.

10. Sit around the fire with new friends at The Break Room
The Break Room is a tiny dive bar, but it was intended to be more of an outdoor, sit around the fire pit and chill or play horse shoes kind of place, especially in warmer weather months. You can find it right below the district’s old water tower.

If you are looking for cheap beers, a night cap, the most casual and welcoming crowd, or the most dog-friendly spot in the Distillery District, this is it.

Parking is free but the central lot between businesses always fills up rather quickly and spaces are tight. Overflow parking can be found further down Manchester Street in either direction.

Out of town visitors with pets in tow may want to consider dropping them off for a little playtime or spa services at Dogtown, or treat yourself to a pampering massage at Massage Strong.

If you are staying in town for the weekend or are an early bird like me, be sure to visit the Lexington Cemetery about one mile away from the Distillery District.

The Lexington Cemetery was chartered in 1848 and you can read all about its 160+ years of history here.

Some of Lexington’s most notorious figures are buried here, with monuments of all sizes and sorts.

The Henry Clay Mausoleum (above) is the most popular site in the cemetery, the final resting place of beloved Kentucky lawyer, politician, and “The Great Compromiser” pacifist.

We made the trip to visit the grave of James A. Varney, Jr., better known as Ernest P. Worrell.

In the area for a while? Follow me to some of Lexington’s other cool neighbourhoods like NoLi and the Jefferson District.

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