KENTUCKY — Craft beer drinkers can soon enjoy Kentucky Proud beers brewed with Kentucky agricultural products.
That's the focus of this year's Kentucky Proud Beer Series, Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles announced. In the series' fifth year, it combines the Commonwealth's breweries and farms.
“Every October, Kentucky’s craft brewers use locally grown products to brew one-of-a-kind beers to showcase their creativity and honor the Commonwealth’s producers,” Quarles said. “We are pleased to collaborate with the Kentucky Guild of Brewers once again on what has become a staple of Kentucky’s fall calendar.”
Derek Selznick, executive director of the Kentucky Guild of Brewers, said the series is a chance for brewers and farmers to come together.
“This is my favorite beer series that we do every year,” said Selznick. “This series is a chance for our brewers to get together with our farmers to put their creative minds together to make beers that truly capture the essence of Kentucky. From grains and hops to every berry under the sun, these beers are totally unique and Kentucky Proud.”
Kentucky craft brewers participating in the series will release their infused beers Oct. 28. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) worked with the Guild to match craft brewers with Kentucky Proud producers for the limited-release beers.
For a special fall flavor, craft beer enthusiasts can find everything from lavender extract, honey, molasses, apples, blueberries, and even carrots in the beverages. For the first time in the series' history, many of the breweries are using Kentucky malt made from locally grown grains this year, produced by South Fork Malthouse in Cynthiana.
Each participating brewery will give away commemorative Kentucky Proud and Kentucky Guild of Brewers branded pint glasses and event posters to the first 100 customers purchasing its Kentucky Proud beer.
Participants in the 2020 series include:
- 3rd Turn Brewing, in Louisville and Crestwood;
- Abettor Brewing Company, Winchester;
- Alexandria Brewing Company;
- Broken Throne Brewing, Pikeville;
- Country Boy Brewing, both Lexington and Georgetown locations;
- Dreaming Creek Brewery, Richmond;
- Dry Ground Brewing, Paducah;
- Ethereal Brewing, Lexington;
- Flywheel Brewing, Elizabethtown;
- Fusion Brewing, Lexington;
- Gallant Fox Brewing, Louisville;
- Goodwood Brewing, both Louisville and Frankfort locations;
- Gravely Brewing Co., Louisville;
- Hopkinsville Brewing;
- Maysville Brewing;
- Monnik Beer Co., Louisville;
- Old Louisville Brewing, both Louisville and Shelbyville locations;
- Paducah Beer Werks;
- Pivot Brewing, Lexington;
- Ten20 Beer Exchange, Louisville;
- Turtleback Ridge Brewing, Ewing;
- Uncrafted Territory Brewing Co., Beaver Dam;
- West Sixth Brewing’s Lexington, Frankfort and Louisville locations;
- Wise Bird Cider, Lexington; and
- Wooden Cask Brewing Company, Newport.