Kentucky's authentic bourbon road trip
Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown tell the authentic Kentucky Bourbon story. Come find some of the best bourbon experiences around on a road trip that puts spirited fun within easy reach.
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Three Cities Tell The Authentic Kentucky Bourbon Story
Travel through Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown while tasting the best bourbon and making lasting memories.
Trip Ideas For Your #CFBroadtrip

Foodies and bourbon enthusiasts seeking elevated dining experiences find their bourbon-infused bliss in Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown. Many restaurants and bars in these bourbon-centric cities showcase unique takes on pairing bourbon with meals, specialize in bourbon-infused menus, and feature dishes that amplify bourbon flavors. Additionally, these three cities offer bourbon experiences that bourbon lovers aren’t likely to find anywhere else. SIGNATURE SPINS In Newport, the team at Purple Poulet Southern Bourbon Bistro , led by Chef Rick Zumwalde, loves a good splash or three of bourbon in dishes like fried chicken and waffles with maple bourbon syrup, “Swanky” Shrimp-n-Grits with bourbon-cream pan gravy, hickory-smoked beef brisket with bourbon-peach jus, a Casino-style market catch with bourbon-bacon-maple broth, and bourbon mashed sweet potatoes. Likewise, the team at Beehive Augusta Tavern shows its unbridled enthusiasm for Kentucky bourbon by incorporating it into multiple dishes: bourbon-braised short ribs, bourbon carbonara, bourbon-glazed bone-in pork chops, bourbon-glazed salmon, a bourbon bordelaise burger, and honey bourbon fried chicken. Even sides like the honey bourbon bacon brussels get a dousing. At the Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Company (BBCo.), Kentucky’s first distillery-based restaurant, Chef Stu Plush likes to bring out bourbon tasting notes through various dishes. For instance, the menu suggests BBCo. Origin Series Bottled-in-Bond or Prohibited Paradise for country ham carbonara and BBCo. Origin Series Rye Whiskey or Feel the Heat for its Southern fried chicken. At HOC (House of Commons): A Bourbon Library in Frankfort, Founder and Proprietor Dave Sandlin brings encyclopedic knowledge to the bourbons he stocks. Additionally, this bourbon barkeep knows how to spin a good yarn. “Everyone has a story to tell, and every bourbon has a story to tell,” said Sandlin. “Our storytelling is the framework around the more than 315 Kentucky whiskeys we have on the shelf, why we have them, why each is special, rare, or different.” Visitors to HOC won’t find food and bourbon pairings (although Sanders is happy to share restaurant recommendations); this bourbon bar is about pairing bourbon to people’s palettes. “People come in and tell us what they like, and we formulate a taste profile for them,” said Sanders.

Planning your first distillery visit or considering a journey along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®? Bourbon has a built-in mystique and culture that might give the bourbon-curious and aspiring aficionados pause in taking that first step into the world of America’s Only Native Spirit. BOURBON 101 The variety of distilleries and their unique experiences may seem daunting, and terms like “nosing” and “Kentucky chew” baffling, but part of the fun of bourbon is in the learning. Beginners can get their feet wet in Frankfort at Buffalo Trace Distillery , with an intro to the history and science of bourbon, and at Castle & Key with an interactive Cocktail Therapy class to elevate sensory awareness. The Old Pogue Experience on Northern Kentucky’s The B-Line ® in downtown Maysville offers a different perspective, combining the Bourbon History Galleries, which delve into the 1791 Whiskey Tax Act Rebellion and Prohibition, with an (optional) tasting of an original Kentucky bourbon—Old Pogue Master’s Select. In the Bourbon Capital of the World, Lux Row Distillers in Bardstown gives an insider’s view of the bourbon making process from start to finish on its Grain to Barrel Tour, followed by an educational, guided tasting experience. Here is a guide to some bourbon basics that will help you look more natural than novice when sitting down to a tasting and will soon have you pairing like a pro.

Not only is Northern Kentucky an Official Gateway to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and home of The B-Line®, a self-guided bourbon tour comprising nearly 30 stops and stretching from Covington to Maysville, it is also home to a very active distillery scene. From the laid-back, dog-friendly atmosphere of Bellevue’s Three Spirits Tavern to the upscale, tailored air of Hotel Covington’s Knowledge Bar & Social Room located in North by Hotel Covington, the special-occasion vibe of Dutch-inspired Lisse Steakhuis in Mainstrasse with its impressive lineup of bourbons, and the historic-meets-modern ambiance of Newport’s Pensive Distilling Co ., Northern Kentucky has dozens of venues to tempt and tease first-time distillery visitors and bourbon connoisseurs alike. 
Plan a Mid-Week Road Trip Through KENTUCKY'S Bourbon Country
Why wait for the weekend when you can experience the best of bourbon now? Enjoy better deals and smaller crowds during your next bourbon adventure.
Come Find Bourbon in Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown
Plan your #CFBroadtrip using the interactive distillery map below.
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Limewater Bistro and Bar is family-owned and -operated. It's located in Frankfort, Kentucky's historic Glen Willis house on the banks of the Kentucky River. It opened in August 2022 in a brick home that was built in 1815. Head here for food and drink made from fresh, homemade ingredients served in a beautiful setting. #CFBroadtrip #kybourbonroadtrip
@limewaterbistro @visitfrankfortky
The Pickle Factory in historic downtown Covington KY is a boutique hotel inside a former pickle factory. Rent the entire 8 BR/8 BA space to sleep up to 16 people or rent individual apartments to accommodate smaller numbers of guests. Pickle-themed art and pops of green nod to the building's past while free parking and WiFi are among its modern amenities.
Covington's Bonded Spirit Bluegrass Festival added new tickets! If you're all about the #music there are general admission tix available for $50. March 2- don't miss out!
https://www.smokejustis.com/events/bonded-spirit-bluegrass-festival-covington-kentucky-2024
#festival #bourbon #kentucky #bands #funtimes
@buffalotracedistillery announced yesterday that it will open a first-of-its-kind American whiskey experience at 32-33 Long Acre in the Covent Garden area of London, England in late 2023.
Add to that the direct flight between Covington KY and London on @british_airways that began service earlier this year, and you can take your #cfbroadtrip across "the pond"!
Add Bardstown-Frankfort-Covington-London to your #bourbon travel plans!
Celebrate #nationalbourbonheritagemonth along Kentucky's authentic #bourbon #roadtrip, featuring #distilleries and other fun bourbon-centric stops in Covington, Frankfort & Bardstown KY. Enjoy behind-the-scenes peeks at bourbon production from grain to bottle, tastings, tours, inhaling some of the angel's share of aging bourbon, and more.
#kybourbonroadtrip #cfbroadtrip
Happy #nationallemonjuiceday.
Our favorite way to use #lemonjuice is in a Whiskey Sour. Bardstown KY's @heavenhilldistillery shares this recipe for its "Forbidden Sour" #cocktail:
1 oz. Larceny #bourbon
1 oz. Pama pomegranate liqueur
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1/2 oz. lemon juice
Combine all ingredients into a mixer. Add ice and shake until well chilled. Fill a rocks glass with ice and strain cocktail into glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Cheers!
In our experience, cocktails taste best along Kentucky's authentic bourbon #roadtrip. Visit Covington, Frankfort & Bardstown soon!
#kybourbonroadtrip #cfbroadtrip
Caproni’s Restaurant & Bar in Maysville KY is an off-the-beaten-path culinary gem, just a scenic 45-minute drive along the Ohio River from downtown Covington. An OpenTable Diners’ Choice award-winner in 2023, it serves traditional Italian fare, Kentucky classics, steaks and seafood. And WOW: Check out its impressive wall of #bourbon!
#kybourbonroadtrip #cfbroadtrip
Looking for a place to stay in Bardstown KY? Check into Bardstown Motor Lodge, a new boutique #hotel with a Mid-Century vibe. The lounge pool offers sunny seating areas, a tanning deck, cabanas, and a poolside bar. You’ll also find fire pits and a retro-style rec room. The hotel offers 30 guestrooms and 5 suites.
#kybourbonroadtrip #cfbroadtrip
Swanky new accommodations await in @visitfrankfortky
This "lipstick room" is in the Penthouse overlooking downtown Frankfort, one of the new VRBOs run by the new HOC: The Bourbon Library. With 6 BRs and 5 BAs, it can house a group of your friends and is within walking distance to @buffalotracedistillery
#cfbroadtrip #kybourbonroadtrip
Steal a little #bourbon on an official thieving tour. Several distilleries in Frankfort KY offer this unique and surprisingly legal activity. Build your own blend and brag to all your friends! It's just one mind-blowing activity you can enjoy on Kentucky's Authentic Bourbon Road Trip. Discover more at ComeFindBourbon.com.
#kybourbonroadtrip #cfbroadtrip
It's hot outside, so cool off on a boat tour! Ride the nation’s only boat-based bourbon tour with Kentucky River Tours in Frankfort and discover the Kentucky River’s role on bourbon history. There are several different tour options, including a 50-minute Kentucky River Bourbon History Tour that features six riverfront distilleries. #kybourbonroadtrip #cfbroadtrip #river #boat #boattour #distillery
Walk right into heaven when you #VisitBardstown. #HeavenHillDistillery that is. Learn #bourbon #history, #taste America's Native Spirit, #sniff bourbon components, and so much more. The bourbon exploration doesn't stop there, Bardstown has it going on all over town.
#kybourbonroadtrip #cfbroadtrip
Find trip ideas at ComeFindBourbon.com
In honor of #nationalbourbonday our friends in #visitnky added 5 more stops to #thebline :
@knowledgebarandsocialroom
@revivalvintagespirits
@lissesteakhuis
@pompilios1933
& Caproni's Restaurant
That's 5 more great stops for your #cfbroadtrip #kybourbonroadtrip! Find trip ideas at ComeFindBourbon.com.
The Jim Beam American Stillhouse in Clermont KY is a short drive from Bardstown, so it's easy to include in your #kybourbonroadtrip itinerary! @JimBeamOfficial offers 13 different tours starting at $18/person. Reserve a spot online at the Jim Beam website to be sure you don't miss out on the opportunity to participate in your top choice during your visit. Visit ComeFindBourbon.com for trip ideas and itineraries. #cfbroadtrip
@BritishAirways now operates out of the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), the 27th American destination served by the airline. Currently, service runs 5 times each week in summer and 4 times a week in winter. The new nonstop flights help connect explorations of #bourbon #whiskey and U.K. #whisky.
DYK the world's largest collection of bourbon -- at 6,412 different labels and counting! -- is at Prohibition #Bourbon #Bar in Newberry, KY (near Covington).
Build your own tasting flight of four half-ounce pours, opt for a recommended flight, or better yet let co-owner Peter Newberry choose a mystery lineup. Cheers!
Rethink your approach to remote work.
Come to Covington, Frankfort, and Bardstown, Kentucky where modern hotels offer great workspace solutions with high-speed connectivity so you won’t miss a beat. Then, whenever you can take a break, grab a bite to eat, or quit for the evening, you’ll can tap into all that authentic Bourbon Country has to offer.
Learn more at ComeFindBourbon.com shorturl.at/enHY9
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