Craft beer fans in Kentucky have some special treats coming their way this week.
Sixteen Kentucky craft breweries are releasing new beers made with Kentucky Proud products on Friday.
The new products are the result of a partnership between the state’s Agriculture Department and the Kentucky Guild of Brewers.
Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles says the commonwealth’s 60 craft breweries and microbreweries have an annual economic impact of $657 million.
“And it continues to grow, and this reflects a growing craft beer industry across the United States, where we have over 6,000 craft breweries around the country. And this is an opportunity for Kentucky to help bring back an old crop—hops. So we’re proud that we have 16 commercial hop growers in Kentucky selling directly to our craft beer industries.”
Quarles thinks more Kentucky farmers will grow hops in the near future.
“It’s a little early right now to see the viability. But we do that people are willing to pay a little bit extra if they know it came from a local farmer. And so right now we have test plots all across Kentucky, including at some of our universities, about determining what kind of soil quality, what variety of hops is going to work best,” said the Agriculture Commissioner.
The participating breweries and their special releases include:
- Against the Grain Brewery, Louisville, Farmhouse Lager with peaches and herbs
- Akasha Brewing Co. and 3rd Turn Brewing, both of Louisville, Sour Apple Tart American Pale Ale
- Braxton Brewing Company, Covington, Fruited American India Pale Ale
- Country Boy Brewing, Lexington and Georgetown, Helles with Peaches and Strawberries
- Falls City Beer, Louisville, Squints Peach Saison
- Flywheel Brewing, Elizabethtown, Brown Ale featuring pumpkins from Hinton’s Orchard
- Gordon Biersch, Louisville, Blackberry Tripel
- Holsopple Brewing, Louisville, Brown Ale with Hemp Seeds
- Hopkinsville Brewing Company, Smoked Apple Ale
- Jarfly Brewing Company, Somerset, Cream Ale with Corn
- Monnik Beer Company, Louisville, Grisette with peaches from Shelbyville
- Old Louisville Brewery, Farmhouse Saison
- Paducah Beer Werks, Chocolate Bourbon Barrel Pecan Stout with Kight’s Pecans
- West Sixth Brewing, Lexington, Barrel-aged Wild Ale with Blackberries and Blueberries
- Wooden Cask Brewing Company, Newport, Belgian Tripel with Lemon Verbena
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