Get to know Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., a craft brewery in Kentucky

Kentucky is home to more than 40 craft breweries cranking out beer in cities both big and small.

We probably all know that Louisville and Lexington have become craft beer hotspots, with brands like Against the Grain and West Sixth expanding from single locations to huge community presences.

But as the industry grows nationally, it's also reached into smaller areas like Elizabethtown and Danville, where microbreweries can serve as community connectors.

Here, learn about one of the breweries that are fermenting in Kentucky.

VOTE NOW IN THE MALT MADNESS CONTEST

ALLTECH LEXINGTON BREWING & DISTILLING CO.

401 Cross St., Lexington | kentuckyale.com | Facebook: @KentuckyAle

Opened: 1999

Owners: Dr. Pearse Lyons

Bio: The beer of Bourbon Country

Top three beers: 

• Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale — Our Kentucky Ale, an English pale-Irish red hybrid, is aged for up to six weeks in freshly decanted bourbon barrels to make Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale. Subtle yet familiar flavors of vanilla and oak are imparted to this special ale as it rests in the charred barrels. Pleasantly smooth and robust, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale may also be served as an aperitif or after-dinner drink. Launched in 2006, it has grown to become the flagship beer of the premier name in barrel-aged beers: Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company. 8.2 percent ABV
• Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale — We took a cold-conditioned cream ale, brewed with a hint of flaked corn and bourbon vanilla beans, and aged it in freshly decanted bourbon barrels for a minimum of two months. Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale's medium body and 5.5 percent ABV make it the perfect barrel-aged beer for an all-day event.
• Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Blackberry Porter — A dark porter aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels, infused with blackberries to bring you from winter to spring. Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Blackberry Porter has been brewed with the official state fruit of Kentucky and aged in bourbon barrels. This spring seasonal comes out with the bold roasted malt flavors complemented by a nose of fresh blackberries. 8.2 percent ABV

Most inventive beer: Kentucky Old Fashioned Barrel Ale — brewed with orange peel and cherries, aged in bourbon barrels and bitters barrels, blended together to mimic the flavors of an Old Fashioned cocktail. 10 percent ABV

Fun fact: Our brewery and beer barrel-aging facility see 1,000 bourbon barrels per week coming in and out of our warehouse.

Edited for style and clarity.

Bailey Loosemore: 502-582-4646; bloosemore@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @bloosemore. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/baileyl.