Sipping in the South: My Louisville Beercation

For this installment of the #SummerofDan beercation, I am heading to Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville is a totally new experience for me and I cannot wait to learn why so many people love to travel here. Yes, obviously, Louisville is the start of the Bourbon Trail. However, I am eager to discover what other food and beverage gems the town has to offer.

Why Louisville, Kentucky?

In August of 2017, I went to my first Beer Bloggers and Writers Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I made some wonderful friends there that I kept up with through the years. The conference ceased to exist after Covid, but our friendships remained. Instead of in-person conferences, we did Zoom Happy Hours, gift exchanges, and kept chatting throughout the years in a chat. The idea kept coming up to plan a get-together somewhere a conference had not been.

After enough times mentioning getting together, three intrepid idea-people started hatching a plan to get together. With the help of Paige Latham Didora, David Rohrer, and Michelle Riley, a reunion was planned for this summer. It was decided that a group would gather in Louisville, Kentucky for a long weekend of laughter, connection, and, of course, beer!

When I found out the chosen location for our trip was Louisville, Kentucky, I was elated. I have never been to Kentucky, but I have been wanting to learn more about Bourbon for several years. So, I booked airfare (which was quite affordable), found an Airbnb for after the conference, and started researching the brewery/distillery scene. I decided that eight days would be the perfect amount of time to spend in Louisville. I land on 8 days because the first 3 days will mainly focus on beer and socializing. The number of distilleries I can visit in a day is way less than the number of brewery visits I can do in a day so I knew I would need some time at the end of the trip for that.

A Meet-Up at the Holy Grale

When you hang with a bunch of beer writers, your chances of winding up at a Belgian beer bar are quite high. The first scheduled event of our Louisville beercation was to the Holy Grale on Bardstown Rd. Not only do they have an outstanding tap list, but their victuals are absolutely to die for. The Holy Grale is a Lousville craft beer institution.

Reissdorf Kölsch

After perusing the beer list, which is about as well a curated collection of special beers as one can find, I settle on the Reissdorf Kölsch. It came with its own glassware complete with a thick head on it. Sitting gloriously on the bar basking in the backdrop of the church-like bar and fancy faucets with the brass hop cones atop the faucets, this beer just looks extra special. It drinks clean and crisp.

A Beer & Food Pairing Destination

“I will say that it looks like a golden, sun-kissed, and oily Claudia Schiffer, sitting on a beach in bread form.”

A Visiting Pretzel Enthusiast

Now that my whistle is wet, I order up a pretzel so I am not tempted to sing any Shania Twain songs later at a Karaoke bar. The pretzel comes out piping hot, glistening in butter with the perfect amount of rock salt on it. I don’t really think that my pictures do it justice, but I will say that it looks like a golden, sun-kissed, and oily Claudia Schiffer, sitting on a beach in bread form. The buttery and crisp exterior gives way to a soft and comforting pretzel interior. The beer cheese dipping sauce is an absolute delight. Nutty, creamy, with a slight sharpness in the finish. With each satisfying bite of my pretzel, I wash it down with the wonderful sip of Kölsch. It is a beer and food match made in heaven.

Beer Friends Are the best friends

While I am enjoying my pretzel, I am sitting at the bar with my friends Paige and Rick, who I flew out of Minnesota with. Paige and Rick are great friends whom I met through craft beer. Paige is a tremendous beer writer and Rick is a chef who has also worked at several great breweries over the years. They both encouraged me to begin attending the Beer Bloggers and Writers Conferences back in the day. Over the years, our friendship has grown and we have had many a laugh together. Paige and Rick are the type of friends everyone needs.

Find Great Friends To Travel With!

Paige and Rick are superb friends to travel with. In fact, their names will pop up frequently in this beercation series of articles. One of the things I love about the two of them is that they can quote episodes of Seinfeld just like me. We carry on entire conversations with deep cut lines from obscure episodes. In addition to their great senses of humor, both Paige and Rick possess a fierce sense of wanting to make the world better. Often, they do this with simple acts of kindness, but also with their incredible food. In fact, they own and operate Houndstooth Modern Tavern, a soon-to-be brick and mortar boutique and restaurant. Until they have the brick and mortar, Houndstooth Modern Tavern does wonderfully creative pop-up dinners and residencies. Rick’s food is inventive and comforting all at the same time.

Paige has one of the most discerning palates for craft beer of anyone I have ever met. Tasting beer with her is like sitting in on a master class in how to taste beer. Rick is a chef and I always feel bad pepppering him with questions about how to make certain things in the kitchen. Rick has a wacky sense of humor and we will often break into a comedy routine where we pretend we are radio disc jockeys for a rural Wisconsin radio station called “The Hog”. I could go on and on, but the written word doesn’t do it justice. You will just have to come and have a beer with us so we can break into the routine in-person.

In my opinion, one of the most precious things in life is a good friendship. The ability to let your guard down and be yourself around people who take you as you are is a special thing. Paige and Rick bring out the best in those around them because they are both tremendously empathetic people. They find joy in so many things and that happiness is contagious.

Weihenstephaner Weissbier

The beers continue to flow. We order entrees. I get a burger which is on-par with the pretzel when it comes to culinary excellence. I order a Weihenstephaner Weissbier to go with my burger and that certainly is the right choice. Anytime I get a chance to have Weheinstephaner on tap, I embrace it like an awkwardly long hug from an ex at a high school reunion.

As we continue to enjoy the ambiance of The Holy Grale, more people are showing up to join the fun. Kendall and June arrive from Nashville. Charles from West Virginia and Carol from Florida walk in the door. Hamilton and Michelle from Virginia stop by with Dave from Chicago. When there are no more seats at the bar, the party spills onto the patio where the Louisville night is now upon us. Also, much to our elation, there is Kölsch service happening out on the patio.

Kölsch service, baby!

What is Kölsch service, you ask? Well, it is a German beer garden tradition where you buy a coaster and a Kölsch glass and then go an sit down with your beer. As you finish your beer, someone brings you another one and marks a little check mark on your coaster. When you are done drinking, you simply turn your coaster over to indicate that you are taking a break or done for the night. Then, you go and turn in your coaster and are charged for each check mark on there. What a concept!

My First Kentucky Nightcap

Eventually, it is time to head back to our Cambria Whiskey Row hotel and enjoy a nightcap at the bar. While the hotel was great when it came to amenities, the hours seemed a bit on the short side when it came to the hotel bar. However, tonight, we hit it at just the right time. We order up a round of Old Fashioned cocktails and then I go for a pour of Michter’s Single Barrel Bourbon which is a treat. The Bourbon has a nice flavors of toasted wood, coffee, and a subtle hint of caramel to it. It is a really nice way to wind down a fun but tiring day.

I make my way up to my room and shut the door. I notice that it is the first quiet I have had since I woke up. The peace and quiet is conducive to reflecting on the fun and excitement of reconnecting with friends in a new city. I realize that being able to travel is a gift. The excitement of today is invigorating for my soul and I cannot wait to see what Louisville has to show me tomorrow. Cheers!

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