Being in the heart of the bourbon state, it’s no surprise that Lexington has some incredible distillers to its name– but the area also has an impressive lineup of breweries. Below is a list of some of the best in the city, and you won’t want to miss out on these taps.

West Sixth Brewing
West Sixth Brewing serves up craft beer of a wide variety, from year-round classics to seasonal and limited-edition releases– so keep an eye out to avoid missing some spectacular local refreshments. You can often find their products sold at various locations throughout the area, although the quintessential West Sixth experience takes place in their taprooms. In Lexington, the birthplace of West Sixth, you can find their taproom on none other than West Sixth Street, located in a historic building affectionately known as the “Bread Box.” They even have a series of drinks inspired by different Kentucky counties, and are directly adjacent to Smithtown Seafood if you find yourself getting hungry.

Ethereal Brewing
Ethereal has the essentials like Saisons and IPAs, but also boasts unique offerings like a farmhouse-brewed sour program. Their tap list features sixteen different beers, which you can find at a variety of locations like their Public House and UK Campus location; their main location, however, can be found in the heart of Lexington’s Distillery District. There’s also no shortage of festivities, as Ethereal hosts events like trivia nights and goes all out for Craft Beer Week.

Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.
Established in 1999, the Lexington Brewing Company revives the brewing traditions of its namesake from more than a century prior. The company first began as a brewery, but given its location in the heart of Kentucky this eventually expanded into distilling, bringing about Town Branch Distillery– the first new distillery to be built locally in over a century. In other record-breaking news, Town Branch went on to release the first malt whiskey made in Lexington since the 1920s. You can even visit the combined distillery and brewery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the only one of its kind on the tour.

Country Boy Brewing
Country Boy Brewing has two locations: one in Lexington, and a relatively new brewery in Georgetown. They’re famous for their four main ales as well as various other seasonal beers and beverages, many of which you can find through various distributors across the Southeast and Midwest; of course, if you want the full Country Boy experience, you’ll want to hit up one of their taprooms, each of which offer 24 unique brews.

Blue Stallion Brewing
While Blue Stallion provides beer enthusiasts with plenty in the IPA and other craft beers that have been having their moment in the States recently, they’re best known for brewing traditional German-style beer right here in the Bluegrass. Blue Stallion also has their own stein club for any connoisseurs looking for a list of beer-related perks. The Salt & Vinegar kitchen is also located inside Blue Stallion, should you be looking for some good eats alongside your refreshments.