Run the Bluegrass Two

Besides the racing, there’s much more to do in Lexington, Kentucky – like drinking bourbon and beer.

We had a tour of Buffalo Trace Distillery. They had a Bourbon Bus take us out to the tour and back, and there was plenty of drinking on the bus.

Saturday night there was a Bourbon School to teach about the differences in bourbon. The document to the left is a reproduction of an actual alcohol prescription; the only way to get liquor legally during Prohibition was to get a doctor to prescribe it.

We had a tour of Ethereal Brewing. I really enjoyed the Old Gregg Brown Porter.

Bourbon Skies over Lexington.

Run the Bluegrass

So I did this crazy thing over the weekend. My wife and daughter were going to run a half-marathon in Kentucky, and I decided to run the new 3.65 mile “Yearling” race they added this year.

I’d run a couple of 5K races locally, but I didn’t realize quite how hilly the area around Keeneland (where the race began) really is, until I had to slog up and down those hills on foot. However, it was rather picturesque.

Field minion

Race watchers

But those mileage signs were coming up fast enough for my liking.

It was also very windy that day, with 50mph gusts that I know had a big effect on a lot of the runners.

After it was over, as I walked to the car, I saw these sneakers abandoned at the starting line.

I wonder if the owner ran barefoot?

Bourbon Trail: Woodford Reserve

Photos from a tour of the Woodford Reserve distillery in Versailles, Kentucky. One of the stops on the Bourbon Trail, you get to see it all at work, from the series of open fermenters to where the liquor is distilled and kegged.

Reception area

A wall of bourbon behind the counter

Series of fermenters

You can watch the mash bubbling

The bourbon is aged in the Barrel Warehouse

The whole place smells awesome

Bourbon tasting. On left is Woodford Reserve, on right is Double Oaked, which gets aged a second time in a fresh barrel.

A bottle of the Double Oaked came home with me, and I’m having a sip right now.