As you probably already know, Kentucky makes 95 percent of the world’s bourbon (if you didn’t, you do now). Just about every major producer of the stuff calls the Bluegrass State home. That’s given rise over the years to a booming bourbon industry, which has, in turn, spawned the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour and now, Northern Kentucky’s own “trail,” The B-Line.
The B-Line isn’t a trail in the sense that the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a trail. Instead of only visiting distilleries (not that there is anything wrong with that at all), the B-Line incorporates other types of establishments that help to showcase the spirit (pun intended) of Northern Kentucky’s bourbon country.
If you’ve ever been on a trail before, you know how important the non-distillery places are to experiencing a place. At the end of a day spent driving or being driven around, sometimes all you want to do is relax at a bar with a glass or three of local spirit. With the B-Line, you’re rewarded for that kind of approach to life.
- 1. Boone County Distillery
- 2. Bourbon Haus
- 3. Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar
- 4. Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar
In total, 12 establishments make up the B-Line, including three distilleries (New Riff Distillery, The Old Pogue Distillery, Boone County Distilling Company), four restaurants (Chandler’s on Market, The Purple Poulet, Bouquet Restaurant, Tousey House Tavern), and five bourbon-centric bars (Wiseguy Lounge, The Globe, Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar, Prohibition Bourbon Bar, Bourbon Haus 1841).
At the end of a day spent driving or being driven around, sometimes all you want to do is relax at a bar with a glass or three of local spirit.
The ideal amount of time spent on the B-Line is at the very least three days. That way, you can spend time truly indulging in what the area has to offer without worry about speeding through and just swallowing whiskey (as opposed to actually tasting). If you give yourself four or more days, you can then also hit up various spots on the Bourbon Trail or the Craft Tour as well.
A tour/line/passport wouldn’t be complete without a prize (other than the delicious bourbon you’ve already ingested), and the B-Line is no different. If you collect stamps from two in each category, all you have to do is mail your passport in to get your prize.
The goal of the B-Line, no matter which places you visit, is to “find your sipping point.” For us, we didn’t even need the pun to find it. Being able to go from the country’s largest liquor store, The Party Source, to New Riff Distillery (which is on the verge of putting out its first bourbon) then into downtown Covington for whiskeys at Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar, Bourbon Haus 1841, and more was enough for us.
If you want to get on the B-Line, but don’t know where to start, you can download itineraries or book Kentucky Bourbon Country or Bourbon Spirits & Distillery Tours here. While you’re on that page, you may see a familiar face in the top photo, thoroughly enjoying himself at Bourbon Haus 1841.
