‘Bold enough to light a city’: Braxton Brewing winter block party highlights growth in Northern Kentucky

COVINGTON, Ky. — 1000’s of individuals are anticipated to go to Covington over the weekend. The primary attraction? Beer — a bourbon barrel-aged beer, Darkish Cost, to be exact.

Braxton Brewing Firm is internet hosting its eighth Annual Darkish Cost winter block get together Friday and Saturday. For the primary time within the occasion’s historical past, will probably be held over a interval of two days.

“My favourite occasion we do. We name it our Tremendous Bowl,” Braxton Brewing co-founder Jake Rouse mentioned. “To see everybody come out for the occasion, line up, benefit from the bottles and beer. It’s why we began the enterprise. To see that yr after yr, after yr. We problem ourselves to what can we do to make the occasion higher each time. It’s been a extremely enjoyable journey.”

Rouse mentioned he’s proud to see how far Covington and the Northern Kentucky area have come over the previous eight years.

“Downtown Covington has grown up proper in entrance of our eyes. We have been typically laughed at after we instructed individuals the place we placing Braxton. The addition of Lodge Covington, the superb distilleries, the Revival Classic retailers, Wenzel Whiskey just some blocks down the highway,” he mentioned. “There’s an amazing city heritage and tradition in Covington that’s roll up your sleeves and create one thing particular. You get to see that in beverage. There aren’t many cities in America that you are able to do that.”

This yr’s Darkish Cost lineup features a bourbon barrel-aged stout, and eight totally different variants. Amongst these variants are collaborations with Busken Bakery and the B-Line.

meetNKY President Julie Kirkpatrick mentioned the collaboration between the B-Line and Braxton Brewing, a bourbon barrel-aged stout referred to as chocolate pretzel bourbon ball, is thrilling.

“We wish a variant that takes under consideration our superb bourbon heritage right here,” she mentioned. “That’s been aged in three totally different bourbon barrels: Boone County Distilling, Outdated Pogue Distilling, and New Riff distilling.”

The B-Line is a self-guided Northern Kentucky bourbon expertise that options 5 distilleries, seven bourbon bars and 6 eating places.

“Once you take a look at what Kentucky is understood for: horses, meals, bluegrass music, bourbon. We determined we would have liked to do one thing to place extra Kentucky in Northern Kentucky. Bourbon is the way in which to do it,” Kirkpatrick mentioned.

Kirkpatrick mentioned the area receives the angel’s share of tourism {dollars} by having its personal distinctive bourbon expertise.

“We’re bringing the bourbon tradition again,” she mentioned. “We’re planting a flag that we’re firmly a part of the Commonwealth. However we convey the bourbon to the Cincinnati area to marry with the beer.”

Leaders mentioned the wedding of beer and bourbon is a win-win for the area. Final yr’s Darkish Cost occasion introduced greater than 10,000 individuals to Covington.

“We wish you to return down, benefit from the occasion, after which go to the native eating places. Benefit from the neighborhood. That’s what that is all about,” Rouse mentioned.

Saturday’s occasion hours (bottle gross sales/outside festivities) are from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., nevertheless, Rouse mentioned the taproom will open at 9 a.m. Saturday to accommodate these wanting to observe the USA World Cup match.

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