Louisville Beer Week is back, and is bringing with it the launch of the newly-established Louisville Ale Trail.
The 2020 event will recognize the resilience of brewery owners and employees during Covid-19 with brewery collaborations and the launch of the new Louisville Ale Trail Passport during the week of Friday, Oct. 23 through Friday, Oct. 30.
Despite statewide and citywide shutdown requirements due to Covid-19 and curfews, and subsequent financial burdens throughout 2020, brewery owners and employees were able to pivot to package sales, patio seating and curbside pickup. The local beer scene has also managed to grow, with the addition of multiple new breweries opening since March, including Atrium Brewing, TEN20 Craft Brewery, West Sixth NuLu and Gallant Fox Brewing.
“Nobody planned on opening their taproom during a global pandemic,” said Roger Huff, co-founder of Gallant Fox Brewing, in a news release. “But it’s not like we could just give up on our plans. We were able to pivot and make it work under new conditions. The other few breweries that opened after us probably thought the same. Why give up — why wait?”
Louisville breweries participating in this year's Louisville Beer week include: 3rd Turn Brewing, Against the Grain Brewery, Akasha Brewing Co., Apocalypse Brew Works, Atrium Brewing, Falls City Brewing Co., False Idol Independent Brewers, Gallant Fox Brewing Co., Goodwood Brewing Co., Gravely Brewing Co., Holsopple Brewing, Mile Wide Beer Co., Monnik Beer Co., Old Louisville Brewery, Ten20 Craft Brewery, West Sixth Nulu, Wild Hops Brewery and an appearance by Louisville’s own homebrew club LAGERS.
Here are the brewery collaborations happening throughout the week:
- Mile Wide Beer Co. + Holsopple Brewing: "Mean What You Say - Holsopple Brewing - Imperial slushy-style Sour Ale with raspberry, mango and passionfruit (fruit added post-fermentation); and "Say What You Mean" - Mile Wide Beer Company - American Sour Ale with raspberry, mango and passionfruit (fruit added during fermentation).
- West Sixth NuLu + Gravely Brewing Co: "Dueling Banjos" - Double IPA with Citra, Idaho 7, Centennial and Chinook hops.
- Atrium Brewing + Against the Grain Brewery: "Beach Kitsch" - A mixed four-pack of Strawberry Daiquiri and Piña Colada versions of American Tart Ale.
- Gallant Fox Brewing + False Idol Independent Brewers: "C'est La Vie / C'est La Mort" - C'est La Vie and C'est La Mort are a golden and dark Biere De Garde, respectively. C'est La Vie uses golden candi syrup, ginger and lemon zest, while C'est La Mort uses dark candi sugar, grains of paradise and a touch of roasted malt.
- 3rd Turn Brewing + Apocalypse Brew Works: "The Trunchbull" - Salted Caramel Porter (6.8%). Layered with caramel and chocolate malts in the mash. Salted caramel powder from sugar and spice donut shop was added to the boil along with copious amounts of Himalayan sea salt, lactose and caramel.
- Falls City Brewing Co. + Akasha Brewing Company: "Campbell St. Porter" - Variants: pecan, chocolate and vanilla (Akasha), and chocolate banana (Falls City).
- Goodwood Brewing + Lagers Homebrew Club: "Mango Madness" - Hazy IPA with Citra, Centennial and mango puree. A tropical vacation of a 7.5% beer. Available in both Louisville and Frankfort Goodwood pubs on Oct. 23.
- Old Louisville Brewery + Wild Hops Brewery: "Coffee Blonde"
- Monnik Beer Co. + TEN20 Craft Brewery: "Biere de Mars"
In addition to special brewery releases and events, the team behind Louisville Ale Trail announced a new limited-edition pilot launch for the Louisville Ale Trail Passport to be released in time for Louisville Beer Week, with a full-scale launch planned for early 2021.
The trail will be promoting participating breweries to both Louisville residents and tourists to encourage tourism around the local beer scene. The idea is reminiscent of Louisville's Urban Bourbon Trail, which was launched in 2008 to promote restaurants and bars that excel in bourbon.
“This was one way to encourage beer-tourism within our own city when many people just aren’t traveling right now,” said Louisville Ale Trail organizers, in a news release. “Thumb through an Ale Trail passport and we guarantee that you might get thirsty and find somewhere either new or somewhere you haven’t been in a while.”
The pilot launch for Louisville Ale Trail passport booklets can be purchased online for $10 at the organization's website, beginning Oct. 23 through the end of the year while supplies last. For news and updates for Louisville Beer Week, follow @louisvillebeerweek or @louisvillealetrail.