Louisville is a must-visit destination for bourbon lovers, but even the most diehard whiskey enthusiast sometimes appreciates a palate cleanser between the whiskey tastings and tours on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Here, a few local bartenders as well as Paul Clarke, Imbibe editor in chief and frequent flyer to Louisville, share their recommendations for where to drink.
The Bar at Fort Nelson
This elegant cocktail bar located on the second floor of Michter’s Fort Nelson distillery not only features its own bourbons, ryes, and other whiskies in its cocktails, but a classic cocktail menu curated by cocktail historian and author David Wondrich. It also has an excellent bar staff who’ve created the cocktails in the modern section of the menu like the Spellbound, a gin cocktail with blanc vermouth, basil, green Chartreuse, and lemon juice. Just be aware that it keeps early hours, opening from noon to 8pm.
Hell or High Water
Lindsay Matteson, beverage director of Hell or High Water, has an impressive CV having bartended at places such as Amor y Amargo, Barnacle, Canon, and Pouring Ribbons, “so she’s bringing all of that stuff to the ‘Ville,” says Clarke. The seasonally updated cocktail menu is divided into “Hell” drinks, which are stirred and spirit forward like an agave-based Old Fashioned, and “Highwater,” which are shaken and brighter like a popular strawberry-infused colada. There are, naturally, also flights of whiskey, mezcal, as well as vintage spirits.
Holy Grale
Clarke called this Highlands neighborhood gastropub “one of the best beer bars anywhere, with a strong Belgian tilt to the menu.” Its bar, outdoor beer garden (open from spring to fall), and dining hall occupy two floors of a former Unitarian chapel house next door to sister bar and Imbibe 75er Bar Grale. Choose beer from 21 rotating taps, plus another six in the garden. They spotlight classic producers and imported rarities, serving the beer in a way that honors it. “We’ve always approached the list with a reverence for tradition, proper service, and the culture surrounding the beer itself,” says co-owner Lori Beck.
The MerryWeather
This dive bar in Germantown is so industry-friendly that not only does it offer chilled shots of Angostura bitters but frosty Malört shots out of a chilling machine. But if those are too intense, order up a Pandan Painkiller or an Aperol Blitz, a cocktail slushie with the aperitif, rums, strawberry, passion fruit, and grapefruit. “It’s really fun in there,” swears Meredith Wright from Hell or High Water.
MoonDog
Lay down a hearty base before that Louisville barhop at this casual Vietnamese eatery and cocktail bar in Butchertown. Dive into a Vietnamese hot chicken banh mi or garlic noodles with lemongrass chicken and wash it all down with unique Asian-inspired cocktails. One of the more popular cocktails is the Contains Fish Sauce made with Song Çai dry gin, grapefruit, lychee, pineapple, lemon, and fish sauce. Owner/operator Tin Le, who hails from New Orleans, ran a few bar programs in town before opening MoonDog. “He’s had to figure out how to import Asian spirits for the bar,” says Clarke. “He has a pretty good selection and the cocktails I’ve had were all outstanding.”
Pretty Decent
This little oasis of a plant shop/cocktail bar by John Douglass (formerly of Chicago’s Billy Sunday) and his wife Jeanne (a Kentucky master gardener) prides itself on serving cocktails a la minute with fresh ingredients that allow the featured Mexican distillates to shine. Stir up Douglass’ El Gibson, a variation on the classic with mezcal, blanc vermouth, and pickled onion brine. The Imbibe 75 bar also boasts an extensive mezcal selection alongside clear spirits such as pisco, tequila, and sugarcane distillates.
Proof on Main
“You’re in a bourbon town so Manhattan-type things get lots of play,” says Clarke of this nearly 20-year-old downtown restaurant. Fortunately, a trio of mini Manhattans (Manhattan, Greenpoint, and Revolver) is available on the whiskey flights menu. And for more tiny cocktails, stop by during the daily aperitivo hour for a mini classic cocktail that you can pair with a small bite of choice. Unapologetic bourbon lovers will want to order such flights as the 7-year-old Bottled in Bonds or splurge on the restaurant’s birthday flight with 20-something bourbons.
The Pearl of Germantown
“A deep-cut bourbon list of barrel picks, a selection of tried-and-true beers, and a well-weathered dive-bar aesthetic” are all reasons to add this 10-year-old industry hangout to the itinerary, according to Clarke. Shots and beers may be the primary stock in trade but a short selection of classic cocktails like the Gimlet and Margarita are many notches better than most dive bars can offer. And while there’s not really a food menu to speak of, a $5 PBJ and occasional rounds of grilled-cheese sandwiches (made when the mood strikes the bar team) will keep the hunger pains at bay. It’s a true neighborhood bar in every sense of the term with weekly industry nights featuring a free buffet, a monthly lesbian event called Behind the Pink Door, and a daily closing time of 4 a.m.
Tartan House
Even though this Imbibe 75 bar boasts 500 different whiskeys—with ”what I’m assuming is one of if not the biggest selections of scotch in the state,” according to owner Jeff Knott—many seek out the bar’s cocktail program. “I think we run one of the more detail-oriented programs in the city,” says Knott. The cocktail menu offers classics as well as intriguing originals, such as Color Field, a mezcal cocktail with Campari, Chambryzette, and yellow Chartreuse foam.
Yachtsea
This nautical-themed bar around the corner from MoonDog and Tartan House in Butchertown is a chill spot for oysters, a variety of hot dogs, and tropical cocktails, including a frozen Piña Colada, which can be made into a Miami Vice or mixed with Guinness for a Miami Dice. “They have a killer Piña Colada,” says Tin Le of MoonDog. “And it’s just a fun environment to be in that transports you outside of Louisville into a fun nautical adventure.”
