The makers of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale are coming out with a hard tea
Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. is launching a line of barrel-aged hard teas.
The brewery, which is owned by Alltech, is releasing three flavors of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Hard Tea in March, all with an ABV of 5.2 percent.
According to the announcement, they are made with all-natural brewed tea and “rested” in freshly emptied bourbon barrels, giving them a hint of bourbon flavor.
The alcohol, however, comes from malt, so it can be sold in Kentucky grocery stores alongside hard seltzer and beer.
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Hard Tea will be available in canned six packs in original flavor, peach and half-and-half lemonade in Kroger, Total Wine & More, Liquor Barn, Meijer and other retail outlets.
It has just a hint of fizz, unlike regular tea, to appeal to the seltzer lovers too.
More than 1,500 retail locations will have Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Hard Tea, making it one of the largest launches for the Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.
Kentucky locations will have the hard tea the first week of March, other markets the week after.
The name is an allusion to the tales of Kentucky distilleries putting liquids in freshly dumped bourbon barrels to draw out residual alcohol from the oak barrel, as well as a nod to the brewery’s popular beer, which is aged in bourbon barrels.
“Consumers are moving toward flavor-forward, convenient beverages,” said Niall Little, vice president of sales for Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. “We wanted to deliver a drink that tells the story of Kentucky as we continue to develop our barrel-aged portfolio.”
Lexington Brewing’s top brand is Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.
Led by the popular White Claw, hard seltzer sales were predicted to top $1 billion in 2019 and grow to $2.5 billion by 2021 and more brewing companies are looking for ways to tap into the market. And the canned cocktail trend actually has been climbing even faster.
“This was a fun project to develop,” said Pete Weiss, marketing manager for Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. “We have launched every beer style you can think of, but creating a hard tea was something new and different. These unique flavors represent our brand of barrel-aging and showcase the bourbon tradition in Kentucky.”
