Mayor announces Louisville craft beer trail

The bourbon industry’s days of reigning supreme in Louisville are over.

On Monday, Mayor Greg Fischer and representatives of the local beer community introduced Lou’s Brews, a map of Kentuckiana breweries that’s meant to better highlight the craft beer scene for visitors and residents.

“The beer trail shows something we’ve known for a long time — for more than 100 years at Falls City — that Louisville is a beer town,” said David Hawkins, sales manager at Falls City.

The map can be found online at www.CulinaryLouisville.com and in print at the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau's Visitors Center, 301 S. Fourth St. The guide features 14 breweries located across Louisville and Southern Indiana, including Flat 12 in Jeffersonville and New Albanian Brewing Company in New Albany.

Jessica Dillree, marketing communications coordinator for the visitors bureau, said the map will be updated as future breweries open in the area. Coming breweries Akasha and Beer Engine — recently renamed Monnik Beer Co. — have already made the list, while other breweries in the works, including Old Louisville Brewing Co. and 3rd Turn Brewing, should expect to be added.

Fischer said the idea for the map stemmed from a Beer Work Group he created in 2014 and the map was created with help from LouisvilleBeer.com and the Kentucky Guild of Brewers.

The mayor said he hopes the guide will promote craft beer as yet another culinary attraction the city has to offer.

“Lou’s Brews is one more reason to visit Louisville and our city’s unique authentic attractions,” Fischer said in a press release. “We have a great and growing collection of local breweries that are revitalizing our rich brewing history.”

To launch the guide, Fischer will host a Lou’s Brews bike ride on Aug. 29, leading cyclists on a tour of five breweries, with small samples of beer at each stop. The event will start at Great Flood Brewing — 2120 Bardstown Road — at 10 a.m. and finish at Falls City Beer — 120 N. 10th St. — at about 2 p.m. for a street festival.

Remember to drink smart, drink safe. Reach reporter Bailey Loosemore at 502-582-4646. Follow her on Twitter at @bloosemore.

LOU’S BREWS LAUNCH

What: Cyclists will sample beers at five craft breweries on a mini bike bar crawl meant to promote the new craft beer guide, found online at www.culinarylouisville.com and in print at the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau's Visitors Center, 301 S. Fourth St.

When: Aug. 29, starting at 10 a.m.

Where: The first stop is Great Flood Brewing, 2120 Bardstown Road. The final stop is Falls City Beer, 120 N. 10th St.

Cost: A street festival at Falls City Beer is free and open to the public.