Kernel Brewing Company: Bartender’s choice from West Sixth Brewing

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West Sixth Brewing sports a high ceiling in the tap room and a indoor beer garden. It is attached to Smithtown Seafood that will bring the food you order into the brewery so you can eat while enjoying your beer.

The layout, well-spaced tables and large glass doors that can open when the weather is good make the brewery feel very spacious even at its most crowded. The brewery manages to encourage sustainable transportation with an abundance of bike racks.

I asked the bartender for what she believed were their standout beers and was given a flight of some of their newest; the Laurel River Pilsner, Rough Trail Wild Ale, Chinook IPA, and Country Western Volume 3.

Laurel River Pilsner

Price: $4.95

Alcohol Percentage: 5.8%

The Laurel River Pilsner is incredibly refreshing. It has that classic “beer” flavor you remember from when you took sips of your Uncle’s beer at the family picnic, but with a decidedly craft twist. It is remarkably crisp and has a light body.

And while this beer has an alcohol percentage that is considerably higher than what most people would find reasonable for it to be labeled a “session beer,” I could easily find myself sipping this beer all day long.

Rough Trail Wild Ale

Price: $4.50

Alcohol Percentage: 6.2%

The Rough Trail Wild Ale leaves a distinctly, yet not overpoweringly, sour taste lingering on your taste buds. It is a light, refreshing beer that is the essence of a good summer beer.

I could not recommend a better ale to imbibe after a hot summer day in the yard mowing the lawn. If you are a fan of light summer beers that are not lacking in flavor, this beer is one to grab a growler of for the weekend.

Chinook IPA

Price: $4.95

Alcohol Percentage: 7%

The Chinook IPA is a single-hop IPA with a very distinct flavor. The taste of the hop rings through incredibly clearly, but is not overpowering. This is an IPA that is accessible to both hop-heads and non-IPA drinkers alike. It is full of flavor and delightfully earthy. Do not pass this beer up.

Country Western Volume Three

Price: $6.50

Alcohol Percentage: 13%

Country Western Volume Three is the latest in a run of collaborations between Lexington’s own Country Boy Brewing and West Sixth Brewery. It is barrel-aged, and that fact is evidenced by the flavor of bourbon hitting the pallet after the first sip.

However, unlike most bourbon barrel-aged beers, this beer is undoubtably sweet. The combination of bourbon and sweetness blend seamlessly in this high alcohol content after-dinner drink that any Lexington native would be proud to say comes from their home town.