Of Cougar Bait and Shotgun Weddings

Written by Kathy Witt

The old road trip song, “99 bottles of beer on the wall,” springs to mind when entering Country Boy Brewing, an enormous watering hole on the outskirts of Georgetown that hums with conviviality. Except instead of “99 bottles,” you’d have to change the words to “50,000 cans.” That’s because 50,000 is the number of cans of beer, on average, filled with Country Boy’s award-winning brews.. 

Cougar Bait Blonde, Shotgun Wedding Vanilla Brown, Cliff Jumper IPA – Country Boy beers are already achieving legendary status. In fact, the brewery was recognized in 2017 by readers of Kentucky Living magazine for having the best craft beer.

Country Boy was founded in 2012 by four Kentucky boys who admit to sharing an unchecked passion for unique craft brews. Daniel Harrison, Nathan Coppage, Jeff Beagle and Evan Coppage met through the local homebrew club and truly, the rest is history, including the development of their second taproom room (first one in Lexington) and massive brewing facility (take the tour, it’s fabulous!) and the ambience they created (it’s laid back and exceedingly pleasant).

Stop by for a flight, choosing four beers among the 24 on tap. (Flights are $8 plus tax.) Grab a seat at the chummy bar and catch whatever game is playing on one of nine TVs. The beer makers may get a little zany with names (they do), but they take their brewing – and their sports – seriously.

Cougar Bait is Country Boy’s #1 beer. Jalapeno Smoked Porter is surprisingly refreshing and oh so smooth. Got something to celebrate? Try one of the fruit beers. The Strawberry Saison steps up beautifully for toast-able moments. And Shotgun Wedding pairs well with pretty much everything, including wedding cake.

Saturdays are busiest, but the bar stays steady through the week. The combination of excellent beer, food truck noshing and inviting atmosphere is irresistible. There’s trivia night. Yoga Tuesdays, too. Warmer weather brings UP the taproom garage doors and OUT the corn hole competitors. Yes, Country Boy offers another unusual but superb pairing with its Sun Salutations and suds. And then there’s the crowd itself.

“We make a lot of interesting and delicious beers, but the taprooms are always filled with great people and wonderful conversations,” said Brewery Manager Nathan Coppage.

Food trucks are onsite every night: Red State BBQ, Apollo Pizza, Gringos 859, Roll ‘n’ Smoke, Thailand Express, Misfit Commissary, Baby Bistro. Check the lineup on Country Boy’s Facebook page. Country Boy also loves events and plans lots of them. The biggest event happening within the next week? Country Boy’s anniversary. The award-winning brewery marks its six year as a company and completes its first year in Georgetown on Feb. 11. So obviously, you’ll want to stop by and celebrate with a beer or two.

Country Boy Brewing is located at 108 Corporate Blvd. in Georgetown’s Lane’s Run Business Park and open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-10 p.m. Sunday. Food Truck hours are 4-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 2-8 p.m. Sunday. You can visit their Facebook page for the latest tap menu and event listings.

 

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East Meets West: Georgetown’s Main Street Dining & Drinking Guide

Written by Kathy Witt

Historic downtown Georgetown is utterly charming with its Victorian streetscapes, lively with dozens of shops, boutiques and art galleries – and full-on food-crazy with its abundance of culinary options. Within a six-block stroll, 13 different dining and drinking places dish up all variety of gastronomical delights, from local artisan chews and brews and come-hither confections to old-timey diner delectables and linen-draped fine dining.

For the most up to date listings of restaurant hours of operation & openings: Click Here

 

 

While the west side triumphs in sheer numbers (having snagged the lion’s share of eateries and watering holes), the east side scores in singularly savory sensations. On both sides of town, Kentucky Proud products add that fresh, local zing.

 

Need a sugar rush? With the opening of Spotz Gelato, the west side boasts four sweet spots. The east side claims Georgetown’s only authentic Irish pub modeled after the great public houses of Ireland as well as the only diner in the area that played a role in a page-turning mystery – Nick Allen Brown’s Field of Dead Horses. It’s all friendly and food-fabulous and everyone (and their taste buds!) wins.

 

FEAST ON THE EAST

Fancy a pint? Find it on the east side, along with the darlings of casual comfort food: pizza and craft beer. Foodies can time-travel to 1920s small-town America with blue plate specials or take their taste buds on a journey through the Mississippi Delta.

 

East Main Street

 

 

1. Slainte Public House (pronounced Slahn-cha), 320 E. Main St.: It’s not about the beer. Wait! What? “What sets our place apart is an atmosphere that makes people comfortable with one another,” said owner Ashley Nunn. “Because of this, friendships are born, conversations happen that don’t happen elsewhere – at restaurants, bars, church – and community is created.” By the way, there is a great selection of craft beers, plus whiskey and wine and plenty of free popcorn.

 

 

2. Fava’s, 159 E. Main St.: You don’t argue with a diner that has been around since 1910; you just dig into the vittles – fried catfish, thick-cut bologna, pimento cheese sandwiches, loaded chili cheese dogs and more, and signature breakfasts like the Country Boy with eggs, country ham, pork tenderloin, hash browns, biscuit and creamy sausage gravy. This is cookin’ as grandma did it. (“The right way,” she’d say.)

 

 

3. My Old Kentucky Foam, 149 E. Main St.: Here are a few of our favorite brews: Georgetown Brown – a very drinkable and malty award-winning brown ale; Copperhead – a hoppy amber, with more bite than most ambers; Dirty Blonde – 27 percent dirtier, but 35 percent more approachable than most blondes; Hot Mess – a retro cream ale from the turn of the 19th century.

 

4. Big Tony's Pizza, 151 E. Main St.: It’s a match made in culinary heaven: craft beer and pizza. Big Tony's is located within My Old Kentucky Foam, pleasing the palate with classic pizza pies. The only side that makes sense here are the suds. Luckily, the bar is just steps away.

 

5. Broussard’s Delta Kitchen, 135 E. Main St.: This charmer in fully renovated space is newly opened and ready to tease your taste buds. On the menu? Deep South faves from the Mississippi Delta, starring fresh Gulf seafood and local meats and veggies and with everything made in-house daily.

 

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CULINARY QUEST ON THE WEST

Head west for an evening out to celebrate a special occasion or to cuddle up at a table for two. Sweet endings to a night out on the town happen here in dessert nirvana, as well as bourbon tastings straight from the barrel.

 

West Main Street

 

6. Galvin’s on Main, 155 W. Main St.: Word of warning – come hungry. The menu has lots of choices (fried macaroni and cheese or Dagwood sandwich, anyone?), the portions are healthy and the food is fab, with all served in a welcoming and game-time atmosphere.

 

 

7. More Than Cake, 150 W. Main St.: You have to love a place whose slogan is, “If you can dream it, we can bake it!” Challenge accepted! The chefs bake breads, cakes, cupcakes, pies and more daily from scratch; likewise, the warming soups and sandwiches. Share your dream; they’ll make it delicious.

 

 

8. Spotz Gelato, 135 W. Main St.: This Kentucky Proud biz has boomed from a travel trailer named Humpback Hazel to a brick-and-mortar scoop shop. Head to one of Georgetown’s oldest Main Street buildings (you’ll know it by the splash of Spotz’s signature pink and dots) for award-winning handcrafted, small-batch gelato and sorbet. Cookies and Cream, Fluffernutter (peanut butter and marshmallows) and Banana Pudding (Grandma’s recipe) are some flave faves.

 

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Water Street

 

 

9. Local Feed, 214 S. Water St.: Extraordinary, rustic, delicious – this is destination dining in an atmospheric building (a circa 1890s former ice house) located across from the very spot Baptist minister Rev. Elijah Craig legendarily made bourbon, and history. Scratch-made dinner and brunch elevate dining downtown to an epicurean experience.

 

 

10. Bourbon 30, 130 S. Water St.: And speaking of the good reverend, here is a craft distillery located mere steps from the milestone moment he gave to Kentucky. Offering a unique bourbon experience, each guest can taste the good stuff straight from the barrel, bottle their own and taste why single barrel small-batch, proof-aged and rye whiskey is one smooth sip.

 

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Broadway

11. Rodney’s on Broadway, 222 N. Broadway St.: When the siren call of the steak beckons, follow it to this fine dining establishment tucked in the splendid setting of a historic building. Filet mignon, rib-eye, surf and turf and more, crowned with the chef’s homemade sauces and accompanied by savory sides . . . Mmm.

 

 

12. Sweet Matriarch, 146 S. Broadway St.: Here is a bakery born from love of traditions, family and gathering round great Southern-style food. The special somethings the owner uses in her cakes, cupcakes, cookies, bourbon balls, pies and more? Real ingredients and love.

 

 

13. Desserts by Rebecca, 116 N. Broadways St.: This adorable sweet shop offers an array of rotating scratch-made desserts daily, including cakes, cookies and other edible one-of-a-kind confectionary works of art.

 

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Let’s Get Local: A Georgetown Dining Tradition

5/24/18 Written by Hannah Sither & Natalie Partin

Tucked within our Victorian downtown is an old-fashioned restaurant that has been serving the people of Georgetown since 1910. Fava’s Restaurant is a local diner that stays true to its beginnings, remaining the same in style, flavor, location and family. From new to seasoned customers, Fava’s creates a traditional dining experience with southern cooking and down-home favorites.

Fava’s originated with its dedicated owners, Louis “Louie” and Aunt “Susie” Bertolini Fava, first as a confectionary, serving delicious ice creams and homemade chocolate candies. But with Georgetown College located less than a mile away, the restaurant expanded their menu to fill the student’s hungry appetites, creating classic recipes that can still be tasted today. Fast-forwarding 100 or so years, Fava’s offers a little bit of everything for the folks of Georgetown and beyond. A true Fava’s meal isn’t complete though without one of their famous butterscotch or strawberry pies, crafted with expertise from a family secret!

Whether it be the Fava’s Big Boy Breakfast or an Open Face Roast Beef, you can find tasty options to eat at any time of the day, carrying full breakfast, lunch, and dinner selections. And the menu radiates Kentucky pride, sharing more popular dishes like their famous Kentucky Hot Brown, Fried Catfish, and Fried Pickles (better known as Frickles). And just like the Fava’s you would’ve found in 1910, you can still satisfy your guilty pleasures with handspun milkshakes that are made with the original machine dating back to a century ago. Tradition like this has kept regulars supporting Fava’s Restaurant since the day they first opened their doors, giving it a special place in Georgetown’s heart, and hopefully continuing this legacy for many years to come.

“It’s a great privilege meeting and talking with our Georgetown neighbors at Fava’s,” said Jon Gruchow, owner of Fava’s Restaurant. “We relish being such a big part of Georgetown’s historical community.”

Recent owners, Jon and Kim Gruchow, have worked hard with their family and staff to maintain Fava’s originality for both the regulars and the travelers looking for an authentic atmosphere. And this is evident the moment you step in the diner with their retro stools, hand painted and period-piece murals, mid-1900’s memorabilia (Betty Boop fans would be more than satisfied dining here), and hanging mugs brought from customers all over the world. The love for Fava’s can also be seen within the team of 22 employees, who take care of their customers every step of the way and provide genuine customer service.

 

You can taste this small-town love outside of Fava’s too, with the restaurant providing catering options for every event. When craving a hearty meal with an Irish beer, delivery to the nearby Slainte Public House is also available. You can stay connected with Fava’s on Facebook or visit their website to remain up-to-date on upcoming deals and events. Be sure to stop in this timeless diner soon for any type of foodie craving, especially if you are looking to leave with a full belly. Tradition in Georgetown starts at Fava’s, and sometimes ends there too!

 Photos by Hannah Sither

 

 Fava’s of Georgetown
159 E. Main St.
Georgetown, KY 40324
502-863-4383
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.favasofgeorgetown.com

 

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#GtownEats: Local Restaurant Serves Up Special Dishes for Kentucky’s Year of Food

Written by Kathy Witt & Nicky Reynolds

Good food and aged bourbon are two things Kentucky does best. In fact, the state has such an excellent reputation for its unique food heritage that Kentucky Tourism and each of the state’s nine tourism regions have crafted a signature meal to complement “The Year of Kentucky Food.”

Through October, Kentucky State Parks will serve up their respective regional meals. For Georgetown’s regional meal menu, diners should head to Natural Bridge State Resort Park in Slade, KY to be served the entire meal in one savory setting.

Photo by Kentucky Department of Tourism

Rave Reviews of Regional Meals

If your palate pines for the refined flavors of farm fresh beef, Bibb salad and a bourbon-infused dessert, just a few of the menu items on the Bluegrass, Horses, Bourbon & Boone Regional Meal, then we’ve got a great local restaurant cooking up a number of these delicious dishes.

The Bluegrass, Horses, Bourbon & Boone Regional Meal consists of the following dinner selections:

Appetizer     beer cheese
Entrée          Kentucky beef
Sides            grits, spoon bread, limestone Bibb salad with sorghum vinaigrette
Dessert         bourbon/chocolate dessert
Beverage      Ale-8-One, straight or mixed with bourbon

For a sampling of these delicious flavors, all you have to do is head into Georgetown and slide up to the table at Local Feed.

Local Farms Featured at Local Feed

Deep in the heart of Georgetown, Local Feed occupies an 1890s historic ice house just across the street from Royal Spring, where water was taken to make Elijah Craig’s first barrel of bourbon, or so the story goes. Local Feed offers its customers a unique selection of farm to table foods and a superb list of bourbons and craft cocktails.

For starters, diners can enjoy the Bibb salad with sorghum vinaigrette, country ham, apples, walnuts and Kenny’s farmhouse bleu. Perfect for lunch or dinner, the burger is topped with Kentucky Bibb lettuce and delicious fried onions. Add on some bleu, bacon, a farm fresh egg or some Sheltowee gourmet mushrooms for an explosion of flavor.

One of Local Feed’s signature courses is its steak, which it procures from Black Hawk Farms, a local family-run farm that breeds American Wagyu – grass-fed, grain-finished, hormone- and antibiotic-free cattle.

For dessert, the restaurant serves up a chocolatey fudge brownie topped with vanilla bean ice cream and bourbon caramel.

If you can’t make it to the Natural Bridge for the full Regional Meal, stop into Local Feed to sample some of the delicious flavors of the region that are served up each week from Tuesday through Sunday.

Local Feed photos by Hannah Sither Photography

 

 

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