Creativity is at the center of Paducah's culture. As a testament to that creativity, Paducah enjoys not one, but two craft breweries. Dry Ground Brewing Company and Paducah Beer Werks produce unique brews year round. Some honor Paducah's history while others explore creative ways to invent fresh, new taste profiles. Learn about some special creations in the brewers' own words, then join in the West Kentucky Brewery Hop and visit Paducah's breweries yourself.
A trio of brews from Paducah Beer Werks
Dry Ground Brewing Company, in the words of Manager Cory Greene
Della Barnes Hazy IPA
When we decided to brew hazy IPAs (or New England India Pale Ale), we wanted to do it as a series of brews where the malt bill would essentially be the same on the individual beers, but with different hops in order to show the variety in flavors and aromas that hops can feature. We also wanted to have a theme in the beer names, so we decided all the hazy IPAs would be named after local folklore or other weird characters from Paducah's history. The first in the series, Della Barnes, was named after the famous ghost from the Oak Grove cemetery. Other beers in the series have included Speedy Atkins and Dollie the Mule.
As with most IPAs, the main flavor profile comes from the copious amounts of hops added to the brew and dry hop process. The hops featured in Della Barnes are Citra and Mosaic hops, which bring an intense aroma and taste of tropical fruits such as mangos.
Dry Ground Brewing Company's Della Barnes Hazy IPA
Cobb Kentucky Common Ale
The Kentucky Common is one of three beer styles native to the United States. It gained in popularity from the 1850’s up until prohibition. The style is similar to that of an amber cream ale, but with corn used as a major ingredient. The style was originally created to be able to have a very short span between brewing and consumption due to lack of refrigeration in the 1800s. The version we brewed is named after famous Paducahan, Irvin S. Cobb. Cobb has a biscuit-like smell with slight hints of caramel. It is a very easy drinker with a soft, creamy mouth feel.
A creamy pour of Cobb Kentucky Common Ale
Paducah Beer Werks, in the words of Manager Foster Stacy
Dude Pilsner
Paducah Beer Werks has always focused on traditional beer styles. The Dude Pilsner came from the idea to create a great Pilsner using Lubelski hops from Poland. Being a fan of the movie The Big Lebowski, the name similarity was instant: The Dude: A Big Lubelski Pilsner. We wanted to round out our selection with a beer that was closer to a macro style, yet still unique.
One idea we had was to create a series of beers that follow the Big Lebowski movie references. You start with the Dude, then Walter, Then the Nihilist, and finally the Rug (it brings the beer together). We still plan to brew this series in the future.
A frosty glass of The Dude at Paducah Beer Werks
Mexican Lager
We have had great success with the Dude and noticed that for some customers the Dude was still a little heavy. The Mexican Lager was an easy transition to a lighter style. We first looked for what went into that type of lager. We used flaked maize or corn as a major ingredient. Then we looked for the right hop. Think summer and refreshing. We chose Motueka, grown in New Zealand with a citrus flavor. It was the perfect hop to capture the flavor profile we were looking for.
Paducah Beer Werks' Mexican Lager
For even more creative brews, take a tour through the West Kentucky Brewery Hop. Grab your free West Kentucky Brewery Hop passport at the Paducah Visitors Center, 128 Broadway.
