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Kentucky needs to be recognized for more than just bourbon and horse racing. And this is a no-brainer…they absolutely own this beer style.
Here’s the deal
The Kentucky Common beer which is sometimes called “Common” or “Dark Cream Ale,” is a once-popular style of ale that was born in Louisville, Kentucky area that was dominant style in the rivertown from the 1850s until Prohibition.
Before modern refrigeration, most breweries depended on ice stored from the previous winter for producing beer. The Louisville area usually did not have the weather conditions to produce enough ice for this.
With an influx of European immigrants into Louisville during the mid-19th century, there was an increased demand for beer in the area.
Common beer was fermented at higher temperatures like an ale, but was aged for a very short period of time if at all before being consumed, thus eliminating any need to keep it cool. This kept overhead costs down for the brewery and made it inexpensive to purchase, so it was very popular among working-class Germans that flooded the region.
In the wake of prohibition, the Kentucky Common was largely forgotten, but increasingly craft brewers are returning to it. Just this last year, the Brewers Association updated their style guideline to officially include the long dormant style.
And now Michael Moeller, a co-founder of the Louisville Ale Trail, is on a mission to get the Kentucky Common named the official beer style of the bluegrass state.
And he’s right in his crusade…
Not only is the Kentucky Common a significant beer style, but naming it the official state beer could help a growing section of the economy, draw long overdue attention to Kentucky’s beer heritage and attract beer tourists to its booming craft beer scene.
All good…no?
Back in July, Moeller sent a request to Gov. Andy Beshear asking him to name the Kentucky Common the official beer style of Kentucky via executive order. But he was told that the Kentucky General Assembly was responsible for state designations and he needed to take his case to the state’s legislators.
So he’s set up a petition page where you can help him get this done.
And while we’re focusing on the “Bluegrass State” there’s also this….
