Everyone from Kentucky knows about the Bourbon Trail, and even the Urban Bourbon Trail in Louisville, but did you know Kentucky has a beer cheese trail? First served at John Allman’s Driftwood Inn Restaurant in the 1940s, beer cheese has become a signature spread of Kentucky. The trail that celebrates this creamy, cheesy culinary wonder stays around Winchester and Clark County, given that it’s the birth place of beer cheese. A lot of restaurants like to keep their recipe a secret, but the usual ingredients include cheese (obviously), a flat beer, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and a combination of spices such as cayenne and garlic powder. Due to its popularity, there are a lot of different kinds of beer cheese out there these days, but these eight stops on the beer cheese trail are the real deal.
1. Cairn Coffee House
Cairn Coffee House is a non-profit, direct trade, craft coffee shop that also serves lunch and dinner. Their Hot Mess sandwich is a gooey panini filled with beer cheese, American cheese, pepperoni, bacon, and Grippos potato chips. Cairn Coffee House is located at 17 S. Main Street.
2. Hall's On The River
Hall’s On The River won the commercial category of Winchester’s annual Beer Cheese Festival in 2015, and the People’s Choice category in 2016, so you know their stuff is good. They also sell their original "Hall’s Snappy Beer Cheese" by the container. Order their beer cheese platter as an appetizer, and you’ll discover beer cheese truly does taste good on anything— crackers, bread, pretzels, and even veggies. Located at 1225 Athens Boonesboro Road.
3. Waterfront Grille and Gathering
Like Hall’s, this place is located right on the Kentucky River, so you can enjoy your beer cheese on a scenic patio. It’s also recently renovated and reopened. Located at 220 Athens Boonesboro Road.
4. JK’s at Forest Grove
This old-time country restaurant serves breakfast and lunch. Their beer cheese is best enjoyed with another Winchester wonder, Ale-8-One soda, which they keep in an old-fashioned chest freezer. They are also well-known for serving homemade, country-style meals and desserts.
Located at 4636 Old Boonesboro Road.
5. Full Circle Market
This health food store is the only one of its kind in Winchester. Their homemade beer cheese won the commercial category of the Beer Cheese Festival this year, plus it’s gluten-free! They have both mild and spicy beer cheese that they sell in 5 oz, 8 oz, or 16 oz containers. According to their website, they will have a new flavor coming in November, made with feta cheese and Hefeweizen beer. Located at 240 Redwing Drive.
6. Woody’s Sports Bar and Grill
A sports bar known for their cheeseburgers and wings, you can also gorge yourself on their beer cheese platter, all while watching sports. They have placed 2nd and 3rd in two Beer Cheese Festivals. Located at 923 Bypass Road.
7. Gaunce’s Deli and Cafe
One of their breakfast sandwiches involves ham, an egg, and beer cheese, which sounds perfect. Their beer cheese has been the same family recipe for more than 50 years. They also serve a special Ale-8-One beer cheese that leaves you with a hint of sweetness. Located at 853 Bypass Road.
8. DJ’s Bar and Grill
DJ’s has won the People’s Choice award at the Beer Cheese Festival several times, and carry their own original recipe. Pair your beer cheese with a steak, because they’re known to serve good ones. Located at 836 Bypass Road.
Be sure to pick up a cheese log at any of the above restaurants. Order a beer cheese item off the menu, and you’ll get a stamp. Once your log is complete, drop it off at the Winchester-Clark County Tourism Commission. You just need to visit five of the eight stops to win a t-shirt, but why not try them all? If you stop at all eight restaurants, you’ll become an "Official Beer Cheese Ambassador," and will be entered into a drawing to be a judge at the next Beer Cheese Festival. Have any beer cheese connoisseurs completed the trail?
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and news
Thank you for subscribing!
