Aug 18, 2025
The B-Line
Cross the bridge over the Ohio River from Cincinnati, and our Kentucky Bourbon Trail® experience begins. The B-Line is Northern Kentucky’s bourbon tour with distilleries, restaurants, and bars. There was a thrill in getting our B-Line passport stamped at each place we visited in Covington, Newport, and Augusta!
Did you know? Bourbon requires a mash bill of 51% corn. Kentucky bourbon must be aged in a new, charred oak barrel for at least one year in the state. The state’s climate of drastic temperature changes helps produce some of the finest spirits in the world.
Where to stay
We stayed at The Pickle Factory, a boutique hotel in the heart of activities along Madison Avenue in Covington. The name pays homage to what was once a pickle factory on the first floor of their historic building! The room was themed in neon lights and bohemian chic decor with indoor plants, too. It made for a great spot to relax after our tours!
The property is a part of Neat Suites, which allows easy booking and managing the reservation through their website. We found that the team provided excellent communication, let us know when our suite was ready, and made sure we had everything we needed. It was fun to feel more like a local, walking around the downtown neighborhood in the mornings and evenings during our stay.
What to see
Distilleries were the theme of this trip. The craft, history, and industry are vital to the region. Always drink responsibly and designate a driver.
The distilleries we visited, along with our favorite parts about each, are featured here. Each palate is different. For instance, David prefers sweet, while Edward prefers spicy. Taste the flavor profiles from various blends of grain and the varying techniques of barrel aging. This leads to sweetness from the corn, which is further accentuated by the addition of wheat. Then come spicy notes from rye. Other times, malted barley is used, too!
Becker & Bird Distillery
Would you believe Becker & Bird bourbon is distilled at one of the most historic sites in America? Becker & Bird Distillery is connected to the times of the American Revolutionary War. John Baker (born as Johannes Becker in Germany) immigrated to America, fought in the war, and then was a distiller during the Whiskey Rebellion in Washington County! Just 45 minutes southeast of Cincinnati, the road trip is beautiful along the rocky hills of Northern Kentucky.
Do not miss the country’s largest underground stone cellar, where this hand-dug space delights in the arched style it presents. Built in the 1850s, it is the oldest commercial winery in the United States. Enjoy an incredible tasting while you are here. We brought home a few bottles from here, both bourbon and wine!
Augusta Distillery
Just minutes from Becker & Bird Distillery, Augusta Distillery is on the edge of the cute downtown for which it is named. The bourbon-centric experiences are world-class here. We particularly loved getting to “pop a bung” from a barrel and “thief a pour” for our tastings. Our tour guide, Cory, couldn’t have been more personable and entertaining!
Augusta Distillery occupies a building that was once a button factory, which they honor in a room before entering the production facility. It was amazing to see the open fermentation tanks up close, and even tasting the mash was a fun and educational experience! We then filled our very own bottle and hand-wrote the label for a wheated blend we loved!
New Riff Distilling
Next, we headed back north to Newport, near the Newport Aquarium and adjacent to The Party Source, for our next Kentucky Bourbon Trail® experience at New Riff. Their three-story copper still encased in glass welcomed us into the modern building. Just 11 years young, Ken Lewis, also founder of The Party Source, created New Riff to pay homage to the timeless tradition that is bourbon, but add a new “riff” (think music) to the beat and future here.
It would be easy to spend hours here, as the third floor offers The Aquifer, a cocktail lounge and bourbon bar with ample natural lighting and delicious sips. It was a great way to end our tasting tour, sitting and relaxing in this space. Then it was back down to the gift shop to select the bottle we’d then take home!
Wenzel Distillery
We started at Wenzel Distillery on our second day, and let’s say they’re bringing the bourbon experience to Covington in an exciting manner. Their original space dated back to days before prohibition. To commemorate this and the anniversary of the building’s 150th year, Wenzel released 150 bottles of the first whiskey made in Covington since prohibition! How amazing is that?
Be sure to tour Wenzel Distillery’s newly opened production facility, bar, and gift shop, along with a beautiful event space on Madison Avenue.
Pensive Distilling Co.
Hop in the car and take a 10-minute drive from Wenzel to Pensive Distilling Co. + Kitchen in Newport, where you can enjoy a bite to eat as well as an incredible tasting of their spirits upstairs. Pensive is also known for something else. Moonshine! Their Apple Pie Moonshine was terrific, and we, of course, had to take a bottle home.
Pensive plays on Newport's gangster history with a hidden speakeasy upstairs and a food menu with dishes named after famous racehorses. The classic speakeasy space would be a perfect spot for a private event, or even a holiday party! We look forward to returning here, as their menu has some delicious burgers and sandwiches that allow us to reset our palates.
Where to eat
Beehive Augusta Tavern
The Beehive Augusta Tavern is a two-story farm-to-table dining experience on the riverfront in the city center, offering a full bar and an incredible menu. We enjoyed stopping here for lunch after our bourbon tours in Augusta.
David ordered a burger, and Edward had the steak sandwich. Service was friendly, and the design details were beautifully done. If the weather is nice, you can also sit outside on their covered porch-style patios.
Coppin’s Restaurant
Dinner at Coppin’s in the award-winning Hotel Covington cannot be missed. The chef’s culinary creations pair perfectly with signature cocktails, and of course, barrel picks from some of the most renowned Kentucky Bourbon Trail® member distilleries.
Our server and the manager made our evening extra special. We were treated to their famous Parker House-style dinner rolls and after-dinner cold brew, perfect for a second wind. The interior of the restaurant has comfortable seating in a solarium with loads of natural light.
We can’t wait to return
We appreciate the craft and learning about this time-honored tradition without driving for hours into the state! Our two-day Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour was phenomenal.
Some of the best master distillers we know were once brewers. They understand the science, and open fermentation is so unique. The working hours are often better for a distiller, too! Talk about a win-win!
We look forward to returning to Covington and seeing their expanded riverfront development in the next few years. For now, it's exciting to see all there is, including an immersive public art project. Walk “The Wenzel House” mural wall along the Tobacco Alley next door to the distillery along Madison Avenue, where you’re invited to make yourself at home! It's one of the best pieces of community we've seen in our travels.
We are reminded if Ohio is the heart of it all, Kentucky is our soul. We feel this, and we hope you will too!
There's so much more to see, sip, and taste in on the B-Line, so visit their site by clicking here for more information.
