The B-Line Frequently Asked Questions, Plus a Handy B-Line Map!

It’s been a whirlwind since The B-Line®, Northern Kentucky’s Bourbon experience, was launched in 2018.  Visitors and journalists alike, from both the USA and around the world, have visited The B-Line stops or stopped at the signature red canopy at Bourbon events to learn more about this bourbon experience.

As you can see from the smiling photo people have already completed their Line Guide and received free bourbon swag. Folks are "finding their sipping point" on The B-Line-- and it keeps getting better!

Sometimes though, when you’re close to something, you can get too familiar with its details and forget that not everyone knows your story. This was driven home last week when we got a call from someone who’d heard about The B-Line and was very interested, but had a lot of questions. So, in case you’re just hearing about it too, here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions about The B-Line.

What exactly is The B-Line?

The B-Line is a bourbon experience in Northern Kentucky, just across the Ohio river from Cincinnati. It consists of 28 bourbon loving spots: 9 Kentucky Bourbon Trail® distilleries, 10 bourbon-centric restaurants, and 9 bourbon bars (some of the best in the country). You pick up a copy of The B-Line Passport and get it stamped at 2 of the distilleries, 2 of the restaurants, and 2 of the bourbon bars and then you redeem it for free bourbon swag here.

Do you have to pay for The B-Line Passport?

No, The B-Line Line Guide is free, as is the experience—you don’t have to pay a fee to participate in The B-Line. You will need to buy something at the bars and restaurants, but it doesn’t have to be bourbon - or even alcoholic. You can get a paper copy of the Passport at any of the stops and start getting it stamped to earn your free bourbon swag. You can also use a digital version of the Guide on your phone, Sign up for the free B-Line digital passport here.

Do you have to stay in one of The B-Line's partner hotels?

You can stay anywhere you like but of course we do highly recommend our award-winning partner hotels, Hotel Covington and Aloft, for a stay in our area for any reason! And, of course, we think they’re the best choice if you’re here to do The B-Line. Both the Aloft and Hotel Covington have impressive bourbon collections and offer spectacular craft cocktails.

Do you need a reservation?

The B-Line is a completely self-chosen experience. You can visit any of the stops on any day and at any time you choose, provided they’re open at that time, of course! However, word to the wise, The B-Line restaurants are very popular, so it would be a good idea to make a reservation, especially if you plan to go on a weekend. In addition, some distilleries require tours to be prearranged, so reaching out ahead of time is encouraged.

How close are The B-Line Stops? And do you provide transportation to them?

As you can see from The B-Line Map below, many of the stops are within a couple of minutes walking distance of each other. For example, Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar, Wiseguy Lounge, and Bouquet Restaurant are all in Mainstrasse Village in Covington, KY, just a few doors away from one another. And you could easily walk over to The Globe in Covington’s downtown business district from them too. A few of our stops are a bit farther away, like Tousey House. And of course, some of them like Old Pogue Distillery and Augusta Distillery are in Maysville and Augusta, KY respectively. Both are charming riverside towns that are well worth the approximately 1 hour drive. We do not provide transportation, but we do know a few guide companies you can call on to organize a trip.

We hope this gives you a good idea of how it all works. And we hope to see you on The B-Line one day soon! Cheers, y’all!