There’s a lot of stuff going on at Down One Bourbon Bar these days. When they’re not feeding the Yum Center crowds they’re busy winning awards. They were #3 on the top ten bourbon bars list I put together last year, one of Bourbon Review’s 55 best Bourbon Bars in America this year, and one of Thrillist’s top 8 Bourbon Bars in Louisville.
In addition to these accolades, Beth Burrows, the head bartender, won the recent Not Your Pink Drink contest sponsored by the Bourbon Women. The drink she won for is called Diva’s Envy:
2 ounces 86.6 PROOF Bourbon
1 ounce Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur
½ ounce Cinnamon Simple Syrup
5 drops Chocolate Bitters
Combine all ingredients, except the chocolate bitters- shake with ice.
Strain into coupe glass, top with chocolate bitters.
Garnish - Chocolate Straw with (egg-free) Cookie Dough Ball around chocolate straw. Place across glass.
I was recently invited to Down One to learn more about their many recent accolades. I was served a “Three Little Pigs” sandwich, which won “Best Barbecue Sandwich” from Restaurant and Hospitality Magazine. The sandwich featured Roasted pork belly, pulled pork shoulder, thick-cut slab bacon, pickles, slaw, and mustard-barbecue on a toasted bun. It was fabulous.
The most surprising part of all this is that they have only been open just under two years. When you walk into Down One you get the feel of a place that has been around much longer. Perhaps that is due in part to the chandeliers that were salvaged from Executive West before it was torn down or the stained glass pieces that were salvaged from the Brennan House during its renovation. No matter what the cause, Down One has secured its place in Louisville’s bourbon culture. If you haven’t had the chance to check it out yet, go have a Three Little Pigs sandwich and one of the over 130 bourbons for me.
Photos Courtesy of Maggie Kimberl and Bourbon Women
