After a short hiatus, we’re back with part 3 of our series on the Barn in the Summit at Fritz Farm! This time we’re hanging out at Whiskey Bear, the friendly neighborhood bar inside the Barn that has a lot of cool stuff to offer. Although it's only been open for a few months now, Whiskey Bear has already become somewhat of a "Cheers"-type watering hole for the residents of the on-site apartment complex, the Henry at Fritz Farm. Between the warm atmosphere and friendly bartenders, it's hard to resist popping in and having a drink (or six)! If bourbon is your cup of tea, so-to-speak, then you've definitely got to make sure you hit up Whiskey Bear; they carry a very large selection of bourbon and other whiskeys. They even have a rare bourbon collection that is constantly changing depending on availability! You can try any bourbon you like for a small fee; a 0.5 oz taste is $5, while a 2 oz pour will run you a couple of dollars more. Now, I realize that not everyone is as big a fan of bourbon as I am, and that's okay; Whiskey Bear also offers beer, wine, and other spirits so there's something for everyone to enjoy!

Keeping with the local theme of the barn, Whiskey Bear is owned by Daniel and Flo Marlowe, who previously owned Table 310 in the downtown Lexington area. While we didn't get a chance to sit down and have a conversation with the Marlowes, we did have a nice chat with Matt, the bartender on duty the night that we wandered into the bar. He was extremely nice and outgoing and gave us a lot of good information. For instance, did you know that you can order to-go drinks from the bar and take them with you while you shop?? How awesome is that?! As long as you don't wander off to Whole Foods or the other restaurants outside of the shopping perimeter then you're good to go! He also told us all about the weekly trivia night, which is co-hosted by Whiskey Bear, Pasture by Marksbury Farm, and Atomic Ramen. The prizes vary each week and come in the form of a gift card for both first and second place to different shops within the barn (first place wins a $50 gift card, while second place wins a $30 gift card). Lastly, Matt let us know that even though the other establishments inside the barn close at 9 PM, Whiskey Bear is always open late; you can come see them from 11 AM to 1 AM Monday-Thursday, 11 AM to 2 AM Friday and Saturday, and 11 AM to 12 AM on Sunday. And since they only serve a couple of bar snacks to nosh on, you can feel free to bring in any outside food (hopefully some food from the awesome restaurants in the barn)! 

Since we were sitting in a bar, we had to sample some of the drinks on the extensive menu (I know, we lead such a hard life, Renee and I)! If you haven't noticed by now, I'm a pretty big fan of bourbon; I'm a Maker's Mark ambassador for life, after all. So, of course, I had to sample some of our state's lovely brown libations. The Old Fashioned has become my go-to bourbon cocktail in the past year or two, so naturally, I had to try the Whiskey Bear version - and it did not disappoint. Made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, Angostura bitters, a sugar cube and garnished with an orange slice, they really stick with a simple recipe that doesn't overstep its boundaries, which I appreciate and enjoyed very much! On the rare bourbon menu, they featured several bucket list bourbons, but only one really caught my eye; the W.L. Weller 12 year. I had a taste of this one and oh my! It goes down so smooth, and the burn hits you right in the back of the throat! I loved it! Finishing off my evening sampler was a pint of one of my all-time favorite craft beers, Three Floyd Brewing's Yum Yum; an American Pale Ale that has just enough hops to reel you in, yet is still very easy to drink. Renee doesn't drink very often and didn't know what to try, so I suggested she try out their Cosmopolitan; it's a pretty timeless drink that's really hard not to like. The Whiskey Bear Cosmo has a very pretty appearance and a simple elegance, using only a citrus vodka with triple sec, lime, and cranberry juice, and was very light and easy to sip on while meeting some of the regulars at the bar. 

 All in all, we had a very fun experience here at Whiskey Bear. We stopped in on a cold Tuesday night so there weren't very many people hanging around, but we did strike up lots of good conversation with the regular crowd and had a great time meeting new people. I would definitely recommend checking them out solely based on their bourbon selection, but don't sleep on their other selections. Plus Matt the bartender was super cool, I can't say enough about how helpful and friendly he was to us; he and the other bartenders are very knowledgeable about their products and are more than willing to go out of their way to help you pick the perfect cocktail. Since it is a part of the Summit, the parking situation is the same as in previous posts; plenty of parking spaces, although you might not always find one near the barn (especially on a busy weekend). Whiskey Bear is really big into lifting up the other tenants of the barn, which is another reason we liked it there so much; the way all of these vendors treat each other with respect is unparalleled in this day and age. So if you find yourself over towards the Summit and you're feeling like you want to tie one on, then this is the place you need to be! Cheers!