Stumbled upon this amazing place during a random walk around Louisville's Butchertown neighborhood…read more What got me looking was the beautiful "There Is Always Hope" mural on the brick building's exterior. What got me in was the sign advertising "Microbrewed Soy Sauce, Spirits, Tasting Room." What got me to stay was the inviting, cool interior (so welcome on this day approaching 100 degrees), the comfortable couches, throw rug, and green plants. And the bar with free samples.
So many free samples! Chocolate bark, caramels, truffles, ginger snaps, benne wafters, and more. Everything I tried was yummy. It wasn't explicitly stated, but sitting at the bar I got the impression I could have as many as I wanted. These truffles could easily be $3-4 apiece in some other shops. And I had too many; the truffles were excellent.
I wasn't drinking alcohol that afternoon which is a shame because they had a full bar with lots of bourbons and whiskies and intriguing specialty cocktails. But I did try one of their mocktails, the Matt's Butchertown Oasis: Pineapple juice, their own mint julep syrup, fresh lime juice, club soda, smoked chili rim. Cold and refreshing and not too sweet.
Their generosity with samples paid off, at least in my case. I bought so much there: artisan chocolate bars, cocktail cherries, a barbecue sauce and a marinade, a soy sauce and some ponzu. They make at least 4 kinds of oriental sauces, small batch and barrel-aged. I didn't try them but am looking forward to doing so soon. One, the "Bluegrass" is described as "the original. Meaty, brothy, briny, and leathery with a subtle sweetness." The other, the Bourbon Ponzu, is "clean and refreshing. Bright, tangy, tar, and biting with notes of citrus, mildly sweet, and umami flavor."
As if I hadn't had enough sweets already, another staff member came by and encouraged me to try the ice cream. I wavered, so they suggested just a taste. Which I accepted. How adorable: a little swirl of soft-serve in a tiny cone no more than 2 inches tall. Salted caramel, very good. Did I really see another customer drizzling smoked soy sauce on theirs? I think so? Sounds weird but could it really work? Something to try perhaps.