Photo by Ryan Mahony
Set in the rolling hills of Goshen, Kentucky, Hermitage Farm is a historic property and inn that raises champion thoroughbreds and celebrates the area’s agricultural legacy with bourbon tastings and farm-to-table dining. At the property’s Barn8 restaurant, bartender and Kentucky native Zack Staten uses craft bourbons in seasonal cocktails like the Bourbon, Beets, Battlestar Galactica, a fall menu favorite. Named for a joke from one of his favorite TV shows, The Office, the cocktail was created when Staten decided to experiment with purple beet juice. He mixes the fresh juice with Old Forester 100-proof bourbon, lemon juice, and a simple syrup made with thyme and ginger, then shakes and pours it over ice. While the beet juice is prominent, he says the thyme adds a savory note and the ginger gives a subtle kick. “It’s like a traditional whiskey sour, but more earthy,” says Staten. Garnished with candied ginger, the drink is typically ordered as an aperitif, but Staten says some fans sip it throughout their meal. Beets are in season in the fall, so it’s perfect timing for a visit, especially in late October, when Hermitage Farm hosts Meet Your Maker, an annual market with artists, crafters, designers, and their wares.
This article appears in the Fall 2024 issue of Southbound.
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