DRINKS
Kentucky’s Favorite Mixer Goes Big
Ale-8-One, the soft drink born in Winchester, Kentucky, is now available across the South
The Bluegrass State is known for its bourbon, its horses, and the music that originated from its rolling hills. And while you might have to travel there to fully experience those cultural highlights, you can now find one taste of Kentucky closer to home. Ale-8-One, a small craft soda company based out of Winchester, has expanded its distribution; the crisp, clean, ginger ale with a twist of citrus is now available in Harris Teeter, Kroger, and Fresh Market grocery stores throughout the South.
COURTESY OF ALE-8-ONE
G.L. Wainscott created Ale-8-One in 1926, and although its unique taste was a major hit, the product remained available only in Kentucky during the twentieth century. In 2002, the company expanded—but only to a few counties over the state line in Ohio and Indiana. “If we were going to expand, we wanted to do it right,” says fourth-generation Ale-8-One president Fielding Rogers. So the company took its time. In 2016, it partnered with Cracker Barrel to make the soda available in all 645 of the restaurant chain’s country stores in 44 states. Finally, this year, Ale-8-One decided to take a bigger leap, selling its product in grocery stores from Maryland to Texas.
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