Bottoms Up: Keg Cowboy in Lexington
“If you pour it, they will come” is not a common phrase, but Keg Cowboy stumbled upon increased patronage with high-quality beers.
What started out as a place to purchase and learn about home-brewing techniques and methods turned into one of the popular spots to grab a cold one along Lexington’s Main Street – and not just any cold one, but a local beer with great taste.
“One of our mottos here is ‘no crap on tap,’” said Natalie Nelson, a co-owner. “We want people to step outside the box by buying something new. We don’t serve Budweiser or Bud Light, and people are pleasantly surprised when they try something new.”
Keg Cowboy, located at 108 E. Main St. in Lexington, has the look and feel of something that might be found in Charleston, which is part of the appeal, Nelson said. The interior lends itself to a unique layout with tables along the edges and a standalone bar top running down the center. Local beers and breweries fill the taps and coolers, along with local art for purchase on the walls.
“We got told this would never work in Lexington,” said Brian Nelson, Natalie’s co-owner and husband. “People tried to tell us that Lexington is just Bud Light and chicken wings. … This is a community full of smart, intellectual people, and we didn’t want dumb it down for the community. People sorely underestimated the quality of beer and food that Lexington was missing.”
One of the best comments about Keg Cowboy, according to Natalie, is that being there and drinking there feels like hanging out in the cool kid’s basement.
“You don’t have to dress up or look a certain way. You can just come in and enjoy yourself.”
The taps rotate pretty frequently and often boast a beer only found in one or two bars in the country. Prices and alcohol content vary, but most of the pints are in the $5-7 range.
“We want to give people in Lexington something to be proud of,” Natalie said.
Aaron Ransdell
Have a bar or drink that needs some love? Email statefeatures@thestate.com.
This story was originally published May 20, 2015 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Bottoms Up: Keg Cowboy in Lexington."