Ethereal Brewing

Our favorite local brewery. Best quality & consistency across the board, they truly don’t have a bad beer on tap. We love coming here on Sundays to try the new flavors & play board games, especially when the weather is nice

Ethereal Brewing is more than just a brewery—it’s a destination. If you’re an IPA lover, this is the place for you! Stop in for a cold pour and a laid-back atmosphere. Bring your darts and make an afternoon of it! While you’re here, take the time to explore the fantastic establishments surrounding the brewery—they’re all worth a visit. Enjoying life one sip, one bite, and one small town at a time. Explore everything!

Excellent selection of extraordinary flavor experiences. The Muffin Man brew is truly Ethereal, wild blueberry heaven! Highly recommend that you try a flight and enjoy the ride.

The beer is awesome, try the grapefruit!! And the food! We had a pretzel for an appetizer with fish and chips, a Cesar salad and a burger. The brauts and mash was great. Our bartender Donavan will guide you. What a hidden gem

Today I experienced chef Cary’s inaugural Clam pizza. This pizza transported me to the northeast coast where I once lived. The taste took me away from Lex in a good way to the salty waters of New England with fresh clams harvested earlier in the day then cooked in the oils, herbs and spices of the sauce base. With plenty of good sized clams almost overloading each slice especially on the second half, I would argue the balance of the ingredients and full presence of the clams and infused sauce is a seafood lovers escape in the comfort of place and style of home.

Every beer I had was good and several were outstanding. If you visit one brewery in Lexington make it Ethereal.

Ethereal Brewing was a stop on our Distillery District food & beverage tour with Kaylee from Bites of the Bluegrass. As part of the tour we each got to choose a beer from their wall! It was a comfortable and enjoyable spot, a fun place to hang out with friends!

Nice brewery with a few items to snack on while there. They do allow other food but you must buy beer from them if you are to use their facility. If the weather is nice you can enjoy there outdoor seating area. Otherwise they have plenty of seating in the main area along with more in the back with a few dart boards.

Cute little spot that worked perfectly for a stop during a road trip to unwind, join a few meetings and pump out some work. Additionally, they are pet friendly inside and if you're feeling hungry you can order from the places nearby! The beers were delicious, the wifi was fast, and the service was friendly! Inside is welcoming and fairly large (larger than it looks from outside IMO). If I lived nearby I'd probably be a regular

Ethreal Brewing is located in the Old Distillery District in Lexington. They have a lot of indoor and outdoor seating to offer. The beer list looked very intriguing offering flights, 10oz pours and 16oz pours. Additionally, they have liquors, cider, seltzer, and minimal food. The staff were quick to turn drinks around and pricing was vey fair. My group tried the hazy ipas, pale ale, hefeweizen, sour. The beers were good but not the best we've had. My mom also got a tito's sprite which they ran out of vodka options outside of well on a Saturday evening. We were happy we stopped by to try but wouldn't go out of our way to come back.

I love this brewery. It's spacious and so many yummy beers to chose from. I got the flight with cherry limeade slice of sun and kiss the rings and blueberry lager. All so good. You can bring in food. There are plenty of places to choose.

Unexpected delight. We had a couple of hours to kill in Lexington and came down to the distillery district. Lots to do in the area but we'd never been to Ethereal Brewing. What a pleasant surprise! Lots of seating, great place to watch the game, clean restrooms. Can enjoy indoors or outdoors. Some snack items on the menu but located between Desperado's (a great Mexican restaurant) and Goodfellas Pizza. Can bring food into Ethereal. Probably the best craft beer in the area. We had the Throwback and Festbier. Pricing is better than most local breweries. Nothing bad to say about service. It wasn't over the top but certainly adequate. Already planning to visit again!

Very chill brewery in a equally cool multi-business space in Lexington. We're not from here, just stopping by on our way through. We arrived just after opening on a Monday. Aside from the construction happening outside which killed the outdoor ambiance, our visit was 5-star. Inside is still open air & urban-chic vibe. Chill music playing. My son really liked the Blunt Force Trauma, a bourbon barrel aged stout. They also had cans of cider from Pivot. The Kentucky Sunrise, a cherry-pear, was excellent. The Fadtastic was also really good. No food other than chips, but the little district has goodfellas pizza right next door. We got a slice from there and all together the combo made for a terrific lunch stop. Our beer tender was awesome - great service, welcoming & offered a free sticker when I asked if they had any. Definitely worth a stop!

Amazing area to explore and Ethereal is a perfect place to enjoy with friends. They check all the boxes; Food, drinks and great service!

I finally ate crow and came back in here after so many years of boycott. I met my friend Belinda out here for a beer or 4. Their variety of beers here along with the type and style of beer is so good. There were a few on the menu board that I had to try. I owe this business a big apology for my avoiding this brewery based off a horrible experience with the bartender the day I was here ages ago in their early years. Kelley was working today and made my day. I started with a scary berry and loved it. Lots of options. I will definitely have to come back here on my own without an arm twist. These guys know their shit. Check them out.

This place has definitely improved over the past several years, and now consistently has interesting and flavorful beers available. They are also noticeably invested in the community, which always makes me more eager to support a business. If the weather is nice, sitting out on their patio is a great experience. The inside is dark and a long and narrow seating area that perpetually feels crowded, so I don't love the indoor experience. Definitely a brewery/company worth checking out, and a great part of Lexington.

I'm a long-term fan of Ethereal Brewing, but today I was super excited to bring my bonus dog out for a good cause and support Saved By Fate Rescue! Enjoyed some amazing libations while soaking up the fun energy of tons of doggies! The beer and cider were both 10/10 (never go wrong with the bartenders recommendations), plus they welcome outside food.

Great place. We love the staff, beer, and atmosphere. This place is truly one of a kind, and a hidden gem in Lexington. There always have a great rotation of beers and have something for everyone. The vibe and character are also excellent. Cannot recommend this place enough.

Distillery district was such a fun place! My friends and I came here for ciders and beers, I did the blackberry cider and then there's outdoor seating which is nice. There's games in the back, but loved the open space. Bartenders were super friendly as well. Highly recommend coming here and it's right in the middle of all the other restaurants and other breweries.

We went to two of the locations in Lexington because I wanted to try more of their beer! This spot has a really cool bar, it's huge. They have some darts in the back too. Their beers are awesome, we loved their flights. Great options, something for everyone. They had some batches cocktails too that some of the girls liked. Great spot for a good beer!

Anything less than 5 stars is criminal. Best beer in Lexington. Best atmosphere in Lexington. Cannot recommend Etherial highly enough.

This business is so bright and airy and sports an outdoor dining area with views of the downtown. Lexington area. There is a nice selection of cocktails, a happy hour menu for the weekdays and great food selection as well. There are not many brewing company pub spots that you can order more than pub food. However, that is not the case with Ethereal Brewing Company. My husband got the fish and chips, which was twice fried, but the batter on the fish was light and extremely crispy. The fish was so fall apart in your mouth that I snuck a few more bites when he went to look at the upstairs bar area. I had the duck with edible flowers, which did not disappoint. When we stopped there on Sunday, they were hosting an open mic session for local musicians. It was so nice to hear the variety of artistry. I think the biggest surprise about this location, was the desire to be good stewards of business. I purchased a T-shirt for my son and accidentally forgot it and left it at the restaurant. My husband called them and asked if the could ship it to us. They said most definitely and refused to charge us for shipping costs.

Loved this place. Great great selection of beer. Did the sampler and loved all I tried. The area is awesome place to do some "bar hoping" The beer cheese they serve is the same brand that makes it for a lot of places but customozes it woth each breweries beer. The cost here is the same we paid at the grocery store & they give you a huge thing of pretzels. Do yourself a favor and order a second one to bring home!

Absolutely will be back again! Awesome industrial atmosphere and a great variety of beers. Darien was super knowledgeable about everything on tap and gave us a wonderful experience. He recommended we get pizza next door and we' were able to bring it in and enjoy our food with some banging brews!

Very famous brewery in the city so we gave it a shot when in town. The draft list was somewhat skim when we visited and it was also extremely cold inside (it's an industrial warehouse so doesn't heat up well). But if you come when it's warmer outside the location is very charming - lots of indoor and secluded outdoor seating. Worth a try.

This place is interesting! Great selection of beers, wide variety overall. The bar setting is cool, and the bartenders were quick and friendly. The dining room leaves something to be desired. Needs a major makeover, better setup of seating, could probably even fit more seating as it is a fairly large room. Worth stopping in and having a drink, if you can find a spot to sit!

Nice space with a good variety of beers with friendly and helpful staff that hosts local events in the heart of the Distillery District.

A little on the fascist side of COVID...and still I give them 4 stars! Nice vibe in a very industrial setting. Part of the refurbished J.E.Pepper distillery, Ethereal Brewing has found its niche in the District. Some of the more adventurous (and better) beer in Lexington. Inside and patio seating. A beer for every taste. Wine, ciders, and a limited bar also available. Games on the boob toob. Friendly and knowledgeable bartenders. Grab a pizza next door and it's a great spot for a watch party.

This would be a 5 star rating except the bartender at the not busy bar did not have bartender personality. Very stoic, not social, 'tossed' our stickers on the bar and walked away. Luckily the beer was really good and I would return for that only!

Our first visit to the distillery district. Really liked this place. They had a band on a Friday night which made it too loud to visit with our friends, but that wasn't a big deal because we had to scoot to dinner anyway. Check this place out! Will come back here again!

The beer here is truly special. They clearly use fresh ingredients to derive flavor as opposed to artificial flavorings and it really shows. They always have upwards of 16 different house-brewed beers on tap at all time and can also can or bottle them to take home. High quality brews in a historic building and a very friendly and knowledgeable staff to help you find your desired brew. Well done.

I've been meaning to make it to Ethereal for a couple months now and it definitely lived up to the hype. The distillery district atmosphere is great and Ethereal delivers a wide selection of stellar craft beers with a few guest taps and cider options as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the Old Gregg (Porter), Jiggle Billy (tart ale), and the Dissonant Whispers (hazy IPA), but the star of the night was the Thicc Boii'i. The imperial milk stout comes in at a whopping 16% and tastes like a smores - heavy on the chocolate and marshmallow! If you're looking for a feast outside venue with awesome beer then Ethereal is a must!!!

I Love this enclave of breweries, stores and restaurants in the "Lexington distillery district " hidden away on the edge of the down town. A must go and see and partake of the wonderful atmosphere, food, distilleries etc Ethereal brewery an is industrial Atmosphere with a great outdoor area for large groups especially on a beautiful fall day like today. The beer menu changes often the staff are friendly and helpful, there is trivia on Tue with cash prizes can't beat that. They are selling food however that's another review.

Unique brewery in the heart of the distillery district- which overall is very cool and I highly recommend. We were instantly greeted by a sweet hostest who led us to our seats on the outdoor patio. She instructed we have to use a QR code with our phones to scan to see the menu and also asked that only one patron go inside to order at a time. I appreciated these rules and her demeanor while explaining them. The outdoor patio was beautiful, and spaced out well. There was seating at picnic tables and high tops. I ordered the watermelon beer and it was light and delicious. Overall, a beautiful atmosphere and tasty beer. This is a good spot to meet friends, bring family, or have a date night. Dog friendly too!

I am still learning what beer I like. But I am always game for trying new things, especially when those new things are beer or wine! When we decided on a day trip to Lexington before an evening concert, we knew a couple of breweries would be on the top of our to do list. But which breweries?! Lexington is bubbling over with local brews! The Fella has been wanting to come to Ethereal for quite sometime, and when we discovered that it was basically across the street from the venue we would be ending up at that evening...well...easy decision! Ethereal would be our last stop before the show! To be totally fair, Ethereal was the 4th alcohol-only stop we made of the day. So, we were feeling good already. I don't know any of their flagship beers and didn't see a bunch on the list that really spoke to me. So I just chose four that sounded the most interesting and hoped I liked one or two of them. For $8 you get four 5oz. tastings of your choice. I tried their gose because I love sours. But theirs just didn't do it for me. I tried the Aunt Hohmima but it was a little too bitter for me. I tried the Loco for Choco Coco but all I could really taste was coffee (probably influenced by the Aunt Hohmima...). And I can't remember what I got for my fourth beer. I didn't love a lot of the beers. I feel a little like Goldilocks but without any of the "just right" options...Their menu, at least as of late April 2018, is very heavy on the IPAs and I just really don't like IPAs. That said, my beer preference is all about my personal taste, so I can't knock them off too many stars. They are absolutely worth a visit if you are in town or need to kill some time before a show at the Burl or if you just like trying new beers and brewery hopping! Their greatest strength is their wonderful outdoor space! We were there on a perfect, sunny, spring day and we were able to sip our beers outside for several hours. It was pretty perfect. I am sure I could find a beer on their long list that I would like well enough to enjoy on their patio with some friends! I would be happy to go back anytime!

Ethereal is by-far my favorite craft brewery in Lexington. Not only is the location fun, unique and private but they have really led the Distillery District into a thriving area. I usually visit a handful of times a year, and every time I come back there is something new to try in a short walk. I met the owners of Ethereal years ago, and their story is a fun one filled with college shenanigans, and you can see their fun personality reflected in the beers, especially their names. If an Old Gregg beer or Hop-Shaka-Laka doesn't get you laughing and reminiscing about old video games or Youtube videos you need to drink a few of said beers and get to researching! Besides having great beer, Ethereal is also dog-friendly which is always a big plus in my book. Their branding is stellar as well, and I'm always looking forward to what they are putting out next. Fingers crossed for expanded distribution, but I'll always make the short trip down to Lexington to have the full Ethereal experience.

We stopped in after dinner and the joint was jumping. I had the White Ale and hubs had an IPA. We enjoyed them both. Ended up buying one of their very cool pint glasses. Fun place and friendly service. Will definitely return.

Very nice location with plenty of seating both inside and outside on the patio. Great selection of beer, alcohol slushes, and liquor. Very pet friendly, so our dog enjoyed that. The bartender said they have trivia on Tuesdays, which would be cool to check out. Nice area to hang out in close to food options.

Ethereal Brewing was my third and last brewery stop in Lexington. I was really impressed with the location and surrounding area. Their welcoming outdoor patio is the first thing you notice. There are several other local businesses nearby who have made combined efforts to give this building complex a really laid back and cohesive feel and flow. My visit was short but sweet, as I arrived about 30 minutes before closing - even so, no one ever made me feel rushed. The taproom is divided into two primary sections - a two story main tap room and a back room with dart boards and bathrooms. My flight: Wanderlust Redux IPA, Wanderland IPA, Allopatric #2 and OGLP. Both of the IPAs were solid beers but the other two really stood out. The Allopatric is a Puncheon Aged Sour made with Cherries - tart, smooth and fruity with a 7% ABV punch. The OGLP is a Farmhouse with Peppercons - for some reason I just love Peppercorns in beer - they go together so nicely - a really tasty but interestingly complex beer. Would love to go back when I have more time! Totally recommended!

So I walk into the Ethereal adjacent to the Pepper Distillery and Goodfellas. Not a soul waiting at the bar, but the barkeep and another employee (manager?) are down at the end of the bar chatting it up. They see me, but don't acknowledge. I wait a full minute. She looks over again . . . but doesn't acknowledge. I wait still . . . and then leave. No interest in customers, I guess. On my lifetime boycott list. (My one star is an inflated review.) Chris McG. Lexington, KY

Dog friendly indoor and outdoors. My dog and I happened to catch a outdoor yoga class while we were there. Was nice to sit back and relax. No food menu but can bring in food from other places. Pizza place next door along with other great restaurants with awesome atmospheres.

A really fun brewery in the distillery district! They have a lot of different varieties of beer on tap, a few TVs (we watched the UK game there) and a selection of board games. They also have darts in the back room. They're dog friendly and when the weather permits they also have an outdoor section. It's a great place to hang out though parking is tricky sometimes because of all the other businesses in the area.

One of my favorite places to go when I'm in Lexington! They always have a great selection on Tap, and I love the outdoor area and open garage door into the tap room when the weather is nice! The bar tenders are always friendly and helpful! I alway love to try their new brews on tap!

A great place to go for unique beers and a wonderful experience. Unique flavors include pumpkin spice which is perfect for basic lovers like me. Grab a group of friends and enjoy a board game with your drink. They have several classics like monopoly, scrabble, etc. The location is great as you are in close proximity to Goodfellas and the rest of the Distillery District. The only con is parking. The parking on the weekends is very difficult.

They have a good selection of craft beer available when I was there they had a food truck outside the door selling tacos and burritos. It was a really nice day so we sat outside underneath the trellis it was absolutely gorgeous a lot of people down there If you're not IPA drinker this is the place for you I like Porters and Stouts they had just one or two selections

Ethereal, are you playing your love games with me? In case you are unaware, old gregg was my favorite beer while at ethereal and it happens to be one of my favorite episodes of the British comedy show, the mighty boosh. (Follow the link to see what I mean) Https://youtu.be/4LZo9ugJTWQ Now, you nee to walk past crank and boom, past middle fork to the garage door. Inside is a bearded man who will offer you beer in exchange for American money. The bearded man was not super talkative so I didn't learn much about the beer or the establishment. You can get a flight for $2 a pour. I choose all the dark beers. One of the beers smelled like coffee and old meat. (I can't remember the name) The other two were delightful. Originally, I was going out for crank and boom, but honestly, any vice will do.

My buddy took me to the distillery district and we came to Ethereal for some beers. We walked in and sat at the bar, I looked through the beer and I usually find something that makes me go, "Oh, that's interesting!' but the tap list at my visit didn't have anything that really grabbed me. I went with their Tropical Gose which had a lot of good tasty, passion fruit tartness and drank pretty clean. I really enjoyed it a lot and I wanted another one pretty quickly but the bar was huge, it was a busy weekend and the two bartenders were at the other end. By the time, we got the attention of one, my buddy brain farted and couldn't decide his second round. So she let us sit for a while longer, it definitely felt like we were in time out. I made sure my buddy ordered first then I got their Italian style pilsner, which I didn't enjoy. One beer I really liked, ok service. 3 Stars

Many breweries have themes. Some of them are in churches. Some of them focus on funk/sour beers. Some of them bring music into the mix. Others make their beer and feed it to the masses. Ethereal... they have a science/lab theme that's cool. I love the way they incorporate the science of brewing aspect into the place. It's not over the top but when entering breweries I love it when there's something that sets it apart. I've wanted to make it to Ethereal for a while. On a recent trip to Lexington to see Julien Baker at The Burl, we spent the day across the street having drinks and food. The taproom is cool. I dig the tall ceilings. It was early Spring when we visited and the place was busy. The person taking our order and prepping our beer was fine but you could tell that things were busy. I can't imagine the place being packed. Like most places, I could see service issues depending on the night, time, and the number of people hanging out. I think the places in this area thrive by having a shared outdoor patio space. It's a nice perk to any and all of the businesses here. Flights were priced accordingly. Four 5 oz pours for 8 bucks... that's what I expect to pay for a flight so thanks Ethereal... for not inflating your price on people just trying new brews. I don't remember exactly what I had and for some reason... the only beer I logged on Untapped was Aunt Hohmima - An Imperial Oatmeal Stout. It was a tasty stout... that I do remember. I don't remember any of the beers being undrinkable at all. I wish this beer was mass produced and I could find it in Louisville. I did pick up a bottle at the brewery of their Blood Orange IPA(shoutout to Gravely for having the best Blood Orange IPA). I saved the bottle for a while before finally breaking it open. It ended up being a disappointment, unfortunately. It was heavy on the hops with very little orange/citrus to it. Overall, I wish this place was closer to Louisville so that I could visit more often. With that being said, if you're only visiting Lexington I think this should be one of the top beer places that you should visit. A few of the other breweries in Lexington that get all the praise aren't exactly my favorites. There's enough variety here that you'll definitely find something you hate, something in the middle of the road, and something you love.

36/100 : 2018 Yelp Review Challenge I am not a huge fan of breweries, and craft beer. Well, I like the vibes of breweries...but I'm a crappy coors light kinda girl lol. This place had a cool interior and take home "swag" with some dart boards and about 18 beers to choose from. I got the one that was something like "rose´" that was pretty good. My friend asked the bartender for "a light refreshing beer that is easy to drink", the bartender asked if she was okay with citrus of which my friend said yes. Her beer had orange zest in the description, but she said it was awful. I personally did not try it. I never make it down to Lexington, but I would like to go back to Ethereal one day. There were other beers that sparked my interest, and I would also like to get a shirt or something tbh lol. You can also bring your dogs there which I thought was awesomeeeee because I love puppers and my goal in life is to pet them all

Cool location, loved bourbon barrel aged beer (although 13.5%!) as well as the hazy IPA and daughter loved the pumpkin pie specialty beers. Would love to go during warmer weather and sit outside- looks like a cool seating area

We came on the first day of summer and the first day without rain in a month. The weather was perfect a slight breeze and mid 70s. Perfect beer drinking weather! This is my first visit to Ethereal, in fact, my first visit to distillery row. We live in Maryland, and our frequent trips have included West Sixth, a very progressive brewery. I have high expectations of craft breweries, but I do not record my drinking on any beer apps, though the rest of my family does. I tried the Throwback, an American pilsner. Pilsners are hard to get right, so quite a few craft beer efforts seem to avoid them. I am also not a fan of the recent extremes in beer making. So a good pilsner, ale, simple IPA, or other straightforward brew is all I really want. The efforts to out-brew the competition seem to be at the expense of the basics. We have tried sours and fruit beers that are thick enough to be called smoothies; chocolate, coffee, oatmeal stouts that pour like syrup; and other variations. I am back to pilsners, needless to say. The Throwback is passable basic and uncomplicated. Drink well, tip well.

I really really really WANT to love this place. When I first came to this place, I was so happy to find such an awesome looking place. I love the décor, I love the high ceilings, I just loved the whole vibe of the place. It felt like a mixture of an abandoned warehouse (because of the open space feel) and a garage (because of the cool décor/art work and plus I think the door was a garage door). I had such high hopes of a good time but unfortunately the rude bartenderS (yes, plural) ruined my experience. I'm from NY (born and raised) so I've had my fair share of packed bars and busy bartenders. The overall bar had a good amount of people, I wouldn't say packed nor full but busy. Our group all came at different times, it was our pre-game spot before dinner next door. I liked that there was a bar menu on the wall. There were 2 bartenders for the whole bar. Literally all my friends got their adult beverages and I was ready to place my order. Sat there, sitting up straight, and trying to make eye contact with either one of the bartenders. Neither one paid any attention nor acknowledged that I was waiting and tell me something like "I'll be right with you." Literally I watched them each make at least 5 drinks and I'm still waiting for them to take my order. By this time, my friends were almost done with their first beverage and I didn't even order my first drink yet! I ran impatient and just yelled out "EXCUSE ME" because obviously waiting patiently was not working. I don't know what's wrong. Maybe their bar set up is not efficient because all I see them do is walk back and forth, back and forth. And still no drink in my hand. NY bars are way more packed than this bar and usually they've got it together.

Great atmosphere, lovely location, awesome draft selection. Our group ordered flights and beer by the glass. All was enjoyed. Looking forward to a return visit.

Definitely an excellent brewery to check out while riding through Lexington. My partner and I stopped in for a pint or two on the way to a show. We had a hard time finding the joint at first until we realized that it was tucked away amongst a few other establishments. We passed it up originally, and then we realized that you have to park behind the set of buildings in order to enter. After parking and walking past a couple of couple of stores, we ended up at a welcoming spot with high ceilings, plenty of seating inside and out, a medium sized room in the back with a couple of games, and a long bar with plenty of Ethereal's own taps as well a few guests. Ordering was simple using the menu on the wall that gave beer style, ABV, and cost. The staff was friendly and seemed a bit playful, and the beer was delicious. I had a hazy NEIPA, which was fruity, juicy, and a little hoppy. We also checked out the outside seating, which had a nice pergola style cover and plenty of seating. Overall, excellent local brewery that is worth another visit.

Loved their beer. Good flavors to choose from. They even had Turkish coffee. The location was cool because there was a cider place and craft ice cream place right by. I got a frozen strawberry daiquiri with sour in it. They had some ciders to choose from too. Place had super high ceilings and an industrial look with metal chairs.

Love the atmosphere. The bartenders are always I friendly friendly and remember you. The outside area is nice. I love sitting in, playing darts, and grabbing a growler to go. Beers are always great and I've never had a bad one.

Good brews from this brewery located in the old James Pepper Distillery complex. Their IPA's were pretty good. Service was good. Try pairing some of their beers with a Goodfellas pizza locate next door.