For beer in Bardstown, go to Scout & Scholar Brewing Co. on West Flaget Avenue, the town’s brewpub, a block from Court Square. For wine, drive about 15 miles to Springhill Winery near Bloomfield, where a vineyard surrounds an estate dating to 1857 and tastings run Tuesday through Saturday afternoons. Nelson County has a couple of small farm wineries worth a call, but no dedicated cidery, so cider fans will find it in seasonal cocktails instead. It’s a short list in a bourbon town, and a good one for the friend who doesn’t drink whiskey.
Beer, wine and cider at a glance
| Place | What | Address | Hours as published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scout & Scholar Brewing Co. | Brewpub | 112 W Flaget Ave | Tue-Wed 4-9 p.m.; Thu from 11 a.m. or 4 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.-9 p.m. | House beer, full kitchen |
| Springhill Winery | Winery and B&B | 3205 Springfield Rd, Bloomfield | Tue-Thu noon-5 p.m.; Fri-Sat noon-6 p.m. | Tasting room and vineyard patio |
| 3rd Street Tap House | Craft beer bar | 112 N 3rd St | Evenings; hours vary | Likely open; call ahead |
| McIntyre & Family Winery | Farm winery | 585 McIntyre Ln, Bardstown | Not published | Likely open; call ahead |
| Chuckleberry Farm & Winery | Farm winery | Nelson County | Not published | Likely open; call ahead |
Scout & Scholar Brewing Co.
Tripadvisor calls it Bardstown’s first craft brewery restaurant, and it remains the only brewpub in town. The name honors William and David Bard, the brothers who founded Bardstown, and the setting is industrial-chic, with an outdoor patio. The taps mix house-brewed beers with guest pours, including nitro, and its Untappd page lists 36 beers. Growlers, crowlers and kegs go home with you.
The kitchen is a real one: smash burgers (a favorite in recent reviews), totchos, a Cuban sandwich, a Kentucky Hot Brown, shrimp and grits and soft pretzels, with menu items from about $8 to $44. Bourbon drinkers aren’t forgotten; the bar pours private-select barrel picks. Weekend brunch specials run Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Hours on Scout & Scholar’s site are Tuesday and Wednesday 4 to 9 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (the kitchen closes at 9), and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Some listings show a 4 p.m. Thursday opening, so check before a Thursday lunch. It’s closed Monday. There’s live music at times, and it’s dog- and kid-friendly. Newer ownership changed the menu, and a longtime regular missed the old favorites, so expect a slightly different place than older reviews describe. Full details are on the Scout & Scholar page.
Springhill Winery
The one Nelson County winery with a full, current schedule is Springhill Winery, on Springfield Road near Bloomfield, about 15 miles from Bardstown. The estate dates to 1857 and its plantation-style mansion now doubles as a bed and breakfast. The tasting room and patio look over the vineyard, and the estate wines include Merlot, Cabernet and Chardonnay. Tripadvisor reviewers give it 4.8 out of 5.
The winery pours Tuesday through Thursday noon to 5 p.m. and Friday and Saturday noon to 6 p.m., with last pour 15 minutes before closing, and it’s closed Sunday and Monday. An older Visit Bardstown listing mentions a winter closure from late December to late January, so call in the off-season on (502) 442-3356.
Springhill’s fall 2026 calendar includes a Grazing & Tasting on September 26, a Women’s Wellness Weekend on October 2 and 3, and Words with Wine on October 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. Overnight guests book suites from $229 to $249 a night; see the Springhill Winery B&B page. Bloomfield is a country drive, so the designated driver should be picked before the first pour.
Small farm wineries: call ahead
Visit Bardstown’s wine page lists two more Nelson County wineries. They’re likely open, but no dated recent reviews or published hours turned up, so call ahead.
McIntyre & Family Winery, at 585 McIntyre Lane, is a berry farm and winery known for sweet berry wines and a Persimmon Sweet. Visit Bardstown describes a tasting room and patio views; phone (502) 507-3328 before driving out.
Chuckleberry Farm & Winery is described by Visit Bardstown as fruit-forward and laid-back. A 2026 downtown business directory lists a Chuckleberry tasting room on North Third Street, which could make it the easiest wine stop in town, but confirm it’s pouring before you go.
Across the county line in Bullitt County, Forest Edge Winery and Wight-Meyer Vineyard & Winery near Shepherdsville are also nearby options on the Louisville side; check their current hours directly.
Taprooms and beer bars
3rd Street Tap House, at 112 North Third, is a craft beer and bourbon bar in a historic building with 20 to 30-plus taps, live music most nights and a heated, covered back patio with its own bar, per Bardstown Main Street. It has no kitchen, but Cafe Primo is next door. Recent dated reviews are thin and posted hours conflict, so treat it as likely open and call (502) 348-8991. A cover charge may apply late on music nights.
Where to find cider
No dedicated cidery turned up anywhere in Nelson County, so treat cider as a seasonal treat rather than a destination. My Old Kentucky Home sells a $20 Tour & Cider ticket that pairs the mansion tour with a cider (set up for groups of 10 or more, booked two weeks ahead), and its Christmas candlelight tours advertise hot cider. Downtown, Liam Ash Cocktail Emporium builds seasonal releases, and an apple cider tequila drink has featured on its fall menu. For a real cider-and-beer outing, Lexington, about an hour and 12 minutes away, has the Lexington Brewing & Distilling campus, where brewery and distillery share one site; see the Lexington day trip.
Beer and wine with a hands-on twist
At Making Good Scentz on North Third, the Sipz & Scentz candle bar lets you pour your own candle while you sip locally made wine, beer or seltzer. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., takes walk-ins, and recommends reservations when busy. It’s a good rainy-afternoon plan for groups with mixed tastes.
Every August, Buttermilk Days on South Third Street opens with a homemade wine-tasting event and food buffet (the 17th was August 27, 2026), a local tradition more than a tourist event. See the Nelson County Fair and Buttermilk Days page.
A beer-and-wine day in Bardstown
Here’s a plan for the group member who’d rather skip the rickhouses. Spend the morning browsing North Third Street, where the shopping in Bardstown guide maps the boutiques, and pour a candle at Making Good Scentz with a glass of local wine. Drive out to Springhill for an early-afternoon tasting on the vineyard patio (not Sunday or Monday). Come back for a late lunch or early dinner and a flight of house beers at Scout & Scholar, then catch live music downtown. If the rest of your party is touring distilleries, many tours welcome non-drinkers; the guide to distilleries for non-drinkers and families explains the age rules and what you can do while others taste.
Drink smart
Beer and wine still count. Kentucky’s legal drinking age is 21 everywhere, tasting rooms check ID, and the rural roads out to the wineries are no place for a buzz after sunset. Plan a driver, and read drinking responsibly in Bardstown before a full day of tastings.
