1. There’s A Rivalry That’s Been A-Brewin’ For Years
Home to one of the fiercest college sports rivalries in the country, Kentuckians are forced to choose between the Louisville Cardinals and the Kentucky Wildcats at birth and then stick with their decision for life. If you’re new to the state, it’s best to just pick the side that seems like the favorite in your city and go with it, otherwise you can expect a little backlash.
2. Where Your Derby Seats Are At Really Matters
Depending on the type of experience you want, you’ll need to know what type of seats you should purchase at the ever-popular Kentucky Derby.
If you get seats in the grandstand, look forward to plenty of loaded high rollers in pastel suits and floppy hats.
If you don’t care too much about the race and would rather enjoy a good amount of beer and bourbon, check out the infield seats (basically just an area of grass and mud in the center of the track). It’s one of the biggest parties in the state and it’s much more laid back.
3. Bourbon IS NOT Your Standard Whiskey
There’s a reason Kentucky brands like Jim Beam are known all around the world for being so awesome and it’s not just their marketing scheme. Bourbon actually has to be made using a specific process in order to be classified under this name, which until recently was also restricted to being produced in the state of
Kentucky.
The Bluegrass State is still responsible for a strong majority of this drink’s worldwide production, utilizing the same time tested rules for its production process, being made from at least 51 percent corn before being stored in new charred oak barrels during the final distilling process.
4. A Mint Julep Isn’t Some Type Of Flower
It’s Kentucky’s most famous drink, known for bringing out some of the best flavors in bourbon. Making the Mint Julep is pretty simple. You just add mint leaf, bourbon, sugar, and water into a mixer and muddle the ingredients together to release the vibrant flavors of the ingredients. It’s typically served in a silver cup, but you’ll often also get it in a highball or whiskey glass.
5. It’s Completely Normal To Own A Horse… Or Four
With over 400 horse farms around Lexington alone, Kentucky is the horse capital of the world. It’s estimated that there are over 300,000 horses in the state bringing in an estimated 4 billion dollars to the state’s economy.
6. The Colonel Was A Real Dude
Believe it or not, the “Kentucky Colonel” is a real title and it was awarded to a man named Harland David Sanders for his breakthroughs in fried chicken. You can actually become a Kentucky Colonel too, you’ll just have to do something so beneficial for the state of Kentucky that the Governor or Secretary of State deems you worthy of the honor.
7. KFC Is Not The Only Fried Chicken Option
After the Colonel introduced the method of frying chicken in a pressure cooker to the state of Kentucky, tons of places started popping up utilizing the same strategy. Some of these restaurants have made variations to their original recipe and process since, but one place that is sure to serve you a delicious piece of fried chicken every time is the Bon Ton Mini Mart in Henderson, so tasty it’s been featured on Food Network’s television show “Best Thing I Ever Ate.”
8. A Hot Brown Is Something You’ll Actually Want To Eat
The name is a little misleading, but it comes from the Brown Hotel in Louisville where this delicious open-faced sandwich was originally crafted. Topped with turkey, bacon, and Mornay sauce, along with several other optional ingredients, before being baked or broiled, the “hot brown” is Kentucky classic that can’t be skipped.
9. Wild Turkeys Are Actually Something To Look Out For
Known for stomping around the Bluegrass State, Eastern Wild Turkeys are pretty spectacular animals. They prefer to walk but can fly at speeds of almost 50 miles per hour. If you see one, know that they have a tendency to be aggressive if they feel threatened, so be warned.
They also don’t obey the local traffic laws, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for them while driving. Things won’t end well if you crash your front end into a bird that can stand up to 4 feet tall and tends to weigh 30 pounds.
10. Don’t Be Shocked By The Deer Heads On The Wall
Kentucky is a state that’s filled with hunters and many hunters love to show off their trophies. From living rooms to the local bar, don’t be too surprised if there’s a head of a dead animal proudly hanging on the wall.
11. The Grass Isn’t Actually Blue Here
These days, most people have mowers so the grass in Kentucky is green, much like everywhere else in the country. The “bluegrass” names comes from the flowered heads of this grass species that forms in the wild when it’s able to grow at least two to three feet.
12. Bluegrass Gets Its Name From A Musician, Who Got His Name From The Grass
Technically that folky music you’ve come to recognize, as bluegrass isn’t really called that because it originated in the Bluegrass State. A pioneer of the genre named Bill Monroe started a popular band called the Blue Grass Boys in Atlanta, paying homage to the place he grew up, Kentucky.
Eventually, people all over the Appalachian region started enjoying this style filled with banjos, fiddles, and an upright bass, adopting the “bluegrass” name in the process.
13. Kentucky Has Four Seasons You’re Sure To Love
Thanks to its location in middle America, Kentucky experience four relatively mild seasons throughout the year. Summers get hot and humid but average temperatures tend to hang around the 70s.
Winter is quite a bit colder, but averages do stay above freezing, cold enough to bring a little snow, but not so cold you’ll be stuck in your house and miserable the whole time. Really, there’s not much to complain about when it comes to the weather here.
14. There’s A Reason You’re Sneezing So Much In Kentucky
There’s tons of pollen in this state, perfect for letting allergies shine. Louisville was literally ranked the worst place in America for allergies and asthma, resulting in many watering eyes and sniffling noses throughout the year.
15. “Mutton” Is A Nice Way Of Saying “Old Sheep”
If you’re eating mutton, you’re eating older lamb, known for a tougher, stronger flavor that most Americans find a little off-putting. That’s not the case in Kentucky though, as mutton tends to sneak its way onto menus around the Bluegrass State on a regular basis, often in the form of delicious Kentucky Barbecue.
16. Kentucky Delivers A Great Bang For Your Buck
One of the cheapest states to call home in the country, the cost of living score in this state is a very low 87, with major savings in the housing market, the health care industry, and at the grocery store checkout. To put that in perspective, this same cost of living index puts average America at 100, while places like San Francisco can soar to a score as high as 184.
17. Getting Around In This State Is A Breeze
When it comes to driving in the Bluegrass State, there’s very little to stress about. With long, low trafficked highways stretching from city to city, most of the driving you’ll do here will be straight and flat.
Even the larger urban areas aren’t that difficult to navigate, with average commute times in places like Lexington and Louisville being 20 minutes and 22 minutes, respectively.
18. Kentucky Is A Safe Place To Call Home
The crime rate in Kentucky hangs around 2,500 reported criminal acts per 100,000 residents, significantly lower than the national average of 3,099 reported criminal acts per 100,000 residents. Even the big cities where rates are expected to be inflated aren’t too bad, with Louisville reporting 4,831 reported acts per 100,000 people and Lexington at 4,338.
19. Kentucky Is A Great Place to Find A Job
Boasting an unemployment rate of 5.7 percent, Kentucky unemployment is lower than the national average of 6 percent. That means you’ll probably have no problem finding a job in the Bluegrass State.
20. Kentucky Is Full Of Celebrity Pride
Some of this country’s most recognizable celebrities have called Kentucky home at some point in their life and the locals will never shy away from reminding you. The list is long, but a few of the favorites include Muhammad Ali, Johnny Depp, Jennifer Lawrence, George Clooney, and good ole’ honest Abe Lincoln.
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