Ale 8 One leaves lasting taste after more than 100 years

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) - Who said bourbon is the only worthwhile drink being produced in Kentucky?

Ale 8 One is the Bluegrass state's only surviving soft drink. It's made in Winchester and is an 111 year-old company.

G.L. Wainscott came up with the flavor after Coca Cola took him to court for his original creation, Roxa Cola. The year was 1926, and the drink has only grown since.

"We try to think of ourselves as a little jewel of Kentucky," said Ellen McGeeney, President of Ale 8 One.

At first, the drink was only available in Winchester, Mt. Sterling and Lexington. Now it's also in Indiana and Ohio, in addition to nearly all of Kentucky, with sights set on West Virginia and Tennessee.

"My focus is entirely on expanding our distribution area, expanding our product portfolio, and seeing us grow," said McGeeney.

Anyone who's had Ale 8 One before knows it's kind of like ginger ale with a kick.

As for what's actually inside one of the bottles, that secret's under lock and key.

"We make all of it right here," said McGeeney. That includes the drink itself, labels and packaging.

The team has the production process down to organized chaos.

"If it's a good day, we run roughly about 1,500 cases an hour," said employee Ryan Ison.

"With one shift, we'll produce about 10,000 cases," said McGeeney.

The most important part is obviously what's in each bottle. The taste, smell, and ingredients have to be spot on before a six pack is loaded on a truck. And, that is a serious scientific process.

"If we start deviating low or high, we need to make adjustments right then," explained McGeeney.

The staff says they feel like they owe it to their fellow Ale 8 One drinkers.

"It's local and it's special because there's more of a story to tell, and we're proud of it," said Ison.

It's the type of pride you'll only find when something is "Made in Kentucky."

The drink is available at most Kroger and Walmart stores around Louisville.