Exploring Our Love Affair with Craft Beer

EXPLORING OUR LOVE AFFAIR WITH CRAFT BEER

UNDERSTANDING THE THREE-TIER SYSTEM

MEET DEVILS BACKBONE

A PRETENTIOUS GLASS FOR EVERY CHOCOLATE GANACHE BREW FROM STOUT CUPCAKE RECIPE PRETENTIOUS BEER BY NANCY VIENNEAU GLASS COMPANY NASHVILLE’S NEWEST ADDICTION Join us at our launch party! Saturday, February 13th from 2-4pm Homegrown Taproom & Marketplace

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AN EARTH DAY EVENT - APRIL 23, 2016 DETAILS to FOLLOW in the SPRING issue of TENNESSEE CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE WINTER 2016 | VOLUME II NO I FEATURES

17 The Ins and Outs of Tennessee’s Three-Tier System

11 Pretentious beer Glass 21 company: DEVILS A Vessel BACKBONE Worthy of COMES TO the Craft TENNESSEE

DEPARTMENTS 9 PAIRINGS: 27 SOCIAL DRINK: Surviving the long winter nights with the new seasonal Taking it to the next level in the latest round beers and comforting recipes from Nancy Vienneau of spirits from SPEAKeasy Spirits

16 SCIENCE: 29 HOME BREW: Becoming self sufficient with Jeff Mello of Bootleg Biology A recipe for success from two of the best, Blackberry Farm Brewery and Art Whitaker 19 BREWERY PROFILE: Brewing the traditional way at Woodruff 39 LAST CALL: Brewery in Knoxville, Tennessee Crafting the ultimate combination in Jackson, Tennessee pizza and beer 22 BEER RUN: Setting the pace on the Tennessee Ale Trail THE LOVE ISSUE Contents | THE LOVE ISSUE DEAR FRIENDS IN BEER, Staff source collection and cultivation project, Local Yeast Project. President Check out a different combination of Craig Disque yeasts—in brews and pizzas—at Jackson’s Rock’n Dough Pizza and Brew Co. in the Publisher city’s Jackson Walk development. It’s the Didi Rainey brainchild of Memphis-based owner Jeremy Denno and brewmaster Ben Pugh. Image Fuel Take a trip with us to the Tri-Cities, where Adam Mitchell the beer industry is bustling. Our writers did Senior Editor their homework and stopped in to visit the Don Else area’s breweries that can’t be missed—read more about them on page 2. Managing Editor Thank you for your continued support of Laura Jane Walker Tennessee Craft Beer magazine. What started appy New Year from Tennessee as a labor of love has grown to support more Sales and Marketing Craft Beer magazine! than 25 individuals who blend their love of Jason Carpenter H This year brings many new and craft beer in these pages through writing, Whitney Allen exciting changes in the beer industry and in editing, design, photography and insight. the magazine. We’re moving forward with an We also couldn’t do it without the support of Art Direction/Design Ellis Humphres updated look and feel from cover to cover, our advertisers. and we hope you enjoy! We feel it reflects As always, we strive to be the source of edu- Contributors you, our readership, and serves to highlight cation and information for beer happenings Nancy Vienneau our state’s beer lovers. in our great state. Stay tuned this year for Chris Chamberlain And beer lovers are exactly what they are. exciting announcements and introductions— Kendall Joseph Read about these entrepreneurs and crafts we think you’ll like what we have in store! Veronica de la Cruz-Gibbs people across the state. Matthew Cummings’ Rob Shomaker Pretentious Beer Glass Company in Knoxville Cheers! Tony Giannasi is changing the way we consume our favorite Laura Jane Walker Kate Falkner beverage with specialized, hand-blown glasses. Stephanie Carson Jeff Mello’s Bootleg Biology in Nashville Art Whitaker captures wild yeasts—and encourages you Stylist to wrangle and contribute yeasts for its open Teresa Blackburn

Photographers Stephanie Mullins Shelley Justiss Brandon Lunday Holly Rainey EDITOR’S COOL FIND FIND US ONLINE tncraftbeermag.com facebook.com/TNCBG @tncraftbeermag #TNbeer #tnbeer

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©2016 Tennessee Craft Beer Magazine must give permission for any material Keep your fresh, craft beer ice cold for contained herein to be reproduced in any days—no, really. The Hydro Flask 64 oz Wide manner. Any advertisements published Mouth Growler keeps beer cold for 24 hours. in Tennessee Craft Beer Magazine do not constitute an endorsement of It’s perfect for a day trip, boating, visiting the advertiser’s services or products. friends or just keeping your beer cold when Tennessee Craft Beer Magazine is you’re kicked back on the porch. Pair it with a published bi-monthly by distinguished 16 oz Hydro Flask True Pint and you’ll never individuals that have a fervent and suffer the consequences of overly warm beer lifelong thirst for craft beer. again. Hydro Flask products are available at We challenge you to doubt our resolve. Cumberland Transit in Nashville. Find them Parties interested in advertising should online at cumberlandtransit.com email [email protected] or call 256.226.5615.

it has rich chocolate and coffee tastes. vegetables. Season with curry powder and ginger. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring the We think it’s the ideal dessert beer—for Pour in the stock. Simmer for 30 minutes. stout and butter to a simmer. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly. drinking and cooking! Turn off heat, and, using an immersion The Chocolate-Filled Chocolate Stout blender, puree the mixture until smooth Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large Cupcakes are fantastic treats to share with and silky. Continue pureeing as you add bowl to blend. With an electric mixer, beat eggs the ones you love. (It will be Valentine’s the coconut milk. Taste for seasoning. and sour cream in another bowl, to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and Day before you know it!) The recipe comes Makes about 2 quarts or 8-10 servings. from Third Thursday Community Potluck beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat CHOCOLATE-FILLED CHOCOLATE- briefly on slow speed. Using a rubber spatula, Cookbook, which holds a bounty of deli- STOUT CUPCAKES fold the batter until completely combined. cious seasonal recipes designed for a group. (pair with Lily Flagg Milk Stout) Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, Splurge with these cupcakes—there’s a Recipe courtesy of Third Thursday Community little Lily Flagg in the batch. The half-cup filling them 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake them until Potluck Cookbook by Nancy Vienneau the tester inserted into the center comes out you pour into the batter enhances the Cupcakes clean, rotating them once front to back if your chocolate taste while giving the cake a better ½ cup stout (such as Lily Flagg Milk Stout) oven bakes unevenly, about 17-20 minutes. crumb. What you don’t use in the recipe, ½ cup unsalted butter Remove the cupcakes from the pan you’ll want to drink with dessert. ½ cup unsweetened cocoa and cool completely on a rack. 1 cup all-purpose flour THE RECIPES 1 cup sugar Make the filling: CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE ¾ teaspoon baking soda Place finely chopped chocolate into a heatproof Recipe by Nancy Vienneau ½ teaspoon salt bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour over (pair with Bell’s Porter, 5.60%) 1 large egg (at room temperature) the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then 1 butternut squash, peeled, ½ cup sour cream stir until smooth. (If the chocolate is not sufficiently seeded and cut into chunks Chocolate Ganache Filling melted, place over a double-boiler to gently melt.) 3-4 garlic cloves 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. 1 medium onion, cut into quarters 1/3 cup heavy cream Fill the cupcakes: 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon Irish whiskey (optional) to be piped. Meanwhile, cut plugs out of the center ½ teaspoon black pepper Coffee Frosting of the cupcake tops (a 1-inch cookie cutter works) 1 tablespoon curry powder ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature Go down about half way into the cupcake. (I used a 1 tablespoon ginger 4 ounces cream cheese, softened grapefruit spoon to carefully remove each center.) 1 quart vegetable stock 3 tablespoons Whispering Creek liqueur 1 15-ounce can coconut milk 2 teaspoons vanilla Put the ganache into a piping bag with a garnish: crumbled goat cheese, 2 teaspoons instant coffee wide tip and fill the holes to the top. pomegranate seeds 2 cups confectioner’s sugar Make the frosting: Place vegetables into a large bowl. Add 2 Garnish Cream the butter and cream cheese together tablespoons olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss Olive and Sinclair Buttermilk White until light and fluffy. Stir instant coffee, vanilla, well to coat the vegetables and spread them out Chocolate—shavings and liqueur together. Beat into butter mixture. on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in a 400° Make the cupcakes: Beat in confectioner’s sugar, ¼ cup at a F.oven for 25 minutes—until vegetable are softened. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 12 time. Frosting will be smooth and creamy. cupcake cups with liners. Place a soup pot on medium heat and add Swirl frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes. EMBRACE THE DARK remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the roasted Shave white chocolate over the tops and serve. Yes, winter nights are long and dark, but snug in your own digs, with good friends, food and drink, BLACKBERRY FARM WINTER who minds? Especially when there’s a dark brew—be it a saison, porter, or stout—in the mix. SAISON CHEESE BOARD | By Nancy Vinneau | Photos by Stephanie Mullins | Food Stylist, Teresa Blackburn | by Brandi Dean If you aren't near Mt Juliet Market this winter season, e’ve assembled some recipes roasted meats and game, foods spiced with bitterness and smooth creamy body which here's a delightful variation of a cheese board you can put and tips for the right foods cinnamon or nutmeg, and an array of cured go well with the warming spices of this together at your local Whole Foods. W to accompany these cun- meats and hard cheeses. curried butternut squash bisque. ning darks. We’ll start off with the saison, At her Mt Juliet Market, Terri Brown A lush puree of roasted winter squash, tart off with the warm salted caramel on my cheese plate is Blackberry Farm paired with a charcuterie board curated by has all the elements to put together a onions, garlic, spices and coconut milk, S flavors of Uniekaas Reserve Gouda. creamery’s Little Ewe, a sheep’s milk cheese Terri Brown of Mt Juliet Market, give you delectable charcuterie board. Her selection this soup is surprisingly vegan. Yet its deep The taste of the beer and gouda togeth- with a delicate bloomy rind, fudgy texture, a comforting yet spicy soup and porter here follows a Spanish theme, partnering flavors make it a sure-fire crowd-pleaser for er resembles brown butter toast. Rogue and bright citrusy flavor. With Little Ewe, combo, and finish things off dark-and-sweet a piquant chorizo with Manchego cheese. plant-eaters and omnivores alike. Set out Creamery Caveman Blue is a sweet, almost a bit of orange marmalade, and a couple of with a milk stout, which is also baked into She completes the platter with whole grain small bowls of crumbled goat cheese (like chocolaty, blue that will play off the bitter those cinnamon-sugar marconas, it would the recipe. crisps by 34 Degrees, fruit-and- peppered the excellent chevre from Noble Springs) cocoa flavors in the Winter Saison. A dollop be a near-perfect bite. pistachios from Sahale and a dab of Virginia and pomegranate seeds to give the bisque of Dalmatia Plum Spread will bring out WINTER SAISON THEMED BLACKBERRY FARM Spicy Plum chutney. that extra zing and pop. the notes of stone fruit that come from the WINTER SAISON CHEESE BOARD Pop the cork, pour, and savor the dark, Winter cold and drear holds no sway over saison yeast. I almost always recommend Courtesy of Brandi at Whole Its bottle shape and caged cork make us delicious moment. this soulful combination. We say, bring it. Creminelli Cacciatore salami- it’s spiced Foods in Green Hills think of champagne, and Blackberry Farm’s with juniper and clove and very seasonally BELL’S PORTER LILY FLAGG MILK STOUT Cinnamon-Sugar Marcona Almonds saisons, no matter what season, are always appropriate. I love the combination of Roth Creminelli Cacciatore Salami as complex and celebratory. The new winter There’s been a good deal of excitement Lily Flagg remains Huntsville’s most GranQueso and cinnamon-sugar Marcona Dalmatia Plum Spread release is medium bodied, characterized by since the brews of Kalamazoo—Bell’s famous bovine, an award-winning cow Almonds. GranQueso is a firm cow’s milk Roth GranQueso (cow’s milk, firm) light and dark wheat, Abbey-style malts and Brewery—have become available in who became renowned for her milk’s high cheese, inspired by Spanish cheeses like Uniekaas Reserve Gouda (cow’s milk, firm) Blackberry Farm’s own distinctive strain Tennessee. We particularly relish Bell’s butterfat content back in 1892. It fits that Manchego, and it’s rubbed with cinnamon Rogue Creamery Caveman Blue (cow’s milk, blue) of yeast. This farmhouse ale is toasty and Porter, which has a beautiful reddish brown Straight to Ale would honor her in naming and paprika. Anything with a little cin- Blackberry Farm Little Ewe bitter, yet balanced by notes of dark cherry, hue and lush frothy head, imparting aromas their Milk Stout. Dark, creamy, and sweet, namon will pair extraordinarily well with (sheep’s milk, soft-ripened) Orange Marmalade plum, and chocolate. It stands well with of coffee, cocoa, and malt. We like its with the milk sugar, lactose in the brew, Winter Saison. The last and most decadent

Matthew, reflecting on this challenge, his studio fees. Little did he know that he created a glass that fit each individual was creating a thriving business. member’s hand. Each member displayed Matthew’s approach to each glass is their excitement around the glass tailored unique. He approached his creation, his just for them. In the jubilation that art, with a significant amount of analytical ensued the word “pretentious” was used to research. Multiple books were read, glasses describe the event and it stuck. Pretentious from Europe were purchased and used with Beer Glass Company was born and both the intended beer for their design Matthew’s art was forever changed. and beer that wasn’t intended. He tasted, took notes, read, studied and applied BEHIND THE GLASSES his learning. Matthew uses words like Matthew brings years of experience hoppy, malty and imperial to describe his as a master in glassblowing. He holds a creations—he found there was a need for Bachelors of Fine Arts in the medium but glasses that are focused more on flavors also a master’s degree. He entered this than specific beer styles. The intent was medium while an undergraduate simply to create a vessel that enhances not only due to the fact that his art major required the flavor but the overall experience while him to take a general education course— paying homage to the brewer and their ceramics or glass. It wasn’t that he chose creation. glass but that he refused to do ceramics. His talent and passion for the medium was BEYOND THE GLASSES 24 TAPS subsequently uncovered and a course The shop on 131 South Central local & regional was charted. Avenue in Knoxville has an air of history Along with his two degrees Matthew and purpose about it. As I entered the has studied under other known artisans, heat from the 2,000-degree furnace was often sells beautiful pieces through major immediately noticeable, a minor technical galleries, and frequently teaches workshops challenge according to Matthew which LOCAL during the summer. At the time the afore- will be addressed. The heat had only been menu mentioned challenge was met, Matthew turned on a few days and by the time this saw the opportunity to create and sell a few article is printed, glass will have been blown glasses as a way to create a little supple- in each of the three stations hand crafted by mental income to perhaps offset some of Matthew and his team. BRUNCH sundays 10am - 3pm

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TRIVIA thursday @ 8 A VESSEL WORTHY OF THE CRAFT With such a heightened awareness of craft beer, its many styles and brewers’ new creations, sometimes the vessel that carries our favorite beer from the tap or bottle gets overlooked. OPEN Tuesday - Saturday | By Rob Shomaker | Photos by Stephanie Mullins and Rob Shomaker 11 am to 12 am and Sunday 10 am – 8 pm hat’s not the case in East Ten- beer fanatic’s passion. from a weekly assemblage of craft beer 2720 Old Lebanon Road nessee, where one glassblower Pretentious Beer Glasses are far from supporters who met in Louisville, KY— Donelson is changing the landscape of ordinary. Matthew’s goal in handcrafting Matthew’s hometown. T 629-888-9180 beer glasses. Meet Matthew Cummings of these special glasses started as a way Each week special beer variants were Pretentious Beer Glass Company. But first, to create a unique glass for a group of brought forth to share. Group partic- put down shaker-style glasses away and friends. He says his path to making ipants asked that these beers deserved witness the results of this glassblower and beer glasses started with a challenge equally special glasses.

Previous glasses have been blown at the which will eventually be pouring at the Flame Run Hotshop in Louisville, KY. onsite nano brewery. The vision goes beyond these creative While there are many specific variants workspaces. The space will also function as of the meaning behind “craft” in craft an art gallery, a place for patrons to watch beer, we can all agree it has to do with glass being blown, and eventually a bar, a the uniqueness of each creation and the nano brewery and a bier garden, the latter individuals behind it. I can find no better which we will hopefully see in the not too enhancement to this fine art than to enjoy distant future. this fermented goodness in an equally It was through the research, trial, inspired glass that was also handcrafted, error and success around the glasses that hand blown, with care and purpose in order Matthew discovered home brewing which, to be purposefully matched. as he describes it, is the intersection of When one handcrafted creation meets cooking and science—with beer as the final another, the symphony of our craft beer product. He focuses primarily on Belgian culture has added an overture. style beers. While we talked I was able to Visit pretentiousglass.com taste an excellent dubbel and Belgian IPA, to learn more.

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FERMENT LOCAL | By Kendall Joseph

omebrewers live by a do-it-your- Sampling, growing and brewing with companies. Tennessee homebrewers now self creed—and now it’s moving wild yeast sounds complicated, but it is have yeast options from a local supplier, and H into yeast cultures. not. Mello demonstrated the process and it they can even brew with native Many got into the hobby so they could is quite simple. You can swab flowers and Tennessee yeast. brew the beer they wanted to drink. This fruit, or leave an open container of wort in Bootleg Biology’s commercial brewery ser- DIY ethos leads many to make their own your backyard. The process isolates a culture vices help Tennessee breweries get the yeast brewing equipment, saving money and from a mix of microbes, then grows a pure cultures they want, without paying shipping creating a custom system. Some even sample culture and brews with it. cost to the West Coast yeast companies. The and grow their own yeast, rather than Their open source Local Yeast Project col- company also provides local brewers quality buying it. lects yeast samples from around the world. control lab and analysis services. They are Jeff Mello is one of those guys. He turned Mello has an ambitious goal of banking partnering with Nolensville’s Mill Creek his passion for yeast into Bootleg Biology. wild yeast strains from every U.S. ZIP Brewing to help with their yeast culture Mello was a non-profit fundraiser in D.C., code, in essence to create a diverse library of management and will use the brewery but left his career to pursue his passion microbes for the creation of fermented foods equipment to do larger yeast propagations. for locally harvested yeast. He started by and beverages. When he comes across an Cottontown’s BriarScratch Brewing was the collecting yeast in his backyard and relied interesting or unique yeast strain, he sends first commercial brewery to brew with wild on internet research on how to use wild it to the University of Washington Yeast yeast harvested by Bootleg Biology. Jeff met yeast to brew beer. Resource Center for further analysis and with founder and brewer Brad Singleton classification. Individuals can join the Local and gathered yeast samples from trees, fruit, COMMITTED TO Yeast Projects—more details are available on plants, and even a briar bush, on FRESH from the start, NEVER a stale drop DOCUMENTING AND the website. What does this mean, or what Singleton’s farm. HARVESTING WILD significance does it carry? Brewers, both at home and the pros, YEASTS increasingly want the ability to do every- NEWEST Bootleg Biology started in 2013 as a BRING IT HOME thing themselves. with Perlick’s draft system website about collecting wild yeast. Mello’s The Backyard Yeast Wrangling Tool Kit Self-sufficiency runs deep in the art of initial goal was to help homebrewers provides do-it-yourself microbiologist with brewing, and sourcing local ingredients 26 taps and growing! capture and brew with locally sourced wild tools to capture local yeast. Homebrewers is appealing. Now, with Bootleg Biology’s yeast. The project grew into a business that can use the kits to collect and isolate several help, they can brew with local yeast. West Nashville’s largest growler retailer provides products and services to hobbyists yeast cultures, and refill kits are available. Learn more about Bootleg Biology and its and professional brewers alike. They also provide homebrewers with various yeast programs at 31 White Bridge Pike, Nashville Tennessee unique yeast unavailable from other yeast bootlegbiology.com.

TN CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016 | 15 THE LOVE ISSUE | Feature Feature | THE LOVE ISSUE

“There's a lot of things that consumers Most of these hands are not necessary to “They're going to get the beer where you don’t see that wholesalers do. They're the the small brewer. The distributors mark our want it—to say that they're on dimensional ones that actively seeking new breweries, beer up 30-40% simply to deliver the beer and they're just delivery is to not speak of all they're the ones helping to get the beers to retail accounts. They do not sell our beer the things a wholesaler does,” he says. you want in the grocery store by your as it is pretty much already sold prior. In the house,” he says. current scenario, where brewers are forced DIFFERENT SCALES AND to move their product through the hands of MODELS A COMPLEX SYSTEM others, the product innately gets neglected. And what happens if breweries are able An article on the three-tier system would It is usually moved to several different to self-distribute their beer? Just ask North be incomplete if it didn’t include the fact warehouses, goes through wide temperature Carolina. Breweries are allowed to self-dis- there are a fair amount of folks in the craft fluctuation along the way and gets lost tribute to consumers, wholesalers, retailers beer industry and fans of craft beer that are behind stacks of piss macro-brews fairly and exporters, provided they produce less against the system. often ending in outdated beer being poured than 25,000 barrels of malt beverages Drake Scott is the head brewer at Wolf to the public,” he says. each year. Hills Brewing in Abingdon, Virginia. While Scott is not alone in his opinion. There As a resident of Asheville myself, I can tell Wolf Hills does work with a distributor are plenty of people in and out of the you that I don’t see a negative impact from to bring its product into east Tennessee, industry who agree, though not all of them a less stringent distribution system for beer. Scott says to him, it comes down to a game are willing to be as forthcoming about their The smaller breweries load up their trucks breweries are forced to play in order to do experience with it. and deliver their product—double-parking business in a market. Strickmaker disagrees with Scott’s esti- just like the big distributors around the city. “The only breweries it has been positive mation of the system, saying his company That being said, I’m speaking as a for are the tied house breweries and their works to maintain quality control. consumer, and there are plenty of people associated brands (such as Miller-Coors or “It defines freshness in the market. If that passionately fall on either side of this InBev). Otherwise forcing small breweries you can just sell directly as a brewery to a debate. While it’s unlikely everyone will to filter their beer into the market through retailer, you can’t count on the store to keep jump on the three-tier distribution system the three-tier distribution scheme is either a the beer fresh. You have this accountability bandwagon, there’s one thing we can all negative and cumbersome,” he says. to make sure beer is properly rotated. As agree on. Beyond who benefits from three-tier, Scott consumers you see fresh beer in the market- “There’s a movement in Tennessee with says there are other downsides to the system. place,” he says. the growth of craft beer. It’s the whole stars “Prices are absolutely driven up because Walker says a good distributor goes far aligning,” says Strickmaker. of the many hands that touch the beer. beyond delivering the beer.

KURT STRICKMAKER OF BOUNTY BEV THE INS AND OUTS OF TENNESSEE’S THREE-TIER SYSTEM The dust has settled from the dust up over Tennessee’s 75-year old three-tier distribution system.

| By Stephanie Carson | Photos by Brandon Lunday benclarkdesign.com arlier this year lawmakers passed Historically, the three-tier system was set to distribute their own product, which in legislation that closed loopholes up in the United States after the repeal of Tennessee is permitted in the county they E in state laws to ensure large-scale prohibition. Specifically, the three tiers refer have a physical location in by state law. breweries couldn’t come in and monopolize to producers, distributors and wholesalers. “I do believe in small breweries being able a market. It creates a structure for the sale of beer and to get it out themselves and build the extra With that, being asked to write about liquor to allow for variety in the market, product on their own, and eventually they’ll the three-tier system is like being handed a collection of state and federal taxes and get big enough that they need a distributor grenade and being told not to pull the pin, some argue a better variety on the shelves. partner,” he says. or shake it around too much. This is not an “In my opinion, the three-tier system is Jeremy Walker is the director of expo- opinion piece—just a collection of perspec- the only way to do business successfully,” nential mayhem at Yee Haw Brewing in tives on the system. This is not a black and says Kurt Strickmaker, owner of Bounty Johnson City. He’s worked on the supply white issue. There are multiple shades of Beverage in Nashville. side and the wholesaler side of the three-tier gray to the legal mechanism that brings our Strickmaker is quick to add that some system and says distributors connect a lot of but also money please favorite malt beverage into our pint glass. small, start-up breweries still have the need dots consumers might not even notice.

that. As a brewer in the mid-90s, Al relied on a different network of ingredients and resources that are popular and readily available today. BEYOND THE BEERS The Downtown Grill and Brewery appeals to a diverse audience beyond beer geeks, including tourists and locals alike who flock the now-bustling downtown area. A lot of people come primarily for the restaurant, and are happy to find a traditional style alt or pale ale to go with their meal. Because of this, Al stands by the appeal of these more traditional styles. If you do something, and do it well, you might as well stick with it—and that's what Al has done. Because of this old-school approach to brewing, and an unchanging line up of traditional style ales, Al's beers often get overlooked by people in the local craft beer scene. Woodruff's beers are good, consistent and reliably delicious. It's beer brewed with no off flavors that can sometimes plague newer and inexperienced breweries. Currently, all Woodruff beers are sold on draft at the Downtown Grill and Brewery. Swing by for happy hour and check out their nightly specials. Woodruff produces seven distinct beers: English Style IPA (my go-to,) Nut Brown Ale, Porter, Stout, English Style Pale Ale named White Mule after a local legend, a German style Alt, and a Kolsch called Downtown Blonde. A more in depth description of each of these can be found online at downtownbrewery.com/our-beer. WOODRUFF BREWING Take a break from hop-bomb American style IPAs, face puckering sours and super boozy barrel-aged beers. Pay a visit to the COMPANY OF KNOXVILLE: Downtown Grill and Brewery in Knoxville. Taste and appreciate Woodruff's beers—tra- OLD-FASHIONED AND PROUD ditional beers, brewed with history in mind. Well-made beers, served in your neigh- | By Jason "Ratchet" Carpenter | Photos by Holly Rainey - IG: @Hcrainey borhood pub. Beer that will always taste like home sweet home to me. alking down Gay Street in brewery for personal reasons. At the time it always his passion—he started brewing downtown Knoxville, it’s was doing well, considering that downtown beer at home, purchasing his supplies RECOMMENDATIONS W hard to miss Downtown Knoxville was lacking the vibrance it from Ed Vendelay who had a homebrew FROM THE BAR Grill and Brewery. Many locals refer to it as has today. supply shop in Oak Ridge. Ed, a banker by DO: Try a flight. Sample the brewery’s "The Brewpub" or simply "The Brewery." The next incarnation was called City trade, spurred the idea to open a package range and go back to the ones you like the It opened in December 2002 in the historic Brew, open for just over a year, and closed brewery in 1995. He talked Al making the most for a full pint. Pair them with the Woodruff building at 424 S. Gay St. rather unexpectedly. In 2002, the building jump from research forester to start New nachos, a local favorite. The space is unique, and has been home changed hands and the new owners Knoxville Brewing Company and become a DON’T: Ask for a brewery tour, they to four breweries in the past two decades. reopened as Downtown Grill and Brewery. professional brewer. To gain some training don't do them. The brew house itself is pre- When they started the search for a brewer, and experience, and scale up production, Al dominately displayed in the middle of the HISTORY ON GAY STREET they turned to Al Krusen. Al, the former spent a month with his brother, a profes- main room, while most of the action goes The original brewery in the building was brew master of New Knoxville Brewing sional brewer in Florida, learning from on downstairs in the off-limits basement. called Smoky Mountain Brewing, unrelated company, closed in 2001, says he had retired established breweries in the area. Woodruff Brewing Company/ Downtown to the current Smoky Mountain Brewery from brewing, content with his status as Many of Al’s beers for Woodruff Brewing Grill and Brewery can be found online at owned by the Copper Cellar restaurant a stay-at-home dad. But with this reintro- Company follow established traditional beer both Woodruffbrewing.com and group. The original brew pub operators duction to the industry at Downtown Gril recipes, something Al is proud of. Through Downtownbrewery.com. They are also installed a Bohemian Brewing System. land Brewery, Woodruff Brewing Company his passion and training for craft beer, he on Facebook, twitter @KnoxDGB and Unfortunately, Smoky Mountain Brewing was born. studied each beer’s history. He sourced his Instagram @knoxdgb. was open only briefly, from 1992 to 1994. recipes for New Knoxville brews and for In 1996, an entrepreneur named Chris BUILDING ON TRADITION Woodruff brews from thorough research—if Delp bought the brewery and reopened Al, an Oak Ridge native, worked as he wanted to make a pale ale, he'd go back it as Great Southern Brewing Company. a research forester for the University of and look at the past 100 years of English In 2001, Delp closed the restaurant and Tennessee after college. Brewing beer was Pale Ale brewing and base his recipes on

DEVILS BACKBONE COMES TO TENNESSEE Of all the beer launches and potential brewery launches in Tennessee, those in the know realize that Devils Backbone arriving is another great beer event for the state.

| By Don Else talked with Heidi Crandall, co-founder CRANDALL: The spark for the idea behind its flagship business would be the Devils and vice president of branding for the brewery happened about 20 years ago Backbone Brewing Company, opening its I Devils Backbone, about the brewery’s in Cortina, Italy. Steve and I were on a doors in 2008. success and introduction to Tennessee last ski trip and were introduced to a German Although the economic downturn pre- summer. beer called Weihenstephan. This first real vented the neighborhood from flourishing, ELSE: Devils Backbone has received many “craft” beer experience started a trend in the brewpub was a regional success. This accolades, including Small Brewpub of the the Crandall household, planting the seed inspired Devils Backbone to ask, "What if Year, Small Brewery of the Year, Mid-sized that slowly grew into an idea, and then we started bottling the beer, bringing the Brewery of the year, and multiple awards bloomed to become Devils Backbone experience to people in their homes?" The for your beers. What distinguishes your Brewing Company. More travels throughout decision was made to break ground on the brewery? the western United States brought more Outpost facility in late 2011, in Lexington, CRANDALL: Folks ask us all the time how exposure to craft beer, as the common Va. Originally projected to produce 10,000 we win—it’s a hard question to answer. We denominator for most great outdoor barrels of beer in its first 10 years, the CRANDALL: Steve says that making great CRANDALL: From a business perspective, to provide craft beer industry positions in focus on our values that we set forth to live destinations was a brewpub… and, there Outpost produced almost 45,000 barrels beer has been the driving force behind our distribution in Tennessee makes a lot of Virginia. The company has hired many local and work by. These include integrity—to were lots of them. in its first three years, bringing world-class growth, adding that the acknowledgment of sense because it complements the footprint people of all ages, and we have hired people work hard and be honest—and humility— Brewpubs, mountains, skiing, biking, beer to people in Virginia, Maryland, four national championship craft beer titles of several of our best existing national retail who were born in Virginia and wanted to striving to be the best, without exclamation. hiking, bird watching and running go and Washington, D.C. Currently, we are with our brand. customers, including Kroger and Food City, come back home, but left to work out west We have always been humbled and blessed together, right? In Europe, most small entering another state for the first time since ELSE: What brings you to Tennessee? that are at the forefront of the effort to grow where the craft beer industry was pioneered by our good fortune for the grand titles towns have their own pubs that are an distributing product in 2012. CRANDALL: Devils Backbone chose to enter the craft beer industry. when jobs weren’t available in the east. we carry and the collection of medals and important part of the social fabric of ELSE: Virginia has been killing it, much Tennessee for a confluence of reasons. Hayes Through our research, we found several awards we have. the community. This added water to the like North Carolina, in craft beer. What do Humphreys, COO, feels that there is a very strong distributor partners on the state, We go to extreme lengths to put the best original seed and further solidified the you suppose has been driving the strong craft culture in Tennessee, developed which made the decision even easier. Finally, craft beer we can in the hands of the con- idea that there needed to be a brewpub industry there? by well informed, adventurous and quali- we are committed to selling every drop of sumer. Everyone in our company is involved in the Nelson County community; the CRANDALL: Steve says that in Virginia one ty-oriented beer lovers, and by a great set of beer we make at our Outpost Brewery in in every medal, that title, that achievement, Three Ridges Wilderness area seemed like of the key watershed events for the craft a local craft breweries. Based on what we’ve markets within 500 miles from Lexington, from “grain to glass”! It starts from the very a perfect place to bring great food and beer brewery scene was HB604. That legislation seen, those beer lovers don’t have access to and Tennessee just fits into that radius. So beginning, from the selection, to the grains to the people. With some great friends, allowed craft beer to be sold in breweries as wide a selection of high quality craft beers Tennessee is about as far west as you’ll be heaved into the mill, to the servers pouring the Crandalls began to further foster the without food sales. Additionally, Virginia as in neighboring states. We want to bring able to find our beer… for now. our beer at our two locations, to our team in idea of a small, environmentally sensitive, has a taxing system on beer that is more high quality offerings to this ELSE: Any last comments? the field selling our product on a daily basis. pedestrian-friendly, and community-fo- not regressive. thirsty crowd. CRANDALL: Our family consists of about ELSE: Can you share a brief history of cused business development. The Village ELSE: What is driving growth at Devils ELSE: What does the future look like for 120 members and continues to grow. Both Devils Backbone? at Glen Mary community was born and Backbone? Devils Backbone? Steve and I are extremely proud to be able

enough. “I was shipping pieces all over laid about ready for installation. With a were fortunate enough to try a Thai Coffee the place and never meeting the buyers,” fall target date, JRH is walking distance Toasted Coconut Porter which was very Michael shared. It was time to convert his from Yee Haw and will make an excellent unique and flavorful. These are very creative shop into a brewery, and he did. When addition to the Johnson City beer scene. Be brewers who not only make great beer but you enter you’ll quickly noticed the sure to check out the bottle collection in the have made great use of limited space. The beautiful rough wood and artistic touches tap room and the well done laser etched hop tasting room actually doubles as the brewing throughout. Michael built not only a Bocce logo in the beer bottle chandelier. facility a couple days each week! Talk about court out back but also a beautiful shuffle EDISONIAN BREW SHOP: We’d put this in the efficient use of space! Definitely a must stop. board table that sits upstairs. He’s also used “happy accident” bucket as we were just SLEEPY OWL BREWERY: After finishing in his creativity and engineering skills to create a little early for our next stop and we just Johnson City, we then ventured north to a keg washer and an awesome bottle labeling happened to notice the sign on East Main Kingsport where, after securing a hotel machine. While he may consider himself Street, so we stopped in. We’d have to say room where three dudes could sleep and not this homebrew shop has one of the best touch one another, we headed over to Sleepy selections of grain we’ve come across. We Owl Brewery in downtown Kingsport. counted no less than 18 different types. You There we not only found a much welcomed want to brew tomorrow but did not order food truck but, in keeping with the train your grain in time? Well that will not be an theme, a brewery positioned in an old issue no matter what style you wish to brew. train depot. We listened to the band while If you are a homebrewer we’d highly suggest enjoying a few of the house beers. Sleepy you pay these fellas a visit. Owl also keeps several other local and JOHNSON CITY BREWING COMPANY: As we regional beers on tap as well. entered the King Centre building on East TRIPLE B BREWERY: Not far from Sleepy Main Street, the art deco theme was very Owl in a nondescript office park we found reminiscent of the 1922 completion date the gentle glow of Triple B Brewery and, as of the building. We followed the signs it so happened, it was karaoke night. [For around the corner and were met with an the record, we did not let Don sing.] While a brewer now, he’s still very much an artist enthusiastic greeting from Kat Latham who we missed Jimie Barnette, we were able to both with solid and liquid objects. There’s runs the brewery with her husband Eric. connect with his partner Myron Woods who not a bad beer to be had here. He also gave us a tour and ensured we were able scored when he convinced brewer Devin to to sample Triple B’s lineup of German and add his creativity to the Depot Street brews! Belgian inspired beers. While we enjoyed They are a great team! the beer it was their cider that we all three YEE HAW BREWING COMPANY: Yee Haw is cur- reflected on later as being very memorable. rently Johnson City’s hottest name in beer STUDIO BREW: After completing a night and they are quickly spreading their product of slumber, we sought a hearty breakfast across the area. Housed in a former train and then headed north to Bristol, Virginia. station, which was a tire store just prior to While Studio Brew’s roots will always be their taking it over, Yee Haw has created in Tennessee, it was the city of Bristol, a true sense of place with no detail left While they are the majority owners there Virginia, that ensured Studio Brew’s main undone. In a lot of ways you feel as though are many others involved in this 1 bbl setup. performance would be on the northern you’ve walked into a picture in a magazine They may have a low production yield side of the state line. While still very much with the old brick, whitewashed logos but they make up for it in an abundant under construction, Erich and Pamela Allen and tastefully selected seating throughout. selection that ensures there’s something in rolled out the red carpet for us and not only Sharing the space, we also found White store for everyone. The taps rotate regularly shared a detailed history of the building but Duck Taco out of Asheville which made for and they announce new beers online. We also their vision for the brewery. This will a perfect lunch option as we rolled in. We met Jeremy Walker, Director of Exponential Mayhem (think sales) that many of us know EAST BOUND, TENNESSEE from the Knoxville area, who first led us through their beer; a nice hoppy pilsner, a pale ale, an eighty shilling and a dunkel. TRI-CITIES BEER RUN Jeremy then introduced us to COO & The door slid shut on Don’s minivan as three of us began our Brewmaster Brandon Greenwood who led two-hour trek from Knoxville to the Tri-Cities area. us through their state of the art brewing facility. While they are still tweaking their | by Rob Shomaker, Don Kline and Andy Brantley setup with the addition of a grain silo and fully functioning chemistry lab, this brewery o set the tone for our trip the beer but there were many new experiences north with an overnight stop planned in is in full swing. While each beer was very first few minutes of Jerry Reed’s in store for the next 36 hours. Kingsport. First stop, Jonesborough, TN. well done in its own right, it was the dunkel T famous East Bound and Down The Tri-Cities in East Tennessee is DEPOT STREET: When we saw the mailbox that quickly captured our palates. If you can were played as we dreamt about the merits comprised of Johnson City, Kingsport that had been created using a keg, we knew only choose one beer at Yee Haw, that’s of a semi and a Trans Am as used in the and Bristol. Bristol is shared with the we had arrived! Depot Street is the Tri-Cities your Huckleberry. movie Smokey and the Bandit to bring fair state of Virginia and boasts that the oldest brewery at 11 years old. The name JRH BREWING: John Henritze was in the beer back into the South. state line runs right down the middle of simply comes from the street the brewery medical field when cancer struck close to While we wouldn’t be hauling beer back State Street—Virginia flags wave on the resides on and its logo is representative of home with his wife and two other close to the heart of the Volunteer State, we were north and Tennessee flags stand proudly the train tracks that are less than a stone’s friends. While the battle was won John looking to sample and experience all the Tri- in the south. For purposes of this trip we throw from the back door. Michael Foster realized life was too short to not pursue his Cities had to offer. We had heard of many had reached out to 8 breweries and had began Depot Street after determining that passions. As we entered JRH Brewing the of the breweries and even had some of their them lined up on the map from south to his art of coppersmithing wasn’t social new stainless sparkled and materials were

22 | TN CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016 TN CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016 | 23 THE LOVE ISSUE | Beer Run be a destination when completed as it will next to a campground Don hit the nail on both producing and slinging pints. While boast not only a full restaurant but a bier the head when he said, “I bet some serious our Beer Run sections have focused outside garden, incredible sound state and a space parties happen here” as they certainly do of our fair state in previous issues, we’re for private events to go along with the 15 with regular musical guests and events held fortunate that we have such incredible bbl brewhouse once complete. They even on the grounds. While we’re certainly up for people here in Tennessee who are following plan to have movie nights with the movies a good time, we came to see our friends and their passions and letting us enjoy the fruit projected on the side of the building! For a check out the beer. The lineup at Holston of their labor. Also be sure to check out the more thorough review, check out our post River Brewing Company is both broad and Brewly Noted Beer Trail for a really cool on knoxbeersnobs.com. full as Christopher and Jess have applied layout and more info on the area; HOLSTON RIVER BREWING COMPANY: Last, but what they have learned. We certainly brewlynotedbeertrail.com. certainly not least, we headed back into enjoyed the beer and recommend you try If the Tri-Cities wasn’t on your radar Tennessee to visit our friends and South the Magnificent Bastard IPA when you are before, grab some friends, download some College Professional Brewing Science grad- there next. Jerry Reed and hit the road. Prost! uates Christopher Coada and Jess Hurd at By the time you read this article both Holston River Brewing Company. Situated JRH Brewing and Studio Brew should be

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distilling plates to allow impurities to collect on the bottom of the plates and drip down, creating a more pure distillate. One of only four of its kind in the US, SPEAKeasy’s new still utilizes special technology to run the vaporized alcohol through hybrid screens/plates, effectively acting like a traditional still with more than 40 plates. That sort of vodka still would be a behemoth that would require a skyscraper of a distillery to contain. SPEAKeasy founder Jeff Pennington also designed several modifica- tions to the still that save resources and create better booze. A steam reboiler actually uses the pressure of the alcohol vapor to push the product through the purification path, unlike normal still that use steam to power the process. “Introducing steam imparts extra impurities into the product,” Pennington explains. “By vaporizing the distillate, we use much less water and energy than traditional distilling. By using about a quarter to the amount of water, we can keep our costs down dramatically.” The new still also offers very precise temperature control. “We can hold it within a half degree,” shares Pennington. “That makes it much easier for us to separate out the heads and the tails of a production run. With vodka, it’s all about smoothness, not imparting extraneous character to the product.” At 300 gallons per hour, this still is pumping out a lot of Pickers. Named to honor Nashville’s legions of musicians, Pickers has taken off in the local market and in several other states across the country. It has become a major player in the affordable premium vodka category and now occupies prominent positions behind many bars. SPEAKeasy certainly hasn’t forgotten about their roots in brown liquor, either. A recent the only$12.99 expansion to their headquarters has added a 200-barrel rickhouse where whiskeys lie in an oaky repose waiting for their impending SPEAKeasy LEVERAGES NEW release dates. Plans include the construction 2nd of even more storage to allow for 3-4000 TECHNOLOGY FOR PICKERS VODKA barrels of whiskey to age on site. I’ve tasted Tuesday some of the white whiskey before they entered the barrels, and I can testify that it of every month SPEAKeasy Spirits Distillery has already earned quite the vaunted reputation for their is quite promising. Now all we have to do is savings of over 30% original products, Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream and Pennington’s Strawberry practice a little patience until the bottles start Rye Whiskey. But they’re taking it to the next level for their latest round of spirits. to show up on liquor store shelves.

| By Chris Chamberlain | Photos by Stephanie Mullins | Food Stylist, Teresa Blackburn WHISPER CREEK MOCHATINI Recipe by Emily Pinner, Riverside take home the glass Wine and Spirits, Chattanooga he West Nashville distillery has lovely alcohol, just like in the beer process. slowly infused into the vodka for Blueberry 4 oz Pickett’s Vodka courtesy 2 oz Whisper Creek Mocha one one taken the leap into high-tech So, like beer, vodka can be made with many and Blood Orange expressions. of equipment to create one of the grains, not limited to rice, corn, barley 4 oz Cruze Dairy Farm’s half and half small pint of T ENHANCING SMOOTH Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and & most innovative vodkas now available in and wheat. CHARACTER strain into coupe glasses. Garnish with a Bang the market. For their new Pickers Vodka series Candy Company boozy marshmallow dipped I know what you’re probably thinking, of products, SPEAKeasy has turned to The secret to the production is a spe- in chocolate. Makes two very stiff drinks! pizza beer “Vodka? Isn’t that just clear tasteless potato innovative technology and 100% GMO-free cialized still built by Vendome in Louisville on tap juice?” Au contraire, mon frère. Vodka can corn to create some quite enjoyable booze. in collaboration with the SPEAKeasy team. of your choice be distilled from any number of starches Their base Pickers is a crystal clear vodka Unlike normal column stills used in vodka that offer sugar to feed those wonderful which checks in at 80 proof. Two other 70 production, this particular still doesn’t yeasty beasties who reciprocate by emitting proof versions of Pickers use pure fruit juice stretch several stories tall with multiple 212 21st Ave S. Nashville, TN 37203 26 | TN CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016 THE LOVE ISSUE | Social Drink Home Brew | THE LOVE ISSUE

LOOKING FOR THE FRUITS OF BLACKBERRY FARM This month I interviewed Blackberry Farm’s Headbrewer Daniel Heisler and Chief Fermentation SOCIAL WIZARDRY? Officer Roy Milner. Their Summer Saison won a silver medal at the Great American Beer Fest in fall 2015, and they were the only Tennessee brewery to garnish a medal this year.

| By Art Whitaker | Photo by Brewers Association KNOWSBEER.COM lackberry Farm is a 4,200-acre HEISLER: Yes, though our other beer, the award-winning Summer Saison, the Fall destination resort in the rolling Classic Saison, has made it to the final table Saison, and now the Winter Saison. Are you B hills near Walland, Tenn., not as well. planning on making any other styles far from Knoxville and the Great Smoky WHITAKER: You have given TCB the recipe of beer? Mountain National Park. They’re known for to your Winter Saison. It’s a delicious beer. MILNER: Yes, 2016 will see Blackberry WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA their cuisine, wine and now craft beer. They It’s interesting how some breweries will Farm venture into some fun things! A full use premium ingredients in their beer and freely share their recipes while others abbey series (5 beers), Brett barrel releases, MANAGEMENT FOR THE it shows. will not. native yeast releases, and a slew of one-offs WHITAKER: Daniel, how long have you been HEISLER: Just because you have the same for the Farm’s 40th anniversary. CRAFT BEER WORLD. brewing professionally? Where did you recipe does not mean you will brew the WHITAKER: That’s fantastic! I can’t wait to start brewing? same beer. You may have the same ingre- try these, and I encourage any homebrewers HEISLER: I’ve been brewing professionally dients, but everyone’s brewing process is who want to try and duplicate this recipe to (AND SOCIAL WIZARDRY.) for around 12 years. I started at Bohemian different. You mentioned that you were go out and buy some bottles to see how well Brewery in Midvale, Utah. I’ve also worked looking for a beer to pair with charcuterie you do. at New Holland, Petoskey Brewing, and late and cheeses. Saisons pair well with food and in 2014 I came to Blackberry Farm. the Winter Saison will pair with those well. WHITAKER: I imagine it was pretty cool WHITAKER: Blackberry Farm is now when Blackberry Farm’s name was called to distributed in 29 states. The first beer was receive a medal at the GABF. the Classic Saison, followed by the GABF

WINTER SAISON Boil for 90 minutes Blackberry Farm Brewery 1.7 g/gal ST Aurora 10% AA @ 60 min 47.1% Weyermann Floor 2.3g/gal ST Golding 4.1AA @ 45 min Malted Bohemian Pilsner 1.1g/gal ST Golding 4.1AA @ 15 min 31.4% Weyermann Floor Knock out @ 64°F Malted Bohemian Dark Ferment with WLP565: Allow yeast to 7.8% Weyermann Floor Malted naturally rise in temperature to 86°F Bohemian Wheat and hold until gravity reaches 2.8. 3.9% Weyermann Abbey Malt Rack and free cool to the 70s°F 3.9% Weyermann Special W as it conditions out to 2.0° 3.9% Weyermann Chocolate Wheat Bottle with 34g/gal dextrose and 1.9% Weyermann Carafa Special III condition for four to six weeks. Adjust brew water to a pH of 7.0 with food grade phosphoric acid. No mineral adjustments. Final Results: O.G. 13.8°P 1.056 / T.G. 2.0°P Step mash at a hydration of 1.25 qt/lb, from 1.007 / SRM 46 / IBU 26 116°F to 146°F in 10” increments for 60” Note: If doing single infusion mash, mash at Hold at 146°F for 20 min. 146º. For Extract Brewers, substitute DME Increase mash temp to 166°F Pils, Dark and Wheat for the 2 row, steep in two 10” increments. specialty grains at 146° for 30 minutes. Sparge with 166°F water and collect runnings.

LET US HELP YOU GET YOUR BEER PERMIT AND LIQUOR LICENSE We proie afforale an coprehensie legal serices for restaurants istilleries reeries NASHVILLE’S PREMIERE BARTENDING AND EVENT SERVICE an craft reers. (615) 710-7170 FIND US ON FACEBOOK: TENNESSEE TWISTED COCKTAILS Visit us or call us toa to scheule our eer an legal serices. ON THE WEB: TNTWISTED.COM 30 | Schafferlawfirmtn.comTN CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016 (615) 712-6394 TN CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016 | 31 THE LOVE ISSUE | Industry Updates Industry Updates | THE LOVE ISSUE

EAST TENNESSEE by Rob Shomaker EAST TENNESSEE by Rob Shomaker

ALLIANCE BREWING COMPANY and a Peat Smoked Porter. They will also we’ve come to know and love. Hexagon will SAW WORKS BREWING COMPANY brewmasters special tap and for the month WOODRUFF BREWING COMPANY KNOXVILLE | Since the last issue the brewery be collaborating with Alliance Brewing soon be found at 1000 Dutch Valley Drive in KNOXVILLE | Saw Works Brewing Company of December it carries a Christmas Ale which KNOXVILLE | Located in the Downtown Grill and has officially opened! While there is still Company on a beer in January. Be sure to the Fountain City neighborhood of cans can be found throughout the Knoxville is a festive, spiced ale sure to put you in the Brewery on Gay Street in Knoxville, Woodruff some construction onsite, the beer is being check them out at the Tennessee Winter North Knoxville. area as well as other parts of the state. The holiday spirit! In the new year keep an eye is well known for the White Mule and their brewed and served onsite. Be sure to stop by Beer Fest in February as well! Nearly all the HOLSTON RIVER BREWING COMPANY tap room continues with its rough cut series, out for brewmasters specials White IPA and IPA. A lesser known beer, the Alt, is true to and see what they have as it moves fast! construction is complete! Inspections come BRISTOL | Good brews continue to crank out so you never know what awesome new beer Dunkelweizen which are sure to be worth the style and worth a try if you’ve never BALTER BEERWORKS (PLANNED) next so stay tuned. Crafty Bastard Brewery the door from head brewers Christopher they’ll have on the wall. Be sure to check the trip! had one. KNOXVILLE | What’s new? Construction. was also presented the sole “Brewer’s Coada and Jess Hurd. Their four flagship them out at the Tennessee Winter Beer Fest SLEEPY OWL BREWERY YEE HAW BREWING COMPANY However things are progressing nicely at Choice” award at Hops in the Hills—a great beers are Mayfly Special Golden Ale, Caddis in February! KINGSPORT | Located in downtown Kingsport, JOHNSON CITY | Yee-Haw has hit the ground Balter Beerworks. The brewery is installed honor! Crafty Bastard is an eclectic brewery Fly Mild London Brown Ale, Paddle Faster SCHULZ BRAU BREWING (PLANNED) these guys are churning out some interesting running full speed. Along with their year and they are hiring bar, kitchen and service focused on experimental beverages. With Pilsner and Hopwater Session Pale Ale. They KNOXVILLE | Construction continues! brews on their 1.5bbl system. Open Monday- round offerings, they are now serving up staff. Stay tuned for the open date, won’t everything produced and distributed in-house have also moved into seasonal lagers, the Equipment is in and the work carries on. Thursday 5pm to 9pm and Friday and seasonals on draft. The Oktoberfest was a hit be long! and monitored on their 3-barrel system, first of which is their 90 Day Doppelbock. Follow them on Facebook for updates. Saturday from 5pm to 11pm. this past fall, and the current Winter Porter is BLACKHORSE PUB & BREWERY they are able to ensure the highest quality They’ve also started a “fun beer” series that SCRUFFY CITY BREWING (PLANNED) STUDIO BREW no slouch, holding strong at a 3.91 Untappd CLARKSVILLE & KNOXVILLE | Blackhorse beers. They never do standard beers; they’re begins with a Chai Brown Ale. Be sure to KNOXVILLE | Scruffy City Brewing has KINGSPORT & BRISTOL, VA. | Studio Brew’s rating. New spring & summer seasonals are continues to crank out great beer both onsite always striving for something new, fun, check them out! encountered some delays due to some second brewery located in Bristol, Virginia in the works for this year, and there's been and in 22 oz. bombers. For example, Batch and quirky such as the ancho chili pepper JOHNSON CITY BREWING COMPANY permitting issues. The grand opening is just is now open! This is definitely a craft beer hints at another offering coming this spring 101 is a great Belgian Strong Ale that you’ll imperial amber, their smoked pale ale, or JOHNSON CITY | December marks the over the horizon though. Keep in touch, and destination worth checking out. From the as well. Good news for those who want to definitely want to check out. Be sure to stop their chocolate banana dunkelweizen! We are release of JC Brewing's FIRST barrel-aged you will know as soon as we know. Cheers! incredible food to the artfully crafted beer, Yee-Haw at home: Yee-Haw’s 4 flagship by one of their two locations, you never know looking forward to Crafty Bastard being brew—Apple-Atcha! This brew's base is the SMOKY MOUNTAIN BREWERY Studio Brew does not disappoint! beers—Dunkel (German Dark Lager), Eighty what will be on tap. open soon! ever-popular Apple of My Rye left to sit in KNOXVILLE | Smoky Mountain Brewery has (80 Shilling Scottish Ale), Pilsner, and Pale BLACKBERRY FARM BREWERY DEPOT STREET BREWING a Crown Royal barrel for two months. Think released their seasonal Winter Warmer in Ale—are now available in 6-packs throughout MARYVILLE & WALLAND | The Winter Saison is JONESBOROUGH | If you haven’t been to Depot cinnamon, apple, slightly sweet, and a lovely both draft and bottles. Smoky Mountain Knoxville and the Tri-Cities. being released to national markets in both Street, put Jonesborough on your list. whiskey finish. The September Experimental Brewery also frequently rotates a bottle and draft through February and the They have just released their Maple Pecan Batch of Extra Special Bitters was very Classic Saison can now also be found in Porter, the Limited and an all new beer, successful. Out of the contestants (Rhubarb draft throughout the southeast. In January Midnight Winter Lager which is an authentic Pie ESB, Strawberry Pie ESB, Blackberry Pie Blackberry Farm Brewery will release a Schwarzbier lagered for three months with ESB and Peach Pie ESB) Blackberry won the Noble Cuvee Dry Hop Saison. This Saison a restrained roast character with coffee and vote of the people and will be brewed for the SOUTH TENNESSEE by Tony Giannasi is the Classic Saison dry hopped with three cocoa forward notes. Depot Street has also tap room in spring 2016. Winter Seasonal varieties of Nobel Hops: German Select, bottled their Roundabout Rare which was Releases (see Facebook or website for dates): BINARY BREWING using local Greyfriar’s coffee, as well as the like raspberries and chocolate, and America! German Tettnang and French Triskel. Also, aged in Canadian whiskey barrels. Soon they Winter Wanderer, Midnight Mocha, Carrot CHATTANOOGA | Binary has moved out to Glass Blood Orange Cream Ale! Big River keeping it Make sure you check these guys out, so far if you are in Memphis, keep an eye out as will be filling up a red wine barrel with a Cake, Bourbon Cherry Stout (barrel-aged), Street! Much needed increase in space, weird down here. Crazy Cow has been their most popular beer Blackberry Farm Brewery can be found as of Belgian pale ale and pitching in a healthy Northwestern Black IPA, Doughnut Stout power, water, and will be adding a bar area CHATTANOOGA BREWING COMPANY in Chattanooga. Want something lighter? Hit January. Prost! dose of Brett for another round of Grand Experimental Batch, Irish Red, Kick of soon. Lots of construction happening, so not CHATTANOOGA | Winter Warmer is here! up that Southern Pale Ale standby. BLUETICK BREWERY Phunk Railroad. Depot Street is also proud Coriander, First Things First IPA, and Apple so much TCP/IPA hitting the streets, so Keep an eye out for the extremely rare and MONKEY TOWN BREWING MARYVILLE | Bluetick Brewery is excited to welcome a new team member in Michael of My Rye. Big happenings for JC Brewing stay tuned! elusive Ginger Warmer. Adds a whole level DAYTON | Open and brewing! Hit them up for that production will be increasing this Jenkins, a local thinker who brings a hard in the next few months—keep up with them HUTTON AND SMITH of complexity to the Winter Warmer, with 3 live music and pints of their own goodies as year to 1,500bbl and, thanks to Lipman work ethic to help with packaging and keg on social media and their website as they CHATTANOOGA | If you haven’t gone by to try pounds of ginger juiced into it. It just makes well as some local favorites. My top fave: All Distributing, Bluetick can now be found all cleaning duties. Exciting times at Depot transition to a larger location and increase the Vanilla Stout on nitro, you are missing you feel better about life to know that ginger Hopped Up with Nowhere to Go. If you like over Tennessee. High gravity production Street Brewing! their distribution opportunities! out on one of the finer things to do in is there to make it all better. Keep an eye out big, juicy citrus in your beer, this one is for has also begun with two high gravity beers FANATIC BREWING COMPANY JRH BREWING (PLANNED) Chattanooga. It’s amazing. H&S, under the for more Coffee Stout coming soon with Velo you. Don’t worry, their malty Brown Baggin’ and three low gravity beers being targeted KNOXVILLE | Fanatic will release a winter JOHNSON CITY | Dedication, determination, watchful eye of Barley Mob alum Jonathan Coffee, as well as a growing barrel program Brown Ale will satisfy your non-hoppy beer for distribution. Be sure to catch Bluetick strong ale called Fanatic Fireside in January delicious beer. That’s the tagline at JRH. Driggers, continues to grow and illuminate in 2016! tooth people too. Brewery at the Tennessee Winter Beer Fest and has plans for a Schwartz Bier this spring. Owner/Brewer John Henritze is a 2013 the craft beer scene in town. Watch for BIG FROG BREWING this February and Hops in the Hills this June! Fanatic is also excited to see their bottled graduate of the American Brewers Guild and their bock (Way Bock When) to be out in the CHATTANOOGA | Tap room still illusive, but still CHISHOLM TAVERN Tennessee Blonde and Fanatic Pale Ale has won several awards for his beer. A 10bbl market, as well as Crux-Mas, a malty sweet, looking like some time in 2016. Keep an eye BREWING (PLANNED) hitting the Kroger shelves shortly! Plans for a system is in place and they will be opening spicy holiday offering. out for Big Frog at Puckett’s and Community KNOXVILLE | Chisholm Tavern Brewing is still in tap room are also underway, to be known as at the beginning of 2016! Check them out on MOCCASIN BEND Pie, as well as Rivercity Black at Mojo the planning phase but expects to see some “The Fan Base” with a targeted Facebook and at JRHBrewing.com for details. CHATTANOOGA | MBBC is OPEN! Unofficially. Burrito. River Rat Porter still a crowd favorite movement in the next six to 12 months. spring opening. LAST DAYS OF AUTUMN Beer is being produced. Expect them to be when you can get it!! COLD FUSION BREWING GEEZERS BREWERY (PLANNED) BREWING (PLANNED) full on running in the first quarter of TERMINAL BREWHOUSE KNOXVILLE | Cold Fusion Brewing is expanding KNOXVILLE | “Shut up and drink,” is right KNOXVILLE | Last Days of Autumn Brewing is 2016. Standby…. CHATTANOOGA | Weird Wednesdays continue their production again as they have been on the logo. Plans are underway to bring a building out their home at 808 East Magnolia McHALE’S with Southsidenstein Stout being run through picked up by Lipman Distributing. That brings brewery online. In the meantime you can Avenue in Knoxville and hope to be open in CHATTANOOGA | Opened up a Mug Club for coconut and vanilla. I can’t make this up. It’s their fermentation capacity to roughly 50bbl. find these guys at many outdoor events and January! They also hired Daniel Delph to help lucky members to get ceramic McHale’s delicious. Just make your Wednesday night They are also moving away from unfiltered festivals in the Knoxville area. Try the Bitch with brewing duties. Stay tuned and be sure limited edition mugs. Great for filling up the into Terminal night. It will make sure you get beers with the addition of a filtering system. Puddin, you’ll like it, or else. to follow them on Facebook. Exciting! most recent batch of Scottish Pride, which is some of the crazy good Cherry Poppin Stout. Also, keep your eyes peeled as they are HEXAGON BREWING PRETENTIOUS BEER GLASS tasting maltier than ever. Also, Mudslinger This is one that crushes every year. Be sure putting together a plan for Brewhibition COMPANY (PLANNED) COMPANY (PLANNED) is back! Check out McHale’s at Riverside and to check them out for lunch, as the Dirty in April! KNOXVILLE | Formally known as Underground KNOXVILLE | Pretentious Beer Glass Company Beast + Barrel for their latest, and keep an Hippie is as good as you remember! CRAFTY BASTARD BREWERY Brewing Company (UBC), Hexagon Brewing has been going pretty hard on the glass side eye out for their Stout! OLE SHED KNOXVILLE | Construction is complete and the Company officially debuted their new producing some incredible works of art. The BIG RIVER TULLAHOMA | You might think you know what doors are open! Crafty Bastard is constantly name during Knox Beer Week and Knoxville focus has shifted to getting the brewery up CHATTANOOGA | Winter means Yule Fuel Ole Shed is about, but hang on to your pints, turning out unique beers at a pretty quick Brewfest as local fans enjoyed the new logo and running. Stay tuned to their Facebook Schwarzbier and Winter’s Nip! Also keep an Crazy Cow Stout is crushing it in Chatty. pace. Up on deck currently is a Baltic Porter and the same great, award winning beers page for details. eye out for their fantastic Espresso Stout Who might Moo over this one? You, if you

32 | TN CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016 TN CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016 | 33 THE LOVE ISSUE | Industry Updates Industry Updates | THE LOVE ISSUE 1 High Cotton Brewing Company › highcottonbrewing.com 6 Blues City Brewery LLC › citybrewery.com WEST 9 Blackhorse Pub & Brewery › theblackhorsepub.com 22 Cool Springs Brewery › coolspringsbrewery.com MIDDLE 2 Boscos Squared › boscosbeer.com 7 Rockn’ Dough Pizza Co. › rockndoughpizza.com 10 BriarScratch Brewing › briarscratchbrewing.com 23 Granite City Food & Brewery › gcfb.net 3 Wiseacre Brewery › wiseacrebrew.com 8 Perrylodgic Brewing Company › perrylodgic.com 11 Honky Tonk Brewing Co. 24 Turtle Anarchy Brewing Company › turtleanarchy.com 4 Ghost River Brewing Co. › ghostriverbrewing.com 12 Little Harpeth Brewing › littleharpethbrewing.com 25 O’Possum’s › opossumspub.com 5 Memphis Made Brewing Company, LLC. 13 TailGate Beer › tailgatebeer.com 26 Mayday Brewery › maydaybrewery.com › memphismadebrewing.com 14 Blackstone › blackstonebrewery.com 27 Jubilee Craft Beer Company, LLC › jubileebeer.com 15 Yazoo Brewing Company › yazoobrew.com 28 Ole Shed Brewing Company › oleshedbrewing.com 16 Jackalope › jackalopebrew.com 29 Calfkiller Brewing Company › calfkillerbeer.com 17 Tennessee Brew Works › tnbrew.com 30 Mantra Artisan Ales › mantrabrewing.com 18 Czann’s Brewing Co LLC 31 Bearded Iris › beardedirisbrewing.com 19 Rock Bottom Nashville › rockbottom.com 32 Southern Grist Brewing Co › southerngristbrewing.com 20 Fat Bottom Brewing › fatbottombrewing.com 33 New Heights Brewing Co 21 The Black Abbey Brewing Company, LLC › blackabbeybrewing.com 11

31 12 20

24 19 18 Nashville 55 14 1516 17 57 33 9 65 56 25E 75 Kingsport

1 24 10 59 231 81 58 60 4 8 Johnson City 27 2 127 21 45W 6 3 70N 11W 13 155 Nashville 321 79 70 Knoxville 5 70 26 40 840 5 5 5 40 Knoxville 2223 29 49 412 30 25 5 5 411 2627 53 40 40 50 5 51 52 54 441 27 70S 127 24 41A 40 75 412 45 129 42 43 48 51 31 70 32 45 28 31 44 231 46 5 3 1 2 64 411 64 4 5 39 47 33 34 7 5 38 41 3536 240 Memphis 64 37 43 Chattanooga Chattanooga 55 65 64 6 Memphis

BOTTLE SHOPS / GROWLER STATION

1 Mr. Whiskers › on.fb.me/1NcnvR0 4 Melrose Wine and Spirits › on.fb.me/20B2djS 2 Mt Juliet Market › mtjulietmarket.com 5 The Casual Pint › thecasualpint.com EAST 3 Providence Wine and Spirits › pwsnashville.com 6 Homegrown Taproom & Marketplace › homegrownnashville.com 40 Fanatic Brewing Company › fanaticbrewing.com 50 Bluetick Brewery › bluetickbrewery.com Feature your bottle shop here! Contact us for more information. 41 Blackhorse Pub & Brewery › theblackhorsepub.net 51 Smoky Mountain Brewery (Maryville) › coppercellar.com 42 Schulz Bräu Brewing Company › schulzbraubrewing.com 52 Blackberry Farm Brewery › blackberryfarm.com/brewery 43 Crafty Bastard Brewery › craftybastardbrewery.com 53 Smoky Mountain Brewery (Pigeon Forge) › coppercellar.com 44 Balter Brewing › balterbrewing.com 54 Smoky Mountain Brewery (Gatlinburg) › coppercellar.com 45 Scruffy City Hall › preservationpub.com 55 Sleepy Owl Brewery › sleepyowlbrewery.com 31 Big Frog Brewing Company › bigfrogbrewery.com 36 Terminal BrewHouse › terminalbrewhouse.com SOUTH 46 Downtown Grill & Brewery › downtownbrewery.com 56 Studio Brew › studiobrew.net 32 McHale’s Brewhouse › mchalesbrewhouse.com 37 Moccasin Bend Brewing Company › bendbrewingbeer.com 47 Alliance Brewing Company 57 Holston River Brewing Company 33 Big River Grille & Brewing Works › bigrivergrille.com 38 Big River Grille & Brewing Works (Hamilton Place) 48 Saw Works Brewery › sawworksbrewing.com 58 Depot Street Brewing › depotstreetbrewing.com 34 Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. › huttonandsmithbrewing.com › bigrivergrille.com 49 Smoky Mountain Brewery › smoky-mtn-brewery.com 59 Johnson City Brewing Company › johnsoncitybrewing.com 35 Chattanooga Brewing Co. › chattabrew.com 39 Binary Brew Works › 10101brew.com 60 Yee-Haw Brewing Co. › yeehawbrewing.com

WEST TENNESSEE by Don Else MIDDLE TENNESSEE by Veronica de la Cruz-Gibbs

We did a little brewery hopping WISEACRE BEARDED IRIS this delicious brew at Frugal MacDoogal’s on Craft Brewed and The Hop Stop. Be on the through Memphis recently to get MEMPHIS | A little off the beaten path, Wiseacre NASHVILLE | Bearded Iris is getting close to February 11 at 4p.m. and a beer launch event lookout for more added locations soon! the lowdown on the current brewery is the biggest of this trio (though certainly not an opening date. The 1,500 sq. ft. taproom is at Providence Beer World in Mt. Juliet on SOUTHERN GRIST BREWING CO. scene. There is some rumor of a new the biggest in Tennessee, as they claimed). It’s nearly finished, their draft setup is complete, Friday, February 12 from 4-7 p.m. NASHVILLE | Southern Grist began brewing in brewery opening soon, but I didn’t a great old building with the entry all the way and glasses are ordered. Along with their LITTLE HARPETH BREWING late December and expects an opening date in back, which was fun. The taproom is pretty already popular Habit IPA, expect to see NASHVILLE | Little Harpeth released their Stax soon. This will be the third brewery to open get any inside scoop to that effect. high tech and stylish by design. American styles, very hop-forward beers, Black Lager available on draft for pints and in East Nashville to date. City Brewery, a contract brewer, Their beers are absolutely fantastic. The Belgian- and French-inspired saisons and growler fills around Nashville. Mondays are TAILGATE BEER just scored a new account which brilliantly named Adjective Animal double IPA even barrel-aged beers on tap. Service Industry Nights where, by showing NASHVILLE | TailGate will host their one year may bring some award-winning (insert adjective and animal name to name BLACKSTONE BREWING CO. an ABC card or pay stub, you can receive $3 anniversary party of their grand opening here Arkansas beer to the state, but that the beer for yourself) was amazing, and they NASHVILLE | Blackstone’s latest release, Dark beers. in Nashville to be held on Saturday, January hasn’t been officially announced. continue with killer seasonals, not to mention Matter Black IPA, has been all the rage. Look MANTRA ARTISAN 31 beginning at 1 p.m. Per their Facebook HIGH COTTON their core line-up that includes Ananda, Tiny for the out-of-this-world artwork on their FRANKLIN | Mantra has introduced Mantra event page, details to come soon. MEMPHIS | The fun spot to hit in town is High Bomb, etc. With four new 80 bbl fermenters six-packs and bottles alike and treat yourself Membership for 2016. Three levels are TENNESSEE BREW WORKS Cotton. This is a spot the locals dig. The and an 80 bbl brite tank, they will be able to to a full hop flavor of pine and floral notes available: Awake, Enlightened and Elevated NASHVILLE | Tennessee Brew Works is now breezeway with a full wall-size High Cotton keep up with the incredible demand for the with hints of roasted malt. with prices at $59.99 (unlimited spots), bottling three of their core brews: the mural is the place to sit if the taproom is beer. An all female non-profit BLACK ABBEY BREWING CO. $149.99 (125 spots available) and $999.99 (15 Cutaway Rye IPA, Southern Wit Witbier rocking. With a rolling window door looking in BOSCOS organization for female NASHVILLE | Black Abbey will present their spots available), respectively. Perks include a and Extra Easy ESB. You can find them in on the brewery, you are close to the action. MEMPHIS | Rounding out the west, Boscos annual winter celebration of 8 More Beers 22oz chalice for the 16oz price, discounts on six-packs at Kroger and local bottle shops in There’s great stuff happening on the continues their firkin Fridays series. Stop in beer professionals that of Winter on Saturday, February 6 from 12-8 merchandise, member t-shirts, free birthday Middle Tennessee. production side. They have a new pilot system to check out what’s new and their rotating promotes empowerment, p.m. This event celebrates their regular draft beer, happy hour food pricing, “Beer Camp” TURTLE ANARCHY BREWING CO. and are going to start experimenting with some seasonals. beers with barrel-aged versions for everyone with the brewmaster and much more. Contact FRANKLIN | Turtle Anarchy received their further develops the craft brett beer. Bigger news is the introduction of GHOST RIVER to enjoy. This year, they will be focusing on the brewery for details for each level of permit in late December to start brewing bigger fermenters, 30 bbls, and a 30 bbl brite MEMPHIS | Ghost River continues their brewer community through their sour program highlighting several sour membership. again at their new location in The Nations tank in the works. What happens when you series. Tip back a Grindhouse Ale while collaboration and ales such as Miette, a Flanders red ale. Get MAYDAY BREWERY neighborhood and has been acquiring expand capacity? Packaging! They are looking watching the Memphis Grizzlies on the court. there early as all selections are on a first MURFREESBORO | Mayday released its new ingredients to begin brewing their first batch. at Toucan mobile canning systems to can up ROCK’N DOUGH partnership, and raises come, first served basis. No growler fills or Silk Mill Oatmeal Stout available on draft VILLAGE BREWHOUSE & MARKETPLACE some of their great beer. JACKSON | has great pizza + beer funds for Pink Boots brewery tours will be available that day. for pints and growlers fills. New for this NASHVILLE | Village has closed its location in Speaking of great beer, look for their red wine combinations—read more about Rock’n Dough BRIARSCRATCH BREWING CO. year, Mayday will be conducting tours of the Hillsboro Village. No news of re-location or barrel-aged sour this coming spring, and a in this issue! International scholarships COTTONTOWN | BriarScratch will be introducing brewery with guest pourers on site. They may future endeavors has been shared. barley wine that has been aging since 2013. PERRYLODGIC BREWING CO. and Nashville's own Dixieland Dee-Light to meet the high demand be someone you know or just someone Ozzy YAZOO MEMPHIS MADE PARIS | Perrylodgic recently has added a stone Stephanie's Fight. of light beer requests. The goal for this beer thinks is cool enough to hang with him. Tours NASHVILLE | Yazoo released Daddy-O Pilsner MEMPHIS | Memphis Made is another laid back, pizza oven. Pair one of their pies with a fresh is to have a crisp body with light yellow color are held on Saturdays at 3, 4 and 5 p.m. for early January. Get your hands on this casual hang that is well worth a pop in. You brew and live music. Enjoy! and a unique flavorful blend of aromatic $10, which includes a souvenir pint glass and seasonal while you can on draft and in are almost guaranteed a shot at a new beer as hops. Also, currently in the making is their beer samples. bottles. they only have one year-round beer. Everything South Tunnel Stout, hopefully to be released MILL CREEK BREWING CO. TENNESSEE CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE else they make is once a year or a full blown First Large-Batch just in time for that chilly winter weather. NOLENSVILLE | Mill Creek will be receiving NASHVILLE | TCB released a design refresh for one off. In the happening Cooper-Young CALFKILLER BREWING CO. their equipment soon and will be installing the Winter 2016 issue. Just look at it. It’s neighborhood, this is an easy choice. As for 2016 Brew SPARTA | Calfkiller released their 2015 their 30BBL brewhouse in the month of pretty magnificent. The new graphic designer production? Canning is also in the works! Coming in April, Christmas Bonus, a twist on an Extra Special January. Four beers will be released from guy is really super. The rest of the staff at Bitter, featuring a blend of caramel and that system to the greater Nashville market TCB really like him, and he’s, like, super STAY TUNED! brown malts, balance by their “patented in February: Lil Darlin (Citrus-infused Wheat), talented. We’ve heard he likes to make stuff Calfkiller hop swap method” and finished Silo (Farmhouse Ale), Landmark (Vintage up and place it in random locations in the Future brews nice and dry with their house yeast. Lager), and Hopscotch (Playful IPA). Look magazine, but this might be only a rumor. CZANN’S BREWING CO. for them on draft and in cans, and starting and festivals, NASHVILLE | Czann’s offers 2-for-1 beers all in mid-February, stop by their taproom in follow us! day on Sundays. Stop by to catch the NFL Nolensville for a growler fill. games while sipping on a Pale Ale, Blonde, NEW HEIGHTS BREWING IPA, Robust Porter or Dunkelweizen. NASHVILLE | New Heights is in the works to FAT BOTTOM BREWING open in the 7,500-square-foot building on The Growler. Evolved. NASHVILLE | Fat Bottom signed a distributor 928 5th Ave. S. near the Adventure Science EcoGrowler is simply the ideal contract with A.S. Barboro to launch their Center. Coming from San Diego, they are beer in the Memphis market this fall. The interested in brewing San Diego-based styles option. For consumers, its first kegs were tapped at all of Pyros Pizza’s including big, bold beers, session beers, and functionality, cost, and eco-friendly locations, but keep your eyes open for more hoppy IPAS. locations as the brewery expands distribution SMITH & LENTZ design reigns supreme. For brewers in Shelby County. NASHVILLE | This brewery opened its doors to and other beverage creators, the FRENCH LANDING BREWING CO. the public in late October in East Nashville NASHVILLE | French Landing has not released offering 5 beers on tap. The brewery benefits continue to multiply. any new updates since news of their currently offers about 8 beers on rotation, groundbreaking on construction began this including a combination of ales and lagers past summer. available in pints, half pints and growler fills, Find out more: JACKALOPE BREWING CO. with 11 taps installed and room for 22 total. NASHVILLE | Jackalope releases their Seven Although these beers were first offered at EcoGrowler.com Cities Pilsner in February with tastings of the taproom only, you can now find them at

ROCK’N DOUGH IN WEST TENNESSEE Ben Pugh is, among other things, an artist. “I’m my own toughest critic,” he says over a pint of his newest mosaic hop-infused Pale Ale creation, Broken Pieces.

| By Kate Faulkner

ut you can’t keep everybody city (pop. 68,000) seemingly ripe for craft The blonde is a crisp, approachable brew happy. I don’t think ‘What’s going beer infusion. Other brewpubs had tried to that pairs especially well with the Prawn Pie B to make everyone really happy?’ crack into the market, according to Pugh, or any salads. Also always available are the when I plan beers. No! I just think ‘What’s but were ahead of the times for Jackson. But Jackson Brown, and the USA! IPA! something that I really want to brew, and Rock’n Dough Pizza and Brew Co. made an “I have a theory that as long as you what’s going to fit what we’re doing ideal debut. keep a light, a dark, and a hoppy beer on right now?’” tap you have something to satisfy most That synergy is present throughout WALKIN’ THE WALK beer drinkers,” Pugh explains. He rotates Rock’n Dough Pizza and Brew Co. in Rock’n Dough is nestled in the heart seasonals on the other three taps, and strives Jackson, Tenn., where Pugh is brewmaster. of the new Jackson Walk development, to give customers something new as often Opened in November 2013, the restaurant part of the downtown area’s revitalization. as possible. It also helps fuel his passion for is the brainchild of owner Jeremy Denno Jackson Walk, the result of the “Jumpstart the craft. “If you’re not having fun brewing, and his wife Amanda, who originally served Jackson” initiative, includes residential why do it?” their pizzas out of a food truck by the same space, multiple parks, an amphitheater, name in Memphis. Denno met Pugh after and locally owned organic grocery store WHAT TO ORDER a mutual friend put them in touch to aid Grubb’s. The Walk has proven to be an Their pizzas are a local favorite—be sure Denno’s goal of opening a microbrewery to ideal market for not only Pugh’s award- to check out the USA! USA! or the Smoker’s accompany his pizzas. winning, artisanal brews, but also Rock’n Pie. They also offer an ample appetizer The resulting brewpub became the Dough’s much-lauded pizzas. The pies selection, grinders, and freshly cut fries. second location of Rock’n Dough’s tasty they spin are topped with fresh ingredients Fill your growler with Rock’n Dough and expansive brand. Pugh commutes from sourced from Grubb’s, the farmers’ market brews at Grubb’s Grocery, Party Mart or Memphis three to four times a week to and the restaurant’s own garden. Forked Vine. maintain the brewery room. The partners Both Denno’s and Pugh’s high standards Rock’n Dough Pizza + Brew Co. have a mutual respect for each other’s turf, for quality can be seen throughout the 16 Jackson Walk Plaza so to speak. It’s a match made in gas- menu. On tap you’ll always find three selec- Jackson, TN 38301 tro-heaven, with each playing to his tions: the award-winning Southern Belle rockndoughpizza.com own strengths. Blonde that took home the Silver Medal in Jackson, conveniently located between the 2015 U.S. Beer Open, an international Nashville and Memphis, is a small competition sporting over 4,000 entries.

38 | TN CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE | WINTER 2016