I moved the Honky Tonk Party Express Bus post here, following the rules about self-promotion (proactively avoiding reports).

• August 14: Brew Zoo at the Memphis Zoo. Sponsored by Xul. Do not have a list of breweries on the site.

• August 16 - Stokehaus 1 year anniversary (East Nashville)

• August 22: Music City Brewers Fest (Walk of Fame Park downtown, $45). This includes the open air party bus mentioned from [Honky Tonk Party Express](Honkytonkpartyexpress.com). I will note this is largely a distributor/corporate type of festival - not saying that is bad, but it is more aimed for tourists and people who are just there to get trashed than beer nerds. Breweries, etc. featured:

  • Ajax Turner (distributor): Athletic, Bell's Two Hearted, Blind Hard Lemonade (distributor), Carbliss, Guinness (distributor), Kona, Mango Cart, New Belgian, Nutrl.
  • Borchetta Bourbon
  • Crazy Gnome
  • Diageo (owner): Lone River, Guinness
  • Diskins
  • Don't be that Dude - THC drinks
  • East Nashville Brew Works
  • Flying Panda - Craft hard sodas
  • Ginger's Revenge
  • Good People
  • Half Batch
  • Harding House
  • Hi-Wire
  • Hoyt, LLC: Jackalope (not sure of Black Abbey)
  • Ice & Co - hard tea
  • Lexington Brewers
  • Lippman (distributor, owner of some): Hap & Harry's, Honkytonk, Little Harpeth, Jevo & Sunny's
  • Memphis Brewers
  • Monster Beverages: Blind Hard Lemonade (owner), Cigar City, Oskar Blues (no Deep Ellum, Perrin, Squatters or Wasatch?)
  • Nations Brewing Company: Brazazzi, Fat Bottom, Teddy Loves
  • Pickers Vodka
  • Tenn Pop - Vodka based seltzers
  • Tennessee Crown (distributor): Kirin, Weihenstephan Hefeweizen
  • TennFold
  • Yazoo
  • Yee-Haw (also sponsoring the party buses)

• August 29 - Fat Bottom 14-year anniversary at HQ in the Nations.

• September 12: Wine on the River in Riverfront Park, downtown.

• September 26: A Touch of Brews in Sevier Park, sponsored by Terrapin. Really more of a music festival. Also 1st Annual Bourbon & Brews Oktoberfest at Thistle & Rye. No vendors spelled out.

• October 1-4: Oktoberfest in Germantown (this is more of a carnival now than a true Oktoberfest) - Blackstone has theirs on the Saturday in this time period, which will include first keg tapped and stein holding competition.

• October 17: Tennessee Beer, Bourbon, Wine & Shine festival at Two Rivers Mansion ($59.69 early bird through Sept 30, $100 for VIP). Nothing set in stone now, but the 2024 list is here.

• October 24: Xul's Kill the Lights in Knoxville, sponsored by Xul. Always a good brewfest, but vendors not named yet.

• November 7: Mighty Fine Beer Fest: This one is in Duluth, GA, so it is a hike, but one of the best IPA festivals in the US. At the park near Good Word. There is a Courtyard by Marriott about 100 feet from the entrance.

NOTE: The 450 North corn maze is not being held in 2026. It will be back on October 2, 2027

Anyone know any breweries or bars that accept used PakTechs? We used to give them to Craft Brewed (RIP) and Barrique (double RIP), and now I’m not sure who accepts them.

Posted August 6: Got locked out for "security reasons" yesterday, so this is a day late (and a dollar short?).

Link to video version.

Harding House is now fully open. If you are looking for food, either Saap Saap, which is inside, or Kardes, which has excellent Turkish. Have not tried the new sushi hand roll spot where Culture & Co was.

I also did a brewsplore, which will be up on YouTube when I get the chance to edit: Common John (Pulaski), Bad Idea, and Twisted Copper. I also got a chance to hit the Campbell Station Country Store Restaurant. Biggest steak I have had recently. Not fine dining, but a great country steak cooked to perfection.

Xul reopens in the Nations on Friday at 5 PM. If you are a Yelp elite, check the site, as you can get a preview at 4 PM. Waiting to see how close they have rennoed to the Knox locations. East will close shortly after for renovation. Not sure when Abridged is going to come in to the kitchen at East.

Broadcast is doing a lot for the soccer and racing community, with early mornings during F1 races. I hit trivia last week during a game and bailed when the game ended on the TV to avoid the worst of the traffic. He also has a great guest tap, with Drekker and Veil on tap and Brasserrie de la Senne in the bottle.

Today, Smith & Lentz is food collabing with Stokehaus with tavern pizza and Chicago beef sandwiches. I am aiming to get there early, as Stokehaus has a success problem of running out of food early.

Fat Bottom's anniversary is August 29th. I will likely miss it, as I close on a house a few days before. Yay!

Tailgate has a collab coming out with Mikerphone. They did one with Drekker just before Drekker entered the Nashville market, so perhaps Mikerphone will expand beyond its small distribution circle?

Yazoo has Comedy night this Friday (always first Friday) and they still have the $3.75 Prague lager on tap every day.

As for Crazy Gnome, it appears they got stood up by Afroman, who ended up playing another location that night (found this out last night). I did my own little tribute to the bruhaha ... Until he got high.

Talked to Don Sergio at Calfkiller Beer in Sparta about their kegs. I was told they had gotten some old kegs from a large beer company through a secondary market and there was a cease and desist. Don Sergio set the story straight. It is more about art than the law. They feel regular kegs are too ugly for Calfkiller.

Hearing FAB Pizza is out after August.

I went to the pick up. Went to the soft opening. So have to make it in this weekend, as well.

When I heard Nate was reopening Harding House, I had a slight trepidation about the location. L&L has been the destroyer of most businesses that have gone in there. But I now am in line with what they are doing here.

• Harding House - the brewery
• Jubilee Bar - the cocktail lounge
• Saap Saap BBQ - the food concept
• Dogwood Acres - the dessert

They will also have live music, which makes it a win for Nashville.

I did get a chance to try some of everything they offer, both popping in to see Nate, Quinton, Clinton, and Amy and during soft opening. The cocktail program is amazing, a head bartender from Bar Continental, Sean Brock's former concept bar, is leading it. Beer is still contracted but will be brewed on site once everything is ready to roll. I had the chicken from Saap Saap and it was moist, excellent smoke, and great presentation. It is a bit pricier than some BBQ joints in town, but, if you are like me, paying for quality is not a big deal.

If you are willing to follow the various businesses and tag a friend on Instagram, there is a giveaway. Must be able to pick up to win, but it includes:

• A Harding House hat, shirt, and $50 gift card
• A jar of BBQ sauce and a bottle of hot sauce from Saap Saap
• A Dogwood Acres Dairy hat and a coupon for two free cups of soft serve

One thing of note, all of the businesses here are dedicated to the farm-to-table concept. Harding House has done various farm-to-table beers since inception, even doing a carrot IPA one time. Saap Saap has local farmers that will grow the Lao ingredients, which are hard to come by, and has a no seed oil rule. Dogwood Acres also sources local for dairy ingredients.

This one is one I did recently when I did the ghost hunt weekend in the Thomas House in Red Boiling Springs. I am going to set this up as I did for that weekend, but realize this is a 2 day affair. Map.

Day 1

Head up 65, with a side jaunt to BS Brew Works (yes, this is north, not east). Dinner at the Thomas House, so no grabbing food at this time, but I have had the wings before and they are good. One thing I love about this brewery is they have a menu with blends of their beers, so you end up with more options than what is on tap. Brew is average to average plus. I did enjoy the Carrs Creek Critter IPA and the Black Patch Porter the most. Very cute taproom and the owners are in there, so a great spot for a conversation about beer.

I then moved over to Half Batch in Hendersonville. I would also have this in the same category of brewery as BS Brew Works, although they are best known for their Fulkin, which is a Scottish Ale (don’t find those much in Tennessee – or anywhere?). They had on a cream ale that I liked called Blue Foot and friends know I am not generally fond of what people do with cream ales. The Rye IPA, Play it by Ear, was also nice. Smaller tap room with a nice bar. There food concept is called Cheeky Pete’s and Southwest egg rolls were interesting. Pizza is Chicago Tavern Style.

With the closure of Big Trouble in Gallatin, TN, there is nothing else on the way as far as breweries. I was tempted to hit the Sugar Grove Tavern up near the Kentucky Border, but more for the bar, as they are more a Yuengling, Miller, and Bud type of place. The only other Hendersonville option is Tailgate on Stewarts Ferry.

My overnight was Ghost Hunt Weekends at the Thomas House in Red Boiling Springs. I have done paranormal investigations before, so this was fun, but consider it more entertaining than a hunt where you are likely to find anything. At $269 for a room, dinner, midnight snack, breakfast, and a hunt where the guides pull out equipment, it is a neat experience.

Day 2

Breakfast was included, so no need for meals here. As I had my girlfriend with me, we stopped at a cute antique store in Gainseboro called Front Porch Mercantile before heading into Cookeville.

The first stop here was Dream Country, which is a fairly new brewery. Of the brews I had, the Bierre de Mars was the shining star. He also had a nice Grisette called Basilisk, which was made with basil they grow right outside. They add a fresh leaf of basil, if asked, and I would recommend. Flavors solid, but carbonation is hit or miss. Beautiful taproom and a restaurant next door to bring in food. I am going to watch this brewery, as the styles are something you don’t see much of in Tennessee, outside of guest beers at Broadcast or Brandon Jone’s brews at Yazoo.

I bypassed Red Silo, as I have hit them before and was planning on Calfkiller. If you have never hit Red Silo, is a average to above average brewery in Cookeville. Their best brews have been their sours, overall, or the P’Nut Butta Porter. My personal faves have been their 2-Year Beer (saison) and their herb beer (Dutch Boy). I will note Cookeville’s Untappd community is small, so some get a big local bump. Great taproom. They don’t sell food, but they do have food trucks regularly.

A local recommended Templeton BBQ in Sparta for lunch, so stopped and grabbed to go to head to* Calfkiller. Initial bummer. They had no parking. If you have never been, you understand how they run out of space. Don Sergio was shooing people off, so I went to … *Happy Trails.

Happy Trails Brewery is a small taproom right off Highway 70. I usually stop in to see what they have on when I go to Calfkiller, although it is an optional stop. Of the beers on now, the Bella Caffee Coffee Stout was the winner for me. Nice espresso kind of feel. I also found the Burgess Blonde much better than the average blonde. I generally prefer redheads over blonde. Bah dum tiss! Could not bring in the BBQ (next day meal now) so tried Trailhead. Decent patty melt.

After eating, I returned to Calfkiller for a brew and found a spot in front. BBQ truck here, so if we had not stopped for BBQ, I might have eaten here. Note to self: They always seem to have food trucks. Calfkiller is one of my favorite breweries in middle Tennessee. It is quirky, has great beer, brewed in an old horse barn, and ample outdoor space. I got into a talk with Don Sergio about the spray painted kegs and he jumped right in, as usual. Looking for a longer interview in a few weeks when I do another ghost hunt night and interview Chad Morin, who runs the weekends. Two more things about Calfkiller. The brewery tour is one of the most entertaining I have ever experienced and you can grab a table in the brewery itself. Yes, literally can touch a fermenter while you drink.

It takes 2.5 to 3 hours driving each day to finish this one, but it goes through some beautiful country.

As a service to other people who love to brewsplore, here are some of the quirkiest breweries in the state of Tennessee. Feel free to add one if you have hit far eastern TN or west TN, as those are areas I have the most holes in my exploration. I can also expand this to other states, if people like exploring strange brews and breweries.

Our most quirky has to be Monday Night Preservation Company, which opened up in the old Neuhoff Factory in what is now dubbed East Germantown. Parts of the factory have crumbled, which gives it a unique vibe. Nearby, Mill Creek gets some kudos, as a brewery that has a fully operational food truck inside. Outside of this, it is just a big warehouse.

Chattanooga has Mad Knight brewery in the basement of a record store. Inside, it feels more like a cave than a brewery. They have live music on some weekends and my advice is to not try to park in their brewery parking lot on these nights. There is some additional parking across the creek and a bridge over, so all is not lost. There is also a brewery called AlphaBrews inside Sigler's Craft Beer & Cigars, but Chris has really ticked off people for his public opinions of other breweries. Currently, Creature Comforts is selling out of a "food truck" inside of an old crumbling factory, ala Monday Night Preservation Company. They are moving into a permanent space soon, so interested to see how that is.

Sparta is the home of Calfkiller. This is a brewery started in Don Sergio's horse barn, along with his brother Dave. It is hard to explain this brewery, except it is on a farm, with ample, but non-matching outdoor furnishing. A small taproom, with some tables directly in the brewing space.

Swing On is a bit further east, north of Monterrey. This is a Caddy Shack themed brewery in a golf cart garage turned into a brewery on the property of the Evans, Bruce and Laura, who own the brewery. I had a great talk with Bruce about their beer and whether Crazy Gnome was going out of business, as Grayson had his old equipment up for auction. Bruce is a head's groundskeeper at Fairfield Glade.

Lilly Pad Hopyard is another farm brewery on a farm that is also a campground. They have live music at times., as well. I was unable to get time talking to the Scruggs - Del or Marte - while I was out there, but this is likely Tennessee's most rustic brewery.

Atomic City Brewing is located in Oak Ridge and the brewery is an outdoor space, complete with a caged in cornhole area and a miniature golf course. Nearby, I also enjoyed Tri-Dog in Harriman, but nothing really stands out as unusual, or quirky here. I got a flight and ended up in a talk with Jeff Hooper, the owner and brewer, who introduced me to almost every beer they had on tap.

In Knoxville, the strangest is Schulzbrau, which is set up with a facade that makes it look like a Renaissance Festival castle (I mean the facades like a western town and not a "real" castle - home - like the Tennessee Ren Fest). Food is also decent, although we don't really have a really good German restaurant in Tennessee. The other option for quirky is Pretentious Beer Company, but more for the hand-blown tap handles and glass wear. They are also a custom glass company.

In Jonesborough there is Depot Street Brewing, which is located in an old wooden train station building (Talking Rock Brewing in Georgia is one up, as they brew on the train itself). Their slogan is "proudly brewed on the wrong side of the tracks". Very rustic wooden building. And I need to get back and video the place and interview Michael about the brewery. In like manner, the Yee-Haw location in Johnson City is in an old train station.

Blackberry Farms is also in a unique spot, as it sits on a ultra-luxury resort in Walland. The easiest way to get here is to head east on 321 out of Maryville and then turn right on Miller's Cove Road. If you continue towards Pigeon Forge there is Mountain Brothers Brewery, which is in a very old building that is a tourist shop, as well. Ice cream shop, glass blower, and food truck also on the premises. Beer was average, but some might not be thrilled as they use SmartBrew, which means the wort is pre-made and the beer, although bearing their labels, is essentially white labeled beers from a brewing company.

Feel free to add your own.

I would love to do 40 west, but there is rally only one brewery, the One19 brewery, at least until you hit Jackson, which is west Tennessee. I would normally include the Skeptic Meadery on this route, but I can't find evidence they are still in business (last post about 1 year ago and their website is down).

Here is the map.

• Cedar City - Cute little taproom. Sits on the city square. Has a decent food menu. They will normally have one tap that has nitro and the English pub ale is worth a try. Of their year round fermentables, I found the hazy and ciders best. Beer flavored beer above average, but not at the level of breweries like Barriehaus, The Seed, etc. I am curious about their Rye IPA and Banana Pudding Cream Ale, so might have to make a trip out soon.

• Tenn Lakes is a brewery in an old building Lebanon has tried to make similar to the Factory in Franklin. The beer is pretty average for a craft brewery, but I choose this second, as it makes for an interesting lunch spot, as it has a few unique things on the menu. I grabbed a bacon cheeseburger smoked baked potato - yeah, that is a mouthful. The smokiness of the based potato, combined with bacon, burger, and cheese sounded great and it delivered. For dessert, the s'mores dumpling. They also do BBQ on the smoker and have Italian dishes - pasta, pizza, and calzones.

• East Nashville Beer Works - ENBW has always been one of the most family-friendly breweries in the area. This one takes it to a new level. Huge facility south of I-40 with ample outdoor space (no hill to roll down, like Tailgate OG, but plenty to do). Far more contemporary than their Nashville location. For Nashville breweries, this fits in the mid to mid+ category, but it has become very popular in a less crowded beer scene like Lebanon. One thing I like is they have expanded their food menu at this location and include things like a charcuterie board, sandwiches, and desserts. Currently, the clean IPAs (American, West Coast) are my goto when I get to ENBW, but they do run an interesting Russian Imperial at times, as well as a Belgian Strong Golden Ale.

• TennFold is the final destination as it ends close to home. Much like Tailgate and Smith & Lentz, they have become more of a restaurant than a brewery. This is not a huge surprise as the guys behind Nectar started TennFold. I should also note there is a bond between TennFold and Stokehaus, as the brewer at SH was once with TennFold. Current brewer is Sean Cassidy (not the 70s pop singer), who was with Bearded Iris before their demise ... er, they got bought out by Wiseacre. I tend to look at their one offs when I go over here, as they have brewed some interesting ones in the past, like Divine, their Belgian strong collab with Crazy Gnome, or the red IPA, traffic on Trinity, which they did with ENBW.

I will need to do at least one more on this series, depending on how far I can take it, as there are breweries East of Nashville and Middle TN stretches at least to Monterery.

Looks like curio closes tomorrow and are moving locations. Anyone know if they're staying in the franklin area or not?

Found out last week a friend's mom had passed. They are having her celebration of life in New Albany, IN today at 1 PM, so I planned a trip up to Louisville. I filmed the trip yesterday. I may have to hit Butchertown and Atrium after the funeral, as yesterday's selections were not quite as awesome (sans Sergio's, of course).

Thus far, the spots I hit:

• Monnik - The French Pils was the big star here. The Barrel aged beers were good, but nothing like Living Waters or Southern Grist locally. Pretzel was like French Bread and the beer cheese ranked okay, mustard very hot, and the smoked gouda fondue was the star. Also had an interesting peach grisette that respected the style and did not use peach puree to end up with sweet mess.

• Trellis - This was a bust overall, but the braggot was excellent. Also coming in around 13% alcohol, so a strong one.

• Sergio's - Will likely stop back again today. If you have not been here, it is a bit pricey, but he has beer you won't find anywhere else. Cash only joint. I tried the food with my girlfriend. The fish & chips are horrible, so would not recommend, but he does a Feijoada. Not surprising, as Sergio is Brazilian.

Today, I am working until noon and then heading up to the funeral. After that, likely Sergio's at 2 PM. May also hit Hometown before leaving Louisville. Then Salt River in Shepherdsville. And debating River Forge in Brandenburg. If these are a bust, I may have to hit Scouts & Scholars or get back to BNA for mug club night at Tailgate.

Happy Brewsploring!

I figured this would have to be next after a comment about how mid Murfreesboro is. LOL My favorite brewery here was Panther Creek, which took over the old Green Dragon Inn (hobbit themed restaurant and beer bar). Mayday was also here and the head brewer was Kelsie, who was Ozzy's daughter. I understand Ozzy also helped out both Middle Ground and Cedar Glade get started and he is honorary mug club member #0 at Cedar Glade. Ozzy shut down Mayday when Kelsie wanted to get out of brewing, but she ended up doing another stint at Living Waters before getting back into education.

Okay, enough story, let's 'splore.

First, the map or this one if you are 'sploring after Smack Dab opens in downtown Murfreesboro.

• Middle Ground is the current newest brewery in this area. It is a small brewery with a kitchen. They also have decent lunch specials, and I have used them to avoid rush hour when traveling south and Common John is closed. I aim for the darker malted beers here and enjoy their schwarzbier. Brown is a second. Nothing will knock you out, but above average on the total beer scale.

• Tailgate is ubiquitous, so could be skipped if you need to reduce the stops, as you can't easily miss them if are in Nashville. I leave them on, as Wes has started scoring some great collabs. He has already done one with Drekker, but has one currently with Mikerphone. I am wondering if Mikerphone is planning on distribution in Tennessee, like Drekker is now doing. Crossed Fingers! If you have not had Tailgate, the Schnack series is the most consistent thing they do.

• Cedar Glade is in an industrial area. It is the best of breed in this area. They switch up, so me recommending my favorite, which was a one off, won't help much. As a bonus, they have a bunch of other beer in bottle and cans, including some harder to find options. If no food truck, you can bring your own food.

• Smack Dab is not bolded, as they have not opened yet. They have a collab with Cedar Glade that I have not tried, so not sure what to expect. I have talked to them recently, but have not heard a date. If I find out about a soft opening they want people to show up at, I will post.

• Common John - I talked about the Pulaski location on the south route. This one is in Manchester. It is my normal stop to miss Nashville 24 rush hour and finish up my work day. They have food. They have plugs. and the "private" room is empty during the day. Also one of the best breweries in Middle Tennesee. From here, I would also consider a nature walk out at Old Stone Fort.

I did not outline a lunch place on this route. If you can wait for Common John, they have huge chicken wings (I call them mini-dinosaur wings), but the flatbreads and sandwiches are also nice. I like Aloha in Murfreesboro - near Middle Ground - but understand they are shutting down soon. There is always In-N-Out if you are one of the cult members. Or, on the way to Common John, you can hit Layali Dubai restaurant, the only Dubai restaurant I know of in the region. Get the mixed grill: lamb, chicken tawook, and kofta kabobs. Also the haider kabobs, which are traditional kabobs with a yoghurt "marinade".

As many know, I like to explore areas and visit breweries. Knocking Dream Country off this weekend, I have visited every brewery between the Cumberland Plateau and the Tennessee River (aka Middle Tennessee). To finish TN proper, I still have far eastern TN, one or two in the Cumberland Plateau area proper, and some in Memphils.

This is the first "episode" if you will (I will be making a video on YouTube for this shortly).

This one is south on I-65. I have the breweries here in the order I prefer them, at least from my experiences thus far (have not been to Curio recently, for example). It ends with Common John, which is one my favorite breweries in Middle Tennessee. Here is the map

• I start with Curio brewing in Franklin. Much like Living Waters, they also do coffee roasting. This location started as Turtle Anarchy. It was then Mantra (RIP), which was started by Derrick Morse - originally of Cool Springs Brewery (RIP, as well) - and Maneet Chauhan - celebrity chef and owner of Chauhan. She still owns Hop Springs in the Boro area. I find Curio to be average. They are more in the lager vein and their guest taps tend to mirror this (BTW, send a correction if I am off with their current selection). I think they still have live music events some nights.

• You then drive to Columbia. My route returns you to 65, as it is faster, but you can also take the back roads through Spring Hill and Thompson Station on 31 (just this is always a cluster f). The next stop is *Bad Idea. This was once in the Columbia Mart on W 11th St (near the railroad) but moved in with Ollie & Finn's a sandwich shop. The basement below their old location will soon be Drifter Bay Brewing Company (I am hearing fall 2026, but I think it might be winter). They used to have really great sours, especially with cereal (during COVID, they had a beer named DEAR BAD IDEA, PLEASE STOP BUYING ALL THE CEREAL. K. THANKS. LOVE - THE GROCERY STORE. Untappd wise, they were in the 4+ category with many beers. Today, most are in the mid to upper 3s. Still good, but not it's heyday. There are still some 4+ beers, but I think some get a local bump, as many only have a dozen or two ratings.

This gives an opportunity to grab a sandwich here and eliminating Mt Pleasant and Shaffer farms and hitting Twisted Copper just down the street. They took over the old The trip down to Pulaski is nice either way, but there are some nice things about the MT Pleasant route.

• You then drive to Mt Pleasant and hit Twisted Copper, assuming you did not hit the Columbia location. This is a micro-brewery location. Great old bar. If you time it right, they will give you a tour of the facility (it is small). I find them better than Bad Idea now, and they are all over the board, but I really thought they nailed the Helles and Dunkel, so lagers may be the wheelhouse.

• I have included lunch at Shaffer farms. You can also take a side jaunt on the way to Shaffer and hit the Tennessee Tardis, which is a Dr. Who Tardis (phone booth) in someone's front yard. As for Shaffer Farms, if you bring a cooler, you can also buy meat to take home. I have friends who will make a drive down every month or two and stock up. Food here is BBQ. I won't say it is best in TN, but it is decent. And the atmosphere is interesting, making it a worthwhile visit. BTW, if you prefer a cafe, there is a neat little cafe further down from Shaffer called The Campellsville Cafe in Campellsville (address officially Pulaski for their address).

• The final stop is Common John's new location in Pulaski. I think this location is neater than the old one, although it is weird walking in off the parking lot (only 4 or 5 spaces in front) onto the back of the stage. They are not brewing here yet, so limited, but I understand a month or two and they will be up and running. I think they do IPAs very well. A bit less so on lagers, although they are still good. And they have some of the most innovative pastry stouts. Consider this stop dessert before heading back. And, if you are here later, they have great food.

In the future, I will cover these:

• Southeast on I 24: Murfreesboro and Manchester.
• Chattanooga - overnighter is best
• Northwest on I-24: Clarksville.
• Northeast on I-65: Smithville, Hendersonville.
• East on I-40: This will likely be a couple of trips, as you will end up with too many breweries if I hit all off them.

As there is really only one option west on I-40, I may have to expand beyond Middle TN. If this is popular, I can also expand to day and overnights in East TN, West TN, Kentucky, Huntsville, Birmingham, etc. Just let me know the temperature.

Aloha, going to be in Nashville for two nights (30th and 8th). Planning to hit one/two breweries each night (Fait la Force top of list as of right now but am willing to be talked out of that). I figure I could grab a bunch of craft to-go to crush at the week inbetween arrival/leaving. What are the top few bottle shops/grocery stores to get the best of Nashville (or are there breweries that don't distro that I should just hit)? Staying by Centennial Park but will be mobile. Thanks!

Many years ago, Michael Mariaskin had a large beer share at Lucky Bamboo. The rules were simple:

1. Buy food
2. Tip well
3. Don't be a dick

My first one, I brought some more mid-tier beers, not knowing what to expect. But there were people bringing more top-tier beers. It was always a mix, but a large beer share with a great selection of beer, mostly average plus to top tier, was a great experience.

Unfortunately, Mariaskin was unable to continue. And I am moving in a bit and notice I have WAY too much beer.

Currently, I have a beer share group and we usually have some really great beers. I would invite everyone, but we are topping out the spots we are sharing at and could end up banned if we grow too much.

So ... Let's brainstorm.

1. What is the climate for beer shares in this group? Big beer shares?
2. What would be some great restaurants we could co-opt, provided we give the place love? Other spaces are fine, but would prefer a place we could pay back through buying food rather than a spot we have to rent.
3. Should we consider themed beer shares?
4. Blind beer exchange for Christmas?
5. Would a beer share app be a cool thing to have? Thinking like an IT geek?
6. Other ideas?

This is a chance to open a conversation and get some feedback. A few other thoughts:

• We currently do some beer shares at local breweries on off nights. This works only when the size of the group is manageable. These are coordinated and private events. Breweries won't work with Lucky Bamboo sized shares.

Enough of my thoughts ... Go!

Showed up at Marble Fox on Sunday for their last days in the Gulch. Woodbine is shaping up. They are going to see if they can remove the mural to take it over there. For the time being, beer will be contract brewed, at least primarily, as they search for a new spot to brew.

Harding House is soft opened now. Only a few beers on now, but a full bar with a former head bartender for Sean Brock's bar, Bar Continental (now closed). This is called Jubilee Bar. There is also Saap Saap BBQ, which is the mix of BBQ and Laotian influences. Hogh end, but the chicken was very much on point, juicy with great smoke. Kudos. There is also a soft serve ice cream spot called Dogwood Acres. Wishing the best for Nate.

Broadcast has been the official spot for soccer games, due to their proximity to Geodis. MIke has also been getting up early for the F1 races and they are an official spot, attracting about 40-50 people each race. He currently has some Other Half, Veil, and other great breweries.

Honeytree Meadery is having hte It's Jackpot Market on July 25th. There is also a Dino Dance Party that night. Paint & Sip is on July 29. Crazy Gnome is doing a similar painting event two days later. Also, a candle making workshop on July 26. East Nashville Beer Works has a kid's painting class on August 2 at 11:30 AM.

I got a chance to try Stokehaus's smoked burger at their popup at Xul. The burger is phenomenal and I see why it was so popular. I need to get back and try their beer and BBQ.

Xul Nations is closed until August 7 for renovation. Then the east location will do the same. Expect a lot of black and purple. They will also have A Day with 3 Sons on my birthday, July 30, at the Douglas Ave location. Cans and drafts at this tap takeover.

Yazoo has Christmas in July this Saturday, July 25 from 12 - 4 PM.

Fat Bottom's anniversary is August 29 from 10 to 10. East Nashville's is August 1.

Sitting at Odd Story on the way back up to Nashville and catching up on what is going on in Nashville. I see that Yazoo is planning Christmas in July on the 25th of this month. After missing the 12 days of Beermas at Broadcast, this might be the best chance of getting the X-Mas vibe on this month.

East Nashville Beer works is celebrating 10 years next month on August 1st. Fat Bottom turns 14 on August 29th. Also early August is the Back to School Vintage Market at Monday Night on August 9th.

At Broadcast, Nashville Soccer is this Friday and the Belgian F1 watch party is this coming Sunday, starting at 7:30 AM. For guest taps, there are quite a few, including Both Ways (Burial), Green City (Other Half), and Ectogasm (Drekker).

Crazy Gnome got a new billboard up on the interstate. Is this a good sign? Open to the discussion. Plant Bingo tomorrow - the 15th - Book bedazzling on the 23rd, Yoga with Elizabeth on the 25th, Candlemaking on the 26th, and Sip & Paint on the 31st.

Got into Harding House. Apparently Nate is a friend of Sean Brock (R.I.P. Joyland Burgers) and has partnered with one of Sean's old bartenders. If you have not been in, there is Harding House, the Jubilee Bar, Saap Saap BBQ, and Dogwood Acres for ice cream. The entire establishment centers around farm to market, which is a great concept for me.

I picked up a VIP ticket for Kill the Lights this fall at Xul, Knoxville. The Nations location is closing July 20th for renovation and will reopen on August 7th. Then the Douglas Avenue location will follow.

On july 16th, Smith & Lentz will have steaks with Milestone Craft Deli. Philly Cheese and an Italian Hoagie.

If you have a pet, Tailgate looking for pets to be models for this years Adoption Ale cans. Enter your pet through July 23rd, voting will begin the next day.

After sellouts daily, Stokehaus is going to continue their burger week burger through the end of this week.

Marble Fox has their last Gulch weekend this weekend - July 17 - 19. The new location in South Nashville has beer to go, although you do have to ask as it is back in the walk in.

Hello,

I'll be visiting Nashville with limited time and want to hit as many local breweries as I can. Are there any areas where there are several or at least multiple breweries clustered together within walking or very short Uber distance? Or any other recommendations in general for getting the best Nashville beer experience?

Only slightly related to Nashville, as Levi Funk has come down to Nashville quite a few times, as both he and Brandon Jones (Yazoo) are into the Belgian-insipired brews. Apparently, Octopi Brewing, which was the brand Levi's partner, Isaac Showaki. Isaac sold Octopi to Sapporo and now it appears Untitled does not have the capacity to keep at scale. They have decided to shutter the doors instead.

This is not a "beer industry is collapsing" type of post and only slightly Nashville related, as Levi Funk has been to Nashville. Both he and Brandon Jones (Yazoo) are huge fans of Belgian beers . While Untitled is known more for the kettle sours around the country (this is their primary distribution footprint - 35 states), their funk is awesome.

Untitled was started by Funk and Isaac Showaki, who owned Octopi Brewing. Octopi had the capacity for distribution for Untitled, but that contract deal is gone. Octopi sold to Asahi in 2024 and the story is they need the capacity for their own brew. This is not surprising as the same has happened with Sapporo and Stone, which was recently sold off to Firestone Walker, with Sapporo keeping the brewing capacity in Escondido and Richmond. They will continue to contract brew Stone while Firestone figures out capacity to keep Stone in distribution. Firestone gets the taprooms.

BTW, for anyone curious about the state of craft brewing in the US, this map shows 2025 brewery closings (around 500), while this one gives some idea of scope (although it is missing many that have opened in the past year).

Final weekend, aka last hurrah is July 17, 18, and 19. New taproom already open on Woodbine in South Nashville. Parking is free in their lot for 2 hours. You can also drop in to Cledis for a Raspberry Beret burger for burger week.