The Mercury Guide to Knoxville’s Booming Breweries 2017

In Consumer Guides, Sips & Shots by Thomas Stubbsleave a COMMENT

We’re suddenly living amid a burgeoning craft-brewery scene—here’s who’s brewing what in the Knoxville area. You should be able to sample their wares at Knoxville Craft Beer Week (June 10-18) and BrewFest (June 17).

Alliance Brewing Company
1130 Sevier Ave.
865-247-5355
Ever since Alliance Brewing Co. first opened its doors in August 2015, its owners have abided by two principles: drinkability and “Active Beer Culture.” They know that good craft beer generally has a few more calories than regular beer, so they say if you drink it you should earn it. They back up this statement with various deals and events, like $1 off on Thursdays for trail runners, a partnership with the Appalachian Mountain Biking Club, and $10 yoga sessions on Sundays and Mondays, after which you may reward yourself with a complimentary pint.

The Beer: Alliance keeps seven year-round beers alongside various seasonals and others—they try to have something for everyone. They also keep a rotating cast of IPAs on tap; with such a huge variety of hops to choose from, the Alliance team doesn’t want to stay married to one batch.

On Tap:
Citra Blonde:
An American Blonde Ale that is light and clean with a smooth, fruity finish. Dry-hopped with Citra.
Kolsch: A light German ale that drinks like a lager. Hints of stone fruit and riesling-like flavors are complemented by a smooth, dry finish.
Scotch Ale: A medium-bodied Scotch ale brewed with beechwood smoked malt. Red in color, this beer is malty with a smoky finish.

Where to Find Them: Stop by their taproom in south Knoxville, where you can sit down for a pint or take home a 32 oz. canned “Crowler,” Alliance’s answer to the re-sealable glass Growlers of old. You can also find Alliance brews at Bearden Beer Market and other Knoxville locales.

Balter Beerworks
100 S. Broadway St.
(865) 999-5015
Much like some of the bands in Knoxville’s local music scene, Balter Beerworks started off with a few friends and a garage. After tweaking their recipes to be both creative and approachable, the Beerworks team transformed an old gas station into a hip brewery and restaurant last year. Their restaurant offers a more urbane, upscale spin on traditional bar fare, and is both family and pet friendly.

The Beer: Balter brews four core options and rotates a couple of seasonal or featured beers through as well. Expect to see five to eight balanced beers on the board, along with a weekly cask tapping.

On Tap:
Bear Blend Coffee Oatmeal Porter:
Breakfast replacement beer. Bready nose with oats to balance the acidic cold brew coffee addition. Dark and layered, but without a strong alcohol nose.
Firebelly IPA: Pure hop focus. Classic IPA, bitter with loads of Cascade aroma. Minimal malt distraction.
Good Neighbor Kolsch: Crisp, German-style wheat ale. Malted wheat and light hop additions make a refreshing, but full-bodied pint.
Maypop APA: Golden And Lightly Hoppy, With A Big Citrus And Floral Aroma.

Where to Find Them: Downtown Knoxville on the corner of Broadway and Jackson Avenue.

Blackberry Farm
1471 W. Millers Cove Road (Walland)
865-984-8166
Just one of the many high-end amenities offered by the Blackberry Farm Hotel, this brewery lies at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains. Although it only opened its doors in 2011, Blackberry Farm’s brewery and processes are rooted in centuries-old traditions. All of its beers utilize a natural re-fermentation in the bottle, which produces a soft and pleasant carbonation, and makes their beer very easy to spot: their bottles are corked, not capped. This allows each brew to either be consumed immediately or cellared for a special occasion.

The Beer: The Blackberry Farm brewing team produces four families of beers, each of which serve a different purpose in rounding out their offerings. The brews offered change with the seasons, along with the occasional special release.

On Tap:
Saison:
Inspired by the traditional Farmhouse Ales found throughout Belgium while reflecting the unique changing seasons found here in East Tennessee. All offerings in the Saison family feature a base of floor-malted barley. A rustic and patient approach—working with a uniquely dry and phenolic and fruity yeast strain—yields a wide variety of complex flavors.
Abbey: Inspired by classical monastic traditions, the Abbey family of ales exemplifies iconic styles crafted with refined, unhurried processes and premium, thoughtfully sourced ingredients.
Native: The Native family of ales feature a wide range of styles and flavors that share one extraordinary, common component: native wild yeasts harvested from across Blackberry Farm’s 9,200 protected acres at the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Barrel: The Barrel Family of beers reflects the highest expression of the Brewer’s craft. Each beer is brewed with premium ingredients and fermented with a variety of yeast strains for complex flavor, and will see extended aging in wine and spirit barrels before release.

Where to Find Them: Currently, the beers are available to guests on Blackberry Farm and are distributed to stores and restaurants in 38 states. Knox-side, look for the Saison at Tomato Head Restaurant locations.

Blackhorse Pub and Brewery
4429 Kingston Pike
865-249-8511 
Blackhorse Pub & Brewery first opened its doors in Clarksville in 1992 with the goal of providing a neighborhood gathering place for friends and families. Since expanding to Knoxville (for a second time), it has become a local staple, offering a wide variety of in-house brewed ales and fresh eats.

The Beer: Available on tap at its Bearden location, Blackhorse offers a diverse selection, from signature ales to stout. Try them all in a beer flight or take one home in a half-gallon growler.

On Tap:
Blackhorse IPA: An American IPA brewed with seven different hop varieties. Most important are Citra, which gives the beer a citrus flavor, Cascade, which adds a hint of Grapefruit, and Simcoe, which contributes its piney aroma.
Barnstormer Red Ale: Serving as Blackhorse’s flagship brew, this smooth traditional red ale uses Hallertau hops to accompany its sweet round finish.
McGee’s Pale Ale: With a blend of Munich Malt and two row barley as a base, an assertive taste is created by adding cluster hops.
Coalminer’s Stout: Reminiscent of the great stouts of England and Ireland, Blackhorse’s stout is semi-dry and opaque in color.
Vanilla Cream Ale: This creamy vanilla ale combines Vienna malt with American two row and natural vanilla bean.
Hefeweizen: This authentic German ale finishes with a hint of banana and clove.

Where to Find Them: At Bearden’s Western Plaza in the far-right corner.

Cold Fusion Brewing Company
4711 Morton Place Way
865-203-5948
Since opening its doors in August 2015, Cold Fusion Brewing has been offering “cold brews with a fusion of flavors.” Though they do not have their own tasting room—yet!—their beers can be found all over Knoxville and the greater East and Middle Tennessee area.

The Beer: Creativity, drinkability, and affordability all go hand-in-hand at Cold Fusion, with offerings like the McFuggle and the Celestial Star.

On Tap:
The McFuggle Off:
Made exclusively for Sugar Mama’s Bakery on Gay Street, the McFuggle is an Imperial Amber Ale that gets its name from the Fuggle hops with which it is brewed. It is sweet and warm, with a hint of tangerine and melon.
Around the World Kolsch: A Gernman Kolsch with an American twist. Brewed with Green Tea and Lemongrass, this beer is available exclusively at Curious Dog Hot Dogs and Sandwiches on Jackson Avenue.
Celestial Sour: This beer is fermented twice, first “spontaneously,” then a second time with blackberries and plums.

Where to Find Them: You can be sure to find a Cold Fusion brew at Sugar Mamma’s, Sweet P’s BBQ, Curious Dog’s, Downtown Casual Pint, FIVE Knoxville, Pint House, and Trio or Soccer Taco on Market Square. See the ‘Tap List’ tab on their website for a complete list.

Crafty Bastard Brewery
6 Emory Place
865-755-2358
Founded in 2014, this local nanobrewery—that is, a one- or two-person operation that produced beer in small batches—specializes in unconventional craft beers. The folks at Crafty Bastard like to keep things small in order to provide the most unique, top-quality beers in East Tennessee.

The Beer: It’s safe to say that there’s always going to be something you haven’t tried before with each visit to Crafty Bastard Brewery, from tropical-flavored IPAs and smoky porters to hop-heavy English style beers.

On Tap:
Hop Candy IPA: Tangerine, mango, and thick melon notes with a thick, complex body and deep orange hue; low in bitterness and high in drinkability—and amazing arrangement of citrus that goes down like silk.
Spicy Ginger Ale: cane sugar, black tea, and ginger (free if you are pregnant or breastfeeding)
Imperial Milk Stout: Unconventional with a touch of smoke; chocolate and cream– one of our more popular creations
Tessellation IPA: Dank and tropical with a funky finish, one of our most popular beers!
Big Bastard Double IPA: Deceptively easy to drink with dank and citrus notes, a hint of strawberries in the beginning, low-bitterness, silky mouthfeel
Double Dubbel: Belgian-style ale with caramel malt and dark fruit notes; high-gravity, meant to be sipped slowly
Note: If any of those sound like a beer you simply cannot live without trying, hurry. The folks at Crafty Bastard cycle their brews in and out pretty quickly to get the most variety out of their purposefully small setup.

Where to Find Them: Their taproom at Emory Place is at north end of Gay Street, and it also features frequent food-truck visits—check out the website to see the weekly schedule.

Downtown Grill and Brewery at Woodruff’s
424 South Gay St.
865-633-8111
Often referred to simply as “The Brewpub,” Downtown Grill & Brewery has been a Knoxville staple ever since its opening in December 2002 in the historic Woodruff building. Every glass of beer is brewed in the midst of a booming restaurant serving everything from steaks to seafood.

The Beer: Brewmaster Al Krusen relies on established traditional beer recipes, something he prides himself on. All beer is available on tap and for take home in kegs, growlers and glasses. Not sure what to get? Order a beer flight and try them all, from the White Mule Ale to a Woodruff IPA.

On Tap:
White Mule Ale: A medium bodied refreshing Pale Ale made from the finest English barley and hops. Each sip evokes the feel of the time-honored British pub and a “pint of your best bitter.” A pleasant hop balance at the beginning and a smooth dry finish make this ale a perfect accompaniment to your meal.
Woodruff IPA: A full-bodied, traditional IPA, well balanced with a healthy dose of English hops. Reminiscent of “historical” Knoxville IPA’s.
New World Porter: A deep ruby red, a rich malt flavor and a creamy head hopped just enough to compliment the bittersweet chocolate note.
Downtown Nut Brown Ale: A beautiful deep brown hue and a nutty sweetness identify this style of ale from Northern England. Although malt and caramel flavor dominate, hops provide a medium level of bitterness at the finish.
State Street Stout: Creamy and substantial, this brew is bursting with the flavor of dark roasted grains. Oats add a soft velvety texture that blends well with the distinct malty flavor. An excellent beer to finish any meal.
Downtown Blonde Ale: This light-bodied Kolsch displays a smooth malt note and a hint of fruit flavor in the finish. The Kolsch style has little hop flavor or aroma, letting the sweet malt taste prevail.
Alt: An early German ale, this full-bodied Düsseldorf style exhibits a rich mahogany color. Special malts imported from Munich lend an authentic malty note to this exceptional brew.

Where to Find Them: Smack dab in the middle of Gay Street, about a block north of the Tennessee Theatre.

Fanatic Brewing Company
2727 N. Central St.
865-242-9063
A company three years in the making, Fanatic Brewing Co. is full of—you guessed it—beer fanatics. And with a group led by internationally recognized beer judge Marty Velas, you know it’s got to be good.

The Beer: Brewmaster Velas likes drinkable beer, a philosophy that’s reflected in the brews created over at Fanatic. At present, the brewery has four beers on offer, all of which can be found at select restaurants, pubs, and grocery stores across East Tennessee. For a complete list, just click on their website’s “where to find us” tab.

On Tap:
Tennessee Blonde:
A light ale intended to appeal to experience ale drinkers, as well as novice beer drinkers who have not yet experienced the craft beer revolution. It offers a light malty palate with noble hops leaving a light to medium bitterness. A balanced beer, light bodied and somewhat lager-like.
Fanatic Pale Ale: An American style pale ale that is both satisfying to the experienced ale drinker and yet not too overpowering as to frighten off the neophyte. It offers a crisp texture with medium carbonation and a medium amber-colored body. Its moderate hopping adds a dryness to the finish.
Tennessee Red: Well-balanced and drinkable but slightly malt-forward, made with caramel and Munich malts
Fanatic Black: Modeled after Northern Bavaria’s signature black lagers, this “Schwartz Bier” is extremely smooth with a dry, roasty finish.

Where to Find Them: You can find their brews in all Knoxville area Food City and Casual Pint locations, as well as some of the local bars. Visit fanaticbrewing.com for a regularly updated list, or to schedule a tour of the brew house. Fanatic’s tap room is opening soon.

Last Days of Autumn Brewing
808 E. Magnolia Ave. 
865-202-4298
Last Days of Autumn prides itself in creating a multitude of unique, small batch ales. The brewery’s self-stated goal is that each time you visit its taproom, there is a beer available on tap that you haven’t tried before.

The Beer: Although the brewery officially opened up in February 2016, owner Mike Frede has been home-brewing for over 20 years. Seasonality, customer requests, availability of ingredients and the Brewmaster’s whim determine what comes out of the tap; there’s no set styles poured at their taproom, but you might find brews such as Sharkbait Blonde Ale, Salted Caramel Porter, or Black Belgian Style Abbey Ale.

On Tap:
Sharkbait Blonde Ale: This beer was inspired by a week of shark fishing off St. Helena Island, SC.  This is a clean, well-attenuated, flavorful American lawnmower beer flavored with Chinook & Centennial Hops.
Double Salted Caramel Porter: A smooth, full-bodied porter brewed with dark roasted specialty malts and sea salt.  Highlighted flavors include caramel, chocolate and cream.
Pardon My Garden Double IPA: Noticeably pleasant and clean malty sweetness with an intense hoppy bitterness. Full-bodied with hints of citrus, pine, resin, and tropical fruit. Dry hopped for a “resinous” aroma.
Delph’s Coffee Stout: English-style stout with flavors of dark-roasted grains courtesy of the local Three Bears Coffee.

Where to Find Them: At their taproom, of course—check out their schedule at lastdaysofautumn.com. Also available at taps around town.

Saw Works Brewing Co. 
708 E. Depot Ave.
865-247-5952
Located in the old Wallace Saw Works Building from which the brewery gained its name, Saw Works Brewing Co. was founded in 2010 (with the initial name of Marble City Brewing). You’re bound to find a Saw Works beer at any of our city’s craft beer hotspots.

The Beer: Saw Works utilizes the traditional Peter Austin Brick Kettle Brewing system with a few modern twists, resulting in a classic yet pleasantly surprising taste. Its three flagship beers include Rocky Hop IPA, Brown Ale, and Pale Ale, though there’s always something new at the Saw Works taproom thanks to its Rough-Cut series.

On Tap:
Rocky Hop IPA: A bronze-medal winner at the Tennessee Championship of Beers, this hoppy brew is reminiscent of classic American IPAs. A light to medium body, this beer’s citrusy hops blend with an earthy aroma for a tasty experience.
Brown Ale: A gold-medal winner at the Tennessee Championship of Beers, this creamy brew is a throwback to English brown ales. The nutty flavor with hints of chocolate make this one an easy drink.
Pale Ale: This medium-bodied ale is characterized by light herbal hops and a slightly malty taste.
No Easy Day IPA: A medium-bodied brew with floral and citrus aromas, created by a blend of seven hops. Rye malt adds a hint of spice with a dry, smooth finish.
Baby Got Black IPA: With dark chocolate and fruity hops as its foundation, this dark ale’s semi-sweet malt character is balanced by a bright, hoppy finish.

Where to Find Them: A production-based brewery, you can find this brand in restaurants and grocery stores throughout Tennessee and South Carolina, not to mention its tasting room, where you can grab a beer or go on a tour of the brewery.

Shultz Bräu Brewing
126 Bernard Ave.
800-245-9764
The folks at Schulz Bräu have made it their mission to dazzle Knoxvillians with an authentic German drinking experience. Its taproom, the appropriately-named “Great Hall,” seats 130 people. Customers may also enjoy their brews in Schultz’s outdoor Biergarten, which hosts live music, trivia, and film nights weekly.

The Beer (or in this case, Das Bier): As the name suggests, Schulz Bräu brews only traditional German ales and lagers. The German Braumeister proudly brews all the beers according to the Reinheitsgebot (the German Beer Purity Law). This means no chemicals, no GMOs, and no preservatives. The brewery has 12 original beers on tap, a select number of which can be served in a Liter stein, which the owners proudly proclaim to be the biggest beer in town.

On Tap:
Hefeweisen: A yeasty German wheat beer with a hint of banana and clove. Thick and creamy with a rich golden color.
Radler: A light, spritzy Bavarian lager. A one-two-one mix of Munich Helles and lemonade. Perfect for the summertime.
Schwarzbier: A traditional German lager brewed with dark-roasted malt. Smooth despite its dark color, with a hoppy aroma.
Munich Dunkel: “The world’s first beer.” A dark Bavarian lager with a soft, malty flavor.
Northern German Pilsner: “Germany’s most popular beer.” Brewed with two different kinds of German hops and traditional malts to achieve a crisp, bitter taste.
Note: See Shultz’s website for a nifty tap list, powered by DigitalPour, that will tell you exactly how much of each brew is currently available.

Where to Find Them: Bernard Avenue is a side street off of North Central Street in the Downtown North district. Look for the castle.

Smoky Mountain Brewery
11308 Parkside Drive
865-288-5500
First opening in Gatlinburg in 1996 as a brewery and restaurant, Smoky Mountain Brewery now operates at four locations across East Tennessee. You can only get Smoky Mountain brews at one of the Copper Cellar family of restaurants—which also includes Copper Cellar and Calhoun’s.

The Beer: With seven mainstays, three seasonals, and several limited-availability Brewmaster specialties, there’s a brew for everyone at Smoky Mountain. Freshness is at the forefront; each beer is brewed without the use of chemical preservatives or additives.

On Tap:
Mountain Light: A pale, light-bodied, American style lager. Refreshing and low in carbs and calories. Crisp, clean and delicately hopped.
Velas Helles: Continental style lager enjoyed throughout Europe. Less hoppy than Pilsner and very drinkable. Light color. Balanced with Bavarian hops.
Cherokee Red Ale: Medium bodied and well balanced amber ale with a slight fruity note. Inspired by the “Red” ales of Ireland.
Tuckaleechee Porter: Dark ale with a chewy, roasty character derived from the use of caramel and dark roasted malts.
Black Bear Ale: English style brown ale with a deep, chestnut color. Low hopping rate and light carbonation. Rich, malty-sweet finish. Touch of roastiness.
Appalachian Pale Ale: A hoppy, dry ale featuring a fantastic bouquet of Cascade hops. Deep gold in color with a tight, snow white head and pronounced hop flavor.
20th Anniversary Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout: This barrel-aged beer contains flavor notes from raisins, dried fig, toasted malt, oak, chocolate, and bourbon, with a hoppy bitterness that cuts through the sweetness.

Where to Find Them: You can find Smoky Mountain brews at any of its four locations in Maryville, Pigeon Forge, Turkey Creek, or Gatlinburg, plus at The Copper Cellar on Cumberland Avenue and at Calhoun’s locations.

Hexagon Brewing Company
1002 Dutch Valley Drive, Suite 101
865-888-5138
Hexagon co-founder Stephen Apking got in on the ground floor of craft brewing in the late 1990s, and his early efforts yielded quite a few festival awards, including Best in Show at the Knoxville Beerfest in 2011 and 2014. However, it was not until he met fellow beer enthusiast and Alliance ex-pat Mat McMillan that the idea of opening a brewery of his own began to take shape. These days, the two preside over a 20-barrel Brewhouse in Fountain City, with the goal of producing great beer that reflects the uniqueness of the surrounding community.

The Beer: Currently, Hexagon offers three beers on tap, with three more mainstays and a seasonal on the way. Like Crafty Bastard, Hexagon also hosts food trucks on an almost daily basis, ensuring that there’s a culinary complement to the brews on offer in their taproom.

On Tap:
Alter Ego: This beer, brewed with Tradition Hops, took home Best in Show at Beerfest 2011.
Sexy Cat: A dry-hopped American Pale Ale that drinks like an IPA.
Skinny D: A light beer inspired by those served in Cologne, Germany.

Where to Find Them: Hexagon’s brews may be found at their Fountain City taproom seven days a week, as well as locations closer to home like the Bearden Beer Garden and all three Casual Pint locations. For a complete list, check out their website’s “Beer Finder.”

Pretentious Beer Co. 
131 South Central St.
865-851-7693
It all started, oddly enough, with a glass company. After noticing a general lack of unique glasses designed specifically for beer, founder Matthew Cummings decided to rectify the situation. He opened Pretentious Glass Company in the old city a few years back, offering appearance-minded drinkers the opportunity to dree their beer in its very own “formalwear.”

The Beer: The finest evening gown or dinner jacket is of no use without an appropriately suave person to fill it out, however, prompting Cummings to open Pretentious Beer Company right alongside his glass operation last October. Pretentious offers a variety of craft beer, sodas, and Kombucha—a fermented tea beverage—each brew designed to be worthy of the glass wear in which it is served.

On Tap:
Portly Stout: A medium-body, full-flavored stout, brewed with three different kinds of dark-roasted malt. It is heavy on chocolate and coffee notes and, purposefully, light on hoppiness.
Icelandic Arctic Berry Ale: A traditional Icelandic witbier, brewed with Arctic bilberries. Brewed in celebration of the arrival of warmer temperatures, this is an excellent summer ale.
Wet-Hopped Bam Bier: A sour Saison, brewed with Michigan Cascade hops and dry-hopped with Michigan Cascade whole leaf.
Golden Monkey: This yeasty, Belgian-style Tripel is chalk-full of fruits and spices—look for notes of banana, clove, and isoamyl—and has a dry finish.

Where to Find Them: Pretentious Beer Company’s taproom is located in the Old City on Central Street.

Gypsy Circus Cider
2645 Fort Henry Drive (Kingsport)
Gypsy Circus first filled its cellars in 2015 and released their first cider the following April. With production in Kingsport and the actual cellars here in Knoxville, they’re Tennessee’s first craft cidery, producing fresh-pressed cider from the finest locally-sourced apples. Make no mistake, though, this is the hard stuff.

The Cider: Gypsy Circus prides itself on its ingredients: organic, locally-sourced apples, and little else. Sorbates, extracts, and the dreaded High Fructose Corn Syrup are nowhere to be found. For its efforts, Gypsy Circus was named Tennessee Cider Producer of the Year in 2016, and has won gold at the Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition (or GLINTCAP, for short), the most prestigious cider competition in the world.

On Tap:
Tennessee Dry Cider: Part of Gypsy Circus’s Core Series, this semi-dry cider has distinctive champagne notes and a floral aroma.
Queen of Swords: Sweet and full-bodied, this bolder cider possesses a strong apple aroma and a lively finish.
Vaudevillian: A tart apple cider, semi-dry, with a black cherry finish.
Bourbon Barrel Aged Cider: Aged for three months in a Tennessee whisky oak barrel, this cider offers hints of vanilla, caramel, and—naturally—charred Tennessee oak, with a long, rich finish.

Where to Find Them: Visit Gypsy Circus’s Kingsport taproom to sample the first three of the above brews, and many more. Knox-side, look for their cider at Curious Dogs on Jackson Avenue, The Crown & Goose, Sweet P’s Barbeque, Tupelo Honey, and a whole bevy of other downtown locations. See their website’s “Cider Locator” for a full list.

Still Thirsty?  We’ve Got More Breweries on the Way …

Abridged Beer Company
Opening this summer, Abridged Beer Company aims to redefine the American Session Beer. The Bearden brewpub will focus on “creating the Abridged version” of existing brews by squeezing as much flavor as possible into highly drinkable beers. Look for southern inspired fare coming out of their fast-casual kitchen.

Clinch River Brewing
531 South Gay St.
Opening by the end of June, Clinch River will bring craft brewing to the very heart of downtown, offering approachable craft beers both traditional and innovative alongside low-country, New Orleans-style culinary fare.

Elkmont Exchange Brewery and Eating House
Like Alliance, Elkmont Exchange hopes to marry craft brewing culture to Knoxville’s many natural wonders. To that end, the folks behind it envision a taproom with extensive patio seating, so that customers can enjoy their brews serenely ensconced in the great outdoors. Led by Brewmaster Alex Violette, with experience in Nashville, Colorado, and Vietnam, Elkmont will be opening its doors in Downtown North this fall, and plans to have both beer and food on offer.

Geezers Brewery
213 E. Fifth Ave.
865-851-4354
The Geezers have been around since 2011, when they started supplying BikesNBeers with unique brews. These days, their product can be found at Hardin Valley’s Casual Pint location.

The Beer: The brewers at Geezers specialize in flavorful and provocatively-named beers. If you pick up a brew with a name like “Big Dumb Blonde,” “Bitch Puddin’,” or “Pale Bastard,” you can bet it’s a Geezers product.

Hindsight Brewing Company
Under construction across the Tennesee River, Hindsight Brewery (as it’s called now; the name will likely change between now and the grand opening due to trademark issues) will be joining Alliance in South Knoxville, and if its sponsorship of a team in the Knoxville Marathon this past April is any indication, they will also be dedicated to making beer and athletics—once strange bedfellows indeed—fall madly in love with one another.

Interested in a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Knoxville’s Breweries?
That Can be Arranged.

If all this talk of meticulous, personalized brewing has you wondering how, exactly, it’s done, allow us to bring Knox Brew Tours to your attention. This summer, KBT owner Zack Roskop is teaming up with Todd White, president of Knoxville’s Brewing + Distilling Center, to take Knoxvillians on a particularly educational journey through our city’s growing craft-beer industry.

This special trip, known as the Funucational Brew Tour, will be offered twice, on June 14 and 28. Running from 6 to 8  p.m., the tours will begin and end at the Casual Pint in Bearden, with stops at Blackhorse, Fanatic, and Knox Whiskey Works in between. The real treat here is the presence of Mr. White, whose Brewing + Distilling Center trains students in the art—and science—of craft brewing. Thus, he can answer any questions about both the process of brewing and the process of becoming certified to brew, as some of Knoxville’s Brewmasters did through his very program. It should be an unrivalled glimpse into a niche of Knoxville’s culture.

 

 

Thomas Stubbs is a lifelong Knoxvillian, although these days he spends the academic year in Greenville, South Carolina, majoring in History and Communications Studies at Furman University. He’ll be a senior when he returns to Furman in the fall, a fact which mystifies him as much as it does everyone else. He writes a column for Furman’s newspaper, The Paladin, covering theatre and the Greenville arts scene. In his spare time, Thomas may be found singing in any number of choirs or catching up with old friends.

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