Experience Tennessee
ISSUE 1 | APRIL 2021
MONTHLY VISITORS GUIDE
! k c a is B
roo lineup drops new concerts series announce
Experience the outdoors state parks ready for big crowds
Visiting Jack? 7 more must-see distilleries
I am Bonnaroo project archives life on the farm one frame at a time
Table of Contents p4| I am bonnaroo project
p14| distill a weekend in tn
p22| the outdoors are calling
p24| Geocaching in TN
p25| two new craft breweries set to open this fall
p35| Back to the farm, Bonnaroo is back!
p36| must see tennessee
n o i t c e l l o C S p r in g
9 9 . 4 $2 g n i p p i h s e e r +f
Peace, unity, music radiate positivity: from woodstock to Bonnaroo
by: Elena Cawley
David Bruce, who launched the I am Bonnaroo project 10 years ago, first learned of Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival from reading an article in a music publication. “I was intrigued because I've always been fascinated with the '69 Woodstock Festival, which I learned about at a really young age through photos I found in a book in my school library while I was living in Nebraska. He lived in Omaha in the 1970s for a few years before leaving Nebraska. “I was born in Vermont and had lived in 10 states before graduating from high school. My father's job kept our family on the move. I've lived in New York for almost 40 years. I live in Coxsackie, New York, which is about two hours north of New York City.”
As a child, Bruce found the Woodstock Music Festival fascinating. The three-day event began on Aug. 15, 1969, with half a million people waiting on a farm in Bethel, New York, for the event to start. The festival was presented as “An Aquarian Experience: 3 Days of Peace and Music,” according to history.com. The four-day Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, held on The Farm in Manchester, Tennessee, with its “radiate positivity” slogan, reminded Bruce of Woodstock. “When I thought about what kind of images I wanted to capture on my first trip to Bonnaroo, the '69 Woodstock Festival instantly came to mind,” Bruce said. “So I bought a 1969-era Nikon 35 mm film camera, which was the standard that a lot of photojournalists used to document Woodstock and Vietnam with.” A graphic designer by trade, Bruce has worked for a government agency for nearly 20 years. “But film photography has been my passion for 35 years,” Bruce said. “Someone told me once that you are what you love,” he said. “So when people ask me what I do, I say I'm a photographer. Graphic design is just my means to pay bills.”
His love for photography is only paralleled by his love of music, said Bruce. So when he had the opportunity to walk through the Bonnaroo arch into the world of music and positivity, he seized it. “In 2011, my daughter, a freshman in college at the time, told me she was thinking about going to Bonnaroo,” Bruce said.
Bruce told her he was envious. She let Bruce know the father of her roommate wanted to go to the festival, and that’s how the idea of embarking on a trip together was born. “So I bought a wristband, packed up some gear and rendezvoused with this girl’s dad in Long Island. It was a leap of faith. We literally got to know each other on the 18hour road trip to The Farm. Hindsight tells me that this was an integral part of my Bonnaroo journey. Meeting new people on The Farm, from places I've never been, is a big part of the Bonnaroo experience.” Once on The Farm, Bruce realized he had come unprepared, but, luckily, he had entered the land of good vibes and high fives, so he found a solution. “I learned that first year in 2011 how much I really didn't know about doing a festival like Bonnaroo,” Bruce said. “We were grossly underprepared; it was laughable.” A street-style portrait photographer, Bruce looked at Bonnaroo that first year as a potential photo opportunity. “I had no idea how overwhelmed I'd be with the Bonnaroo culture from a photographer’s standpoint,” he said. “The festival is a visual feast. I became aware I didn't bring enough film to shoot on my first day on The Farm, so I started going up to anyone with a camera and asking if they knew who I might be able to buy some from. Miraculously, I found someone who sold me a couple of rolls. Now I travel to The Farm with three 35 mm cameras and 30-plus rolls of film. And I've never returned to New York with unused film.”
He knew his first visit to Bonnaroo would turn into a long-term project. The visual feast revealing people’s hearts and emotions couldn’t be captured in four days only. “I became beyond inspired photographing the people of Bonnaroo that first year,” Bruce said. “I knew that these were the kinds of images that I needed to make: iconic photos that could transcend a generation.” These images could have more impact and tell a bigger story in 50 years than they do now, said Bruce.
“So I created the I am Bonnaroo project as kind of a photo essay, an homage to the unique and beautiful people that make Bonnaroo the incredible experience it is. “When I first decided to make I am Bonnaroo an ongoing project, I thought it would be cool to return to The Farm for a few consecutive years and continue to archive what was going on there photographically. I honestly didn't think that I'd be doing this 11 years later. 2020 would have been the 10th consecutive year for this project. COVID-19 prevented this from happening. For me it was a little like running a marathon, having the finish line in sight, and then someone blowing a whistle to say it's over before getting the chance to finish. This doesn't mean I'm ready to stop building this project though. If nothing else, it's inspired me to keep going.” Bruce’s images will continue to tell a story decades after they’ve been captured, just like the photos of Woodstock do. Inspired by “peaceful, authentic, and historic” Woodstock as a child, Bruce is thankful for the chance to be part of the musical Bonnaroo experience, and capture the “diversity, unity and positivity” on The Farm. Follow the I am Bonnaroo project on Instagram and Facebook.
Distilling a Weekend in Tennessee 7 distilleries to see after visiting jack! Each year over 300,000 people make the pilgrimage to Lynchburg, Tennessee, and the Jack Daniels Distillery. It doesn't take you very long, usually, just a few conversations with us locals, to figure out that whiskey, particularly Tennessee Whiskey, is something more than meets the eye around here. Tennessee Whiskey is a tradition, passed down by generation after generation. One of the first crafts really celebrated in this area, even if we had to hide it in the woods. This tradition, this artisan if you will, has been crafted all over the map of our great state. Registered or not, quality always. So the next time you make the pilgrimage to Lynchburg, our southern middle Tennessee, enjoy this list of crafted spirits made right here in the hills of Tennessee.
American Craft Distillers of Lynchburg - Miles from Jack: .3 From the hollows and hills of Lynchburg emerges the stories of those families that made distilled spirits both before, during and after prohibition. Did you know that in 1876 there were 15 Legal distilleries in the Lynchburg area alone? We are bringing back those “Good Old Days” with products that are a part of our American culture. The American Craft In the early 20th century, moonshine became a key source of income for many Appalachian residents like Scots-Irish Charles Kirkpatrick, one of our owner/distillers great grandfathers. “Grandad” and his brother Joe were “corn farmers” known for knowing exactly where to cook their “product” in the hills of east Tennessee in Hawkins county. They sold their Whisky Moonshine from 1920’s to 1930’s. Another owner/distiller’s family were raised here in the heart of Tennessee and had a history of distilling spirits of all kinds. Grain, Corn or even fruits to make ‘shine, brandy and whiskey.
Cascade Hollow Distilling Company, Home of George Dickel - Miles from Jack: 18 Born 40 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, George A. Dickel was an established Nashville merchant when he entered the whisky business. Dickel grew his reputation for selling the smoothest, most mellow spirits in the region. Thus, Geo. A. Dickel & Co. was born and when the Cascade Hollow Distillery opened in 1878 in neighboring Coffee County, George Dickel bought a large share. George Dickel followed in the Scottish tradition of spelling whisky without an “e.” George Dickel preferred whisky made in the winter months more than summer months because he felt it made the whisky taste smoother, so the company began advertising their Geo. A. Dickel’s Cascade Tennessee Whisky as “Mellow as Moonlight.” This is why our whisky is chilled before undergoing the charcoal-mellow filtration known as the Lincoln County Process. This extra step smooths out the flavor and we’re still the only Tennessee distillery to do it.
Prichard's Distillery - Miles from Jack: 18 Five generations ago, when Granddaddy Benjamin Prichard of Davidson County, Tennessee passed his “still, tubs and utensils thereto” to his son Enoch, his will of 1822 provided documentation of the last known “legal” distiller in the Prichard Family. Ben made his whiskey with a high sugar content white corn, pure Tennessee spring water and it was distilled using ancient pot still techniques. Through the years we have had many different styles of bottles. Keeping with the “hand crafted” feel and setting our spirits to be unique among a myriad of lookalike bottles on retail shelves and behind bars. Prichard’s Distillery newest bottle is a reasonable recreation of a hand-blown early American bottle. Made from amber glass to help protect our spirits from deterioration by light.
Branch Water Distillery - Miles from Jack: 20 Branchwater is founded by Bud Kelley, master distiller. His belief in “the old way” of distilling, sets his moonshine above the rest. Taste of tradition! The distillery is located just off the square in downtown Winchester, Tennessee home of Tims Ford Lake & State Park. Offering a unique tasting experience, the staff will assist you in finding the right flavor for your moonshine. We're not sure if this still belongs on the square in Winchester, or in the mountains of Tennessee. Either way, this is some original oldschool good stuff.
reopening
06.19.21 Uncle Nearest Distillery - Miles from Jack: 22 The hills and hollows above Lynchburg, Tennessee don't easily give up their secrets. The whispers have always been here, lingering in the shadows, undiminished by the passage of time and the buss of the larks and mockingbirds. Here, where Tennessee whiskey was born, the story quietly endured for nearly two centuries kept alive through the recollections of kinfolks and neighbors and faded ink on brittle, yellowed pages. Was it possible the godfather of Tennessee whiskey was a man the world never knew? Was it true that a former slave became Tennessee's premier master distiller, helped perfect the process still followed today, and taught his craft to others who would find worldwide fame and become whiskey legends in their own right? Let us tell you the story of the man they called Uncle Nearest.
Southern Pride Distillery - Miles from Jack: 25 We are proud to be a modern part of an Old-World industry that has stood the test of time. With having 20 years experience in the distilled spirits industry, it was only a natural progression for us to apply both our experience and passion to create premium distilled spirits…..and so Southern Pride Distillery was started. A dream made real in March of 2012, Southern Pride Distillery became a small batch artisan distillery committed to producing some of the finest distilled spirits on the market today. To say that our ancestors held their families and whiskey recipes close to their hearts is an understatement. Our story starts with a great grandmother and her Bible with the family recipe tucked safely inside the cover. Preserved by family members as all family secrets are. Distilled in a copper pot still, our products are created much like those of our ancestors. We use locally grown corn milled at the distillery and our water comes from a natural spring that is on the property.
Big Machine Distillery - Miles from Jack: 54 The backbone of distillation for Big Machine Distillery is located in the romanticallypreserved town of Lynnville, TN. One hour south of Nashville on the whiskey trail, Big Machine Distillery (formerly Tenn South Distillery) features a picturesque 28 acres of rural farmland in the Tennessee countryside. Here is where our 20,000 square-foot distillery and tasting room preserve the romantic origins of our hand-made craft spirits. This is also the source of our high-quality artesian water which comes from our wells located on the property.
The Outdoors are calling! Experience the Outdoors this spring with the all-new ExperienceTN.com. The new website includes special features on the outdoors including pages for Rivers & Lakes, Trails & Falls, Fishing, and State Parks & Natural Areas. Rivers & Lakes will take you on a journey across southern middle Tennessee to several lakes and river access points on the Duck and Elk Rivers, Tims Ford Lake, and many more. Trails & Falls is a new guide that points out several great hikes across the state along with a list of amazing waterfalls in the area. Fishing is just that, great places to fish! If you are looking for river fishing, we have that. If you are looking for lake fishing, we have that too! Also learn about the Tennessee Master Anglers program, and youth fishing programs. Finally our State Parks and Natural Areas. With five state parks and ten state natural areas, south-central Tennessee is the ideal destination for those who want to get in touch with the outdoors. All on ExperienceTN.com
5 State Parks 10 State Natural Areas Rivers, Lakes, & More!
2 geotrails
13 Counties
100+ caches
unlimited fun
TWO NEW CRAFT BREWERIES SET TO OPEN IN SOUTHERN, MIDDLE TENNESSEE THIS FALL By; Tabitha Evans Moore
First it was Tennessee whiskey. Then it was wine. Now, craft breweries are popping up all over southern, middle Tennessee. It all started in 2011 with Old Shed Brewing Company in Tullahoma. Tired of “unassuming domestic lagers,” two friends and former co-workers, Mike Thornburg and Mike Ramsey, decided to launch a boutique, local brewery complete with a charming tap room. Delicious hand-crafted, artisan ales and a passionate community support followed. Then, John Porter founded Asgard Brewing Company in Columbia in October 2016. The brewery focuses on small, experimental batches made with a long list of natural and locally-sourced ingredients. A couple years later, Zach Fox and Todd Rode of Bad Idea Brewing added a second brewery in the former “Mule Capital of the World” in the Columbia Arts District. They pride themselves on a “grain to glass” approach to the art of small batch craft beers. Just last year, Common John Brewery popped up in Manchester and quickly became the darling of the local craft beer scene thanks in no small part to their lively taproom, which features not only live music but also occasionally hosts its own onsite podcast, The Everyday Joe Show. Owner LeBron Haggard says it’s a place to combine his love of brewing beer with the love of his community. Now, two newcomers – Common Law Brewing Company in Spring Hill and Twisted Copper Brewing Company in Mount Pleasant – will join the whiskey, wine, and brews scene here in southern, middle Tennessee in 2021.
UNCOMMON BREWING IDEAS AT COMMON LAW BREWING COMPANY
Common Law Brewing Company owners Brad Eldridge-Smith and Mark Valencia say they have just one goal for their soon-to-be-opened brewery: to bring true craft beer to Spring Hill. Remarkably the bustling city of just over 45,000 residents has no locally-made beer options.
“When I first moved to Spring Hill from Nashville, I immediately realized that having a brewery close by is something that I missed. There is great beer in Columbia, Franklin, and Nashville, but they are all 30 minutes or so away,” said Brad. “We want people to have something close by that they can run into for a quick beer or where they can spend an evening. We hear a lot of complaints that Spring Hill is just a bedroom community with nothing to do. We plan to change that.” In their homebrewing sessions the two often just tossed random ingredients into the kettle to see what might happen. The two say as they’ve evolved from hobbyists to brainstorming a bricks and mortar brewery keeping the fun in beer-making remains a priority. “One of the most important conversations we had when the idea for Common Law was being formed was that it needed to stay fun for us to really be interested in making a go at it. Because of this, we plan to run the brewery in much the same way we do our current homebrewing. This involves experimenting with “unique ingredients and processes,” Brad says. “It also involves having some fun with our naming and marketing. We have a long and storied history of adding fruit, cereal, candy, spices, and other non-traditional ingredients to beer. This isn’t going to stop just because we enter the commercial space.”
One example of this “fun” approach is their Brut IPA made with Zinfandel grapes. Normally, a Brut IPA is moderately hopped with a dry finish. The addition of what’s basically grape juice will give the beer a light purple, dry finishing, beerwine hybrid with some great grape flavors and a hoppy finish. “I would be willing to bet money that it is nothing like anything many of our potential customers have tasted before,” Says Brad. The second experimental beer the two are currently working on is a traditionally German gose that the duo have taken to a new place by adding sweet curry powder, coconut, and lime zest. “The beer has a distinct island vibe, but the addition of the curry gives it a complementary flavor that is really unique,” Brad says. They also plan to maintain a laser-focus on incorporating other local producers and makers into their beer-making process. “Our barrel-aged stout, Rule Against Perpetuities, was aged in a barrel from H. Clark Distillery in Thompson’s Station. Our cream ale, T.C.A, features stoneground grits from Beaverdam Creek Farm in Centerville. We’ve used honey from Early’s and coffee from Fainting Goat in numerous beers. We are always looking for new ways to get something local into our beers,” explains Brad.
Brad and Mark say they want that local fun idea to translate into their soon-to be opened tap room. The interior will reflect an industrial chic feel with lots of stainless steel, barrel wood, concrete, and tile. “We want Common Law to be a cool place to hang out, but we aren’t a sports bar,” says Brad. “We want a great atmosphere, but we also want people to have the feel that they are sitting where the beer is actually manufactured. We are working with a local furniture company to design our tables and bar. We also have a local concrete artisan doing the design for our bar top. We have a couple of eyecatching design elements that will help pull the whole space together.” The tap room isn’t set to open until summer or fall of this year but that doesn’t mean that you can’t give them a taste ahead of time. They maintain a robust mailing list and draw names from it each time they create a new release. They also say as they get closer to their opening date, they hope to be available on draft at restaurants throughout southern, middle Tennessee. To join their mailing list head on over to their website (http://commonlaw.beer) or follow them on Facebook for regular updates on festivals or charity events where Common John beers might be available.
TWISTED COPPER PART OF MOUNT PLEASANT RENAISSANCE It might surprise you to know that historic, downtown Mount Pleasant now exists as quite the small business destination. The charming downtown area is experiencing a Renaissance complete with a community theatre, local restaurants, a coffee shop, and soon, its very own brewery, Twisted Copper Brewing Company. In Fall 2021, they’ll be moving into a recently renovated multi-use building in Mount Pleasant’s Main Street within walking distance of a restaurant, an antique store, a custom guitar shop, and a museum of Mt. Pleasant’s history. Their origin story mirrors so many others drawn to the craft beer world. A group of friends got together and decided to make the kinds of beers they wanted to drink but could not find in the market. In this case, there are six friends, all with a unique interest in different parts of the process.
“Brewing will be handled by Dave Weaverling and Jon Hatcher. You could likely see Heather McDowell, Brett McDavid, Aaron Caplan, or Ian Nicholson behind the bar with me or tending to other brewery related activity,” says Forrest Cheney, who plans to act as tap room manager at the new space.
“We wanted to buy a piece of equipment called a wort chiller – wort being the hoppy, sugar rich liquid you ferment beer from,” says Forrest. “We looked at pictures of these chillers on brewing supply websites and thought ‘well how hard could that be to make?’ so Dave goes to the hardware store and buys the copper pipe and the fittings needed to make a wort chiller at home.”
"HIS LOOKED MORE LIKE A MODERN ART SCULPTURE AND WE ADORINGLY NICKNAMED HIS CREATION, DAVE'S ART," When we ask about their name, Twisted Copper, it’s a long but endearing story. Basically, the brewing idea started in 2013 with two neighbors – Jon and Forrest – making homebrew kits in John’s kitchen. It didn’t take them long to outgrow the space and need new equipment. “We wanted to buy a piece of equipment called a wort chiller – wort being the hoppy, sugar rich liquid you ferment beer from,” says Forrest.
Forrest says the finished product didn’t look anything like the pictures in the brewing equipment catalogs but it did its job. “His looked more like a modern art sculpture and we adoringly nicknamed his creation, Dave’s Art,” explains Forrest. “Eventually we splurged and spent the money on a professionally made chiller but when we started getting serious about opening a brewery, we wanted something personal as our name that reflected who we are as a group. Twisted Copper was suggested as a joke at first but we quickly realized that there was no other name we could possibly want.” Once in their new home located at 115 Main Street, the Twisted Copper crew will serve hand-crafted pours like their Dark Chocolate Stout, Pistachio Nut Brown Ale, and Seasonal Sweet Potato Ale. To view a full sample menu, click here. Forrest says their new Mount Pleasant home won’t just be a place to make beer. It's a place where they can create a space for the community. In fact, they are so eager to meet their new community that they will host a free beer sampling at the TJ Smawls Tap Room on Saturday, April 20 beginning at 6 p.m. Live music by Damien Boggs will start at 7 p.m. The tap room is located at 715 South Main Street in Mount Pleasant. To learn more about Common Law Brewing Company or Twisted Copper Brewing Company check out their Facebook or Instagram pages. You can also learn more at their websites. To keep up with all the news and events surrounding distilleries, wineries, and breweries in southern, middle Tennessee be sure to check out the Whiskey, Wines, and Brews page at experieincetn.com.
9 Distilleries 9 Wineries 6 Breweries
BACK TO THE FARM! Bonnaroo is returning to the Farm in September! Bonnaroo officially announced the slate of artists that will perform on over 10 stages during the course of a 4-day sprint on September 2-5, 2021. This year's lineup includes Tame Impala, Waxahatchee, Megan Thee Stallion, Lana Del Rey, Run The Jewels, Lizzo, Phoebe Bridgers, Janelle Monáe, Deftones, Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, Tyler The Creator, Foo Fighters, Young Thug, Julien Baker, My Morning Jacket, Jack Harlow, Primus, Nelly, Dashboard Confessional, Orville Peck, Kim Petras, the Weather Station, Mdou Moctar, GEazy, King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, Sylvan Esso, JID, Pinegrove, Yaeji, Lil Baby, Deadmau5, Leon Bridges, Brittany Howard, Flo Milli, Jamila Woods, Bill Frisell, and more. In addition to the lineup announcement, Bonnaroo also laid out details of their new "Daily Entry" plan, as well as a new onsite transportation program called JamTrak. "Our goal is to get you onto The Farm as quickly as possible. After purchasing your ticket, you’ll be able to secure a vehicle pass by day for either Tuesday, Wednesday, or weekend access from Thursday through Sunday." "Say goodbye to long treks into Centeroo! Climb aboard the JamTrak for a new and easy way to get to all the action at Bonnaroo. This convenient + free transportation option will run all day and night and be available all throughout the campground with multiple routes and stops along the way." After a sold-out 2019, Bonnaroo, with most other major festivals, canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers announced a return to the farm in Manchester, Tennessee in the form of the "Concerts on the Farm" series starting in May with acts Billy Strings, Jon Pardi, and The Avett Brothers. For more information, you can visit www.Bonnaroo.com or www.BonnarooFarm.com.
Must See Tennessee
Falls Mill
Lexington Vineyard
