Tennessee Craft Beer

TENNESSEE

FALL 2018

East TENNESSEE COLLECTOR’S ISSUE

T N C R A F T B E E R M AG.CO M

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“I look for brewers with professional training like they provide at the Brewing and Distilling Center. I believe in the BDC so much, I teach there now.”

– CHRIS MEADOWS, HEAD BREWER, ELKMONT EXCHANGE BREWERY

The Brewing and Distilling Center Inc. is authorized for operation as a postsecondary education institution by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. For more information, visit tn.gov/thec

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GET THE TRAINING, GET THE JOB! We train you to be the best brewer or distiller that you want to be. Knowledge is power!

S I G N U P TO DAY F O R 2019 Professional Brewing/Distilling Technology (PBDT) Certificate Program

B rewing A nd D i s t i lli n g Ce n te r .co m 865. 622. 7 5 1 1 | Kn oxvi lle , T N T N C R A F T B E E R M AG.CO M

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Wine cellar. Beer cellar. HOME SELLER. ANNE RUARK.

REALTOR. RE/MAX HOMES AND ESTATES

615-210-6966.

ANNERUARKHOMES.COM

cider should

be bold

CONTENT EAST TENNESSEE

26 ELKMONT EXCHANGE

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CREATIVITY

BY THE TRACKS CREATIVITY

BY THE TRACKS

30 SCHULZ BRAU

32 KNOXVILLE, TN

34 A STREET LAMP BURNS BRIGHT

44 HOME BREWED, HOME BUILT

48 TWENTY-TWO YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT SMOKY MOUNTAIN BREWERY

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BEHI N D THE COV ER

The Brewing and Distilling Center Dr. Todd White, of the Brewing and Distilling Center of Knoxville, is well-known in the East Tennessee craft beer community. He can often be found with a beer in hand, telling a joke among friends or helping a colleague or student with a challenge. Photography by Holly Rainey

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7TH ANNUAL

Get ready for a night full of strikes and spares!

BOWLING • BUFFET • SILENT AUCTION Join the Nashville Predators players, coaches, VIPS and GNASH to strike out cancer.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2018 | 6:30 - 8:30 P.M. HERMITAGE STRIKE AND SPARE @PredNHL | @PredsFoundation | NashvillePredators.com/bowling

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CONTENT COVER STORY

DEPARTMENTS

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CHANGING LIVES ONE BREW AT A TIME

BEER 101

ON TAP

22 BREWERIANA COLLECTING

24 LET’S TALK BEER

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55 TINY ROBERSON IS A BIG NAME IN EAST TENNESSEE DISTILLING

39 LONG ROAD CIDER

50 HOMEBREW

SOCIAL

56 PRETENTIOUS GLASS CO.

SOUTHERN GROWLER

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SPOTLIGHT: CIDERIES OF TN

58 PINTWOOD DERBY

40 WYILE CIDER & THE LEGEND OF FOXFIRE MOUNTAIN

42 DRINKING APPLES IN TENNESSEE’S ORIGINAL CRAFT CIDERY

Discover Why New Hampshire's #1 Brewery is a Meadery

www.MoonlightMeadery.com

Interested in purchasing or carrying Moonlight?

Tennessee Craft Distributors 313.580.0398 info@tncraftdistributors.com

Moonlight Meadery 603.216.2162 sales@moonlightmeadery.com

MANAGEMENT

DESIGN

CEO/ PUBLISHER Craig Disque

LAYOUT AND DESIGN Columbia Marketing Group

PRESIDENT/ COO Didi Rainey didi@quemedia.press

QUE MEDIA GRAPHIC DESIGNER Irika Skeete

MANAGING EDITOR Joe Bosso jbosso@quemedia.press

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Holly Rainey

EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF David Wingo david@tncraftbeermag.com WEST TENNESSEE ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ryan Guess SOUTH TENNESSEE ASSOCIATE EDITOR Tony Giannasi EAST TENNESSEE ASSOCIATE EDITOR Rob Shomaker LIFESTYLE EDITOR Milton White milton@thefashionoffice.com

priestpointwineandspirits.com

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QUE MEDIA PRESS, LLC 1127 Nashboro Blvd.

Nashville, TN 37217

MARKETING US SALES ACCOUNT MANAGER Carly Black carly@quemedia.press 205.567.3334 SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING Kim Stanley kim@tncraftbeermag.com

CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS Andy Brantley, Chris Chamberlain, Tony Giannasi, Adam Gold, Shane Gibbs, Jeff Hulett, Tony Schmitt, Kent Taylor, Nancy Vienneau, Art Whitaker PHOTOGRAPHERS Jerry Atnip, Nick Bumgardner, Kati Graham, Holly Rainey, Bill Seymour, Erin Wilburn

@TNCraftBeerMag

CON TRI BUTORS Andy Brantley brewed his first beer, an incredibly hoppy IPA, in the late 90s in an attempt to duplicate an IPA he had ìexperiencedî during a trip to San Francisco. A BJCP Certified Beer Judge and Cicerone Certified Beer Server, Andy truly enjoys the art and science that makes craft beer, and the craft beer community, so awesome!

George Talley is a BJCP Certified judge from Knoxville and manager of Suttree’s High Gravity Tavern. He also placed third overall in his pinball league last season.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR As the leaves begin to change in the Great Smoky Mountains, and the sound of football fills the air on Rocky Top, Tennesseans look to the east for inspiration in the fall. Some find that inspiration in the serenity of cool streams and mountain vistas in the park. Some may find it in a well-poured pint and a perfectly-cooked steak in Downtown Knoxville. And still others find it in the go-karts and outlet malls of Sevierville. That’s what we love about East Tennessee and that’s what we love about beer. There is truly something for everyone.

Since the founding of Fort Loudon in 1757, Tennesseans have sought leadership from the east and we are no different. For our fall issue, we asked Knoxvillian Rob Shomaker to be our guest editor. Rob is a Certified Cicerone®, a BJCP Certified Beer Judge, and a Co-Founder of Knox Beer Snobs. He was the obvious choice when we began to consider someone who could navigate the story of East Tennessee beer in these few pages.

In this issue, Rob leads us on a journey from grain to glass, by first introducing us to Dr. Todd White of Knoxville’s Brewing and Distilling Center.

Dr. White is making a direct impact on the quality of beer in this state and beyond and, for that, we are eternally grateful. Jill Thompson makes a visit to Elkmont Exchange, where inspired beers are paired with elevated cuisine, bringing something new to East Tennessee. And as always, we visited some of East Tennessee’s most exciting breweries and cideries, along with a small distillery operated by a very large man, as Chris Chamberlain tells the story of Tiny Roberson of Mello Moon. so, light up the fire pit, pour an Oktoberfest, and enjoy.

Cheers!

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Jill Thompson lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband where they enjoy hiking in the Smoky Mountains, exploring new restaurants around town and cheering on the Vols.

From the great beer city of Cincinnati, Joe Easton writes about beer almost as much as he drinks it. And since he can’t pick a favorite style you’ll find him ordering flights when at a taproom. Keep up with his digital persona, Craft Beer Joe, on Instagram and at craftbeerjoe.com.

Born and raised in Northern California, Joshua Sales moved to Knoxville, Tennessee to acquire his Bachelors in creative writing at UT. Josh’s exposure to craft beer started at the original Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, California, and has influenced his palate towards west coast style beers since.

Rob Shomaker is a Certified Cicerone® and BJCP Certified Beer Judge from Knoxville, TN. He’s blogged about beer via KnoxBeerSnobs.com since it’s inception in 2010 and he serves as part of the board for the Tennessee Winter Beer Fest. Rob enjoys the creativity and community that makes craft beer so great!

Tony Schmitt is a Certified Cicerone® and BJCP Certified Beer Judge living in Knoxville, TN. He is the Corporate General Manager for The Casual Pint, and trains the management and staff of all new stores. He loves making beer simple and understandable.

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FEATURE TEASER

City Guide: Knoxville, Tennessee “Knoxville is a city to visit with craft beer in your sights. With 18 breweries at the time of printing, craft beer has taken center stage. Knoxville’s Ale Trail is the best way to sample all the breweries the city offers. The tour takes you through the various neighborhoods that make up the Knoxville beer scene and give you pointers along the way.”

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SAVOR ALL OF LIFE'S MOMENTS WITH LIFT. WHAT DO YOU #LIFTTO?

B EER 101

ONLY DRINK THE BEST

BY KENT TAYLOR

Craft beer is all about flavor. If your goal is to get “plastered,” there are plenty of less expensive and quicker options. You are drinking craft beer because you want more from your beer than just alcohol, but what “more” is supposed to be there and what is not?

I would encourage you to refer to columns in previous issues, found on the website, tncraftbeermag.com. In past issues we learned that beer is not supposed to smell and taste like butter or butterscotch; a defect resulting from high levels of diacetyl. We have learned that beer is not supposed to smell and taste like corn; a defect caused by high levels of DMS (dimethyl sulfide). These two defects, unfortunately, are quite common in craft beer so knowing how to detect them is important in properly evaluating a beer.

Another common defect found in craft beer and beer in general, is staling. Beer is a perishable beverage not unlike milk. Everyone checks the date on their milk, but many folks forget that they should check the date on their beer. Unlike milk, when beer gets old, it does not get people sick.

This fact leads people to believe that beer does not go bad. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The best beer is fresh beer.

Oxygen is what causes beer to stale.

The aromas and flavors formed by the chemical reactions with oxygen are collectively called “oxidation.” In the brewing industry, we measure oxygen content in “parts per billion” or PPB. The standard in the beer industry for “total package oxygen” (TPO) is something less than 100 PPB. That is not very much, and the equipment to put beer in bottles and cans with low levels of oxygen is very expensive and beyond the reach of many small brewers.

If the brewer does a poor job at limiting their dissolved oxygen (DO), the beer will

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be lucky to last three weeks. If they do a great job, then beer should be good for four months or maybe even six months for dark beers. Eventually, all beer will oxidize and get stale.

It is a bit easier to limit the air content of draft beer. First off, the volume of beer in the container is much greater. Kegs are filled on a closed loop system under CO2 pressure. As long as the brewer is diligent about purging the air from a keg, the DO will be limited and the beer will last longer. I’ve had plenty of oxidized beer on draft, but it is more likely that you will find oxidized beer in a bottle or can.

Hoppy beers are the first to show signs of oxidation as the hop character diminishes very quickly in the presence of oxygen.

Buy a six pack of your favorite IPA. Put one bottle on top of your water heater and the rest in your refrigerator. Wait two weeks, chill the warm bottle, then taste them side by side. You should notice that the hop character of the water heater beer is muted and much less bright.

When tasting beer, the first indication of an oxidized beer will be the aroma of wet cardboard. This aroma can range from very mild to very strong in extremely oxidized beers.

The next thing that you will notice is similar indications in the flavor. As the beer continues to get older and oxidize further, the rich malty flavors of fresh beer are replaced with sweet, sherry-like notes. Try the water heater experiment with your favorite malty beer, but leave it warm for closer to a month.

I hope by now you have learned to look for and drink fresh beer. With the exception of a few high gravity beers, aging does nothing but create old beer. Adopting my beer motto will enhance your beer drinking experience. Drink beer today; don’t save it for tomorrow!

Kent Taylor cofounded Blackstone Brewing Company in 1994 along with late partner Stephanie Weins. Kent has been brewing award-winning craft beer in Nashville for almost 25 years. In addition to his duties at Blackstone, he serves as vice-chairman on the engineering subcommittee at the Brewers Association in Denver; is on the board of directors and treasurer of the Tennessee Craft Brewers Guild; was an award-winning home brewer; and was recently recognized by the Nashville Business Journal as one of the most admired CEOs in Nashville.

Drink a beer Help a trail Red Trail Ale is a Red IPA and is the fall seasonal beer from Blackstone Brewing Company. We are excited to partner with Friends of Warner Parks to help them improve the Warner Parks. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this beer will be donated to assist in their efforts. Red Trail is generously hopped with Mosaic, El Dorado, and Amarillo hops and is supported by a rich malt backbone; making this the perfect beer for fall in Tennessee. Look for bottles and draft all over Middle Tennessee and support Friends of Warner Parks.

blackstonebrewery.com

warnerparks.org

BLACKSTONE BREWING COMPANY ¡ 2312 CLIFTON AVE, NASHVILLE TN 37209 ¡ phone: (615) 320-9002

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COV ER STORY

CHANGING LIVES ONE BREW AT A TIME The Brewing and Distilling Center

BY ROB SHOMAKER, Certified Cicerone®

Brandon Snodgrass stands tall beside the 7-barrel brewhouse at Old Schoolhouse Brewery in Winthrop, Washington. Brandon is one of two assistant brewers who make up a team of three who will ensure that 110 barrels of beer are produced this month. “It doesn’t feel like a job,” he shares, “the days fly by and I enjoy every minute of it. To top it off, I get a paycheck.” For Brandon, an avid homebrewer, this reality seemed like a distant dream until he found The Brewing and Distilling Center (BDC) in Knoxville, Tennessee.

“I was managing an outdoor retail shop,” Brandon shares. He had looked at brewing programs at large universities on both coasts, but the time and resources required, he just couldn’t commit. While living in Chattanooga, Brandon went to Google to continue his search. He discovered the BDC and thought, “Knoxville, really?” After visiting Knoxville and auditing a class, he and his wife decided he should join the program. He graduated in April 2018 and had a job within 30 days. “Professionally, I’ve never been happier.”

Dr. Todd White doesn’t seem like a professor. Those who know him call him “Dr. Todd,” “Doc,” or “Dean Suds.” Dr. Todd is well known in the East Tennessee craft beer community and can often be found with a beer in hand, telling a joke among friends, or helping a colleague or student with a challenge. With a master’s degree in architecture and a doctorate in veterinary medicine, his interest in quality beer kept drawing him in. Dr. Todd stands at a medium height, a blonde goatee and often, a smile. Even before the BDC, Dr. Todd has volunteered as part of numerous craft beer events, even hosting tastings at the longgone Market in Maryville before it was even in vogue to do such things. Having a fascination for craft beer and the community that goes along with it, Dr. Todd has been immersed in this community for quite some time.

“Craft beer is a small business. It is often the small business that acts as an incubator for other small businesses. Breweries will choose locations that are under used or neglected due to cost. It’s not long that other small businesses emerge,” Dr. Todd shares as the sunlight peaks through his small classroom at 130 Bearden Place. It’s an unassuming building. A location that is a simple walk from four different breweries that also act as extensions to his classroom.

The BDC began in April 2017 (after starting another brewing program at a local Knoxville college in 2013) as Dr. Todd saw a need for education. “The jobs are out there,” he shares. “People just need the training these breweries are looking for.” Dr. Todd aims to fill that void as, “it spills over into the economy of Knoxville,” he shares.

Craft beer has certainly had a role in Knoxville’s success and its changing landscape. With more than 17 breweries in Knox County, several in the surrounding counties, and multiple others in planning, it’s easy to see how several areas of Knoxville have evolved as breweries have opened their doors. Dr. Todd has, at last count, 16 graduates in the Knoxville area alone. Further, “a school should be about reaching goals and finding jobs that enhance one’s quality of life,” he adds. “You should be in a career you are passionate about.”

The BDC is authorized by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and offers multiple programs. Its core offering is a Professional Brewing and Distilling Technology Certificate that is achieved over the course of 13 weeks, 144 total hours, roughly 14 hours per week for a total of 104 hours in the classroom, 26 hours of practical training, and 14 hours of extra industry-related experience. All of the instructors are industry professionals who are not only experts in the material, but exercise the material on a daily basis.

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From Chris Meadows, head brewer at Elkmont Exchange and Brewery and Aaron McClain, owner/head brewer at Crafty Bastard Brewery, to Stanton Webster and Ron Grazioso, owners/ distillers at Post Modern Spirits, it’s evident that Dr. Todd has reached out into the community and engaged the experts to teach from their strengths. The BDC offers these same courses within the main program in a short course format to those who are already in the industry and may not have had that particular training before. The BDC also offers training in skills not directly related to brewing and distilling, but often needed onsite, such as fork lift training. The BDC also extends its offerings to home brewing enthusiasts who wish to learn the basics or move to the next level. Regardless of your skill level or interest, the BDC has a way to get you plugged in.

Another element of the program is that the BDC also requires its students to have hands-on time at local breweries. “The BDC is trying to prepare students for as many scenarios as they can,” Brandon shares. “The volunteer requirement helped me connect with others and see different sized brew houses as well as different processes. This was exactly what I was looking for.”

Luanne Rounds, an assistant brewer at Clinch River Brewing, said, “While we were required to have about 30 hours of brewery experience, I went for 80 hours. While I knew a lot of these breweries and people, I wanted to know about every aspect, and the program allowed me to do that.” Luanne was part of the first cohort of the BDC. “We were learning together in some ways,” she laughs. “It was a great experience. As a homebrewer I had a thirst for more knowledge and Dr. Todd is a great teacher.”

While Luanne wasn’t sure she wanted to be a professional brewer when she entered the program, she knew she wanted to know more. “Homebrewing is a puzzle. When I began the program, we started filling in the blanks behind so many questions I had. We were studying some of these things down to a cellular level and all of a sudden these things started to make sense.”

At the end of the program she was approached by Clinch River Brewing, “I wanted to do it, but not full time as I didn’t want to give up my other career. It worked out and now I have two careers that I love.”

Students are also required to volunteer in the local community. “A community is only as strong as its volunteer base,” Dr. Todd shares. Further, he adds, “it’s also the right thing to do and ultimately it will help your business if you are involved in the local community. You’ll interface with the public in a different way and you’ll connect with other brewing colleagues.”

As we continue to reach record numbers of breweries across the United States, with it comes a demand for experience and education. In Knoxville and beyond, there are many BDC graduates brewing and distilling. They are having a profound impact as they have the education and experience they need to succeed.

“It’s easy to see all the available jobs online,” Dr. Todd shares.

“Finding people with experience is tough. Now, breweries and distilleries are reaching out to us to connect with students.

We’ve placed over 90 percent of our students, and our grads have little to no issues getting jobs. To help a student reach their goal and get into a career they are passionate about, that changes lives. That’s what the BDC is about.”

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Mom’s on the Road Again... ...this time she’s got bling

Award-winning beers, now available in Middle and Eastern Tennessee.

Visit findmotherearthbrewing.com to find it near you.

Cali Creamin’ Vanilla Cream Ale

Boo Koo Mosaic IPA

Sin Tax Imp. PB Stout

SOUTHERN GROWLER

BY SHANE GIBBS

Photo by Shane Gibbs

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GROWLERS: We all have at least one. Many of us have plenty, but if you want one of the best growlers you could possibly get your beer-loving hands on, then you need one from Southern Growler, which is located in Huntsville, Alabama. Created in 2013

by Bill Johnston, Southern Growler has become an awesomely eye-popping example of true craftsmanship. The growler guys, also known as Aaron and Clay, have got a system down using molds and a material known as slip, which is a watered-down clay. Once the clay is set and dry, all debris is sanded away, and the growlers are placed into a kiln and then glazed by the resident potters. The growlers are then placed back into the kiln at over 2200 degrees, so they can achieve their beautiful, glossy finish. Each of the beautiful growlers are 100 percent food safe and prevent all UV rays that could potentially damage your beer. Because it is made of clay, the growler is naturally insulated, which will keep your beer cold for a longer period of time than most others. The team at Southern Growler wants to make sure that you can find one that matches your personality, which is why they have numerous color styles from which to choose. The Fire and the Andromeda are my personal favorites. Whether you are looking to pur-

chase one for yourself or pick one up as a gift, make sure you check out everything online. In addition to 64-ounce growlers, Southern Growler also makes them in 32-ounce and 24-ounce steins. Who wouldn’t want their very own glazed stein? I know I do.

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ELKMONT EXCHANGE Charcuterie boards and unique pours.

BY JILL THOMPSON PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELKMONT EXCHANGE

Elkmont Exchange Brewery and Eating House is something new, something adventurous. Whether it is through their charcuterie program or their sour beer lineup, they have made it clear that there are no rules when it comes to creating a memorable and flavorful experience for their guests.

Elkmont is the only place in Knoxville where charcuterie is offered. In fact, it is the reason Sous Chef Jon Newman was hired.

He is self-taught in his craft and his dedication to butchery is marked by the words “clean cuts” tattooed across his knuckles.

Jon sources his hogs from Bear Creek Farm in Franklin, Tennessee. The hogs are grass-fed, have access to a water source on the farm, and are free to roam around the expansive 200 acres. Bear Creek takes special care of the hogs and keeps their output small, processing only 10 to 15 every week.

After he prepares the hogs, they are hung in the drying room at the restaurant where he keeps it a cool, between 45 and 55 degrees. “I kind of want to stall everything,” Jon says. “Because the longer it sits, the depth in flavor is really going to be louder at the end of the product.”

You can taste the exact depth in flavor he talks about with his Spanish chorizo cured with ancho chile, garlic, paprika, and chile morita; the soppressata with white wine, chili flakes, and black pepper; the capicola cured with coriander, chili flakes, and fennel; and the cold-smoked landjager that Jon jokingly calls “classy beef jerky.”

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Also featured on the board are creamy raclette and manchego cheeses, juicy olives, homemade pickles, crispy hushpuppies, savory tomato jam, and beer mustard aioli. The 24 taps Elkmont offers go hand-in-hand with the charcuterie.

Elkmont is not afraid to experiment with big, bold flavors, but Jon says, “We

don’t go too crazy. We like to keep things approachable.”

Although the craft beer industry is growing, it’s not about competition for Elkmont Exchange. It’s about bringing people together to create new recipes — whether on tap or on a plate — and enjoying the fruits of their labor.

1986 Providence Pkwy Mt. Juliet (615) 288-2407

PWSNASHVILLE.COM

Mount Juliet’s premium wine, spirits, beer & Cigar retailer

PROFILE

Creativity by the Tracks Devin Rutledge, Depot Street Brewing STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB SHOMAKER, Certified Cicerone®

Jonesborough, Tennessee is known as the oldest town in the state.

Main Street is adorned with historical buildings and small porches and sprinkled with notes of reds, browns, and greens.

Just a short walk from Main Street, beside the train tracks, sits Depot Street Brewing. The brewery looks like a converted barn, but, upon entering, the all familiar aromas of a brewery come to life. A quick glance reveals small touches of creativity and artistry – from the wonderfully large, rough wood used to construct the building in a traditional manner with pegs to the way the doors open and close. There is more going on here than meets the eye.

Nine years ago, Michael Foster, the founder of Depot Street Brewing, needed a delivery driver. Through the grapevine, Devin Rutledge found out about the opportunity and stopped by the brewery. The next day Michael offered him the job. Today, Michael is enjoying retirement while Devin and his wife, Tanya, are enjoying sole ownership of Depot Street Brewing.

Six months after Devin started working at Depot Street, Michael brought him into the brewhouse and “let him go,” Devin says. A 10-barrel sits in the brewhouse. It’s a Bavarian brewing system from Hungary that took Michael a year to set up and get just right. After a few minor learning curves, Devin learned the system. He quickly

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mastered Depot Street’s mainstay beers, and in the last few years, Michael gave Devin more creative freedom, at which point, masterful stouts, explosive IPAs, and creative sours began to emerge.

Brewing and selling beer in Tennessee in 2004 was challenging, not only with the legal ramifications, but also in convincing both retailers and consumers to purchase the product. While beer was being brewed, there was no tap room initially. Depot Street Brewery could sell growlers. In 2011, a formal taproom was added.

Selling beer hasn’t been without its challenges though. “We were going blindly into bars,” Devin shares. “There wasn’t a big market for locally brewed beer. Some venues embraced us quickly while others just weren’t interested.”

Devin’s approach to Depot Street Brewing stays true to its founder’s intent. “We don’t want to be available to everyone. We want to be available to the right people.”

At 1100 barrels per year, Devin feels that they are where they need to be. He also understands the craft beer market and that beer drinkers often get “tired of the same old, same old,” he says. For those that know Devin, they know he’s not afraid to experiment.

From single hop IPAs to big, roasted stouts, there’s always something new and different on the tap wall.

Recently, a Blueberry Milkshake IPA went fast. “I did it as a bit of a joke, honestly,” Devin shares. “There are so many big, cloudy IPAs, so I decided to do something extreme.” The 10-barrel batch was gone in a matter of weeks.

Many know Depot Street Brewing because of their flagship beer, Loose Caboose Lager. It’s a memorable name, a very easy drinking beer, and it even has a larger fermenter dedicated to its production.

“We sell a lot of the Loose Caboose,” says Devin.

While he has a reverence and respect for the core beers that people expect from Depot Street Brewing, “It’s never a good idea to pigeon hole yourself,” he explains. “Floyd Mayweather adapts to his opponent in the boxing ring as well as the environment he’s in. Brewing is kind of like that. You adapt.”

Devin certainly adapts to the market and to the ever-evolving palate of the craft beer drinker, but he also has a genuine curiosity around ingredients and their incorporation into a beer.

The future is bright at Depot Street Brewing. While Devin says that, “the paperwork is understated,” when it comes to owning a brewery, the dedication to quality, consistency, and the craft is not lost on him. It’s not often that the same spirit and ethos stays with a brewery when the ownership changes hands. As a train rumbles past, “not much has changed,” says Devin.

However, it’s evident that the creativity continues to compound at Depot Street Brewing.

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SCHULZ BRÄU E Authentic German beer brewed locally in a castle!

BY ANDY BRANTLEY

Photo by Rob Shomaker

Photo from Schulz Brau Facebook

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very brewery has a distinct atmosphere and feel. Imagine walking into a castle with a “Great Hall” and a biergarten and ordering German ales and lagers brewed by a German family using malt and hops shipped in from Germany. The décor, even down to the tiled floor, is Germanic. The walls of the Great Hall are adorned with family memorabilia. Every beer served uses the appropriate glassware. No shaker pint glasses here! And even the serving staff wear dirndls and lederhosen.

Brewer Nico, his brother, Stefan, father, Wolfgang, and mother, Ilona “live, breathe, think, and work all components of the Schulz Bräu Brewing Company in a valiant effort to bring German excellence and authenticity to Knoxville.”

The family brews beer according to Reinheitsgebot, which is the German purity law.

Beers are created using only the best water, malt, hops, and yeast without preservatives, chemicals, or GMOs. Beers showcased during our visit include Hefeweizen, Schwarzbier, Radler, and a Bourbon Barrel-Aged Maibock.

In addition, guest taps provided local beers including IPAs and stouts.

The Great Hall’s soaring ceilings and glass wall gives guests views of the 30-barrel brewhouse. The biergarten outside continues the grand experience outdoors. It is one of the coolest places in East Tennessee to enjoy an evening beer and listen to live music or enjoy weekly movie nights. With plans to open a fully-functioning kitchen this fall, guests will be able to complete their experience with the bratwurst and Schnitzel.

Tradition dictates the importance of proper glassware. The purpose is to enhance the flavor and aroma of the beer. Depending on the style, the glass may also be designed to enhance the color or clarity of the beer. For example, the Weizen glass is crafted to allow for headspace since beers served in this glass, such as a Hefeweizen, have a beautiful, frothy head. A Stange is designed for “delicate” beers such as an Altbier to help accentuate the flavors and aroma. Typically reserved for higher-gravity beers, the Goblet is one of the coolest Schulz Bräu glasses.

It feels great in your hand and could possibly make you look more sophisticated than you actually are!

In Schulz Bräu, the family have truly created a taste and feel of real Germany, with a personal touch. Prost!

M A Y D A Y B R E W E R Y . C O M

CITY GU I D E

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE Knoxville is a city to visit with craft beer in your sights. With 18 breweries at the time of printing, craft beer has taken center stage.

Knoxville’s Ale Trail (knoxvillealetrail.com) is the best way to sample all the breweries the city offers. The tour takes you through the various neighborhoods that make up the Knoxville beer scene and give you pointers along the way.

BY TONY SCHMITT, Certified Cicerone®

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DOWNTOWN Begin in the heart of the city. Downtown Knoxville centers around the main drag of Gay Street, which is lined with shops, restaurants, and bars. Downtown Grill and Brewery and Blackhorse Pub and Brewery are located right on Gay Street, while Balter Beerworks is a quick 10-minute walk away on Jackson Street. All feature a full restaurant menu as well as their own beer.

Next, check out Sugar Mamas. They feature the only all-local tap wall in Knoxville with 32 taps. Pair that local beer with something from their kitchen, which features everything from cookies to duck confit sandwiches.

Looking for some beer to go? Check out the Casual Pint, where you can shop for six packs or even make your own from their well-stocked cooler.

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THE OLD CITY Adjacent to downtown is the Old City with two breweries. Pretentious Beer and Glass Company is quite a unique operation.

Matthew Cummings started making custom glassware for beer with specific designs for each style of beer. Glass blowing demonstrations are offered, but you can always just drink a beer in a handmade glass.

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Just beyond the James White Parkway is Last Days of Autumn Brewing. Last Days serves a wide-range of beer styles and great food. Their spacious patio hosts musical acts, comedy, and cook-outs. While serving up craft beer, cold brew coffee and wine on tap, they also have a cigar room and humidifier.

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SOUTH KNOXVILLE South of downtown, and across the Tennessee River, is South Knoxville. Alliance Brewing Company is a hot spot of the Knoxville beer scene. Their “active beer culture” inspires residents to come visit on bikes or have a round before exploring the nearby Ijams Nature Center.

Down the street you’ll find Printshop Beer Company. Situated on the water, it’s the best place to have a beer and watch the river. South Knoxville is no slouch in the food department either, with SoKno Tacos, South Coast Pizza, and the Landing House to name a few.

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BROADWAY AND CENTRAL STREET Situated north of downtown is a melting pot of craft beer. Elkmont Exchange and Eating House features a full restaurant with house-cured meats. Elkmont boasts

Getting Around Getting around Knoxville responsibly is key when enjoying the Knoxville Ale Trail. In addition to Uber and Lyft, check out these other great local options:

KNOX BREW TOURS knoxbrewtours.com

Knox Brew Tours takes the guess work out of where to go. Thursday through Saturday they offer a 3-hour tour to four breweries, with samples and beer education at each brewery. Planning something special? They also offer private tours, where you select all the details.

KNOXVILLE AREA TRANSIT Katbus.com

Knoxville operates a robust transit system. Downtown features a free trolley that takes you back and forth from Old City. Their website offers a great trip planner that can get you where you need to be, and you can use the CivicMobile app to get info as well. They run a “Rides on the House” program with Central Flats and Taps, where if you spend at least $10, they’ll give you a free bus pass.

KATBUS ROUTES:

• Central: R20, R24 • South Knoxville: R40 • Downtown/Old City: Green line trolley • Bearden: R11

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a state-of-the-art brewery, which is visible from the dining room, and their special event room boasts two huge fouders, barrels used to age beer.

Across the street you’ll find the Brewing + Distilling Center where you can take classes on how to brew. The school offers one-day courses and full certificate programs. Every teacher on staff also works in the Knoxville beer scene, so you know you’re getting the real deal.

Crafty Bastard Brewery features some of the most unique beers in town.

Here you can find beers such as their Earl Grey Tea Pale Ale, White Arrow Pine Ale, Cherry Pie Gose and more.

If traditional German beers are your thing, head to Schulz Braü Brewing Company. This brewery resides in a castle that boasts traditional German music and a huge beer garden with furnishings from Germany.

Take Central Street further, and you’ll come across Hops and Hollers.

Named best beer bar in Tennessee by craftbeer.com in 2018, Hops and Hollers offers craft beer on draft as well as packaged beer to go.

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BEARDEN

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Head west, and you’ll reach the Bearden area, home of Abridged Beer Company. The brewpub offers great beers and a menu that covers burgers, wings, and their very original Pot Roast Nachos.

You’ll find the beers of Smoky Mountain Brewing in Calhoun’s, sister restaurant to the Smoky Mountain Brewery.

Bearden Beer Market has a huge beer garden, great for relaxing with friends or grabbing a bite from one of the numerous food trucks that they host.

PHOTO CR EDI TS: Bus: Photo from Knox Brew Tours 1: Photo from Balter Beerworks 2: Photo by Rob Shomaker 3: Photo from Printshop Beer Co. Facebook 4: Photo by Rob Shomaker 5: Photo by Chelsea Pilkington

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PROFILE

A Street Lamp Burns Bright Johnson City Brewing Company STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB SHOMAKER, Certified Cicerone®

It all began quite innocently. Eric Lantham joined his wife, Kat, in her hometown of Winchester, Virginia. In an effort to connect him with the community, they began hosting monthly gatherings where Eric would share his homebrew. The Peyton Street Beer Club was formed. “We’d be in a movie theater and he’d engage someone,” Kat recalls, “and he’d say, ‘We do this thing once a month, do you want to come?’ and they would show up. Eric is the kind of person that joins people together and makes them feel good.”

When the couple messaged the monthly group asking if they wanted to join a startup brewery, the response was overwhelming. Before they went to bed that night, they had hit their capital goal. “We looked at each other and said, ‘I guess we’re going to do this!’” Kat shared.

In 2014, Johnson City Brewing Company was born on a 1-barrel system that was spun up on nights and weekends inside a space that doubled as a tasting room. The logo for the brewery contains a gas lamp that serves as a gentle nod to the co-owners in Winchester, Virginia, who helped make it all possible.

Johnson City Brewing Company is known for their creative approach to beer.

Eric’s approach revolves around exploring flavors and determining how they could be incorporated into a beer. Examples include a carnival series of several beers that included a habanero bacon bomb, a kettle corn beer, a deep-fried snickers beer, a cotton candy, and a corn dog beer.

“They were great beers, except for the corn dog,” Kat laughs. “It tasted like a corn dog, but that’s not what you want in a beer!” There was also a donut series that went quickly, and a series devoted to Girl Scout cookie flavors that also helped raise money for the local Girl Scouts.

There are also sorghum-based beers for

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Nashville Festbier is a traditional Märzen style amber lager that was featured at the first Oktoberfest in 1810.

Märzen (German for the month of March) biers were traditionally brewed in the spring and lagered (stored) during the summer months. Before the advent of refrigeration, German brewers would dig cellars and fill them with ice from nearby lakes and rivers. The ice would keep the beer cool during the summer months. PROST!

Festbier NEW SEASONAL

Visit us online at www.nashvillebrewing.com NashvilleBrew

NashvilleBrewing

NashvilleBrew

In Stores and on Draft Everywhere in Nashville!

PROFILE

those that are gluten-free, ciders, and fun seasonal series. There’s something for everyone and frequent new creations that keep people coming back. Behind each beer there’s also a story, as there is so much of Eric and Kat in everything they do.

While Eric acts as the creative force and the producer, Kat makes it all happen.

“She’s the one that focuses on the details from events to the books,” Eric says of Kat. “Kat makes the engine of Johnson City Brewing Company run.”

Just a short drive from their tasting room on East Main Street in downtown Johnson City is the next chapter. In a former night club, construction is in progress, plans have been made, and Eric is at the helm of the 7-barrel system. Just to the right of the new brewhouse sits the 1-barrel system that began it all. “We still use it,” he notes.

The construction on the property will continue with a tasting room, a stage, a patio, an event space, and eventually,

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down the road, a kitchen. For now, the focus is on the beer. Elements of the new space can also be found in the East Main Street location. The brewhouse now sits where the old stage once was. The wood was repurposed for table tops. The pipes from the old sprinkler system now serve as kick rails at the bar. These elements blend wonderfully with other local elements from the community. On the counter there are products from a local bee keeper, reclaimed local barn wood in the bar, and local art on the walls.

Johnson City Brewing Company continues to push the same tenets that Eric and Kat put forth with the Peyton Street Beer Club. The space they have created is one where people can connect with one another; where they feel like they belong.

It’s a place where newcomers to the area can connect, bring their dogs and children.

Small touches beyond the décor give evidence that they mean it. From a cooler in the corner that contains apple sauce and juice boxes to a water dish out front for furry friends.

Century old Tennessee farms partnering to add agricultural flavor to the regions growing food and beverage industry.

Join the conversation online @ VolunteerMissionMalt.com

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Cideries of Tennessee

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LONG ROAD CIDER Get to know Tennessee’s first active cidery.

CIDER

Good News!

BY JEFF HULETT

If you can’t make it out to Barretville, you can enjoy ciders at the following restaurants and retailers: Fill a Growler: • Miss Cordelia’s • Memphis Cash Saver • • • • •

Buster’s Liquors & Wines Cheer’s Wine & Spirits Joe’s Wine & Liquors Poplar Wine & Spirits Stellar Cellar Wine & Spirits

Memphis • • • •

D

id you know that just down the way from Memphis you can find Tennessee’s first active cidery? That’s right. After two address changes and countless hours on the phone with every government office you can imagine, Long Road Cider has received the official declaration of Tennessee’s first active cidery.

Family-owned and -operated, Long Road is the perfect setting for a party, wedding, or concert –and it’s family-friendly. Long Road, only 20 minutes from downtown Memphis, is an earnest, down-home place with a front porch to die for.

Cidery hours are Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m.

Long Road owner Scott Patterson has been brewing beers for years but always had a thing for cider. Now he’s leading the charge in cider making across the region.

“I joke that my beer was mediocre at best and I could get better beer cheaper and easier

by going down the street,” Scott says. “But this wasn’t the case with cider. My preference for dry ciders certainly didn’t help either, as they were virtually unavailable in our local market.”

When asked, “Why Barretville?” Scott doesn’t shy away from it – he buys fruit from a guy in the area and there’s a ton of history, he says. “We are only 20 scenic minutes away.”

As for business, it is so good, it’s hard for Long Road Cider to keep up. They also have plans for some fun special events coming up, including the second annual Bobby “Blue” Bland Festival on June 2. “Most people don’t know this, but Bland started his career playing tunes on our porch,” says Scott.

Other goodies are in store as well. Long Road Cider expects to introduce some limited releases from their sour cellar, a grape wine or two, and some fruited ciders. And don’t worry – crowd pleasers like Slingshot, Bourbon Slingshot, Rhonissippi, and more will also be available.

• • • • • • •

Rec Room Central BBQ (Midtown) Central BBQ (Downtown) Flying Saucer Draught Emporium Railgarten Diner Loflin Yard Hop Daddy French Truck Coffee Miss Cordelia’s Lucchesi’s Beer Garden Bosco’s Squared

• Bounty on Broad • Porcellino’s

Cordova • Meddlesome Brewing Co. • Flying Saucer Draught Emporium • Stellar Cellar Wine & Spirits

Collierville • Cheers Wine & Spirits • Poplar Wine & Spirits

Germantown • Corks Wine and Spirits

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SPOTLIGHT

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he road meanders around corners, past farms, and into the mountains.

Structure gives way to nature and one is left with the impression that this was how it was intended; serene and magical. From the rivers to the stone, the majesty is only found in the mountains of East Tennessee. Not far from the bright lights of Sevierville, a hidden gem sits on Foxfire Mountain.

The cider house is that of magic and whimsy, with turns and angles in its structure that make it appear it leapt from a children’s book. The door into the tasting room is large and wide. Once inside, ciders abound: growler jugs of the base cider, Mayapple, as well as 750ML bottles and mason jars of the fermented variety.

The intersection of the Wyiles and cider comes to life in a book written by proprietor Marc Postlewaite, “The Appalachian Wyiles of Foxfire Mountain.” Readers discover the whimsical story of how the Wyile people were found after two individuals mischievously cross paths with a Wyile named O’Klee.

Here the cider story begins. As Marc tells it, Foxfire Mountain has been home to the Wyiles for generations. At 3-feet tall, these mischievous individuals are said to be descendants of leprechaun stowaways in the 1600s. The Wyiles might, perhaps, be that of legend, but at Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park, the stories come to life in cider inspired by these folks.

Cider Master Shawn Breeden has brewed beer for many years. His tenure in cider began six years ago as a desire to find something for his non-beerloving spouse to enjoy. His wife would often make apple butter and toss out the cores and rinds. Once Shawn placed these and some sugar in two vessels and left them to do as they might for a year. After he back-sweetened this first attempt, spark became fire and his adventure in cider began. This past January, Marc asked Shawn to join the team and help bring the Wyile’s cider to life.

Shawn pushes the quality and consistency of the cider through continual refinement. All ingredients are either natural or organic and are locally-sourced.

The base cider, Mayapple, is a careful blend of five different apples. From this base cider, divergence begins in both still and sparkling – O’Klee, dry cider; Keeva, sweet cider, and Ilus – varieties.

Of the still cider variety, there are currently 18 different selections; everything from peach to elderberry to blood orange. Each is made with carefully-selected ingredients and blended to allow both the apple and the selected fruit to blend together in harmony.

The cider and the Wyiles are alive and well on Foxfire Mountain. Quality cider, adventure, and the beauty of East Tennessee are all there, waiting to be discovered.

CIDER

WYILE CIDER & THE LEGEND OF FOXFIRE MOUNTAIN

BY ROB SHOMAKER, Certified Cicerone®

T N C R A F T B E E R M AG.CO M

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SPOTLIGHT

DRINKING APPLES IN TENNESSEE’S ORIGINAL CRAFT CIDERY

BY STEPHANIE CARSON

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f an apple a day keeps the doctor away, then Gypsy Circus Cidery – Tennessee’s original craft cidery – is poised to be in good health for years to come. Just two years after opening, the Kingsport-based cidery is seeing exponential growth. Their cider can be found across Tennessee thanks to distribution agreements with Lipman Brothers and most recently Cherokee.

“We have surpassed our expectations and growth projections exponentially,” says owner Aaron Carson, a Telford, Tennessee native. “We knew hard cider was a growing craft beverage market, but the response we’ve seen from people in Tennessee and beyond is incredible,” he says. People appreciate that Gypsy Circus’ cider is made and fermented with only fresh-pressed apples.

Gypsy Circus cans their two flagship ciders, the semidry Raindancer and semi-sweet Queen of Swords. They also release a quarterly seasonal can. The seasonal cider this summer is the Mountain Meditator made with lemon basil. Their spring cider was the Lotus Dreamer made with orange blossom, which was met with large demand from bars and stores. Suppliers even began to run low earlier than projected.

Carson says there was one only small problem with its popularity – they couldn’t replace the spring cider with the summer cider when it ran out. “We’re waiting on the lemon basil to mature at the Tennessee farm we partner with in Greeneville, Tennessee. We can’t speed up mother nature,” he shares.

And that problem underlies a core philosophy at Gypsy Circus. “If the flavor doesn’t naturally occur, we don’t make it,” says Aaron.

Meaning, the cidery does not use flavor extracts and they do not ferment without fresh-pressed apple juice.

Their Love Potion Cider -- a chocolate and cherry cider -- tastes like chocolate and cherries because they use real cherries and cocoa from French Broad Chocolates to make the cider. Their Jack Tales cider uses Tennessee grown pumpkins and this list goes on.

All ingredients are mixed with fresh-pressed apple juice, which is another big differentiator.

Gypsy Circus’ dedication to its craft and the best ingredients is not going unnoticed. It recently took second place in Pick Tennessee’s Producer of the Year and it is the southeast’s most awarded cidery with awards from GLINTCAP, New York International Wine Competition, and East Meets West Wine Competition. Cidercraft magazine named Gypsy Circus’ cider Vaudevillain the best stone fruit cider in the world.

For Aaron and his growing staff, it’s all about growing with the Gypsy Circus market and enriching the experiences and taste buds of loyal fans.

“Our best day is when someone comes to the taproom and tells us they don’t like cider. After a few samples, they often leave with a four-pack of something containing apples,” said Aaron. “That is why we’re doing this.”

CIDER

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HOME BREWED, HOME BUILT Geezers Brewing Company offers unique craft beers straight from Knoxville.

BY GEORGE TALLEY

Geezers Brewing has a message for you: “Shut up, and drink.”

Printed boldly on the side of each of their kegs, it reflects an unembellished approach to beer.

Geezers has three offerings: a milk stout, blonde ale, and an English-influenced American pale. The styles were chosen intentionally to appeal to non-craft drinkers, which owner, Tom Fitzmaurice, notes make up a large part of the Knoxville market.

In a very real sense, Geezers is a monetized homebrew project. The owners work full-time and squeeze in two brew days a month on their 15-bbl system. Located at the south end of the Fourth and Gill neighborhood, the 7000-square-feet brewhouse and basement workshop houses Geezers.

The owners originally came together over a shared love of mountain biking and beer drinking. Brewing was an expression of wanting to make something that was really their own.

As one would expect, a brewery run by engineers has a few toys. Tom is particularly proud of their high-speed inline water heater which, “could launch the space shuttle.” There is a re-

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verse-osmosis water purification system in the basement that gives them access to the purest water possible before blending in their brewing salts as needed for style. They are also building the furniture here for their planned taproom, which is slated to open next year.

Tom talks more about their plans for the future. He plans to expand into the parking lot to create a beer garden and repurpose a Vietnam-era M35 into a monstrous tap-truck. While laying out his visions of expansion, he does acknowledge that these goals will not create themselves. “Vision and reality are at two ends of the spectrum...All we see in our vision is all the good stuff and Easy Street and the cash revenue and being the guys that make great beer. Over here, it’s just hard work.”

Hard work is a concept these guys are prepared for. They’re the ones swinging the hammers, managing their social media, developing recipes, making sales calls, negotiating permitting, building their facility, and brewing the beer all while holding down full-time jobs. “It’s been a real learning process,” says Tom.

LET’S TALK BEER MadTree builds community in Tennessee.

BY JOE EASTON

At MadTree Brewing, they live by the mantra “beer builds community and community builds beer.”

Most craft breweries follow a similar mindset as they look to engage their local community in their business. This helps them fill their taproom, sell more beer, and (most importantly) strengthen their community.

It’s this philosophy that has made craft beer so successful recently and probably one of the reasons you choose craft beer.

But what happens when sell your beer in a state that is hours away? Can a brewery still connect with their customers and build a community that far away?

MadTree is one of the biggest craft breweries in Cincinnati, Ohio and now they are bringing tasty beer to Tennessee where they intend to meet the growing desire for high quality craft beer as well as spread their community-first mindset to the Volunteer State.

Quality Leads to Quantity MadTree opened its doors in early 2013.

Since then, the craft beer world has exploded with new breweries. With so many beer options available to consumers, it can be difficult to continue to grow and expand. To

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see continued growth, a brewery must produce high quality beer without fail. MadTree Brewing has proven they are able to meet quality expectations.

This focus on quality started at the very beginning – this was evident when they made the bold move to can their beer.

While it is commonplace today, this was a considerable risk in 2013. In fact, they were the first Ohio craft brewery to can their beer. But they knew the benefits of canning was the right move to deliver the best tasting beer possible.

And it goes well beyond the packaging – MadTree has put an emphasis on quality throughout the rest of their brewery, including their lab and brewing equipment. In early 2017, they moved into a considerably larger building. This expansion gave them the space to increase their brewing capacity and lab space.

They increased their brewhouse from 15bbl to 100bbl. The new system was custom designed to meet their space and quality requirements. It combines automation, technology, and the ability to produce high quality beer every time. To ensure they are continually innovating, they also have a

15bbl pilot brewing system that mirrors the larger brewhouse so they can easily scale new recipes up to the larger system.

Once the beer is made, their 1,000-squarefeet lab ensures their beer is of the highest quality. Within this lab, there’s a 200-squarefeet clean room for microbiology and a 600-square-feet space for analytical chemistry applications. And MadTree doesn’t keep all of these great resources to themselves, they provide services to other breweries that lack testing abilities.

To back up the science, they use an array of 10 one-and-a-half-gallon corny kegs to conduct sensory research with their staff.

One recent project has investigated the effects of hops, hop oils and hop compounds on flavor profile, overall hop aroma intensity, and panelist preference. Processes like this allow MadTree to innovate while keeping quality at the front of everything they do.

They are meticulous about making sure that every can of beer that leaves their brewery tastes exactly as it was intended.

It’s easy to see that MadTree puts quality first. This focus on producing amazing beer is one of the reasons they’ve experienced continued growth.

A brewery isn’t a brewery without beer, and MadTree Brewing has a long list of great beer options that you’ve got to try. Check out these great year-round options – you are bound to find one that fits you.

PsycHOPathy: In many ways, IPA is the style that catapulted craft beer into the mainstream.

It represents the bold, unapologetic flavor profile that craft beer drinkers love. Today, IPA can mean a lot of different things as the style has evolved, but MadTree hasn’t forgotten what this style should be.

PsyHOPathy is their flagship IPA that is a hopforward beer with ample amounts of bitterness.

Cascade, Chinook, and Centennial hops are used to impart a citrus and floral aroma. The flavor brings even more citrus as well as the expected bitterness.

With a nice malty backbone, PsycHOPathy will finish smooth and clean so your taste buds don’t tire of the intense hop flavors.

Lift: Not a fan of bitter IPAs but tired of “light” beer options lacking flavor? MadTree Brewing meets that need with a full flavored Kolsch. This style is a hybrid of an ale and lager as it uses ale yeast but is fermented at lager temperatures. The result is a beer that has flavors like a light-bodied ale with the “easy drinking” character of a lager. You’ll find this low ABV beer to have gentle, crisp malt flavors with a hint of orange. While many breweries opt to make their light option a blonde ale, MadTree’s decided to do something different and give you a more flavorful option in a Kolsch.

Seasonal and Limited Releases: MadTree doesn’t stop at the expected as you’ll want to keep an eye out for their amazing lineup of seasonal releases.

While MadTree fans love their year-round beers, they are always excited for the release of their favorite annual choices.

• In the fall, you can look forward to checking out their Blood Orange PsycHOPathy. You’ll recognize it by the unique black and orange can. This IPA has a memorable taste because of the additional citrus aroma and flavor from the blood oranges.

• Not looking for an IPA? Then check out Pilgrim.

MadTree embraces the flavors of fall by adding cranberry and vanilla to a lightly hopped pale ale.

While remaining approachable, it has a lot of flavor and will accompany your fall plans perfectly.

• And you can’t talk about MadTree’s seasonal releases without mentioning the ever popular Thundersnow. This Scotch ale is released in the early winter each year and has ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon added. The result is the perfect winter beer.

Whether you are new to craft beer or have been drinking it since before it was cool, MadTree is brewing up a beer that you’ll love.

Photos provided by Madtree Brewing Co.

Community Building Near and Far With or without great beer, MadTree wouldn’t have achieved the same level of success without their ability to be part of the culture and community. After all, craft beer is more than beer – it is a part of who we are.

MadTree didn’t start out seeking to use community involvement as a marketing tool. Instead, it happened naturally as they lived out their lives – both professionally and personally. They saw that they had an ability and obligation to give their customers more than just beer, and they accomplish this by giving each customer an experience that connects them to their brewery and the community.

They are constantly reaching out to community organizations to help them further their cause both through awareness and financial support.

When you stop by their taproom, there’s a good chance a charity or local group will be there using the massive taproom for an event.

And it extends outside of their taproom as they are in the community on a regular basis. It’s quite common to spot their logo on the list of event sponsors.

This is no different hundreds of miles away in Tennessee. MadTree Brewing made the decision to sell their beer in Tennessee because they knew they could have a positive impact on the beer community. And they do not take their obligation to the customers of Tennessee lightly.

As part of MadTree’s dedication, they didn’t just send their beer to Tennessee. They sent Regional Development Manager Shelly Kramer.

She has nearly a decade-and-a-half experience in the beer industry including working for New Belgium. She has already helped MadTree expand into other markets, and now she has brought her passion for beer and MadTree to the Volunteer State.

Shelly tells me, “You are only new once.” This mindset drives her to participate in as many community events as she can fit into her schedule. She knows that getting beer into the hands of customers is important, it’s also equally important that they hear MadTree’s story. So she spends her time engaging with the craft beer fans of Tennessee while communicating why they should try beer from Cincinnati.

And just like in their hometown, MadTree is putting the community first as they move into new territories. In Nashville, they’ve begun supporting Youth Villages, an organization that supports families and their children that need emotional and behavioral support. While in Knoxville, they are giving back through 2nd Harvest which focuses on feeding the hungry in East Tennessee. They’ve already raised thousands of dollars for these organizations in a very short amount of time.

One of MadTree’s most known programs takes place during Arbor Day when they give away tree saplings when you buy a pint of beer at their Cincinnati taproom. This year, they brought this program to Tennessee through select partners. Shelly tells me this really made an impact as many recognize MadTree as the “brewery that gives away trees.”

It’s evident that MadTree is bringing more than just their beer to Tennessee; they are bringing their culture and love of community. Putting people first is their primary objective as they know a strong beer community will benefit everyone.

While the demand for craft beer is quickly growing in Tennessee, customers have a lot of options. So breweries must earn the trust and respect of the local market. This is accomplished through a real passion for the community and a high-quality product.

MadTree is working hard to be a part of the Tennessee craft beer culture because they believe that beer builds community and community builds beer…even two states away in Tennessee.

T N C R A F T B E E R M AG.CO M

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TWENTY-TWO YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT SMOKY MOUNTAIN BREWERY

BY JOSH SALES

Mike Chase decided to pioneer craft beer in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains in East Tennessee. He originally bought the Cooper Cellar with a group of friends in 1975.

In 1996 the Copper Cellar family, who also own Smoky Mountain Brewery, was looking for a way to provide their own restaurants with a locally-sourced craft beer. Mike’s answer at the time was rather innovative but admittingly unpopular. The first Smoky Mountain Brewery opened in Gatlinburg to a mixed audience. Customers came in looking for traditional brand-name beers only to be offered freshly-brewed in-house drafts.

Mike continued with the concept of beer made in-house, alongside sandwiches and wood-fired pizzas. When craft beer began to make its mark on the scene and become more in-demand, Smoky had years of experience and well-tested recipes to offer customers.

Today, Smoky Mountain Brewery has four locations. The Pigeon Forge location opened in 2004. The third location opened in West Knoxville’s Turkey Creek in 2008. In 2011 the company opened

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their latest site in Maryville, Tennessee. Each location is responsible for their own brewing operations.

Smoky Mountain beers aren’t available off-site, but Paul Melton, in charge of brewery support, puts it this way, “We’re our own customer.” At each Smoky Mountain Brewery, tanks directly feed into the lines that come out across the restaurant in the bar area.

Smoky’s Grissette is pleasantly wheaty with obvious hops on the back end; it’s a bit more refined than to be expected in your typical farmhouse or table beer. Overall, it presented as a fine beer to drink on the bar’s patio with a low ABV level. Paul says that the restaurant’s customers range from macro beer fanatics to those with “contemporary palates,” and that the brewery responds with their range of mainstays, seasonal beers, and Brewmaster runs.

Smoky Mountain Brewery has been in business for 22 years, since Mike set out to pioneer craft beer in the Smoky Mountains.

His innovation has only awarded the brewery with experience, a chance to get ahead of the game, and the ability to expand East Tennessee’s craft beer history.

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BREWING UP FOR CHARITY

Imperial Mexican Coffee Stout (5.5 GALLONS)

by LuAnn Rounds

BY ART WHITAKER

• OG: 1.089 • FG: 1.021 • ABV: 9% • IBU: 75

12 pounds 2 row Pale malt 2.5 pounds Malted Rye 1 pound Munich Malt 8 ounces Carafa 1 8 ounces Black Malt 1 pound Pale Chocolate 9 ounces Belgian Candi Syrup (90L)

*Note: 75 minute total boil time Beer festivals raising money for charitable causes often take advantage of having local homebrewers at their festival or fundraiser. Tickets for Border Battle II, featuring Tennessee homebrewers, were sold at The Casual Pint Hardin Valley, and patrons picked their favorite beer for the contest. This year, LuAnn Rounds of the Blount County Homebrewers took the title with her Mexican Coffee Stout. The event raised over $800 for this year’s charity, Small Breed Rescue of East Tennessee. Give homebrewing a try, and brew up recipes for LuAnn’s award-winning Mexican Coffee Stout.

OTHER HOMEBREWERS SERVING UP FOR CHARITY: • Oaklands Oktoberfest September 29, Murfeesboro

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• Bruce Street Brewfest September 15, Sevierville

• NatureAle Beer Fest (hosted by The Earth Experience at The Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History) October 21, Murfreesboro

• Boots and Brews October 11, Murfreesboro

• Circus Brew Zerkus November 3, Nashville

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1 ounce Columbus at 60 minutes 2 ounces Northern Brewer at 15 1 ounce Williamette 15 Yeast Imperial-House (A01)

Mash at 152 F for 60 minutes.

Vorlauf for 20 minutes. Fly sparge 170 F to reach 7.5 gallons pre-boil volume. Boil for 75 minutes. Chill wort to 68 F. Pitch yeast. Primary for weeks at 68 to 70 F. At kegging, dissolve 10 ounces of lactose in 2 cups of boiled water.

While cooling, steep 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 vanilla bean, and 2 tablespoons of Ancho chili powder.

Strain through sanitized cheesecloth, and add to 2 pints of strong cold brew coffee, 1000 Faces Fazenda.

Add all liquid to the keg. Condition for 5 weeks prior to serving.

STILL LIFE VON TOFFEE & SOUTHERN GRIST

NICK BUMGARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY // NICKBUMGARDNERPHOTO.COM // 615-752-0158

HapandHarrys.com

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Scott “Märzen” Mertie is the owner of the Nashville Brewing Company and author of Nashville Brewing (Arcadia Publishing, 2006) and Party Cans (Brewed in Dixie, 2015), as well as numerous related articles.

BREWERIANA COLLECTING A Hobby or an Obsession?

BY SCOTT “MÄRZEN” MERTIE

I

am sure that many of our Craft Beer Tennessee readers have grabbed a few stickers or beer mats (coasters) from their favorite craft brewery. Some of you have probably even started saving beer cans, tin tackers, or crowns (bottle caps), as well. As more and more craft breweries have popped up in recent years, I am even willing to bet that a few of you have even officially started a collection.

These collectible brewery advertisement items are called “breweriana.”

While collecting breweriana may seem like a new phenomenon, the hobby has actually been around for decades. Beer can collecting was at its peak in the 1970s with thousands of members of the Beer Can Collectors of America (now the Breweriana Collectors Club of America or BCCA).

Other related organizations include the National Association of Breweriana Advertising (NABA) and the American Breweriana Association (ABA).

As the owner of the Nashville Brewing Company, people often ask me how I first got involved in the craft beer industry. It started much earlier than most think….

When I was six years old, my mother dragged me on my older sister’s Girl Scout hike near Akron, Ohio. While bored to tears during the trek, I kept noticing shiny beer cans scattered along the side of the path. Each brand seemed to have such colorful artwork that I couldn’t resist putting them in my backpack. By the time the hike was over, I had about a dozen different beer cans.

During this time, my father was traveling internationally to faraway lands such as Europe and Africa. He would come back from each business trip with unusual beer cans to add to my collection. I then started receiving packages in the mail from his foreign business partners that included dozens of more exotic cans.

While I thought they were doing this all for me, I later realized it was a good excuse for them to drink the contents!

Over the years my parents would take me to various beer can shows in Ohio and I would walk away from each “CANvention” with more additions to my collection. My interest continued to expand into learning about the different styles of beer and the history behind them. By the time I graduated high school in 1988, I had over 3,000 different cans. This was also the same year the Great Lakes Brewing Company opened its doors in Cleveland, Ohio. After this first craft beer experience, I was hooked!

The next year I started home brewing in my dorm at The Ohio State University. After graduating, I moved to Nashville in 1992 to start my professional career, but I continued home brewing and collecting cans. After visiting the Gerst Haus Restaurant, I became fascinated with Nashville’s brewing history and began collecting any and all breweriana related to the William Gerst Brewing Company (1890-1954).

I began researching the Gerst brewery’s history by spending hours in the Tennessee Archives and interviewing former employees and family members. I was even able to obtain some of the original Gerst recipes. With the encouragement of my wife, I wrote “Nashville Brewing” (Arcadia Publishing, 2006), a book about William Gerst and the history of the Nashville brewing industry.

While researching for the book, I learned that the Nashville Brewing Company originally operated from 1859-1890 in the same location as the Gerst brewery. This is what ultimately prompted me to resurrect the Nashville Brewing Company in 2016. I partnered with Blackstone Brewing Company to brew traditional European lagers that the German immigrants would have brewed in the late 19th Century.

While I still collect certain beer cans, I mainly focus on pre-prohibition breweriana, such as scarce brewery lithographs. I am excited to see the resurgence of breweriana collecting that has accompanied the craft beer movement. However, I am here to warn you – what starts out as an innocent hobby can very easily turn into an obsession. Collector beware!

T N C R A F T B E E R M AG.CO M

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TINY ROBERSON IS A BIG NAME IN EAST TENNESSEE DISTILLING

BY CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

At 6’ 8,” Neil “Tiny” Roberson is a mountain of a man. “I was 6’ 5” when I left the Navy, but I guess I kept on growing,” he shares.

His East Tennessee Distilling operation is tucked away in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in the quaint community of Piney Flats, situated in small cinder block buildings that were once a chicken farm and then the home of Penney’s Lumber Co., which Tiny describes as “the old timey Lowe’s.”

Wearing a tank top and a set of overalls sewed from enough denim to upholster a sectional sofa, it would be easy to underestimate Tiny as a businessman or as a distiller as he leans up against his moonshine still cobbled together from spare parts. But undervalue Tiny’s acumen at your own peril, because he is an extremely resourceful and capable businessman. In the face of com-

petition in the flavored moonshine category that has the advantage of huge marketing budgets and enormous production facilities, Tiny holds his own.

The distiller is proud that Tennessee Mellomoon moonshine has won international awards at tasting competitions. Other notable achievements include producing the strongest commercially-available moonshine at 150 proof as well as the first moonshine products available in airplane mini bottles, thanks to an innovative bottling line that Tiny built from scratch from six pumps off of eBay. In 2011, Tiny decided to take advantage of his process engineering training to open a distillery and produced his first ethanol the following year. He started out with eleven blue barrels to use as fermentation tanks and a small 60-gallon still he named “Beulah” that he had purchased from another distillery. Tiny explains, “Beulah is good for our clear shine, and we still make our heads and tails cuts by hand. We can make seven to ten gallons of 180-proof shine on Beulah in an eight-hour shift.” That first year, East Tennessee Distillery produced about 600 gallons of moonshine and immediately cast an eye toward expansion.

That future capacity potential is one of Tiny’s business smarts because his distribution continues to expand to several states including more than 500 outlets in Tennes-

see. Plus, this growth has come with virtually no advertising budget. “It was too expensive to even quantify, explains Tiny. “We decided to go with guerilla advertising with me as the spokesman.” As a former wrestler, Tiny knows how to create hype.

The reason that his clear and flavored shines sell so well is because Tiny’s close attention to the process. He picks interesting flavors to extend his line. After coming off the still at an almost pure 180-proof, the sugar shine is proofed down to 150- or 100-proof for Tiny’s line of “sipping shines.” Even at the elevated proof level, it’s surprisingly smooth for a spirit that’s almost twice as strong as vodka. For the flavored shines, East Tennessee Distillery takes their 100-proof shine and adds flavorings that lower the proof to 70. The only exception is the popular and exotic Honey Ginseng Shine that ends up at 60 proof since more extract is needed to achieve the intense flavor.

Even spirit snobs who look down their noses at moonshine have to acknowledge that Tiny’s Mellomoon moonshine is produced with an eye on quality. Through the years, their products have won several awards including “Best of Show” at the 2013/2014 World Beverage Competition and a silver medal at the 2014 Craft Spirits Awards. Most of all, you have to admire Neil Roberson’s ingenuity, resourcefulness and commitment to building a sustainable business.

T N C R A F T B E E R M AG.CO M

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PI CTU R ED: 1: Matt Malone 2: Liz Nagel, Sarah Monroe 3: Andrew Kaplin 4: Gwen Jones, Dr. Jane George

SOCI A L

Pretentious Glass Co. One of our favorite companies, Pretentious Glass Co., was featured in a Primetime ad that showed during the NBC premier of “Making It”, a new show about makers. The ad was hosted by Nick Offerman and Amy Poehler with Etsy Trending Expert Dayna Isom Johnson as a Judge. Let’s celebrate the new show about Makers and Pretentious Glass Co. “primetime” debut!

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Liquor and beer infused cupcakes GROOM PARTIES / WEDDINGS /OCCASIONS /musiccitypubcakes @ music_city_pubcakes

PI CTU R ED: Top: The gang from Corsair Brewstillery: Tyler Crowell, Erik Dever, Faye Johnson, Miles Mckee, Rachel Carr, Colton Weinstein Bottom: Seth Green with Smith and Lentz.

Kyle Whigham in the middle.

Hunter Hartman on right.

SOCI A L

Pintwood Derby About this time last year, over 35 beer bars and taprooms in Nashville put their crafting skills to the ultimate test by competing in Smith & Lentz’s 1st Annual Nashville Pintwood Derby.

This year on August 21, we joined together once again to race small wooden cars in an attempt to prove who is definitively the best beer purveyor in town!

This year Smith & Lentz covered the cost of the event and the cars, so that 100 percent of the entry fees went to support the Fannie Battle Day Home for Children.

Whether you competed or were just spectating, we hope you had a blast supporting your favorite bar or taproom in town and learning about all the cool things Fannie Battle is doing in our community.

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HARDIN VALLEY • NORTHSHORE • BEARDEN MARYVILLE • FOUNTAIN CITY • FARRAGUT FRANKLIN • DOWNTOWN KNOXVILLE MEMPHIS • SEVIERVILLE • SMYRNA THECASUALPINT.COM