TENNESSEE CRAFT BEER MAGAZINE - SPRING 2018 by Que Media Press

Craft Beer S P RI NG IS SUE 201 8

T E N N E S S E E

Ashlee Smith and Kelsey Nelson SPRING ISSUE

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We salute the

WOMEN IN BEER

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BE DRINKING

TTER THAN BEER? . . . MAKIN G I T !

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

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Contents 22

Feature Pink Boots Society 40

Brewery Profiles Jackalope 26 Hutton and Smith 28 Clinch River 42

Industry News

Up and Coming: Happy Trails 51 Anti Buyout at Oskar Blues 56

Recipes Meatballs Makhani 24

Travel Nashville Brews Cruises 44 Georgetown, Kentucky 52

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New In Brew Distribution/News 36

Cover | WE SALUTE WOMEN IN BEER

he backstory of Mayday Brewery doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem all that different from many other stories on the surface. Humble beginnings, one manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passion, talent and dreams and a neighborhood garage combine with a family history that has catapulted Mayday Brewery into a highly esteemed family business in Middle Tennessee. While this is a story as old as time, the narrative changed a little when the newest generation took the helm at Mayday. While years of tradition tell us that business and brewing passes from father to son, for Ozzy Nelson, it was his two daughters, Ashlee Smith and Kelsey Nelson, who were ready to run with the family business. Cover and corresponding photos shot by Nick Bumgartner and Alex McConnell

Contents | Departments 30

We Salute The Women In Beer 30 Cover Story: Mayday 34 Mad For Mead 46 Gaining Altitude at Highland

Departments 20 18 48 36 64

Health and Wellness Beer 101 Ask the Expert Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New In Brew Homebrew

Social Pages 62 Southern Grist Anniversary 60 Crosstown Grand Opening

Magazine Staff Que Media Press, LLC. c.e.o and publisher Craig Disque president and c.o.o Didi Rainey executive editor Shawn Klumpjan editor-in-chief David Wingo managing editor Julie Holt senior editor Don Else west tennessee associate editor Ryan Guess south tennessee associate editor Tony Giannasi east tennessee associate editor Rob Shomaker director of art layout and design Irika Skeete creative designer Bryan Adams contributors Andy Brantley, Chris Chamberlain, Tony Giannasi,

Shane Gibbs, Brandon Holt, Julie Holt, Shawn Klumpjan, Lacey McClain, Tony Schmitt, Scott Sutton, Kent Taylor, Trey Upchurch, Nancy Vienneau, Art Whitaker, Clyde Willis, Pam Windsor

photographers Nick Bumgardner, Aaron Grobengieser, Brandon Lunday, Bill Seymour, Sean Von Tagen

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ÂŠ2018 Tennessee Craft Beer Magazine must give permission for any material contained herein to be reproduced in any manner. Any advertisements published in Tennessee Craft Beer Magazine do not constitute an endorsement of the advertisers services or products. Tennessee Craft Beer Magazine is published quarterly by distinguished individuals that have a fervent and lifelong thirst for craft beer. We challenge you to doubt our resolve.

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STILL LIFE VON TOFFEE & SOUTHERN GRIST

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Editor’s Note

Photo by Erin Wilburn

n May 1, 1916, Anne Dallas Dudley led a parade from the Tennessee State Capitol to Centennial Park in one of the pivotal moments in the women’s suffrage movement. Mrs. Dudley gave an eloquent and inspired speech to the 2,000 or so Nashvillians gathered at the Parthenon and brought new life to the fight. After all other southern states rejected the 18th amendment in 1920, the State of Tennessee became the battleground of suffrage in America. Tennessee has since been on the forefront of the advancement of women in this country. Women such a Wilma Rudolph, Pat Summitt, Dr. Margaret Rhea Seddon and Dolly Parton are just a few of the Tennesseans who have had international influence over the last 100 years. Craft beer in Tennessee is full of remarkable women who are carrying on the proud Tennessee tradition of bucking the trend and going for broke for the advancement of their craft and their families. One of these trailblazing women was the late Stephanie Weins of Blackstone Brewing. Stephanie was one of the first female brewery owners in this country when she and Kent Taylor opened the doors in 1994. Stephanie had a vision decades ahead of her peers, and Blackstone has been cranking out award winning beers for the last 24 years. Some of the finest beers I’ve had in Tennessee have been brewed by Corsair’s Karen Lassiter. Karen was a legend in the local homebrew scene before joining (and eventually succeeding) Fred Scheer at Boscos in 2008, becoming one of the first female brewmasters in the state. I’d give just about anything to have another KPA on Hop Day at Bosco’s. Many of us were introduced to craft beer with a perfectly poured Pale Ale, Dos Perros or Hop Project from Brandi Soda at the Yazoo Taproom. Now at The Filling Station, Brandi’s smiling face might be the most reliable sight in the Nashville beer scene. To

Stephanie Weins finds her Blackstone beer on the shelf for the first time ever, on July 29, 2011

me, these women are just a few of those who define craft beer in Tennessee. You will learn about many more in the pages to come. Women have been pivotal in my craft beer journey. Ladies such as Kira Schlesinger, Renee Sesler, Shelley Hargrove, Mindy Johnson and my amazing wife, Christie, have had as much or more influence on the way I drink and think about beer as anyone. Their palates, knowledge, homebrewing prowess and grace far exceed anything that I am capable of. It is an honor to begin my tutelage of Tennessee Craft Beer Magazine with the Women in Beer issue. Guest Editor Kimble Bosworth has done a fantastic job of cultivating stories on the remarkable women involved in the brewing industry across the state. Her vision has guided wonderful stories for this issue that I hope you will enjoy.

David T. Wingo Editor-in-Chief

Feature | LEADING LADIES AT PINK BOOTS

Rachel Schaffer, Pink Boots Nashville’s President

walk into Tailgate Music Row alone on a Monday evening and scan the crowd. The place is familiar and so is the crowd. A handful of guys huddled around a big screen, watching teams I can’t identify, some aprés work brews for a large co-ed group. A few couples eating dinner at the bar.

BORN IN A GARAGE BREWED IN KENTUCKY

LIFTING ONE TO LIFE IN THE MUSIC CITY Braxton Brewing Company was born out of a garage on Braxton Drive in Union, Kentucky. It’s there where a passion was born, sparked and ignited. The creativity and craft of brewing became a entrepreneurial obsession and now we thrive to create the ultimate experience by celebrating the life, family and communities that build our history. Dreams are born and fermented at Braxton Brewing Company. Let’s celebrate and Lift One To Life!

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Braxton Brewing Company is located in Covington, Kentucky

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The brewery began with only 100 barrels of fermentation capacity in 2015 and is now home 1,140 barrels of capacity

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Producing approximately 15,000 barrels in 2017

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Award-winning brewing team

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Our innovation facility, Braxton Labs, is located in Newport, Kentucky

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Named as one of the Top 33 new breweries in 2015 by BeerAdvocate

WWW.BRAXTONBREWING.COM

@BRAXTONBREWCO

BRAXTON BREWING COMPANY

Born in a garage. Brewed at 27 W. 7th St., Covington, KY 41011

KIMBLE BOSWORTH

Guest Editor’s Note

he weight of the responsibility of this task of Guest Editor for the first TN Craft Beer Magazine Women in Beer issue feels like a hefty burden. So many great women to recognize… so many great beers to sample.

I cannot pretend to speak for all the women -- we have different experiences and voices, and our goal is for you to hear many of those in this issue. But I can share a bit of my own journey with beer. Let’s skip the underaged experiments with Lone Star growing up in Texas. Fast forward to exposing Nashville friends to Corona (at the time, still only a local favorite in border towns near Mexico... that’s how old I am). With limited distribution near Vanderbilt, the variety back in college was limited to anything we could get during green bottle night at Peppers near SATco. Although I was somewhat exposed to what beer had to offer while living over a pub one summer at London School of Economics, I hardly understood the magnitude of varieties and flavors of beer until friends first took me to the famous Brickskellar in Washington DC. This basement bar featured 1200 beers, a menu the size of a phone book and regular tasting experiences. Our only rules: Every person must rate and describe the beer they’re drinking. If you call a beer good, you buy a round. After all, all beer is good. Some just taste better than others. If you reorder a beer you’ve already tried, you buy a round. (We each ‘borrowed’ a copy of the menu, where we marked through completed beers to avoid repetition). It was at the Brickskellar where I was first impacted by a woman in beer. Her name was Judy Ashworth. She told us the story of starting the first all craft brew pub in the Bay area and being part of the early days of Sierra Nevada Brewery. She also spoke of one particular day when she almost died on the way to a beer pairing event. When she was revived by the EMTs, she was a little tired, but still excused herself to make it to her engagement. That’s dedication.

Soon after that night, my husband and I shared his first batch of homebrew -- bottled in salvaged Kolsch bottles and aged under the stairs of our first apartment. Little did we know back then that our work would eventually evolve into helping breweries merchandise their brands. Or that our homebrewing equipment would evolve into the self contained, single-batch brewery that has provided us with chocolate coconut porter, the affectionately named Swampwater IPA and our latest cream ale. Our newest venture, Peace. Love. Beer. is our lifestyle brand homage to all lovers of beer. All beers. The women in this issue that I am lucky enough to interact with - Maneet Chauhan, Christinea Beane, Rachel Schaffer, Bailey Spaulding, the ladies of the Pink Boots Society and the others we frequently bump into in the offices, bars, restaurants and festivals -- are the ones who make what we do so much fun! When hanging out with, working with and collaborating with women in this industry it’s not unusual that we just think of ourselves as people of beer. People, working alongside others -- men -- who are also people of beer. We are all fortunate to be a part of the brewing ‘brotherhood’ that’s part of why we love what we do. Cheers!

Kimble

BEER 101:

BEER & FOOD PAIRINGS Written By: Shane Gibbs

ello craft beer lovers and beginners, Beer 101 is back and I think this is one you will really to be able to sink your teeth into. Instead of throwing scientific information at you and a bunch of words you may not completely understand, we’re going to take a step back and dig into something really good…FOOD! No, we are not dismissing craft beer, we are talking about the great food and beer pairings that you can enjoy whether you’re eating pizza on your couch or at a nice restaurant. We will begin with the lighter beers, then move on to the heavier and darker beers. The one thing to keep in mind, as with most advice, is that ultimately, do what you like. Your palate is your own and taste is subjective, so this is merely a guide to point you in the right direction.

Pilsners Pilsners are very light in color and usually have a quite bitter profile, which works well with foods like salads, chicken, salmon, and of course brats. You can’t celebrate a proper Oktoberfest without brats and beer. Speaking of Oktoberfest, let’s not forget the other styles of German beers such as Marzens, Vienna Lagers, Dunkels and Schwarzbiers. These beers tend to be a bit darker in color with less bitterness than a pilsner. Some food pairing ideas for these styles should include spices found in Mexican food, hearty chicken, sausage or pork, including barbecue. The malt character of the beer, coupled with the intensity of bold or spicy meats should complement each other very well.

Blonde Ales Some like to think that blondes have more fun, but in this case I would recommend keeping it light and easy, much like the pilsner. Chicken, salads, or a light cheese would pair well. Along

those same lines, a hefeweizen or wheat beer would be a good match with those particular foods, but you can also add in vegetables, sushi and other light seafood. Goat cheese would also pair well.

Pale Ales This category includes pale ales, India pale ales (IPA), and of course double or Imperial IPAs. Each of these will have slightly different pairings because each will have a different bitterness or malt profile than the next. Keep in mind that there are so many styles of IPA that you may just have to go with your gut or what tastes best to you. Pale ales can be paired with a wide variety of foods ranging from cheddar cheese to big juicy burgers, whereas IPAs generally go better with spicier foods, bleu cheese or sweet desserts. The DIPA (or double IPA) pairs better with smoked meats like brisket or chicken and richer cheeses, as well as super sweet desserts like crème brulee.

Ambers and Brown Ales Ambers generally pack a lot of flavor and can be quite bitter, which allows them to be paired with a wide range of your favorite foods. Whether you’re having chicken, burgers or seafood, an amber ale should go down nicely with each. Brown ales, however, call for heartier foods like smoked sausage or roast pork. Brown ales will also pair well with an aged crumbly cheese or nuts.

Porters and Stouts Most porters will pair very nicely with smoked or roasted food, or on the other end of the spectrum, sweet or toasted cookies. A stout can be a little trickier for the simple fact that you could have a coffee stout, oatmeal or sweet stout. For the most part, smoked or spicy foods will pair best but this may be one of

those times you have to go with what you know. I personally think a nice hearty chili would go great with thick roasted stout. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to actually pour some of your beer into your chili mix for that little extra flavor.

Sour Beers If you are new to the craft beer scene you may not be prepared for sours, but if you are, the perfect match for most sours will be seafood. Whether it is salmon, lobster or ceviche, a sour beer will bring out and enhance the natural flavors. These beer/food combinations are perfect for springtime or sitting by the pool during a barbecue. Another great option would be a saison. The yeast strains coupled with the effervescence of a saison make everything taste light yet flavorful. This list is not all-inclusive, so I advise you to play around with different taste profiles and don’t be afraid to get a little experimental. Remember, taste is subjective, so what one person picks up can be completely different from what you pick up. Don’t let this discourage you from going beyond your comfort range. The next time you are out at a restaurant or grabbing lunch, try to purposely pair your food and beer, or if you are sitting on your couch eating pizza, think about the toppings on your pizza and try to pair something with that as well.

TRANSFORMING A BEER INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL Written By: Clyde Willis

he holidays are behind us, a new year has dawned and spring is just around the corner. Amy and I have had some massive change in our lives already this year. Professionally, I ended my time at Founders Brewing Co. as the Market Manager for TN & KY, and I have transitioned to Wiseacre Brewing Co. out of Memphis, TN as Sales Manager. This came with us moving from Murfreesboro to Memphis, and this transition will be complete by the time this article is published. I tell this story as a baseline for my current installment of this column. Amy and I knew that this journey would have peaks and valleys. We warned ourselves about not indulging too much over the holiday season, and we did fairly well through that period. However, we have slipped a bit through January and the first half of February. The inconveniences of packing up your life into moving boxes can cause major stress. We inevitably turned to our poor food choices as comfort through this time. We knew that we were making these decisions, and we knew the impact that they could potentially have on our journey. Nonetheless, we made these choices and now live with the consequences.

The Discipline Discipline is how we apply our knowledge to action. We are in a season of change in our personal and professional lives. Through this change, we suspended our strict diet. By March 1st, our move will be complete and this will mark our return to a conscious effort toward balanced, healthy and reasonable choices. We will get back to having six small, balanced meals throughout each day, Monday through Friday. The weekends will be reasonable cheat days. We will also return to drinking beer Friday through Sunday (outside of industry event, of course). We are excited for springtime in Memphis and getting back to our commitment to each other. CLYDE AND AMY WILLIS

The Progress Here is where the confessions of indulgence and convenience have added up for us. Even though we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go completely off the rails through this season, I gained back about 10 pounds and Amy gained just a little as well. However, she is still my smokinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hot Valentine!! We have learned a lot about each other in this season of change, and we have found a deeper sense of peace, love and grace for each other through this rekindled commitment.

Outcomes Our renewed commitment to this journey is exciting for us. Getting healthy and keeping each other accountable brought us closer together when we started, and I believe that we will have great progress throughout 2018. There will be more outcomes to follow as we prepare to take on Memphis in May where great music, great beer and great barbecue will rule the month.

Conclusions This process is a lifelong commitment and journey. Having someone close to you as an accountability partner will be helpful, but a solo journey is also possible. Wherever you are on your journey, embrace it, forgive yourself if and when you backslide and stay encouraged by treating yourself as you reach your beachheads.

ALL THE SUMMER VIBES. # D RINK TRE E S

Chauhan Ale and Masala House WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CELEBRITY CHEF, HER ENTREPRENEURIAL HUSBAND, AND A MAD SCIENTIST BREWER MEET?

Recipe Pairing

he roots of Mantra Artisan Ales, an extraordinary boutique brewery and taproom in Franklin, Tennessee can be traced to a wedding in Jaipur, India.

Celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan and her husband Vivek Deora had taken time from working on their soon-to-launch Nashville restaurant to attend this family celebration. There, Vivek introduced Maneet to a rare liqueur particular to western India, similar to Benedictine, but imbued with saffron and cardamom. It was fragrant and warming— “But you couldn’t drink much of it,” says Maneet. “Too sweet.” It set her to thinking, though. What if these spice profiles were infused in some other alcoholic beverage? She and Vivek talked and talked about it. And then, the answer seemed obvious. Why not brew beer with spices? This notion dovetailed neatly with their current project: designing the beverage program for their soon-to-open Chauhan Ale and Masala House. Maneet’s cuisine can be called Indian fusion—a meld of global fare with the complex flavors of her homeland. And she didn’t agree with conventional thinking, that a light wine like a Riesling was the right beverage to compliment the food.

Written By: Nancy Vienneau

“The drink should enhance, not negate, the spice,” she says. A saffron-cardamom beer could be perfect. Initially, she and Vivek worked with a homebrewer in New York on the recipe. They ran numerous trials. First as a lager. Then, with Spanish saffron, then Indian saffron. (It wasn’t until later, in Nashville, that they settled on an I.P.A. “India Pale Ale,” shrugs Maneet, “makes sense, right?”) They experimented with other flavor combinations. Rose-Mint. Garam Masala. Back in Nashville, they decided to reach out to a local brewer. They were introduced to Derrick Morse, then of Cool Springs Brewery, and showed him what they’d been up to. Derrick sampled and responded, “Not bad, for amateurs.” But he was stoked by the possibilities. And Maneet had found a kindred spirit. He was as keen to push to boundaries of brewing as she was about food. “He’s as crazy as we are,” laughs Maneet. She and Vivek commissioned Derrick to be their brewer. “He’s the mad scientist we didn’t know we were looking for,” says Vivek.

Chauhan Ale and Masala House opened in November 2014 and the Saffron IPA, created in true collaboration by Derrick, Maneet and Vivek, became an overnight hit. Production could scarcely keep up with demand.

bird global diner---you can count on these three to join Saffron IPA in the rotation: Amour Rouge Cassis, Battleground Farmhouse Ale, and Japa Milk Chai Stout.

A few months into this success, Derrick told Vivek of an opportunity: the brewery Turtle Anarchy was leaving its Franklin location. Did he know of anyone who’d like to invest in a brewery and taproom?

The fun part about Mantra’s ales, Maneet notes, is their versatility—delicious as stand alone beverages or paired with certain dishes. Sours are incredible in that regard. And, she uses them as defining ingredients in cooking, from barbecue rib glaze to a sabayon.

Vivek lit up, “Yes! This was my dream. We could take this to the next level.”

Or as a simple dessert. “One of my favorites is the Japa, with a scoop of ice cream!” she says.

And Mantra Ales was born.

Vivek and Maneet are grateful for their partnership with Derrick. “He is a genius,” they both agree. And they see an amazing evolution in the Mantra line.

Since inception, Derrick and his team have brewed 160 different beers, including a new focus on aged sours. In September 2016, Conde Nast Traveler called out the eight best rare beers around the globe—brews from Belgium, England, Brazil and Nashville: Mantra’s Saffron IPA made the list.

“The Saffron, of course, is our mainstay. It put us on the map” says Vivek. “But the Cassis is our pride and joy.”

At the taproom, you can choose from over 2 dozen brews. At Maneet’s restaurants---yes, that’s plural; she’s since opened two others: Tansuo Contemporary Chinese and The Mocking-

MEATBALLS MAKHANI

Chef Maneet Chauhan shares her oh-so delicious recipe for this popular bar snack at Chauhan Ale and Masala House. She’s made it very easy, using a jarred marinara sauce as a base, but you will need a couple of key ingredients from a global market. To pair, the Saffron IPA is always good choice; we are also partial to the newly released Battleground Farmhouse Ale.

CHICKEN MEATBALLS

MAKHANI SAUCE

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground chicken • 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste • ¼ cup cream cheese • 2 medium red onions, finely chopped • 4 tablespoons tandoori masala spice blend (Shan brand is very good) • 2 jalapenos, grated • ½ cup mint, chopped • ½ cup cilantro chopped • ¼ cup ginger, chopped • 1 tsp. dried kastoori methi (fenugreek leaves) • 2 eggs, well beaten • 1 cup panko bread crumbs, if needed for binding Preparation

Place all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Form into meatballs, (less than the size of a golf ball) and cook several at a time in sauté pan (do not crowd the pan) over medium heat until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Makes 25-30 meatballs

• ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter • 2 tablespoons tandoori masala spice blend (Shan) • 2 tablespoons dried kastoori methi (fenugreek leaves) • 20 oz. jar marinara sauce (such as Rao’s) • ½ cup heavy cream • 2 tablespoons honey • Salt to taste Preparation

Heat butter in large sauce pot. When melted, add the tandoori masala and fenugreek leaves. Sauté until aromatic. Add the marinara sauce. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Add remaining ingredients and continue simmering for additional 5 minutes. Add meatballs to the sauce and cook for a few minutes until gently yet thoroughly warmed. Serve as an appetizer, garnished with a dollop of plain yogurt and chopped fresh cilantro.

DERRICK MORSE, KALEIGH MORSE, VIVEK DEORA, MANEET CHAUHAN

JACKALOPE

The Baroness of Bearwalker |

Written By: Scott Sutton

JACKALOPE STAFF

dream finally came true in 2011. Bailey Spaulding opened the doors to the first female-owned brewery in Tennessee, none other than Nashville’s own Jackalope Brewery.

It was a crazy route that brought Bailey to our city. Originally from Vermont, Bailey attended Harvard, studying Biological Anthropology. Crazy right? After Harvard she decided she wanted a new adventure outside of New England and applied to law school, choosing Vanderbilt over Duke, University of Virginia and Washington and Lee. “I felt like Nashville had something special about it, and it was kind of a secret at that point.” When she got here she started experimenting in homebrewing. “I was looking for new flavors, new styles. This was in 2006, so a lot has changed since then. The very first recipe I wrote was what turned out to become Bearwalker, which is our most popular beer and the top seller for Bounty Bev, our Nashville distributor.” After graduating from Vanderbilt Law School in 2009, Bailey stayed in Nashville to open what would become the 8th Ave. location of Jackalope. In 2011, the stars aligned and Jackalope Brewing put out their first batch of beer. The doors officially opened on May 21st of 2011 with a SABCO Brew-Magic ½ barrel system. In the early days, Jackalope only opened their taproom doors on Fridays from 4-8. “Our hours were very limited at first because our system was so small -- that was all we could be open for without running out of beer!” The very first beers offered in the taproom were what would become Nashville staples; Thunder Ann, Rompo, Bearwalker and their first seasonal

beer, an English style ESB called Bitter Over Ewe. It’s pretty safe to say Jackalope might have some of the most inventive names for beers now. Offering seasonals such as Casper the Friendly Gose, Snowman Stout, Seven Cities and the one that keeps Nashville beer folks geeked-out, Lovebird strawberry/raspberry hefeweizen. Jackalope finally expanded their ½ barrel system to a 15 barrel system and began distributing on January 9th of 2012. They rapidly outgrew their first SABCO system and are now outgrowing their 15 barrel system on 8th Avenue. Lucky for us there is more expansion in the works. Bailey and partner Steve Wright have announced that they will be opening a second facility on Houston Street near the Woodbine area. “Last year we brewed 2100 barrels of Bearwalker. Right now we only distribute to Memphis, Chattanooga and Nashville, with our distributing being with Bounty Bev here. This new facility will give us the space to brew enough to distribute statewide. We will be able to expand our barrel aging program at the original location and create some more experimental brews. One of the things I am most excited about is our new flash pasteurizer for the Houston Street location, which we’ll be using to allow us to can Bearwalker, finally. Up until now it has been draft only since it has to be constantly refrigerated because of our addition of pure Vermont maple syrup.” (That’s right Nashville. Bearwalker is going to be canned soon. If that doesn’t get you excited I don’t know what would!) “While we are extremely excited that we will be able to produce enough beer to cover the whole state of Tennessee, our roots

BAILEY SPAULDING

will always be here in Nashville. Our focus for growth is on the quality of our beer. We are investing in some new technology now for the new brewery that will help us maintain our consistency. We also always want to be known for our community involvement. We don’t want to just make beer in Nashville. We want to be part of the fabric of our amazing city.” Whether it’s brewing beer, hosting fundraisers, giving tours or just being out in the community doing what she can to make Nashville awesome, it’s plain to see we lucked out with her

decision to come to Vanderbilt. Not only do we have a landmark brewery and staple of the Nashville beer scene, we have an amazing woman leading the way in Bailey Spaulding. Congratulations from all of us as a city Bailey. It’s been great watching you grow and we can’t wait to see what the future holds. Keep up the amazing work! We all will continue to relish in the fact that not only do you call Nashville home but we can proudly say you are one of us.

Tectonic Shifts in Chattanooga

had the unique opportunity to sit down with Melanie Krautstrunk, leading lady and owner of Hutton & Smith Brewing Company in Chattanooga, TN. They are leading the charge for putting Chattanooga on the map for craft beer, with crowd favorites like Rope Gun Rye (my personal favorite) and Igneous IPA. Being a part female owned business (her husband Joel is the other part) in Chattanooga is nothing new, but Melanie is the only woman in Chattanooga who owns part of a brewery. And she’s cool as hell. Tennessee Craft Beer: So how many years have you been open? Hutton & Smith: 3 years this June! TCB: How are the new Riverside expansion and canning lines paying off for you? HS: Fantastic, we actually purchased the Jazzanooga space right next door to start doing 16 ounce cans and debuting a sour facility. TCB: More expansion? You’re insane. Also, can we call it the Jazzatorium? HS: We’ve needed more space for a while, so it’s been a lot of work, but it will help us out a lot. TCB: That’s huge though. You guys have not delved into sours on any measurable level, how is that going to work out? HS: We recently hired Matt Warren of Barley Mob and Dynamic Ale Artisans fame to develop our sour program, so we are pretty excited. TCB: Best. News. Ever. Love Matt. You are the luckiest brewery in the world. HS: We know. The sours are going to be tap room only for the foreseeable future, so come visit more often. Your Christmas Card is still in your mug. TCB: *gets christmas card* Thanks. Let’s put some beer in this thing. So what kind of barrels are you sourcing for the sours? HS: We are using Chattanooga Whiskey barrels and just got word that we will be getting some Chardonnay barrels from

| Written By: Scott Sutton

Napa Valley for Matt to play with. TCB: Sounds delicious. Will you ever do 750mL’s of the sours? HS: Probably use the 22 ounce bombers we use for our anniversary beers, but again, probably draft only to start. TCB: Awesome. Super excited for that. Sounds like Chattanooga has really embraced you guys. HS: It hasn’t really been an issue with us coming from Vegas, everyone has been pretty great. TCB: Well, you make great beer, so no one is going to kick you out. Have you encountered any issues in town from being a female in this beard dominated

industry? HS: Actually, no. Things have been perfectly cool for me. 50% of Hutton & Smith are females, and no one has had an issue with that at all. TCB: Do you think you get more female customers due to having more females working here? HS: Nope, mostly dudes. Pretty standard craft beer ratio, I would assume. TCB: I hate asking questions like this, because I feel like it’s taking something perfectly normal and pointing at it and saying “Look at how weird this is!” But it’s not. There’s tons of female-owned businesses in Chattanooga. We are #2 for women-owned businesses. So how do we focus on what awesome things you are doing without treating it as an anomaly? How do we celebrate it without demeaning it? HS: Well, if you don’t want to be ex-

cluded, don’t act like you belong in an exclusive group. I don’t put up with a lot of shenanigans. I act like a business person, and I’m treated like a business person. If I acted like a victim, I’d probably be treated like a victim. TCB: You would really get along with my wife. HS: You really have to act like we are people in brewing, not women or men. You can’t tell from a beer who made it, so why does it matter? TCB: Do you want to run for President? HS: No. TCB: Do you see any prejudices elsewhere in the industry? HS: I feel like female sales reps get tested more by accounts, especially attractive ones. People assume if they are attractive, then they have no substance. TCB: I can see how that would happen. How do you combat that? HS: We actually have our very attractive staff teach classes to Joel and I (owners) and sell to us. If you can sell to us, you can sell to everyone. TCB: That’s smart, and good for growth. I imagine it helps with employee retention as well. HS: We will see. So far so good. TCB: Do you feel like Hutton & Smith is in rehearsals, first act or final act? HS: Oooo, still a startup. Rehearsal for sure. We have big plans to add more structure, sensory analysis programs, as well as developing our quality control programs. TCB: Plans for Craft Brewers Conference? HS: We recently signed with BountyBev in Nashville for distribution, and will have some events set up. Check us out of facebook for specifics! TCB: Shameless plug. HS: …. TCB: So, you already have a GABF Gold for your Altbier, any plans to send more up in 2018? HS: Yup, we are sending our Altbier again, as well as our Black IPA. The Black IPA is a brewery favorite.

“Great beer doesn’t specifically taste like a man or a woman made it. It’s just great.”

JOEL KRAUTSTRUNK, MELANIE KRAUTSTRUNK, CHARLIE PAPAZIAN, PRISCILLA BURNS, JONATHAN DRIGGERS

TCB: IPA is a tough category, good luck! How are you working with the MLK Community (Martin Luther King) in Chattanooga? HS: Working with other breweries and restaurants. We have collaboration brews in planning with Heaven and Ale and Oddstory, and Bitter Alibi has always been awesome to us. TCB: Keep it up, Chattanooga loves cool stories about people keeping it local and working together! HS: That’s the plan. TCB: How do you feel the MLK area is growing? Good for Hutton & Smith? HS: They are actually really selective. Not everyone with cash gets a spot, they really consider whether a business

is good for our neighborhood. Community first before dollars. TCB: I imagine that’s what’s keeping that area growing. How can other towns and states work together better? HS: Treat everyone equally, male and female, and all the stigmas fall away. Again, focus on the community. TCB: Excellent advice. Your community involves the University of Tennessee – Chattanooga campus, do you get a lot of college kids in here? HS: Actually no, we do get a lot of the faculty though. And lots of geologists. TCB: We have geologists in Chattanooga? HS: Yup. Lots of them. TCB: I would imagine you get a lot of

climbing people in here? A lot of your beers are climber themed. HS: We thought so too, but not so much. We love climbing and geology, so the beers are named about half and half. TCB: I’ve always wondered about why you don’t have a climbing wall up in here. HS: My insurance agent would stab me in the face. TCB: Yeah, I can’t think of a solution that doesn’t end up in a YouTube #FAIL stream. So what’s the future look like for Hutton & Smith? HS: Bright! We have a ton of runway, lots of state to expand into, and lots of styles to explore. Keep coming back!

WE SALUTE THE Written By: Shawn Klumpjan

he backstory of Mayday Brewery doesn’t seem all that different from many other stories on the surface. Humble beginnings, one man’s passion, talent and dreams and a neighborhood garage combine with a family history that has catapulted Mayday Brewery into a highly esteemed family business in Middle Tennessee. While this is a story as old as time, the narrative changed a little when the newest generation took the helm at Mayday. While years of tradition tell us that business and brewing passes from father to son, for Ozzy Nelson, it was his two daughters, Ashlee Smith and Kelsey Nelson, who were ready to run with the family business.

Fast Growth from Humble Beginnings Ozzy’s passion for beer and brewing was passed down from his grandfather, but his training in Brewing and Fermentation Sciences at Siebel Institute in Chicago sealed the fate for what would eventually become Mayday Brewery. Applying his craft and learned art of brewing beer upon his return to Nashville, Ozzy began sharing his creations with friends

and neighbors. The passion around Ozzy’s brewing quickly grew into a family business, and demand grew exponentially. Ozzy cashed in his 401k and made the move to officially start Mayday Brewery. Since then, the business has grown into a reputable brewery based in Murfreesboro, TN. Today, with Kelsey as Brewmaster and Ashlee as business manager, Mayday is led by a duo with family history and a love of great beer. With Ozzy’s mentorship and Kelsey and Ashlee’s drive to grow the business, Mayday Brewery has developed a loyal following and have seen substantial increases in distribution of their beers throughout Middle Tennessee, Chattanooga, Knoxville and Tri-Cities. The inspiration of quality Tennessee beer has permeated the bonds between father and daughters, and the beers exhibit balance and quality that will only get better as the brewery grows and evolves.

We’re All Family Here Mayday Brewery’s taproom is a fun and

vibrant atmosphere flanked with a large patio that borders another room with tables creating a community meeting space that is almost a welcome center in and of itself for Murfreesboro and MTSU just a few blocks down the street. The brewery is decorated with pictures of the family and friends alongside funky local artwork, both featured for sale as well as permanent installations which create a perfect space for a beer- and music-centric space. Personal experiences and memories are a foundation for a great time at Mayday Brewery, and all of these elements are enhanced by the beer. Mayday Brewery’s facility is a substantial operation that places the brewing process in the spotlight alongside music and live performance, showcasing the brews and bravado of the Middle Tennessee region. Mayday has focused on the natural process of brewing, and Kelsey tells us there are no fancy computer systems or automated processes. Everything from start to finish is completely hands-on and instinctual. Many might argue that this could lead to inconsistency, but Mayday has yet to encounter this type of challenge.

Mayday | Ashlee & Kelsey of Mayday Brewery 30

Beers as Brothers Mayday has done an enviable job creating true-to-character beers with a Tennessee flair. What I think about when I see Boro Blonde Ale in a store or when I crack open a can of Angry Redhead American Red Ale is that this is a brewery that prides itself on their own fundamental roots. These beers are brewed with a natural and personal application of knowledge and dedication like any family would do while cultivating and growing their own. It almost feels as though these beers are their siblings -- nurtured and loved by the very tribe that creates them. The descriptions of each beer on the can, the very ideas about each creation only allows the Mayday Family to keep this ship of brewing on its course. This is what a successful family business is all about and what a successful craft and independent brewery does to forge their place. The nature and nurture element of Mayday Brewery is something that only a woman can deliver so effortlessly and substantially -– make no mistake about it, this is a family business with not only two women at the wheel, but an entire family behind them guiding and working the overall direction, a direction that will continue to deliver great success and wonderful beer.

KELSEY NELSON

Mayday Brewery’s Family of Brews Boro Blonde

A Blonde Ale with light body and slight sweetness, hinting to honey and citrus. Approachable choice for mainstream beer drinkers during a craft brewery visit.

Velvet Hustle

This American Pale Ale was a doughy and “umami” experience. Victory and Honey malts create an introduction to the palate that welcome a sneaky surprise with piercing and prickly American hops. The Velvet Hustle works it’s spicy and sultry way into any Pale Ale lover’s heart.

Angry Redhead

This is where it all began. A Red Ale which Mayday classifies as an American Amber/Red is the foundation of the Mayday “Craft Beer Story”. Angry Redhead registers at 6% ABV with spicy Chinook Hops creating a virtual trampoline of flavors that linger on the palate. Mayday says, “She’s feisty! Angry Redhead is a fiery personality that will stick with you, and a malty seductive snarl that will have you begging for mercy, or more.” Other Notables: Evil Octopus Black IPA/ Cascadian Dark Ale Spanky Monkey Red Ale Sour The Pinch NEIPA Cranberry Blonde All the F*@#’n Berries Old Salem #8 Blackberry Sour Red

summer issue

liquor and beer infused cupcakes

GROOM PARTIES / WEDDINGS /OCCASIONS /musiccitypubcakes @music_city_pubcakes

D9BREWING D9 BREWING COMPANY @D9BREWING

MAD FOR MEAD Written By: Pam Windsor

hen B. Nektar opened for business ten years ago, the owners were doing something new and different. Nobody else was making mead the way the way they made it and they believed if others tried it, they would like it, too. Today, B. Nektar is the largest meadery in the United States and people across the country, as well as in Asia and Europe, buy their products. Although there are a lot of variations, the basic definition of mead is a fermented beverage made primarily from honey. B. Nektar is most well-known for its

top selling “Zombie Killer.” “It’s well-balanced, it’s semi-sweet, you’ve got the apple, the cherry, it’s easy to drink, it’s approachable,” Kerri Dahlhofer says. “We started it fermenting the honey, but we ended up changing the recipe. Now it’s a cider. So, we ferment the apple juice, then add honey and cherry to it later. It’s an all-around good flavor that most people can enjoy.” The decision to start a business came out of the blue back in 2006. Kerri had just lost her job as a graphic designer and was combing the internet for job prospects. She was drinking a mead her husband, Brad, had made when she suddenly had an idea. “I said, ‘Why don’t we just sell this. There’s nothing like it out there, I’m not finding a job, so why don’t we just do this?’” Brad, a homebrewer by hobby who was still employed at the time, thought it sounded like a good idea. Kerri began researching what it would take to get a license and get the ball rolling. “We didn’t really have a lot of businesses to look at as far as how to structure things and how to grow a meadery because it was a relatively new thing,” she recalls. “In fact, it literally took me two years to get the license because I had no idea what I was doing.” By that time Brad, too, had been laid-off. So the Dahlhofers, along with good friend Paul Zimmerman, pooled their resources and started a meadery. They were tapping into uncharted territory and would face numerous challenges, but they knew they were onto something so they kept pushing forward. “Well, it was a recession, first of all,” recalls Kerri, “and the one thing people don’t stop doing during a recession is drinking. So, we thought, okay, alcohol, we’re pretty solid here. Not to mention there was nothing like we were doing on the market.” They focused on producing interesting products that weren’t

KERRI DAHLHOFER

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KERRI DAHLHOFER & B. NEKTAR

too expensive. “We went with the approach of making it accessible and approachable to everyone, and just being creative. We made stuff we wanted to drink. We thought it tasted good, so if we want to drink this other people will, too. “ It turns out, they were right. “We started out with high ABV, like 14 percent traditional fruit and spice meads, then eventually went down the road of low-alcohol, we call them ‘session meads’ because they’re lower alcohol and carbonated.” Today, they offer a wide range of products. “Necro is my all-time favorite,” notes Kerri. “That one is our mango with black pepper. It’s just got a subtle hint of it, just to add complexity. It’s six-percent, one of our year round ones, so I can always get it. It’s a really easy drinker and goes really well with food.” The mead industry they helped start has exploded in recent years. There are now hundreds of meaderies around the county which means a lot of competition for B. Nektar. “We want to

keep coming up with bold new flavors, experimenting, putting new stuff out there,” Kerry says. “We want to look into canning. I know people are really interested in getting our products in cans. We also want to expand into new markets.” She also spends a lot of time trying to educate people about mead. “I feel like when people think of mead they usually go, ‘Ooh, I don’t like mead. I’ve had it before.’ I guarantee you haven’t had something like this. We have so many different flavors and options, there’s definitely something for everybody.” Looking back over the growth of B. Nektar, Kerri says she’s proud and grateful they’ve been successful. “We’re ten years old and it wasn’t easy. We had a baby and a business in the same year, so we did everything all at once. It was one of the hardest things we’ve ever done, but it’s been incredibly rewarding. I think I’m most proud of the fact we did it and we’re still here.” To learn more about B. Nektar and its many products visit bnektar.com

Industry News |

Written By: Brandon Holt

WHAT’S NEW IN BREW

here is a buzz in the air around the beer community in Nashville. The Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) and BrewExpo America, which is scheduled to kick off April 30th and last through May 3rd, will coincide with the World Beer Cup Awards Ceremony which will also take place in Nashville on May 3rd. These two events have numerous official sponsor events located all around the Nashville area. In addition to the conferences and events, our local brewers have been busy brewing up some amazing collaboration beers with breweries from across the county. Fat Bottom Brewing has their Collaboration Nation CBC Project, New Height Brewing has a Collab with Urban South, and Blackberry Farms has collaborations with Cloudwater, Evil Twin, and Yazoo that will be making their debuts around the CBC. And speaking of Yazoo, don’t miss Funk Fest on April 29th to kick off CBC week. Funk Fest is one of the premier beer events in Nashville. In addition to CBC releases, a couple of

local brewers have some amazing releases lined up for your enjoyment. The Black Abbey Brewing Company is launching a series of small-batch limited-release beers called The Stained-Glass Series. They have created a rotating series of small-batch beers brewed for the brewery taproom with limited distribution into the Nashville market. The Stained-Glass Series beers are separated into 2 categories based on ABV. SGS beers above 7% are called Stained Glass Alpha, below 7% are Stained Glass Omega. No two SGS beers are ever the same. This spring they will welcome their first Stained Glass Series beer, Grand Design Tripel. A simple, crisp, malt-forward Belgian style Tripel. Enjoy the upcoming months Nashville. They will be some great events, great beer and great times! New Releases/Events Blackstone: Fancy Boy NEIPA

Black Abbey: Stained Glass Series, Crossroads Hybrid Cream/Pilsner-March 31st Czann’s: German Pils releases March 21st. East Nashville Brew Works: West Coast Hamatrillo featuring Amarillo hops Garr’s Beer Co.: Sour Jam-Red Jam aged in oak barrels with Cabernet grape skins. Kölsch with Lime & Basil Hollow Pointe: Kölsch Honky Tonk Brewing: Country Style NEIPA King Bee Blonde with Honey Jackalope: Lovebird Strawberry Raspberry Hefeweizen on March 21st Mantra Artisan Ales: Humulus Project release of Rethink IPA and Survey DIPA Plum Quatuor sour ale aged on plums Nashville Brewing Co.: Amber Lager New Heights Brewing: Releasing their first lager, a Pilsner, in April. Cans of Swheat Tea and Damguday IV will be hitting in March and April as well as other small batch can releases. Smith & Lentz: #83 Vietnamese Iced Coffee Stout

Southern Grist: Appreciate You-Dry hopped sour ale with lemon peel and black tea Electric Ditty Bag: DIPA with Citra, Mosaic, and Galaxy and dry hopped with Mosaic and Vic Secret Turtle Anarchy: To be named Session IPA Yazoo: Hazy Peel IPA and Spring Seasonal-Blonde Belgium Single New Breweries to the Market Hutton and Smith: Belay on Blonde, The Good Schist Pale, The Promenade NEIPA, and Igneous IPA TW Pitchers: Snake Bite Radler, TropicPlunder Brew Dog: Elvis Juice, Punk IPA, Hazy Jane Clown Shoes: Chocolate Sombrero, Space Cake, Galactica Mother Earth Brewing Co.: Cali’ Creamin’, Sin-Tax Peanut Butter Stout, Hop Diggity 4 Sons: Surf City Pale, The Great One

Imperial IPA, Sour K Blonde, CocoNotorious The Ale Apothecary: Sahalie, Carpe Diem Manana, LaTache MadTree Brewing: Psychopathy IPA, Dissentience Knee Deep Brewing Co.: Breaking Bud, Lupulin River, Tanilla Moonlight Meadery Upcoming Releases Founders: KBS, Solid Gold, Backwoods Bastard Anderson Valley: Framboise Rose Gose Urban Chestnut: Urban Underdog Green Flash: Tropical DNA NEIPA Dogfish Head: Barrel Aged Bitches Brew Good People: HitchHiker West Coast IPA Two Brothers: 21st Anniversary IPA Bell’s: Oberon Boulevard: Grand Cru-Barrel Aged Quad/Imperial Stout Blend, Tequila Lime

Gose Prairie: Deconstructed Bomb 4-Packs Weyerbacher: Mean Squeeze NEIPA, Insanity Barrel Aged Barley wine Sixpoint: Jammer Yee-Haw: Collab beer with Green Man (East TN Only)-California Common, Seasonal Pilsner, Seasonal Gose and the Dunkel and IPA releases in 16oz cans Braxton Brewing: Summer Trip Berliner weisse Ballast Point: Tart Peach Kölsch News Turtle Anarchy will be releasing cans of Portly Stout and Another Way to Rye at select Kroger stores Southern Grist opened their new brewery in taproom in the Nations. It boasts over 9,000 square feet of brewing space and an incredible patio. Yee-Haw took home a bronze medal for their 80 schilling Scottish ale

THE WOMEN OF EAST TENNESSEE CRAFT BEER Written By: Tony Schmitt

Jen Parker

ou might say that women are getting into the craft beer scene like never before, but you’d be wrong. Women are getting back into the craft beer scene. Women were the original brewers of beer, making sure the entire household, or even village, had their daily portion of beer. The original deities of the beer world were goddesses, such as Ninkasi, Siris and Kubaba, all Sumerian Goddesses of beer. It wasn’t until beer became a big business that men take the reins. Today, women are taking on all sort of roles, not just limited to brewing beer. We spoke to three women of East Tennessee who are making their mark on the craft beer scene in the South. Here’s what they had to say:

Jen Parker What is your role in the East TN Craft Beer Industry? I am one of the founders of Crafty Bastard Brewery. I run the Knoxville Women’s Homebrew Group, and I run my own radio series on WDVX called Neighborhood Pour, which centers around topics and interviews pertaining to craft beer culture.

Christinea Beane

What is your favorite aspect of working in the craft beer industry? I enjoy making positive cultural changes in my community. Through craft beer I can help people connect to one another, and I can raise awareness and funding for worthy nonprofit organizations in my region. I also get to work with a diverse and wonderful group of people who share my passions. To me it’s all about creating a positive space for consumers to come, connect and elevate their tastes in beer. I couldn’t be happier doing that. What’s the next big thing in craft beer? We’ll continue to see a hyper-local focus on craft beer as more nanobreweries continue to pop up. Much like your favorite local food spot, I could see there being a small, local brewery eventually in every town. Regarding beer styles, I think we are going to see a shift toward lagers and pilsners for a while, and New England-style IPAs will drop in popularity. What are some ways you’d like to see the local craft beer scene change? Old attitudes about who makes and consumes beer need to change. Everyone should have the same encouragement and opportunities in the craft

Kat Bronson Latham

Photo Credit: Keith of Keith Dixon Studios

beer scene otherwise it will start to lose its luster and stagnate. Diversity keeps communities flourishing. The more demographics craft beer attracts, the better it is for all of us. Your favorite style of beer? The IPA, of course.

Christinea Beane What is your role in the East Tennessee craft beer industry? Libation Liaison for the Black Abbey Brewing Company, or East Tennessee Sales Representative if you’re not feeling fancy. What is your favorite aspect of working in the beer industry? The people. The craft beer community is like family. Being over 700 miles from my family, I could not ask for anything more. What do you think is the next big thing in craft beer? Community involvement. It might look like collaborations between two local breweries, a local and a regional brewery, or spirits and beer. It might look like The House That Beer Built, which is the local craft beer-funded Habitat for Humanity House. It might look like proceeds benefitting a non-profit

organization. It might look like sustainability or upcycling. Either way, I think we will see craft beer uniting people within a community for a positive impact. What is your favorite beer, or style? I don’t play favorites. I know that sounds like a cliché answer, but it’s true. I choose a beer based on the weather, my mood, who I am with, what I am doing and if I am eating. There is no simple answer for me, I want my beer to enhance my experience.

Kat Bronson Latham What is your role in the East Tennessee Craft Beer Industry? My husband, Eric, and I founded, coown and operate Johnson City Brewing Company — currently one of the smallest breweries in TN. We brew small batch craft beer one barrel at a time. What is your favorite aspect of working in the beer industry? Community. Eric and I built our brewery with the intention of bringing people together and creating a community that relished innovative, quality craft beer. The beer industry encourages the camaraderie of craft beer lovers and the brewery-to-brewery relationships that are so unique as to leave other industries wondering how we do it - how is it possible to be competitors and yet almost partners? It’s the community aspect of the beer industry that allows it. What are some ways you would like to see the local craft beer scene change? I have long been frustrated and disappointed with breweries or tap houses who believe that a person or a certain group of people are somehow unworthy of their product simply because it isn’t something they enjoy. Beer is subjective. Period. Taking it personally when someone dislikes what you’ve created is a waste of time and energy and a poor reflection on the rest of the industry. Folks need to take a breath and relax. You’ll get ‘em next time! What is your favorite beer, or style? Märzen/Oktoberfest beers and harvest style beers.

THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR BREWING Written By: Julie Holt

The group I’m meeting should stand out from the rest, a table of only women. The February meeting of the Nashville chapter of the Pink Boots Society is indeed the only table of just women in the taproom. The ladies welcome me to my first meeting and slide a flight of IPAs in my direction. These ladies waste no time getting to business, the business of beer. When I mention the noticeably paltry percentage of women in the room, it’s not news to these beer industry females. They see it in the breweries and taprooms where they work, the beer events they attend and in industry websites and publications. However, many of the women at this meeting and in this issue report that they’ve been welcomed by their male counterparts. It seems that women have great opportunity in the field, but why aren’t more of us pursuing it? That’s where Pink Boots Society comes in — to blaze a trail for women in craft beer.

Pink Boots Purpose Pink Boots Society is a nationwide organization that aims to connect women in craft beer in order to educate and advance their skills and positions. The organization welcomes women who make any money from beer, whether they’re brewers, tour bus operators, marketers, writers, bartenders or brewery staff. Pink Boots is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization and their primary goal is to provide the support and training needed to further their own careers or to get certified as beer judges at GABF and other competitions. The society offers numerous scholarships to members to reach these goals, and even members who are not scholarship recipients enjoy the benefits of a network of like-minded women who are eager to learn and grow in their trades. The Nashville chapter of Pink Boots Society has around 50 members. Chapter president and industry attorney Rachel Schaffer explains, “This year, we’ve come back to who we are as a chapter, who we are to women in Nashville.” To this end, the members are working like never before to encourage all women to taste and enjoy craft beer and the culture surrounding it. Schaffer says that understanding women’s drinking habits and buying patterns could be a wealth of information that the industry hasn’t fully mined. Understanding how women purchase and consume beer and marketing to that could mean an increase in female participation in craft beer. And more unique perspectives means a richer market for those of us already on board.

Leading Lady Schaffer shares her own craft beer discovery story, which starts when she was a student at Northwestern, in Boston. “That’s where I changed my mind about beer,” she says. After drinking (and hating) all the macro college bar staples, she decided something that changed her perspective — “I don’t like this shitty beer. I don’t have to drink this.” Boston’s Mission Hill area had plenty of pubs with extensive taps, and Schaffer jumped into craft beer, searching for something better. After she discovered her love for dark beers and the endless variety of flavors, she was hooked. When she moved to Louisiana for law school, the love affair heated up. She started working for breweries, became a Ciccerone and started homebrewing. “I loved the people. I love the infinite number of flavors.” Schaffer’s love of craft beer and the community around it have impacted the Nashville craft scene in myriad ways — from sharing her legal expertise with aspiring brewery owners to navigating beverage law with distributors to educating business owners about the perks and pitfalls of business partnerships.

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PINK BOOTS

RACHEL SCHAFFER

Schaffer’s recently released book, “Marriage Without the Sex” is a great example of her approachable, insightful style, which many Nashville breweries and businesses have come to love. At the heart of Rachel’s work is her genuine desire to advance the craft beer industry, and mentoring women through the process is integral to that mission.

Brewing with Purpose Pink Boots knows that the best way to learn is to do, and their national brew day was created to encourage each chapter to plan and brew their own beer. The Nashville chapter’s most recent brew was Les Dames Rouges, a malt-forward red ale that the ladies teamed up to brew at Tailgate. Their decision to brew a red ale was largely motivated by their desire to make an approachable and drinkable beer that would have wide appeal. Both veteran craft beer drinkers and newbies could enjoy the straightforward flavor, and just maybe this beer could inspire more women to try a locally made craft beer. But once a year brewing isn’t the only way the Nashville chapter of Pink Boots Society helps its members grow, they also plan events and educational meetings. From classes on cleaning draft lines to glassware courses, everything the organization does is designed to equip women with the knowledge, skills and opportunities to grow and advance. “I believe there is a beer out there for everyone, you just have to go find it,” says Schaffer. “It’s becoming a welcoming environment for women.” She and her fellow Pink Boots members are ready to come alongside any women who are ready to join the ranks of women who love all things craft beer.

PINK BOOTS BREW DAY 2017

JORDAN SKEEN – ANYTHING BUT THE SOUND OF SILENCE Written By: Andy Brantley

first met Jordan three years ago at the Tennessee Winter Beer Fest. Like everyone else who meets her, I felt an immediate connection—Jordan is friendly, engaging, down to earth and genuine. Following that initial connect, our paths frequently crossed thanks to the emerging Knoxville beer scene. Two years ago, I jumped at the chance to participate in a Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) class that she was teaching. She masterfully helped us navigate beer styles including many styles I had never heard of like gueuze, oud bruin, old ale and wee heavy. She also introduced us to different hops and cool things that make yeast strains smell and taste like horse blanket and barnyard! I give her substantial credit for helping me become a certified beer judge. US Highway 441 meanders north of Knoxville toward Norris Lake. After passing the Museum of Appalachia, the road winds past the small town of Norris and then descends a large hill as the beautiful Clinch River stretches out beside the highway. A mile or so further is Clinch River Brewing Company, where Jordan is now the head brewer. Clinch River Brewing was formerly a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) aquatics lab and fish hatchery.

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Today, the focal point of the beer garden is a small concrete “fish pond” that was used when the hatchery was in operation. And yes, the “pond” is now home to a few rainbow trout and brook trout courtesy of the TVA. Clinch River Brewing’s taproom is upstairs in the main building and provides a very low key, welcoming environment for customers. In addition to serving the great, creative beer brewed onsite by Jordan and assistant brewer Alex Shirey, food is available as well. Owners Brien and Lisa Shirey hired award winning local chef Brandon Cruze, so this isn’t just ordinary pub food. The brewhouse is in a secondary building, separated from the taproom by the fish pond and beer garden. The seven-barrel system in the brewhouse is very well organized with plenty of room to expand as their operation grows. Jordan and Alex brewed their first beer in the brewhouse in August of last year. In fact, they brewed the first beer on the day of the eclipse! Beers in the fermenters when we visited were a Milkshake IPA and a Baltic Porter. Like many brewers, Jordan has had an interesting career path. She has a BA in Global Studies with a Minor in Biochemistry from the University of Tennessee. While in school, she got to do biotech research (think biofuels) and she also did animal

JORDAN SKEEN, ALEX SHIREY

genetics research. She was also a homebrewer (and made cheap wine), picked up a few shifts a week at a local Casual Pint and took the BJCP class at a local brewery. She began a Master’s program in public policy, but quickly realized that what she really wanted to do was brew beer—work hard, get her hands dirty, apply her love of science and her creativity to create something she hopes others will enjoy and appreciate. Jordan talked her way into her first brewing job by convincing the owner of a local brewery that the brewery needed a lab (which it did). She then talked her way into the assistant brewer role and was periodically able to use the small pilotsystem to brew specialty beers. I asked Jordan to describe the most unique beer that she has brewed thus far. Without hesitation, she said her most unique beer was a Sound of Silence Saison. The beer included parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, and it was harvestedfrom the garden of friend and owner of local brewery, Last Days of Autumn, Michael Frede.

brewery so you fully understand the work and know that this is really what you want to do. To do the fun, creative stuff, you must be willing to spend lots of time cleaning and prepping equipment. In late spring, Jordan will begin splitting her time between Clinch River Brewing’s Norris Lake location and the soon-to- open location in downtown Knoxville. She’ll have a small brewing system at the Knoxville location to brew special beers that will only be available in that tap room to compliment the rest of Clinch River’s brews. Jordan’s most unique beer might have been called Sound of Silence, but I predict that we are going to hear anything but silence from her as she continues to brew great beer and contribute to the Knoxville area beer community.

Jordan spent just over a year in a quality control role at Oskar Blues in Brevard, NC before the Shireys convinced her to return to the Knoxville area as Clinch River’s head brewer. Jordan’s advice to those interested in brewing? Talk to brewers in your area. If you want to enroll in a local brewing science program, do so, but also make sure you are also spending time in a

STEPHANIE NEVILLE, ALEX HARNED

LADIES LEAD AT NASHVILLE BREWS CRUISES Written By: Julie Holt

t is no secret that Nashville tourism has been soaring in recent years, and with record numbers of hotel rooms and attractions, the sky is the limit for Music City tourism. The city’s craft beer scene is flourishing as well, and locals and tourists alike can’t wait to try the incredible brews that are made here in Nashville. Even as a local craft beer lover, I find it nearly impossible to keep up with all the latest beer releases and brewery openings. Aside from the delicious, fresh beer, part of the appeal of drinking local is meeting the people who make our favorite brews. I made it my goal to learn the people and processes behind the beer. I am on a mission to get to know some of our brewers a little better, minus the drunken partier vibe. Enter Stephanie Neville, co-owner of Nashville Brews Cruises. I climbed aboard the Brews Cruise passenger van on a Saturday night alongside two friends and a group of five men in town for a bachelor party. I was thrilled to have two female tour guides, Stephanie and Alex, who represented women in the industry so well. They shared the history of each brewery en route and made great suggestions for which beer to try based on our preferred styles. When we arrived at Czann’s for our first tour, owner and brewer Ken Rebman welcomed us to the cozy taproom and invited us to sample a few beers before we walked back to the brewery for a tour. Ken gladly answered questions about everything from hop providers to fermentation schedules and interacted with our group throughout the visit. Ken says that hosting these tour groups has been great not only for business, but also for educating craft beer fans about the work and process of making great beer.

However, it has been my experience that women who are interested in craft beer have been welcomed during this craft beer boom. I ask Stephanie and Alex how they are received by tour groups. “They’re great, actually. We have had very few issues with our credibility being questioned,” Stephanie says. One reason is their approach to beer tourism. “Our focus is education,” she says. “There’s plenty of beer to sample and enjoy, but we want to make sure our guests get the full brewery tour experience as well.” Our final stop was Blackstone, where our beer samples awaited us at a reserved table that allowed us a stunning view of the brewery through floor to ceiling glass walls. We began on a sort of self-guided tour of the brewery, where we ran into Kent Taylor, CEO and founder of Blackstone. Kent greeted us as old friends and patiently answered our questions (which may or may not have made sense at the close of our four-hour tour). How appropriate that we ended our tour with Kent, who worked closely with the woman in beer in Nashville, the late Stephanie Weins. “A woman in the brewing business back in the mid 90s in Middle Tennessee was unthinkable, but she did it. She broke that ceiling back when it was unbelievably hard and before anybody had ever heard of craft beer,” Kent says. As a woman who loves beer and who is for other women’s success in the industry, I raise a glass in memory of Stephanie and to those working hard in the industry today.

Back aboard the bus, Stephanie and Alex offer snacks as they drive us to New Heights and share the brewery’s recent success after being open for just over a year. We arrive right on time for Sales Manager/Assistant Brewer Dustin DeWinter to lead us into the brewery to sample the beer where it’s made. Our group enjoyed everything from Nothing Fancy Cream Ale to Navel Gazer Imperial Stout. After our official tour, as our group enjoyed a few more rounds in the taproom, I decided that our bachelor party friends had consumed just enough beer to be ready for a surprise magazine interview. The guys were delighted to opine about all things craft beer, even when I asked about women in the industry. They noted that while more women are starting to enjoy craft beer, it still seems as though there are more male makers and drinkers of craft beer. A quick glance around the taproom provides a bit of empirical data that backs up our estimate of the balance. TCB STAFF AND FRIENDS

Gaining Altitude at Highland Brewing Written By: Julie Holt

LEAH WONG

hen the family business is beer, passing the baton to the next generation means careful attention to both the business and the product. Leah Wong, president of Highland Brewing Co., and her father Oscar, the brewery’s founder, disagreed about when it was time to turn over the keys to the brewery. “First he turned me down. Then I turned him down,” says Leah. It was 2011 when the two finally agreed that the time was right. Oscar’s influence is still evident at Highland, even as the brand evolves. According to Leah, her parents always embraced a social atmosphere and welcomed new neighbors and friends into the fold. Now Leah brings that inclusive sensibility to Highland’s culture. Her focus on a collaborative effort in everything from beer to branding means she works closely with staff to hone the company’s mission. Highland’s recent rebranding is the result of Wong and her team carefully weighing input from staff and customers. “Even our newer staff saw potential for our brand to better reflect our beer.” The new logo reflects the very foundation of Highland’s past and their vision for the future. Nestled in the lush mountains of western North Carolina, the brewery itself has become iconic in Asheville, the Beer Mecca of the East. Their property attracts tourists of all kinds and is family friendly. From the beautiful hilltop brewery to the rooftop bar, renovated tasting room and event center, Highland is a destination in itself. And did we mention the Meadow? The property features on open, treelined grassy field which is host to live music and events, or just regular visitors seeking a quiet place to enjoy a delicious brew and gorgeous mountain views.

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Highland, founded in 1994, is the oldest brewery in Asheville. While they currently can their beer and distribute to seven states, Wong says wider distribution is not their goal. With such an incredible property and a booming beer tourism business, Highland has shifted the focus to on-site sales, a change from their start, which was centered in distribution. This direct-to- consumer emphasis is what drives the craft community, and that interaction informs both the beer makers and the beer drinkers at Highland. Wong says she especially loves introducing new craft beer drinkers to their specific gateway beer. “I love speaking to women who drink red wine and introducing them to our Black Mocha Stout,” she says. “The complex, layered character is a great intro to beer.” Speaking of women drinking craft beer, how has Wong’s involvement in the business been received? “I’ve had a great experience. Everyone I’ve worked with is open-minded, aware, smart.” When I asked how her experience has been different than a man in her position, she laughs, “Well, I’ve never been a man, so I’m not sure.” It is this easy demeanor and her thorough understanding of and passion for the product that transcend any preconceived expectations of gender roles in the profession. Despite the beauty of the venue, the new branding, even the inclusive environment, Leah Wong assures me that the driving force for Highland Brewing Co. is simple and clear. “We lead with beer,” she says. And the quality and flavor is proof.

Pilsner beer originated in the town of Plzen (Pilsen) in 1842. By the end of the 19th century, the popularity of Czech pilsner beer spread throughout Europe and to the U.S. In 1897, pilsner was the beer of choice at the TN Centennial Exposition, celebrating the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100th anniversary. 1897 Pilsner is a traditional Czech pilsner brewed in the traditional Bohemian fashion using pilsner malt and Saaz hops. ABV: 5% IBU: 32

1897 PILSNER

This 1897 painting of Nashvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Parthenon was used to advertise the TN Centennial Exposition (now Centennial Park)

NEW SEASONAL

Visit us online at www.nashvillebrewing.com NashvilleBrew

NashvilleBrewing

NashvilleBrew

Now Available In Your Neighborhood Kroger!

ASK THE EXPERT Written By: Kent Taylor

n the last issue, we learned how to taste beer. In this issue we will put some of what we learned to the test. When evaluating a beer, it is important to determine if the beer has defects and what those defects, or off-flavors are. Knowing what you shouldn’t taste is probably more important than knowing what you should taste. There are many off-flavors that can be found in beer and we will explore them over issues to come. In this issue, we will cover two of the most commonly found off-flavors.

tion among consumers that if they smell or taste corn in beer, the brewer must have used corn in the brewing process. If you smell or taste corn in beer, you are smelling and tasting a major defect. The precursors for DMS are naturally present in malted barley and unless the brewer drives off DMS during a vigorous boil, the beer will have the smell and taste of corn. Some brewers add corn to the mash to

Diacetyl [dye – ass – et – ull] Diacetyl is a natural by-product of fermentation and creates a butter or butterscotch aroma and flavor in beer. The next time you go to a movie take a big whiff; that is diacetyl. It is mixed with oil to simulate butter for movie theater popcorn and other artificial butter products. Yeast will up-take diacetyl after they metabolize all of the sugar so, if allowed, diacetyl will naturally be reduced below the flavor threshold. If yeast cleans up its own mess, how does diacetyl get into finished beer at levels above the threshold? One way is that the brewer gets in a hurry and brings the beer out before the yeast has cleaned it up. Another way is from bacterial production of diacetyl; particularly pediococcus. While not harmful to humans, a “pedio” infection can produce significant amounts of diacetyl. Very strong butter and/or rancid aroma/flavor are an indication of bacterial infection. Now that I’ve told you about the big bad and ugly diacetyl, I need to tell you that there are a few English ales, particularly some English stouts, where a low level of diacetyl is acceptable. Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) DMS is another common defect and the aroma is easily duplicated without beer. The next time you are at a grocery store, grab a can of cooked or creamed corn, open and smell it. That is what DMS smells like. There is a huge misconcep-

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First, for the non-homebrewers, I should explain what mashing is. Mashing is a process that converts starch to sugar. Before we get to that, I think that it is important to understand where it all starts. At a point long before we buy malt, a farmer plants a barley seed. That seed absorbs water from the ground and begins to germinate. Enzymes inside the kernel break down starch into sugar, giving the budding plant food until it can draw nutrients from the soil. This germination process is call malting. Somehow, probably by accident, thousands of years ago somebody discovered that beer can be made from this process. In modern times, specialized malting companies operate between the farmer and the brewer. They create malt by germinating barley, drying it out and removing rootlets and acrospires. We will cover this process in more detail in future issues but this malt is referred to as “base malt”. The malting companies have become very good at their jobs and now produce extremely fine quality malt. Back to the question at hand… When malted barley was of poorer quality, brewers had to employ measures in order to convert all of the starch to sugar. This process was called decoction. With modern quality malts, decoction is no longer necessary in order to achieve full starch conversion. A second mashing method is known as “step mashing” or “multirest mashing”. This method of mashing requires advanced techniques and equipment, so it is recommended for advanced homebrewers.

lend starch which is converted to sugar but it adds very little color or flavor. When you use corn syrup in making cookies, you don’t expect your cookies to taste like corn. The same is true for beer. Homebrew Q&A What mashing technique do you recommend/prefer?

Step mashes are preferred for European lager style beers. My preferred mashing method is “single step infusion”. This method adds a specific amount of hot water to crushed grain of a sufficient temperature to establish the desired mash temperature. I homebrewed ale style beers and with enough practice this method produces excellent quality beers. In fact, to this day at Blackstone, we use single step infusion with many of our mashes.

JESSICA UPCHURCH

HAPPY TRAILS IN SPARTA Written By: Trey Upchurch

very morning Jessica Upchurch prepares her classroom for the rush of preschool students. “I’ve always loved teaching,” says Upchurch, as she puts the final touches on a lesson plan she will use the in the coming week. You would never know under the infectious smile and calm demeanor lies such a fervent passion for brewing and all things craft beer. Jessica is part of a small but steadily growing segment of female craft brewers. In Jessica’s case, she also happens to be a veteran Pre-k teacher of 8 years. “I’ve always entertained the thought of brewing, and a few years ago, I took the plunge and went straight to all grain and have loved it since my first brew. I owe a great deal of my desire and experience to our local breweries, Calfkiller and Red Silo. Those guys are simply amazing. Brewing, speaking with and just being around them only strengthened my desire to learn more about the industry. A few years ago I made the decision that after I completed my Masters in Special Ed, I would not pursue any more formal education.” It wasn’t until this past winter that I entertained the idea of starting a brewing program. Jessica recently completed the Brewing Science and Operations program at Auburn University, their third such cohort. “The program was phenomenal to say the least. It offers insight in brewery operations, brewing science, as well as a detailed analysis of the brewing process. I feel the program prepared me for so many aspects of the craft beer industry,” says Upchurch. Along with being one of only two female brewers in her cohort, She was also awarded the prestigious Oskar Blues Fellowship. The fellowship included a partial scholarship for both her spring and summer semesters. “Being a recipient is such a major honor,” said Upchurch. “We were fortunate to be able to visit the Oskar Blues headquarters in Longmont, Colorado as part of the program. Everything they do is of the highest quality, I learned so much in those four days.” Recently inducted into the Nashville chapter of the Pink Boots Society, Jessica sees the need for women to stake their claim in the industry. “The ability to network with a group of individuals who share the same love for craft beer is beyond words. Each time I read a Tweet or view their newsletter, or search the website, it lets me know I’m on the right track, that I can do it”.

The wheels are in motion to open a nanobrewery in Sparta. The path to opening day is always a long one, but Jessica has documented the process well. Here are a few highlights of the journey to opening Happy Trails Brewing Co.

October 23: The dream is becoming real, they choose the name “Happy Trails” as an homage to the many great hiking areas and state parks near Sparta. December 7: In a city board meeting, an ordinance to allow brewing and to-go beer in growlers and crowlers passes without opposition. January 4: Happy Trails is officially an LLC. January 17: Jessica and Trey are in their building. The future site of Happy Trails is a historic building that was formerly home to a TV and Appliance shop. January 19: Materials are purchased to build wood and metal bar furnishings. Ranger joins the family. January 21: Work on the building begins with uncovering large windows, giving the building a sunny, modern makeover. February 8: Happy Trails receives approval for their waste process and meets with the contractor about buildout. March 7: Tables and chairs are ready for sanding and painting. March 15: Walls and ceilings are prepped and ready for paint. With an anticipated opening date in early 2019, Jessica Upchurch is forging a trail for other women who are interested in making their brewing dreams a reality.

SMALL TOWN CRAFT BEER IN GEORGETOWN, KENTUCKY Written By: Rob Shomaker, Certified Cicerone®

COUNTRY BOY BREWERY

he tram zips through the Toyota manufacturing facility in Georgetown, Kentucky. Rolls of steel come in, finished cars leave. Over eight million square feet, more than 11 million cars produced since 1988, approximately 8,000 team members—each of which would smile and wave as our tour passed by. The sheer size of the facility combined with the precision and execution of the work was mesmerizing. I could feel the pride of the team members, their dedication to quality and efficiency, the sense that they were a part of something greater. Truly inspiring. Toyota was not why I was in Georgetown, Kentucky. While I knew Toyota had a manufacturing facility in Kentucky, I didn’t realize it was there. Just north of Lexington, to those of us in the craft beer community, we know Georgetown due to Country Boy Brewing’s selection and their recent expansion. A beautiful, built from the ground up brewery and tasting room.

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A 50-barrel brewhouse, a single 200 and multiple 100 and 60-barrel fermenters, a canning line, a large – and well thought out tasting room, not far from Toyota. On that frigid Thursday afternoon there was snow on the ground and a good crowd at the bar. This. This is why I came to Georgetown, Kentucky. There’s more to Georgetown though, much more. I’d encourage you to visit Country Boy Brewing and Toyota and stay a while. You’ll be glad you did. First, check out Fat Kats Pizzeria—award winning pizza, unique selection and craft beer on tap. It is just off of I-75 in a small spot that you’ll pass right by if you blink, they make good use of their space and you can tell it is frequented by locals. If pizza isn’t your thing, head downtown where, for a moment, you’ll think you’re on a movie set. The homes surrounding the area are large Victorian-era mansions that are being brought back to life and are nothing short of beautiful. As you head into town, Galvin’s on Main has an extensive menu and a very good craft

CHICKEN AND WAFFLES AT LOCAL FEED

beer selection. Try the jalapeño poppers and the Philly Cheese Steak or one of their awesome burgers. It’s probably best that you don’t order their fries—they looked hand cut, steak-fry style. You won’t stop eating them until they are pried away from your salty little paws. If you want something a little more unique, Local Feed is a great restaurant that employs the farm-to- table concept. Being an old ice house, the space itself is full of character but the experience itself will be on your plate. While the set menu is awesome (get the side of mac-n- cheese), check out the specials board which, while I was there, was more extensive than I

expected. Local Feed also had several local beers on tap such as Country Boy and West 6 th , which is just down the road in Lexington. The prices here are also exceptionally affordable given the offerings. I’ve seen higher prices for much less. I had the hanger steak and the mac-n- cheese which I would gladly go out of my way to enjoy again. After dinner, head over to Sláinte Public House. The creation of Matt and Ashley Nunn, this public house was inspired by visiting pubs on the couple’s 10-year anniversary trip to Ireland. Upon their return, the two set out to create this type of a space in Georgetown. Ashley found the historic building on East Main

Street that the two purchased. The history of the building is just as interesting as the public house itself. The house is the combination of two structures, the earlier of which was built in 1790 when Kentucky was still part of Virginia. The rest of the house was built in 1840 by George Algair. George also purposely built a space on the second floor as a public meeting space. The local catholic church held mass there until their church was built. Now, the same church has returned and holds various committee meetings there throughout the week. There’s a warmness to this public house, a place where you can feel comfortable, come as you are and engage easily with others. While Matt credits Ashley’s eye for the layout and décor he notes that their logo clearly illustrates their intent—conversation over beer with the head of the beer in the shape of a word bubble. While this is easily facilitated for some, board games are provided as well as various events throughout the week to encourage engagement with one another and the local community. There are frequently local artists’ works present and musicians on the calendar. Perhaps my favorite creation is their “old fashion face time” events where you turn your phone in at the bar, get a discount on your tab and are encouraged to have

“face time” with one another. The Sláinte Public House feels like being in the center of the town, warm and welcoming. You’ll also find a great beer selection. While Guinness, Smithwick’s, Country Boy Cougar Bait and a selection from Blue Stallion Brewing Company and West 6 th are staples on the first 5 taps, the other 11 are carefully selected from the best beers in the country. You won’t be disappointed with this stop. This spring, a second brewery will open in downtown Georgetown, My Old Kentucky Foam Brewery. While their award-winning Georgetown Brown will get the taps flowing, their 7-barrel system will keep plenty of beer on tap. With a brick oven going in as well, this will be another great place to stop and check out. While it was under construction during my visit, I look forward to returning. Finally, as you head out of town, hit the Bluegrass Liquor Box for some beer to go. I found a nice growler wall and a lot of excellent choices in a small space. Don’t forget to grab some cans of Country Boy Brewing before you head out the door. Georgetown certainly possesses pure small-town charm with awesome food, great beer and stellar people. At a mere 3 hours from Knoxville, it’s an easy trip. Be sure to put this stop on your radar and stay a while!

For More Information Please Visit:

Facebook.com/CraftBeerTrail

For More Information Please Visit:

Facebook.com/CraftBeerTrail

BANDING TOGETHER WITH CANNING Written By: Lacey McClain

he craft beer segment has considerably changed the landscape of beer sales over the last decade. In addition to stylistic innovation, there is a shift revolutionizing the way beer is sold and, most importantly, who has control over the marketplace. Craft and independent are no longer synonymous terminology. It is estimated that 11 major breweries control around 90% of the market share. This affords easy access to ingredients, lines of distribution and competitive market pricing. Smaller microbreweries are facing increasingly difficult conditions, the driving force being oversaturation. Vast shelf options create a difficult universe for growth. Even more simply, fighting for shelf space is only the first step in an increasingly uphill battle. Even with representation in distribution, the next step is to ensure competitive pricing against established brewers. Because of this, many smaller breweries have opted to hand the keys to larger corporations that enable a fair shot for expansion into new markets. But, selling to big beer may not be the only option for growth. CANarchy, formerly labeled Oskar Blues Holdings Company, is a cooperative of breweries partially funded by Fireman Capital partners. The collective consists of Oskar Blues Brewery, Cigar City Brewing, Perrin Brewing Company, Squatters Craft Beer and Wasatch Brewery. As a whole, the collective was responsible for 350,000 barrels in 2017, and is currently the number one provider for craft beer in a can. Jai Alai IPA and Dale’s Pale Ale are the #1 and #2 in the craft can segment, respectively. I was hired by Oskar Blues Brewery in 2014 to cover a portion of North Carolina, the new home state for the company. The craft market was increasingly competitive, but there was still a lot of room for everyone to

be successful. No one was really fighting for space at that time. The following year Oskar Blues Brewery welcomed Perrin Brewing out of Michigan to join in our mission of making craft beer in a can. I remember there being controversy in the industry about what that meant for the folks up in Michigan who built the brand from day one. People assumed we were going to dismantle what it was, and I feel it came to fruition in the opposite manner. Dale was transparent about his intentions to give them the financial support to aid growth. He recognized the expansion issues they were facing all too well, as they were similar to the issues he encountered early on. “The collective experience of CANarchy allowed us to implement a canning line nearly overnight, expanding our core brands beyond the tap and strengthening Perrin across the Midwest,” said Keith Klopcic, Perrin Brewing CEO. Our first merger allowed us to support a brewery that we believed had real potential for success, but needed some help facilitating that. The canning line opened a new venture into the off-premise universe, and their output significantly increased from the draft-only model they were operating under formerly. Culturally, nothing changed. Involvement from Oskar Blues came as needed, but more than anything, it expedited growth. Once Perrin became established in the state of Michigan, the brewery began utilizing both the sales force and distributor relationships of Oskar Blues to continue

cultivation. In 2016 it was announced that Cigar City Brewing, out of Tampa, would join our mission to create quality craft beer in a can. Their facility was unable to keep up with the ever-growing demand for their beer, and expanding or building a second brewery involved many risks. Oskar Blues had recently enlarged the facility in Brevard and established a third brewery in Austin, Texas. This opened a window to take on the production of Cigar City Brewing’s flagship beer, Jai Alai. Oskar Blues invested over $1,000,000 in equipment to recreate the production and filtration process for Jai Alai IPA in both locations. This equipment is used exclusively to make Cigar City Brewing brands the same way as the Tampa facility. CANarchy made proper investments in the equipment needed to brew the beer true to form. This, in turn, opened space in Tampa for the brewery’s other core varietals. Cigar City Brewing was able to launch Tennessee, alongside the ABV law changes, as well as several other states in early 2017. I relocated to Nashville to help facilitate the introduction as well as provide support to the Regional Manager, Zac Shoemate, who is also based in the state. This brand has made a huge impact on the Tennessee market, and we have seen a ton of support from our local retailers in the first year. The beer industry is experiencing a lot of controversy in defining craft beer. However, the establishment of CANarchy has proven to be a very beautiful thing. It’s a collective of like-minded breweries pooling resources to keep independent craft breweries relevant and able to compete in the industry. Each brewery in the collective has its own unique culture, and that continues to be encouraged and embraced.

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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CROSSTOWN BREWERY OPENING Written By: Jeff Hulett

o say Will Goodwin and Clark Ortkiese, co-owners of Crosstown Brewing Company, are excited about the grand opening of their brewery would be a gross understatement. What started as a friendly competition brewing beers at home has blossomed into the latest and greatest addition to Crosstown Concourse. Four years in the making, their beer dreams are now a reality. “Our families took a vacation together Labor Day weekend of 2014. That was when we really decided, as a group, to do this thing,” said Clark Ortkiese. “It feels great to get the doors open, but what we’re starting to realize is that this isn’t the finish line. We still have a lot of work ahead of us.” The brewery, located in the far northwest side of the Concourse campus, is 10,000 square feet of functional real estate that will welcome not only residents and tenants of the historic Crosstown Concourse redevelopment, it will also be a family-friendly beacon for people all over the city. “Atmosphere is everything. Our proximity to Crosstown Concourse is amplified by the modern industrial aesthetic that

we were looking for. Concourse’s focus on the arts, healthcare and education draws a group of people who are unique and interesting. There is a passion to make a difference around here, you can feel it,” said Clark. As far as burgeoning partnerships are concerned, Crosstown brewery already has plans for several beer collaborations with French Truck and Area 51 Ice Cream. Clark and Will also hope to offer beer pairing events with Curb Market and So Nuts. The opportunities are endless. Besides serving up beer, Crosstown Brewery also hopes to be intimately involved in improving the overall experience at Crosstown. “The fact that we’re here binds us together and brings a sense of community that is truly thrilling. I think the kinds of people you’ll meet when you come to our taproom will also set us apart,” said Clark.

SOUTHERN GRIST Southern Grist celebrated their second anniversary in style with a party/beer festival combo at their new location in The Nations. Tickets sold out quickly and attendees gladly braved the cold rain to sample rare and hard-to-find beer from breweries near and far. Southern Grist turned the tables and gave their guests a gift of their special Anniversary brew, a birthday cake stout.

Dan and Deb Antoon, Kevin and Ashley Antoon

Lana and Ben Harrington

Sean and Tracey Von Tagen

Jonathan and Syndle Musselwhite

Shane Gibbs, Sean Jewett, Jason Sparks

Tyler Pack, Ryan Pack, Sheryl Spencer, Andrew Pack, Alan Waddell

Will and Stephanie Miller, Taylor Blanton, Derek Hawkes

Nicole Mothersbaugh, Ashton Mothersbaugh

Ethan Thomason, Allison Ellis, Lyndsey Welch, Gilby Ellis, Katy Kemmick

Alex Eggleston, Joe Burgers

Bailey Matis, Lindsay Vargo, Porter Morton

Clara Herrick, Anthony Davis, Matt Herrick, Katlin Elrod

Dan Reed, Kate Feikama, Derry Sutter, Melody Sutter

CLARKSVILLE BOUND Written By: Art Whitaker

atrick Reynolds grew up in Asheville, NC with its rich and diverse brewing culture and brewed with his Dad before he could even drive. Upon moving to Clarksville, he encountered a huge culture shock from what he was used to in Asheville. He continued homebrewing and after a period of time discovered the Clarksville Carboys homebrew club. The Clarksville club not only has some good brewers, but good homebrew competition judges, and one of the state’s most active brewers and judges, James Visger. Visger mentored Patrick in learning the BJCP style guide and how to brew to style. Patrick missed the sour beers he could get in Asheville and started to research how to make good sour beer. Much of what he learned came from a sour beer

Facebook group called Milk the Funk, which coincidentally was formed here in the middle Tennessee area. “In 2017, I entered my first homebrew competition, and to my surprise, my berliner weisse won a silver medal.” Eric and Wendy Brannstrom were in the process of opening their brewery, Tennessee Valley Brewing Company and shortly after they opened they asked Patrick to brew a few sour beers for them. “I’ve been brewing small batch sour beers for Tennessee Valley Brewing for around 6 months, and they have allowed me the space to continue to learn and refine my brewing practices.” Patrick hopes to have his own facility some day, but for now continues to create small batch sours for the brewery.

Below is Patrick’s recipe for a Lemondrop Gose. 5 Gallon batch Grain Bill 4 lbs 2-Row 4 lbs White Wheat 1 lb Flaked Oats Mash at 148 degrees for 60 minutes. Boil for 10 minutes. Add 14 grams of sea salt and 14 grams of coriander as soon as it starts to boil. Cool to 100 degrees and pitch WLP677 L. Delbrueckii. Maintain the temperature for 24 hours. Finish with WLP644. Dry hop with 3 oz of Lemondrop hop for 4 to 7 days.

PATRICK REYNOLDS