Thanks to many German settlers who settled in the area throughout the 19th century, Nashville has a long tradition of handcrafted beer.
Today, the city and its surroundings are home to roughly forty breweries. Nashville, Tennessee, had several setbacks in 2020, including a deadly tornado, but the local beer business survived both the actual and metaphorical storm.
Numerous breweries serving up IPAs or strong lagers are present in this area, which is popular as a bachelor(ette) trip. For a genuinely unique pint the next time you’re in town, visit one of these ten taprooms or go on a brewery tour in Nashville.
The Ten Best Breweries In Nashville
Fat Bottom Brewing Co.
800 44th Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37209, United States // +16156785715
Since relocating to a larger building in the Nations, Fat Bottom Brewing has remade itself as a multi-modal food, drink, and entertainment complex from humble beginnings in a former mattress factory in East Nashville.
Founder Ben Bredesen began as a home brewer and grew the business into a regional distribution giant with a canning line, taproom, and Biergarten.
The brewery’s beer quality has kept rising, and dependable labels like Ruby Red American Ale, Knockout IPA, and Ida Golden Ale draw crowds to the Hopyard.
The best spot to sit is at their bar because neither the indoor nor outdoor seating looks like it would be cozy for mingling. The brewmaster’s son, former governor Phil Bredesen, is said to have built multiple pull handles for beer in the bar’s warm wood backsplash area.
Great bartenders are another blessing at Fat Bottom. The wait staff was helpful and cordial. The food menu was small but mighty.
Getting a flight of Pappy Van Winkle whisky made my friend very happy. I tried Obisidian, a dark Saison, because I adore porters and stouts, and it was fantastic.
My taste buds were blown away by the Chicken Mac, which was worth the calories for the day. I recommend visiting this gem amongst the breweries in Nashville because the beer and the food are delicious!
Bearded Iris Brewing
101 Van Buren St., Nashville, TN 37208, United States // +16159287988
As befits the city’s urban development, East Germantown, one of Nashville’s emerging neighborhoods, blends lofts and warehouses. it’s one of the most unique breweries in Nashville.
The original taproom of Bearded Iris Brewing, which is patterned on division, is cozily situated among new and old developments.
The brewery itself is on the other, with all of its equipment visible to visitors, and the taproom, with a traditional speakeasy-style bar at its center, is on the opposite side.
The contrast doesn’t compete with the ambiance of the taproom; rather, it enhances it. A great soundtrack and excellent beer help Bearded Iris keep its chill atmosphere.
The menu at Bearded Iris isn’t that diverse, largely favoring IPAs, DIPAs, and pale ales, but that’s okay because this brewery excels at what it does.
The berry-infused Mood Ring beer, the pilsner Pep Talk, and the tried-and-true, oated IPA Homestyle are some of the menu’s standouts.
Also, despite the lack of a kitchen, you are free to bring your own food to Bearded Iris. Interesting!
Jackalope Brewing Company – The Ranch
429B Houston St., Nashville, TN 37203, United States // +16158734313
The first brewery in the state to be created by a woman has emerged as a role model for entrepreneurs wishing to enter the market.
In the growing Wedgewood/Houston area, founder and brewer Bailey Spaulding has expanded her company from a small SoBro location to a sizable indoor/outdoor tasting room and production facility.
Although the company takes their product quite seriously, they don’t mind having fun when naming their delicious beers after fantastical creatures and people, such as Bearwalker Maple Brown Ale, Thunder Ann American Pale Ale, and Fennario IPA.
They also offer motivation to return to Jackalope to check out what’s new on tap by offering creative seasonal brews like the fruity Lovebird and Snowman Stout.
All four of Jackalope’s year-round beers, two seasonals, and limited releases are available on tap here in the bright, cheerful area.
This lovely setting with a dog-friendly terrace on a steamy summer day urges you to stop by, take in the laid-back atmosphere, and sip a beer. Try Jackalope, a mythical place amongst the breweries in Nashville.
Tennessee Brew Works
809 Ewing Ave., Nashville, TN 37203, United States // +16154360050
Tennessee Brew Works was founded with the lofty but commendable goal of producing fine beer that honors Tennessee’s history, traditions, and culture.
Consider Tennessee Brew Works as the brewery equivalent of a farm-to-table restaurant. They are obsessively committed to brewing beers with locally sourced ingredients and fresh seasonal ingredients, right down to the illustrations on their labels that were created by a neighbor who owns a well-known letterpress business.It’s one of the more unique breweries in Nashville.
Tennessee Brew Works, renowned for its extremely appealing brews, keeps a culinary focus on its beers by employing Tennessee grains, fruit zests, and even earthy ingredients like beets and sweet potatoes.
Their taproom kitchen incorporates their own beers into a variety of dishes. One standout dish is a burger that includes five different Tennessee Brew Works beers in the buns and toppings.
Their restaurant serves delectable food while the roof deck is bathed in the sun. For instance, try a plate of wasted grain falafel and red pepper hummus or spicy chicken, a specialty of Nashville. Additionally, live music can be heard almost every night of the week downstairs.
With a focus on European styles and Southern American flavors, the beer is also superb. There are IPAs on the menu, but they are only tokens.
They concentrate mainly on well-balanced farmhouse ales, brown ales, porters, ESBs, and witbiers. The Belgian-style white lager, Southern wit, and India pale ale Hippies & Cowboys are a few standouts on the menu.
Yazoo Brewing Company
900 River Bluff Dr., Madison, TN 37115, the United States // +16158914649
When Yazoo Brewing outgrew the Marathon Motor Works building, which opened in 2003, it relocated to the Gulch in 2010.
Yazoo cashed out and relocated their larger-than-average brewery to a very polished, behemoth of space in Madison as Nashville boomed and the Gulch became one of the most sought-after real estate in Nashville.
You may find Yazoo’s year-round and limited edition beer offerings in the newest brewery’s spacious taproom and on its outside patio.
Their wild ale and barrel-aging program, Embrace the Funk, is the Yazoo brewery’s crown jewel. The trip to Madison is worth it if you can get your hands on one of these beers.
Seasonal specials are always available on tap alongside tried-and-true favorites like Dos Perros, Pale Ale, Hop Perfect IPA, and Sly Rye Porter.
It becomes clear why Yazoo is still at the top of the field when you consider the incredible sour, organically fermented, and barrel-aged products in its famed “Embrace the Funk” series. A must-see amongst the breweries in Nashville, without a doubt.
Blackstone Brewing Co
2312 Clifton Ave., Nashville, TN 37209, United States // +16153209002
The oldest craft brewery in Nashville has won the most accolades in the city. Blackstone has flourished in its massive production brewery since leaving a brewpub on West End.
There is a pleasant taproom at Blackstone where you can sample some of the beautiful beers, such as St. Charles Porter, Nut Brown Ale, and Chaser Pale, as well as historical recipes that are produced for Nashville Brewing Company.
This brewery is state-of-the-art, but it has some history to it. Since we were early, Scott, the owner’s partner and tour guide, took good care of us while he finished up his job.
It was pretty nice in the taproom. Stunning collection of beer bottles as well as cozy sitting! I sipped my beer and looked at all the bottles.
We began our tour, and it was really educational. Scott is knowledgeable and was enjoyable to talk to. The brewery itself was spotless and up to date. The apparatus was remarkable.
After the tour, we continued our conversation with Scott, who patiently answered all of our queries. They also had a fantastic food truck, which was nice. I heartily endorse this place before any of the other breweries in Nashville. You won’t be let down.
The Black Abbey Brewing Company
2952 Sidco Dr., Nashville, TN 37204, United States // +16157550070
Black Abbey, which is committed to the traditional abbey-style of ale brewing, enjoys serving up history by the pint in its welcoming Fellowship Hall tasting area, which has evolved into a hangout for craft beer enthusiasts.
The Rose, their signature beer, is a Belgian Blonde Ale that constantly puts the brewery’s enormous tanks to the test to meet demand. The Special, a fruity and chocolaty Dubbel with higher alcohol content, is a typical abbey brew.
If you have a few of those, you’ll be in the right frame of mind for one of the brewery’s entertaining music-themed events, when staff members spin records from their own collections of everything from heavy metal to yacht rock.
Don’t forget to try Black Abbey’s seasonal rotating specials and barrel-aged variations of the brewery’s more obscure brews. Get a taste of Belgium at this superb find amongst the breweries in Nashville.
TailGate Brewery
1538 Demonbreun St., Nashville, TN 37203, United States // +16297025914
Located in Bellevue, Music Row, and East Nashville, TailGate offers a wide selection of beers and damn good pizza, but each location specializes in something different.
Tenn Lager, Orange Wheat, and Peanut Butter Milk Stout are just a few of the main brands produced in large quantities at the Bellevue headquarters.
The TailGate cidery, which complements the beer selection with a variety of craft ciders that are drier than the sugary ciders from certain major mega-breweries, is housed in the Music Row location.
When we arrived, there were just under 40 different beers and ciders to choose from, which was an incredible range! IPAs, Lagers, Stouts, Pale Ales, Wheat, Goses, Sours, and Ciders are just a few examples.
Thankfully, they provide flights, so we could try eight different brews, including a few pumpkin-themed ones.
They also had excellent cuisine selections with many choices. In addition, we enjoyed the outstanding Mac & Cheese pizza. A definite must-visit amongst the breweries in Nashville, in my opinion!
Southern Grist Brewing Company
754 Douglas Ave., Nashville, TN 37207, United States // +16292037159
5012 Centennial Blvd., Nashville, TN 37209, United States // +16158647133
In 2016, when Southern Grist originally started, they were using a system that was essentially no larger than the typical homebrew setup.
That was more than enough to garner a devoted following for their eccentric limited-edition releases, some of which were created to replicate the flavors of cocktails. These included fruity beers and sours, which were simple to sip for customers who weren’t hoppy-obsessed.
Capacity was increased by upgrading to a larger second taproom and brew facility in the Nations. Despite this, Southern Grist has released more than 600 different small-batch recipes in their brief five-year career. So when you look at the Southern Grist beer menu, you never know what to expect.
Southern Grist is one of my favorite breweries in Nashville, and they are just such a fun brewery all around. They produce a wide range of beers, but none of them are particular staples, and occasionally you won’t see a favorite for a while.
In addition to manufacturing a lot of lagers, they also specialize in hazy IPAs, sours, and pastry stouts. Their fruity sour Hill series, one of my favorites, is one of their many diverse series of beers.
One place that contributes to Nashville’s uniqueness is Southern Grist, a fantastic business! You must give it a try!
East Nashville Beer Works
320 E. Trinity Ln., Nashville, TN 37207, United States // +16158913108
East Nashville Beer Works is a neighborhood treasure with a large beer garden, where it occasionally holds pop-up yoga lessons or old-time movie screenings.
This unusually large patio welcomes both children and dogs. Live music is played every night in the taproom.
You can also discover a wide selection of fantastic beers, including inventive IPAs, stouts, and classic Belgian and German lagers. In addition, pizza, snacks, and salads are available if you become hungry.
Everyone should come here if you’re looking for an excellent area to hang out. Also, if you suffer from social anxiety, this facility is fantastic because it is not exclusive to one sort of individual.
You won’t feel out of place because there are all kinds of people and it’s seldom really busy. I heartily advise it! It’s one of the best breweries In Nashville.
Final Thoughts About the Best Breweries In Nashville
Nashville continues to see an astonishing number of new eateries and craft breweries develop, but unlike the dining establishments, very few established breweries have closed during the previous ten years.
Brewery owners may be aware of the town’s residents’ and tourists’ voracious need for good beer, or it could simply be that Nashville breweries continue to produce some very fine brews.
Regardless of the motivation, “Brewsic City” is blessed with so many excellent breweries that you could visit a different one every night for a month without running out of possibilities. You should get moving!
Visiting other destinations in Tennessee? Check out our other delicious guide:
- The Best BBQ In Memphis
- 8 Best Knoxville Restaurants
- 7 Must-Try Memphis Restaurants
- 15 Best Nashville Brunch Restaurants
Igor Jovanovski is an aspiring digital nomad, travel blogger and graphic designer who really loves food. He also has a creative side, and he works as a freelance graphic designer in his spare time. He has traveled across Europe quite a few times since he was young and recently started his mission to visit every country in the world! Igor’s favorite thing about traveling is the way he gets to know new people, food, places and cultures.
This exciting experience helps him create his own stories and make memories that will last forever