Author: timandjohnna

Who’s a good boy? Arlo is! We were greeted at the door by a huge German Shepard-Golden Retreiver mix which is the resident dog at this rustic brewery on the outskirts of town. Serving up a nice variety of tasty but expensive beers ($7), we started the evening at the local Moose then swung in here for a couple of craft beers consisting of their Blonde Ale and an Irish Red.

So when it comes to beer, it doesn’t get any better than a German-inspired brewery with a biergarten AND food. Where do I start? The Pilsner and Dunkel were excellent as expected as was the sausages and potato salad. The staff were even wearing traditional Barvian outfits like lederhosen and dirndl. Who would have thought in Tennessee?

Holy cow! Probably one of the largest selections of beer we have seen in quite a while offering over 3 dozen beers on tap and in cans. There is definitely something for everyone here. Except for the grumpy beertender, the beer and experience was quite nice. We had a couple of pints of the HBC522 Session IPA and the Blonde Ale while snacking on our Dot’s Pretzels.

After another nice day of driving, our first stop brings us to this simple little brewery serving up almost two dozen beers. We met a couple of guys up at the bar and exchanged brewery & travel stories while enjoying a Sexy Cat pale ale and a Carl’s Dunkel dunkelweizen.

Located in the heart of downtown, this quaint little brewery serves up a balanced variety of tasty beers that can satisfy any thirst although they are a bit pricey. We sippled on an F.M. Hamilton ESB and a Quotidian Italian pils out in the alley seating area while enjoying the beautiful weather and scenic views.

On the road again! This place is the first stop on our way to Texas Motor Speedway. It was a great day for driving and this place is a great place for beer. Named after a regional mountain ridge, the tap room is dwarfed by the huge production operations. It would give even some large breweries a run for their money in terms of size. Even as big as this place is, the staff and atmosphere give you the feel of friendly and cozy. The beertender even had a sense of humor! Offering well over a dozen beers, we tried the Vienna Lager and Gold Leaf Lager – they were both pretty damn good!

Like the Memorial Day weekend, this brewery brings both celebration and somber. It’s hard to believe we started our brewery tour over 4 years ago and today, we have reached another milestone to celebrate: number 400. But like the holiday weekend, we are reminded at this brewery how fragile life can be and how lucky we are to live in a country where we have the freedom to travel and follow our passion of beer. Upon arrival, we knew something was different about this brewery today. We pulled into the parking lot to find it completely full even though it had just opened. We noticed a buffet table set up just inside the front doors and thought maybe there was a private party since the “Open” sign wasn’t illuminated. We were hesitant to get out of the Jeep and try the door but thought what the heck since have a 45 minute drive back to the RV. Upon entry, we were greeted by the owner and brewmaster Don, who explained there was indeed a private event but was still open to the general public. His friendly attitude helped us overcome our reluctance to intrude on this private event and soon learned the event was a celebration of life. People laughing and sharing memories of a local guy who unexpectedly passed and will be missed by all. We ordered up a Kolsch and an Irish Red then raised our glasses to the man of the hour. Cheers to Joey and thanks for allowing us to be part of your day at this fine brewery.

Named in honor of the towns railroad heritage, this biergarten-themed tap room has all the basic necessities for drinking beer on a rainy & cold Saturday afternoon. Friendly beer-tender, good music, cheerful crowd and of course a nice variety on the beer menu. We tried the Bohemian pils & Patch Town nut brown ale which were a great way to start the day (drinking).

Our final stop for the day brings us to the historic downtown for a quick bite and a splash-n-go before heading back to our campsite. After a nice visit with our friens Michael, we swung in for a couple of craft beers only to find out this place serves mostly guest beers except for three high-octane unique brews. While we reluctantly ordered up a Workhorse American Pils and a Mainstay Constitution Lager, we were surprised with how good the food was. The oysters, cheesesteak rolls and empanada’s were the bomb!

Now this is more like it. Over two dozen drafts with a bunch of pilsners and ales – yum. We got back in the groove with their Pikeland pils and the Helles Golden lager. Ahhh – it’s like jumping into a swimming pool……full of beer!