A Face In The Crowd
High school sweethearts Linus and Lila Hall fell in love and said “I do” by the banks of the Yazoo River in Mississippi. So when they opened a brewery in the old Marathon Motorworks building here, they named it Yazoo Brewing Co. Linus in particular is serious about his suds. Already an accomplished home brewer, he prepared for this venture by earning an MBA from Vanderbilt, studying beer-making in California and then completing an internship at Brooklyn Brewery. The brewery has been open only four months, but certain Yazoo varieties are already available in 16 different pubs and restaurants around Nashville. Meanwhile, the cozy taproom opens Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons and offers a tasting menu of locally baked breads and cheeses from Southern dairies. “We want to change the 'lowbrow’ perception of beer,” the soft-spoken Linus says. “Certain beers can cleanse the palate and serve as the perfect compliment to many foods.” The Halls have created a warm, convivial atmosphere where beer lovers find no TV, no smoking and no blaring music. “We want it to really be about the beer,” says Lila.
—By Amy Waddell
