We’ve come a long way from 1994, when Blackstone and the now-shuttered Market Street were the only beer producers. For 15 years, Yazoo and Cool Springs Brewery were the only other current breweries to open in town, but then the wave came: Jackalope in 2011 and a steady flow since. Beer lovers can find quality local craft options at almost any bar and restaurant in town. Thanks to innovations like mobile canning operations, it’s possible for even small brewers to get onto the shelves of grocery stores and compete with corporate conglomerates. So here’s a view of the regularly occurring beers that Nashville brewers are producing. The beer scene is evolving so fast, in fact, that two of the best new breweries — Smith & Lentz and Southern Grist — don’t even have a set lineup and instead make an ever-changing variety of small-batch beers. In fact, most breweries are creating one-offs, limited runs and seasonals at a staggering pace. It’s a good time to love beer in Nashville.
With a change in state law on Jan. 1, it’s now much easier for brewers to make and distribute high-gravity products — that is, beer with more than 6.2 percent alcohol by volume — so say hello to new beers like Jackalope’s Fennario, an IPA with a kick, at 7.2 percent ABV. On the left are brews from Czann’s infinitely sessionable Blonde Ale, just 4.25 percent, all the way up to imperial stouts like New Heights’ Navel Gazer, which will sit you down in a hurry at 9.2 percent. On the right are each beer’s International Bitterness Unit scores. Scan down if you’re a fan of West Coast-style hop bombs like Black Abbey’s Five Points (94 points) or up toward the top if you prefer a maltier, less-bitter style like Yazoo’s Gerst (11 points).
Download a printable PDF here.
