The brewery next door

The brewery around the corner is something I’ve long awaited in Nashville. I’ve had a few false starts yet finally, a contender has emerged. Given its name, I would not have imagined the Honky Tonk Brewery would be the one. Since the brewery and its taproom lie within walking distance of work, it’s the easy winner.

After two visits, it’s time to say a few words about the brewery. While I have covered most of metro Nashville's brewing hubs, I’m still behind on a few taproom visits (one of these days, Tennessee Brew Works).

Finding Honky Tonk was a fluke on a Friday afternoon. Their address sounded familiar. A quick Internet search revealed I could almost see the brewery from my office window. The taproom is relatively Spartan with limited hours (Friday nights and Saturday afternoons) but the staff is friendly and happy to talk beer.

At present, Honky Tonk pours four beers – a wheat, an amber, IPA and a Wheat IPA. The wheat came out as a clear favorite, bright, easy and with plenty of fruit complexity (pear, lemon, orange, even a spritz of pineapple). It’s definitely an American-style spin on wheat, with a noticeable hop sizzle late on the palate. The amber falls on the brown ale spectrum, with creamy notes of chocolate and nuts. The IPA announces its Pacific Northwest hops quickly. Good straightforward local West Coast IPA is something we don’t get enough in Music City. The Wheat IPA blends the other two ales and is different enough from the standard IPA to warrant a good mention.

During my first visit, the owner was kind enough to take me through his production facility. It might be back in an office development, away from the trendier spots home to new breweries. As Honky Tonk grows, the amount of space available to the nascent brewery will serve it well.

After years in the happy hour wilderness (the only bar of any quality nearby is in a busy hotel), having craft brew in easy reach is a refreshing change.