Tailgate Beer: A Reason to Visit the Nashville Burbs
About a month prior to my Nashville trip, my sister told me that she had discovered a brewery, Tailgate Beer, just a few miles from her house in suburban Nashville. I immediately checked out some of Tailgate’s beers on Untappd, noting some interesting flavors like Maple-Bacon Porter and a Horchata Stout, and began thinking about what I might order.
We made it to Tailgate Beer on my first full-day in Nashville, following a barre class that left me struggling with stairs for days. As we pulled into Tailgate Beer’s ample parking lot, I was pleased to see a large, warehouse-like building before us. The type of place you’d drive by without a second thought if it weren’t for the massive “Tailgate Beer” mural across its front. I’m a sucker for fancy beer in un-fancy places. It just tastes better that way. #science.
The spacious inside had two seating areas – one in the main bar area with smaller four-personal tables and a connected room with larger picnic style tables and some barrels to prop drinks on. As expected, the atmosphere inside was decidedly casual – a perfect match for our post work-out, pre-shower looks.
My sister and I decided to split a flight of beer and subsequently a full beer. Responsible drinking choices since neither of us are known for our high alcohol tolerance and we had to be up before 4AM the next day for our flight to North Carolina.
For the flight, we each picked two beers to try. Our taste in beers is not the same – I tend to go hoppier and darker; she tends to go for lighter and even fruity flavored beers – so we ended up with this interesting mix:
We enjoyed our first sips behind the brewery where there is an expansive grassy area with views of the surrounding hillsides and a large covered shelter complete with tables and games. I felt more like I was at a winery than a brewery. (Full disclosure: I live in packed Southern California so it doesn’t take much for a space to feel large to me, but I’m pretty sure most would agree with my size assessment here) The beer standouts were the Southeast IPA was a perfect hot day IPA and the Sweet Tart sour, which I was surprisingly into (am I starting to get on the sour bandwagon?!)
After our time outside, we came in and sat at a table where we discussed our country’s processed, unhealthy food crisis over Garlic Knockers (dough stuffed with mozzarella and garlic), well-aware of the irony. We called it a succesful night after that. I’d go back to Tailgate Beer for a low-key night in a second and next time in Nashville, I probably will.
Some of my favorite things about Tailgate Beer:
- Good selection of lighter to medium alcohol content brews…because some nights you want to be able to enjoy more than one beer without getting accidentally hammered
- Solid selection of food that I hear is tasty…because more food helps you drink more beer
- Cans available for sale…because sometimes you want to be a bum and drink on your couch
- They host events like movie nights and yappy hour (bring your dogs)…because sometimes you need an excuse to go to the brewery
- Low cost ($5!) brewery tours available…because learning is fun
- They ambitiously aim to produce two new beers per week and aren’t afraid to try unusual flavor profiles…because life is about trying new things
Plan Your Visit to Tailgate Beer:
Get over your fear of the suburbs and visit Tailgate Beer at 7300 Charlotte Pike, Nashville, Tennessee 37209.
For those still unprepared to venture into the suburbs, Tailgate Beer also has a tasting room on Music Row at 1538 Demonbreun Street, Nashville, TN 37203.
Find out more at https://www.tailgatebeer.com. Instagram stalk Tailgate Beer at @tailgatebeer
