Best Craft Beer Bars in Nashville

How craft beer became part of Nashville's identity

Five years ago, Nashville's beer scene was a footnote. Today it rivals Austin and Portland. Yazoo pioneered the way in 2003 when craft beer was risky. Then came Bearded Iris with hazy IPAs that changed how Nashville drank. Now Southern Grist and Little Harpeth push boundaries with sours and lagers that matter.

The craft beer boom in Nashville tracks directly with gentrification and growth. Germantown became a destination because three serious breweries set up there. The Gulch got Jackalope and suddenly beer became part of the development story. East Nashville got Smith & Lentz, small and quiet, exactly as the neighbourhood wanted it.

What makes Nashville's craft beer scene different is that it overlaps with music, food, and real estate instead of existing in isolation. Tennessee Brew Works became great partly because of the food program. Corsair works because craft distilling was already there. Southern Grist matters because Germantown had galleries and artist studios first.

The question now is whether Nashville's craft beer scene can sustain as the city grows. The money keeps coming. The breweries keep multiplying. The question is whether the beer gets better or just more commercial. Our recommendation is to visit the smaller spots, the experimental ones, the places that feel risky. That's where Nashville's actual beer future lives.

Also explore all Nashville bars, check out live music bars, or discover craft beer bars in other cities.