Nashville Brewery Weekend Guide: Taprooms, Beer Neighborhoods and Where to Stay
A Nashville brewery weekend gets much easier when you have one downtown place to come back to.
Staying at The Countrypolitan on Union Street gives the trip a simple rhythm. Head out to one of Nashville's brewery neighborhoods for the afternoon, then return downtown for dinner, Printer's Alley and live music without turning the entire weekend into a string of rides across the city.
That matters because Nashville breweries are spread across several neighborhoods rather than concentrated along one walkable brewery row. Germantown has one of the simplest brewery pairings. Wedgewood-Houston and South Nashville offer several distinctive taprooms. East Nashville has plenty of beer, but the area is broader than it looks on a map. The Nations, West Nashville and Madison require their own planning.
The easiest approach is to choose one area at a time, visit two or three breweries at most, work a proper meal into the afternoon, and arrange transportation before the first pour.
The breweries can shape the day without taking over the whole Nashville weekend.
Nashville Breweries at a Glance
Use this as a starting point rather than a checklist. The right brewery depends on where you are going, what you like to drink, who you are traveling with and whether you need food at the same stop.
Area | Taproom | Why Go | Food and Planning |
Germantown | Bearded Iris, 101 Van Buren St | Hop-forward beer and the original Bearded Iris taproom | Outside food allowed; easy to pair with TailGate Germantown |
Germantown | TailGate Germantown, 915 3rd Ave N | Beer, cider, seltzer and pizza for groups | Full scratch kitchen near First Horizon Park |
Wedgewood-Houston | Jackalope, 429B Houston St | Broad beer selection, food, patio and live music | Easy anchor for a longer afternoon |
Wedgewood-Houston | Monday Night Preservation Co., 1308 Adams St | Wide draft selection and substantial outdoor space | Relaxed alternative within a WeHo afternoon |
South Nashville | Fait la Force, 1414 3rd Ave S | Belgian and European-inspired beer | Food from JamBox and a quieter taproom atmosphere |
SoBro edge | Tennessee Brew Works, 809 Ewing Ave | Beer, food and live music close to downtown | Useful first or final brewery stop |
Music Row | TailGate Music Row, 1538 Demonbreun St | Beer plus small-batch cider | Full scratch pizza kitchen |
East Nashville | Xul East, 754 Douglas Ave | Experimental releases and rotating beer | Lauter food and two patios |
East Nashville | East Nashville Beer Works, 320 E Trinity Ln | Pizza, families and outdoor space | Playground and large beer garden |
East Nashville | TailGate East, 811 Gallatin Ave | Wild and spontaneous fermentation | Smaller neighborhood taproom with pizza |
The Nations | Xul West, 5012 Centennial Blvd | Rotating Xul releases in a polished taproom | Better paired with west-side plans than downtown |
West Nashville | TailGate Headquarters, 7300 Charlotte Pike | Seven-acre brewery campus and production setting | Full kitchen and substantial outdoor space |
Madison | Yazoo, 900 River Bluff Dr | Nashville brewing history and brewery tours | Better as a dedicated destination |
Three carefully chosen taprooms will usually give you a better day than six rushed stops.
How to Plan a Nashville Brewery Weekend
Start with geography.
It is tempting to open a map, save every brewery that looks interesting and connect the dots later. In Nashville, that can create an afternoon with more time in the car than at the bar.
Instead, choose the brewery neighborhood first and the individual stops second.
Germantown works particularly well when you want a straightforward two-stop afternoon. Wedgewood-Houston and South Nashville offer more variety. East Nashville rewards visitors who are comfortable using rideshare between stops. The west side makes more sense when you can give it a larger block of time.
Then decide where you're eating.
Some breweries have full kitchens. Others offer smaller menus or work with food partners. Knowing where lunch fits before the first beer keeps the day from turning into a search for food halfway through the second taproom.
Tap lists deserve flexibility too. A beer mentioned in an article six months ago may no longer be available, so choose breweries based on their general strengths rather than one specific release.
Finally, sort out transportation before leaving the hotel. Rideshare or a designated driver makes far more sense than trying to decide who should drive after the tastings have started.
Germantown: One of Nashville's Easiest Brewery Pairings
Germantown is a good place to start because the logistics are simple.
Bearded Iris Brewing
At 101 Van Buren Street, Bearded Iris operates its original Germantown taproom and main production facility.
The brewery is especially well known for hop-forward beer, including IPAs and double IPAs, alongside occasional darker and fruit-driven releases. The production area is visible from the taproom, although Bearded Iris currently states that it does not offer public brewery tours.
You can check current hours and taproom details directly through the official Bearded Iris Germantown page.
There has been some confusion around its Nashville locations. The former Sylvan Supply taproom closed following changes in the city's craft beer market, while the Germantown location remains active. Local reporting from Axios has useful background on those ownership and taproom changes if you want the wider context: recent changes in Nashville's craft beer industry.
Bearded Iris works particularly well when the beer itself is the priority and the group wants a focused taproom visit before moving on.
TailGate Germantown
At 915 3rd Avenue North, TailGate Germantown adds the thing that Bearded Iris does not try to be: a full meal stop.
The taproom pours a large lineup of TailGate beer, cider and seltzer alongside scratch-made pizza, salads and appetizers. Its proximity to First Horizon Park and Brooklyn Bowl also makes it useful when the brewery visit is only one part of a Germantown afternoon.
Families are welcome, and dogs are currently allowed on the patio. Check current hours and taproom information through TailGate Germantown.
Bearded Iris plus TailGate is enough for Friday afternoon.
Once you're finished, head back downtown rather than adding another brewery simply because there is time left on the clock.
If you want the evening to revolve around music instead, Countrypolitan's guide to authentic live music in Nashville can help you choose where the night goes next.
Wedgewood-Houston and South Nashville Offer More Variety
The breweries south of downtown cover several different personalities, which makes this area particularly good for groups who do not all want the same thing.
Just do not assume the entire area functions as one continuous walking route.
Jackalope Brewing
Jackalope at 429B Houston Street is one of the easiest brewery stops for a mixed group.
Its Wedgewood-Houston taproom combines a large draft selection with food, outdoor seating and live music. It is also an active production brewery, so the space still feels connected to where the beer is being made rather than operating purely as a neighborhood bar.
Check the Jackalope taproom page for the current lineup, food and event schedule.
Jackalope makes particular sense when part of the group cares deeply about beer and everybody else mainly wants good food, somewhere comfortable to sit and an afternoon that does not feel like a tasting seminar.
Monday Night Preservation Co.
At 1308 Adams Street, Monday Night Preservation Co. gives Wedgewood-Houston another option.
The Nashville taproom offers a broad beer lineup, cocktails, wine and substantial outdoor seating. Outside food is also permitted under its current policy.
Monday Night began in Atlanta rather than Nashville, so it does not need to dominate a guide to the city's local brewing identity. Its value is practical. It gives visitors another easygoing stop in WeHo when the group wants space, variety and a relaxed outdoor setting.
Current details are available through Monday Night Preservation Co..
Fait la Force Brewing
For a completely different beer experience, head to Fait la Force at 1414 3rd Avenue South.
The brewery draws heavily from Belgian and European beer traditions, making it an appealing choice after a trip heavy on American IPA, cider or experimental releases.
Its current taproom setup includes food from JamBox, with sandwiches, salads and dips available alongside the beer. The taproom is kid-friendly, and pets are allowed on the patio.
Check what's happening through the official Fait la Force Brewing site.
Fait la Force rewards a slower visit. Order something unfamiliar, ask what's pouring and let the brewery be the destination for a while.
Which Breweries Are Closest to Downtown Nashville?
Downtown is not the center of Nashville's brewery scene, but you do not need to travel far every time you want locally brewed beer.
Two options are especially useful when you want to keep the brewery portion of the day close to your downtown plans.
Tennessee Brew Works
At 809 Ewing Avenue, Tennessee Brew Works combines an active brewery with food and regular live music.
The beer-centric menu makes it easy to build a meal around the stop rather than treating food as an afterthought. Cocktails, cider and wine also give mixed groups more choice.
Visit the Tennessee Brew Works taproom page for current hours, music and food information.
This is a particularly useful first or final brewery stop if the rest of your day is centered on downtown or South Nashville.
TailGate Music Row
TailGate Music Row at 1538 Demonbreun Street is another strong option for visitors who want a brewery experience without traveling far from downtown.
This location also houses TailGate Cider Co., with small-batch cider alongside TailGate beer, seltzer and the brewery's scratch-made pizza menu.
See current details at TailGate Music Row.
If you only have one afternoon for breweries, staying relatively close to downtown may be more enjoyable than crossing Nashville to reach a taproom simply because it appeared on somebody else's ranking.
East Nashville Has Plenty of Beer, but It Is Not One Brewery Row
East Nashville deserves time on a brewery weekend, but its taprooms are spread across a broad part of the city.
Do not treat the neighborhood name as proof that every brewery is an easy walk from the next.
Xul East Nashville
At 754 Douglas Avenue, Xul now occupies the former Southern Grist taproom.
The naming can be confusing. Xul's current site uses Xul East Nashville while also noting that its Nashville locations are operating as Southern Grist Brewing Co.
For visitors, the practical part is simpler. The Douglas Avenue taproom pours Xul releases along with selected Southern Grist beer, has two patios and serves food from Lauter.
The Xul East Nashville taproom page has the latest operating information.
This is a good fit for visitors who want experimental beer and rotating releases rather than a predictable lineup.
East Nashville Beer Works
At 320 E Trinity Lane, East Nashville Beer Works is especially useful when the group includes families, dogs or anyone who would rather spend the afternoon outside.
The taproom combines beer with pizza, a large outdoor beer garden and a playground. Dogs are welcome in the beer garden under the brewery's current policy.
Visit East Nashville Beer Works for current hours and taproom information.
This is one of the easiest Nashville breweries to turn into a relaxed Sunday afternoon rather than a structured tasting stop.
TailGate East
TailGate East at 811 Gallatin Avenue offers something different again.
This smaller taproom is home to TailGate's wild and spontaneous fermentation program, along with small-batch releases, the usual TailGate beer lineup and a full pizza menu.
See current information at TailGate East Nashville.
If you are spending the afternoon in East Nashville, choose two stops based on the experience you want. There is no need to collect all three.
The Nations and West Nashville Reward a Longer Afternoon
Visitors with more time on Saturday can make the west side the main brewery session of the day.
Xul West Nashville
Xul West at 5012 Centennial Boulevard occupies the former Southern Grist space in The Nations.
The renovated taproom focuses on Xul releases and rotating beer in a more polished setting than many traditional brewery taprooms. It also sits close to Xul's Nashville production operation.
Check the Xul Beer Company site before visiting for current taproom details and food availability.
TailGate Headquarters
TailGate Headquarters at 7300 Charlotte Pike is a much larger operation.
TailGate describes the property as a seven-acre brewery campus containing its main production brewery, pilot brewing system, taproom, outdoor areas and full food operation.
Families are welcome, dogs can join on the patio, and the size of the campus makes this more suitable for a long stop than a quick pint.
Explore the property through TailGate Headquarters.
If you are already heading west, give the area time. Xul West followed by TailGate Headquarters works far better than trying to squeeze both between brewery stops on the opposite side of Nashville.
Yazoo Is Worth Its Own Trip
Yazoo Brewing at 900 River Bluff Drive in Madison should not be squeezed awkwardly into a downtown brewery crawl.
Treat it as a destination.
Yazoo has been part of Nashville's brewing story since the early 2000s, and its Madison location combines production, a large taproom and outdoor space.
It is also particularly useful for visitors who want more than another pint at the bar because Yazoo currently offers brewery tours.
Tours generally last around 45 minutes and include samples along with a souvenir tasting glass. The current tour schedule and ticket information are available directly from Yazoo Brewery Tours.
If seeing an active production brewery is high on your list, set aside the time for Madison rather than attempting to attach Yazoo to several downtown stops.
A Three-Day Nashville Brewery Weekend
The most enjoyable itinerary uses breweries to give the weekend shape without letting beer become the only thing on the schedule.
Friday: Germantown, Then Back Downtown
After checking into The Countrypolitan, give yourself time to settle in before heading to Germantown.
Visit Bearded Iris, then move on to TailGate Germantown for another beer and food.
That is enough.
Come back downtown before dinner and switch the pace completely.
Printer's Alley is right outside The Countrypolitan, making it easy to spend the rest of the night around live music and cocktails instead of arranging another brewery ride.
If you've never explored the area before, start with Countrypolitan's local guide to Printer's Alley.
Prefer to keep the first night especially easy? Check what's happening at The Countrypolitan before adding another stop. You can come back from Germantown, have dinner and catch live music without leaving the hotel again.
Saturday: Choose One Direction
Saturday is the day to give Nashville's brewery scene more time.
For Wedgewood-Houston and South Nashville, start at Jackalope. Have lunch there or nearby, then choose either Fait la Force or Monday Night Preservation Co. according to the kind of atmosphere and beer you want.
For a west-side afternoon, start at Xul West in The Nations before continuing to TailGate Headquarters.
Both routes provide enough variety for a full brewery session.
Trying to combine them does not.
Return downtown after the last stop, take some time off and let the night move into food and music. If you want something beyond the obvious Broadway options, browse Countrypolitan's road map to authentic live music in Nashville.
Sunday: East Nashville or Yazoo
Sunday can be as brewery-focused as you still want it to be.
For a relaxed afternoon, choose two East Nashville stops.
Go to Xul East if experimental beer is the priority.
Choose East Nashville Beer Works for pizza, outdoor space and a family-friendly afternoon.
Pick TailGate East if wild fermentation sounds more interesting than another conventional tap list.
If you would rather finish the weekend with a production tour, skip the multi-stop plan and head to Yazoo instead.
And before another brewery afternoon begins, make Sunday morning count. Countrypolitan's Nashville brunch guide can help you choose a stop that fits the direction you're heading.
Only Have 24 Hours?
Do less, not more.
Have breakfast downtown, then choose one brewery pairing south of the city center.
Jackalope and Fait la Force give you two contrasting brewery personalities.
Tennessee Brew Works and TailGate Music Row keep the day closer to downtown.
Build a meal into the route, return to the hotel in the afternoon and spend the evening exploring Nashville rather than hunting for one more taproom.
If you're heading out early, Countrypolitan's direction to the best breakfast in Nashville can help you start with something more substantial than whatever happens to be available at the first brewery.
Which Nashville Brewery Fits Your Group?
There is no single best brewery in Nashville because the experiences are too different.
A more useful question is which brewery suits the way you want to spend the afternoon?
If You're Looking For... | Start With... |
Hop-forward beer | Bearded Iris |
Belgian and European-inspired styles | Fait la Force |
Experimental releases | Xul East or Xul West |
Wild fermentation | TailGate East |
A brewery tour | Yazoo |
Pizza and beer | TailGate or East Nashville Beer Works |
Beer, food and live music | Jackalope or Tennessee Brew Works |
Family-friendly outdoor space | East Nashville Beer Works |
A larger brewery campus | TailGate Headquarters |
A brewery close to downtown plans | Tennessee Brew Works or TailGate Music Row |
Choose according to the experience, not somebody else's numerical ranking.
Where to Eat During a Nashville Brewery Weekend
Several brewery stops in this guide can handle the meal themselves.
Jackalope serves a full food menu. Tennessee Brew Works builds food into the taproom experience. TailGate's Nashville locations pair their beer with scratch-made pizza. East Nashville Beer Works serves pizza, Fait la Force has JamBox, and Xul East currently has Lauter.
That makes planning much easier.
Still, there will be days when lunch happens before the first brewery or dinner begins after the last one.
Countrypolitan's best lunch spots in Nashville are useful when you want a proper midday stop before the beer session begins.
Once you're back downtown, the downtown Nashville dining guide gives you more options for turning the evening away from brewery food and toward a full dinner.
Food should be part of the brewery itinerary, not the inconvenience between two taprooms.
Patios, Dogs and Family-Friendly Brewery Stops
Nashville brewery weekends can also work for groups that are not exclusively made up of adults comparing beer styles.
East Nashville Beer Works promotes a family-friendly taproom with a playground and a dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.
Several TailGate taprooms welcome families and allow dogs on outdoor patios. Fait la Force currently identifies its taproom as kid-friendly and its patio as pet-friendly. Jackalope also lists dog-friendly outdoor space.
Individual policies can change, particularly during events, so check directly with the brewery when children or pets are central to the day.
If the patio matters more than the beer style, Countrypolitan's guide to Nashville patios and outdoor dining offers more choices without turning this article into a second patio guide.
Getting Around Nashville's Breweries
Do not assume two breweries are walkable just because they share the same neighborhood label.
Germantown offers one of the easiest combinations.
East Nashville covers a much larger area. Xul East, TailGate East and East Nashville Beer Works are not one compact pedestrian route.
The Nations and TailGate Headquarters both sit west of downtown, but transportation between them still deserves planning.
Yazoo in Madison should be approached as its own excursion.
Use rideshare, a designated driver or another current transportation option whenever drinking is part of the day.
If you want to explore more of Tennessee's brewing scene beyond this Nashville weekend, the Tennessee Craft Brewers Guild maintains broader information on independent breweries across the state. That resource makes more sense when extending the trip than when choosing Friday afternoon's first pint.
Where to Stay for a Nashville Brewery Weekend
No Nashville hotel is within walking distance of every brewery covered here.
That is exactly why The Countrypolitan works better as a central base than as a hotel chosen for one particular taproom.
The hotel is at 315 Union Street beside Printer's Alley, so the brewery portion of the day can happen elsewhere without making the rest of the trip inconvenient.
The rhythm is simple:
The Countrypolitan → brewery neighborhood → back downtown → dinner and live music
Head to Germantown for the afternoon and return.
Spend Saturday around Wedgewood-Houston or West Nashville and return.
Use Sunday for East Nashville or Madison, then come back downtown if your trip continues.
Once you return to the hotel, Printer's Alley, downtown dining and music are around you rather than at the end of another rideshare.
The Countrypolitan Bar & Kitchen also serves meals throughout the day, which helps on mornings when brewery taprooms do not open until later and evenings when nobody wants to choose another restaurant after crossing the city.
If you're comparing neighborhoods before deciding where to base the trip, the guide to where to stay in Nashville for a long weekend explains how downtown fits into a broader Nashville itinerary.
Already building your brewery weekend? Explore rooms at The Countrypolitan and give yourself one downtown place to return to after Germantown, East Nashville, WeHo or the west side.
Nashville Brewery Weekend Tips
Choose the neighborhood first: It prevents an afternoon of unnecessary cross-city travel.
Keep the brewery count reasonable: Two or three substantial stops are enough for most sessions.
Check the current tap list: Seasonal releases and brewery menus change.
Check kitchen hours separately: The taproom and kitchen may not always follow identical schedules.
Eat during longer brewery afternoons: Do not wait until the last stop.
Arrange transportation before leaving downtown: Rideshare or a designated driver removes an unnecessary decision later.
Ask about flights or smaller pours: They can make more sense when visiting several taprooms.
Check family, dog and patio policies when they matter: Events can temporarily change normal rules.
Leave empty space in the schedule: A new release, a live event or a patio you do not want to leave is more memorable than arriving everywhere exactly on time.
FAQs About Nashville Breweries
What are some good breweries to visit in Nashville?
It depends on what you want from the visit. Bearded Iris suits hop-focused beer drinkers, Fait la Force explores Belgian and European-inspired styles, Xul offers more experimental releases, Jackalope works well for food and groups, and Yazoo is useful for visitors who want a brewery tour.
What Nashville neighborhood has the most breweries?
Nashville does not have one compact brewery district containing all of its major taprooms. Germantown, Wedgewood-Houston, East Nashville and the west side each offer multiple options, but the distances between breweries vary.
Are Nashville breweries walkable from downtown?
A few brewery stops are relatively close, including Tennessee Brew Works and TailGate Music Row. Most major Nashville breweries and taproom clusters still require rideshare or another form of transportation from downtown.
Can you do a brewery crawl in Nashville?
Yes, but keep it geographically focused. Germantown is one of the easiest places to pair breweries, while larger areas such as East Nashville require more transportation planning.
Which Nashville breweries serve food?
Jackalope, Tennessee Brew Works, East Nashville Beer Works and TailGate locations have substantial food offerings. Fait la Force currently serves food from JamBox, and Xul East has Lauter on site.
Which Nashville breweries are family-friendly?
East Nashville Beer Works specifically promotes its family-friendly taproom and playground. Several TailGate locations and Fait la Force currently welcome families as well. Check individual taproom policies before visiting because event rules can differ.
Which Nashville breweries have patios?
Bearded Iris, Jackalope, East Nashville Beer Works, Fait la Force, TailGate and Monday Night Preservation Co. are among the brewery stops with outdoor seating. Individual patio and pet policies can change.
Can you take a brewery tour in Nashville?
Yes. Yazoo currently offers brewery tours at its Madison facility, generally lasting around 45 minutes. Jackalope also offers private tours for qualifying groups with advance arrangements.
Is Southern Grist still open in Nashville?
The former Southern Grist Nashville taprooms are now associated with Xul Beer Company. Xul currently identifies the locations as Xul East Nashville and Xul West Nashville, while its website also notes that the Nashville locations operate as Southern Grist Brewing Co.
Is Bearded Iris still open in Nashville?
Yes. Bearded Iris Germantown at 101 Van Buren Street remains active. The former Sylvan Supply location closed in 2025.
How many days do you need for a Nashville brewery trip?
Two nights and one full day can cover one or two brewery areas at a comfortable pace. A three-day weekend allows time for a dedicated destination such as Yazoo while still leaving room for restaurants, live music and downtown Nashville.
Where should you stay for a Nashville brewery weekend?
A downtown base works well because Nashville's breweries are spread across the city. Staying at The Countrypolitan lets you travel to one brewery neighborhood during the day, then return to Printer's Alley, restaurants and live music for the evening instead of organizing another cross-city trip.
Let the Breweries Shape the Afternoon
A Nashville brewery weekend does not need a spreadsheet of 12 taprooms.
Pick a neighborhood. Choose two breweries that give you something different. Eat between them. Stay longer when a patio, new release or conversation deserves it.
Then return downtown and let the trip change character.
The brewery can be the reason for the afternoon without becoming the entire reason for visiting Nashville.
Ready to start putting the weekend together? Check rooms at The Countrypolitan and make downtown the place you come back to after the last brewery stop.
