Brewsboro offers new and local brewery options to festival-goers

Murfreesboro’s The Avenue played host to the second annual Brewsboro festival on Saturday, Oct. 13.

With more than 30 breweries and one distillery, it was hard to pick where to start. The most obvious choices were local and regional craft breweries, and Nashville-favorite Blackstone was an ideal beginning to the festival.

Blackstone showed off its most famous beers, along with a high gravity beer called Adam Bomb, which is named after one of the sons in the Blackstone family. This beer is only brewed once a year and there is a select amount that goes out. Before drinking it, and only hearing the description, it appears that the beer would be a lot hoppier than it actually is. It was a nice very nice surprise, but be prepared for how strong it is.

Jackalope Brewery is another Nashville-based brewery that is doing really well for being a little more than a year old. It is currently only distributing to 60 bars and restaurants in and around the Nashville area, but according to their website, they can be found at The Flying Saucer. Make sure to check out Bearwalker if given the chance.

The by far longest line at Brewsboro, with roughly 20 people in it, was for Turtle Anarchy, which is based in Franklin and owned by two MTSU students, according to a volunteer. Around 3 p.m., the brewery already had two kegs tapped out, were out of five of beers and were running low on others. The Scotch ale was another good option from the Franklin brewery.

The Mid State Brew Crew was a non-brewery presence at the festival. It is a group of roughly 150 home brewers who do what they love doing –making good beer. It is clear they take brewing seriously by how smooth their beers are. The group has several gold medal winners and four professional brewers. The Mid State Brew Crew meets at Liquid Smoke, but says that the best way to get in touch to find out about meetings is through the Facebook page.

Calf Killer, a brewery based out of Sparta, Tenn., was an unexpected favorite. The booth for the brewery was the most animated at the festival, with tap handles made straight out of wood, and even a suit of armor guarding the tent waiting for any one to make a move. It is impossible to pick just one Calf Killer brew that should be suggested, so just make sure to try any one you get the chance to.

The by far best brew at the festival, and in my opinion I’ve ever had, has to be Avondale Brewing’s Miss Fancy’s Tripel. This beer was so smooth with just the right amount of flavor that makes you want to go back for more. The brewery is based out of the Avondale area of Birmingham, Ala., and was started in a neighborhood where it gets its inspiration for its beers. If you get the chance to try this brewery, do it. You will not be disappointed.

Cool Springs Brewery is one worth trying out of sheer interest of trying a beer with five different chili peppers in it. The beer was a little bit spicy, but just the right amount, although it didn’t live up to the hype.

Mayday Brewery is an exciting new venture, which will be brewing by the end of the month on New Salem Highway in Murfreesboro. It is refreshing to see a new brewery producing such good beer right out of Murfreesboro. The Velvet Hustle was a very smooth brew, and you can clearly taste the honey in it. I would recommend it to anyone trying the brewery for the first time.

There were several other breweries that one would recognize anywhere, but with so many beers it is easy to get very full very fast. All the brewers love what they are doing and are making it known to every one that came up to their booths. Just make sure to keep an eye on Avondale and Mayday. It is clear they will be doing great things with their new and exciting brews.

– Photo Credit: Davion Baxter