Home is Where the Heart (AND BEER) Is

Wednesday 3/16/16 - I went and saw 10 Cloverfield Lane  today and at the Homegrown Taproom before the movie I had a couple half-pints including the Black Magic Wizard Sauce roggenbier (rye beer) from Calfkiller Brewing (Sparta, TN) and a Sombre Hiver saison from Mantra Artisan Ales (Franklin, TN)

Thursday, 3/17 - I was playing poker in my local league tonight (where  I maintained first place in points with one game to go for a chance to play in the $10K Main Event at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas in July).   I celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a couple of standards during the game including a Guinness Blonde American Lager and a Guinness Extra Stout (Canada/USA).

Friday, 3/18 - I had a day off following St. Patty's Day Poker Night and I had a little hair of the dog at O'Possum's Irish Pub in Murfreesboro with a Scottish Chocolate ale from Devil's Backbone Brewing (VA) with lunch.  On the way back home I stopped at the Walter Hill Dam on the Stones River to take in some of the gorgeous weather for early March.

After lunch, I headed over to East Nashville and checked out a great new craft brewery called Southern Grist.  This guys are doing it right!  They have quickly moved into my Top 10 Favorite Breweries with just two of their beers tried.  Both were outstanding IPAs, so I might be a bit biased. First I had the Juice Line double IPA and then the Mixed Greens III American IPA.  Both reeked of hops which you know is what I like.  Good luck to these new-comers and welcome to the now-bustling craft beer scene here in Nashville!!

Next, I stopped by The Picnic Tap at the Nashville Farmer's Market and had a Death Defying Spring Ale from Hi-Wire Brewing (Asheville, NC).   I followed that up with a Hop Perfect (not "perfect" in my opinion, but OK) from Nashville's Yazoo Brewing.   This is a great little tap-room with plenty of free parking.  I was amazed how quiet it was here on a Friday night.  Note to self!

I finished the day with some Top 25 college baseball as # 2 Vanderbilt Commodores welcomed the #15 Mississippi State Bulldogs to beautiful Hawkins Field in Nashville.  The Dores fell to the Dogs by a score of 2-1 in a game that went to extra innings.

Saturday, 3/19 - I stopped by the Nashville beer bar, Hurry Back, tonight, and had a Pataskala Red X IPA from Stone Brewing (CA) - Top Five Favorite Brewery Alert!!  Then I had a Maudite Belgian dubbel from Unibroue Brewing (Quebec).  This place  has a  great, unique beer list albeit very expensive beer, $20 for two pints?  Is that a nearby Vandy influence maybe?  Or do they know that have a rather captive audience for folks going to the  Exit/In right next door?  Hard to say.  It will be interesting to see if this place sticks around.

Speaking of the Exit/In, after my pricey brews I walked next door to the SOLD OUT Safetysuit show there.  It was solid from start to finish.  Still can't figure out why these guys aren't bigger?

Sunday 3/20 -  I did a little more local beer-roaming today before the wife got back home.  I started at The Beer Pale where  I grabbed a Lil Darlin (photo below) from yet another new local craft brewer called Mill Creek which will be opening a tap room soon over in Nolensville.  I followed that up with a Golden Sound stout from Tennessee Brew Works here in Nashville.  This is a similar pale-looking stout like I had at Angel City Brewing in LA recently that I just raved about.  This one was OK, but not near as good as ACB's.  Keep trying TBW!

I stopped by The Ford Ice Center to check out some Preds open practice.  Cool experience in a really nice facility.  This was my first time visiting here and I was impressed.

Another craft brewer strides into the Nashville market.  Good luck, folks!

My next stop was back in East Nashville at The Hop Stop for a few half-pints.  I had the Sergio's Ole Evil Ass Devil Bullshit Ale, a golden blonde Belgian ale with a long, funny name, a sour taste going in, but a smooth finish.  This one was from Calfkiller Brewing over in Sparta, TN.  Next, I had the Mixtape # 3 IPA from The Black Abbey Brewing Company here in Nashville.  Next up was Stone Brewing's 20th Anniversary Encore Series: 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale (2015).   That's a lot of title for a good beer from one of my Top Five Favorite Breweries.

Monday, 3/21 - Before a Preds game tonight we had dinner at Hattie B's Hot Chicken, a Nashville legendary spot.  They had several craft beers on tap which was nice to see and my friend, Danny, and I settled on a pitcher of Spring Ale from nearby Yazoo Brewing which went down good with the spicy yard-bird.

Saturday, 3/26 - I attended another Preds game with my friends Danny and his youngest, Kyle. We parked free at Czann's Brewing where I their Oatmeal Stout.  I had a Tiny Bomb canned pilsner from Wise Acre Brewing (Memphis) at The Better Beer Bar inside Bridgestone Arena (nice addition this year!).. It was a huge 5-1 win over the Columbus Bluejackets.  We're one win from a playoff  berth!!

Tuesday, 4/5/16 - Had a  Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale at Suzy Wong's House of Yum with sushi before our last scheduled regular season Preds game tonight.

Thursday, 4/7/16 - I squeezed another Preds game in before the playoffs tonight and had a Hop Project # 79 while I was there at the arena.

Saturday, 4/9/16 - I had a decent canned Sam Adams Nitro IPA at Red Robin with my free birthday burger.

Sunday, 4/10/16 - We visited Prince Street Pizza and Pub up in Gallatin for some beer and brunch pizza today.  I had their house-made Pale Ale, their Coconut porter and their South Tunnel - Milk Chocolate Oatmeal Stout.  All the beer was pretty good, but the brunch pizza both sweet (top) and savory were awesome!  We will be back here!!

amen, brothers and sisters, amen