This year has brought a unique set of challenges, but for the homebound lucky enough to live in Nashville, drinking craft beer at home hasn’t been one of them. Almost immediately after Nashville’s Safer at Home order, we saw local breweries pivot to county-wide delivery to keep us stocked with our favorite varieties. While life looks very different than we expected, I’m grateful for the small reminders of seasons changing, like the release of my favorite seasonal ale that I anticipate all year.

Since it’s probably been a while since your last visit to a taproom, here’s a quick refresher on some of our favorite craft breweries across Nashville. Many still offer delivery within Davidson County, and have excellent outdoor spaces for sipping a socially distanced brew. We’ve even recommended the ideal “summer sipper” found at each establishment to help you kick off patio season the right way.

The Black Abbey Brewing Company

Founded in 2013 here in Nashville, Black Abbey’s name is an homage to Martin Luther: revered German monk and Protestant reformer who, together with his wife, changed the way we drink beer. In a direct act of rebellion against the Catholic Church and the lax it levied on the gruit (a mixture of botanicals that flavored and preserved beer) essential for beer production at that time, Luther encouraged his followers to forgo the gruit entirely and brew with hops instead. Throughout the Middle Ages, hops were viewed as an aggressive and undesirable weed, but when used in brewing preserved the beer far better than gruit, allowing the product to be transported longer distances and sold internationally. These early hopped brews were more akin to a Belgian-style ale than the darker German lagers we know today, and its from this early formula that Black Abbey takes its cues. Black Abbey’s taproom, or The Fellowship Hall, is now open for guests daily from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and is still offering online ordering and curbside pickup as well.

Summer Sipper: Crossroads, a summer cream ale with American cluster hops, flaked maize and 6-row malted barley.

TailGate Brewery

Originally based in San Diego, TailGate Brewery relocated to Nashville in 2014 and now has three locations across the city. Known for its funky flavors like Peanut Butter Milk Stout, TailGate has smartly leveraged the additional space at each new location to creatively expand. The flagship off Charlotte Pike is the largest of all three--a 20,000 square foot facility situated on seven acres of land with ample outdoor space--and is where TailGate brews its year-round releases. The Music Row location sits atop the Demonbreun bar peninsula, directly across from the iconic Musica statue, and is the home of TailGate’s cider brewing program. (For years the space was home to Dan McGuinness before short-lived Harp & Fiddle moved in for a year.) The newest TailGate outpost in East Nashville is responsible for the experimental fermentation program, and most of the new small-batch seasonal beers are brewed and released from the East location. All three taprooms are currently open, and TailGate continues to offer Tuesday/Friday deliveries to Davidson County.

Summer Sipper: Watermelon Gose, a slightly tart and crisp beer with just the right amount of sweetness from the watermelon, balanced by a hit of sea salt.

Bearded Iris Brewing

Bearded Iris was thankfully spared from major damage when the tornado swept through Germantown in early March. This neighborhood brewery has drummed up accolades since opening in early 2016, thanks to honing in and specializing so successfully on pale ales and IPAs. For anyone unfamiliar (or afraid) of IPAs, give Bearded Iris a chance to change your mind about hops. In 2018 Thrillist named Bearded Iris one of the “Best Breweries in America,” and Men’s Journal named Homestyle, its signature IPA, one of the 50 best craft beers in America. Bearded Iris remains extremely focused on small-batch brews to encourage creativity and experimentation, and fans have grown to anticipate the Friday can release announcement each week. The chill Bearded Iris taproom and outdoor patio is open for pickup daily from noon to 8 p.m. and also offers home delivery for Davidson county residents.

Summer Sipper: Attention Please, a refreshing double IPA brewed with 100% citra hops

Photo: The taproom at The Ranch, Jackalope’s Wedgewood-Houston outpost

Jackalope Brewing Company

Since opening the 8th Avenue location (affectionately called “The Den”) in 2011, Jackalope’s cofounder and CEO Bailey Spaulding has marked many milestones. Upon opening, Jackalope became the first female-owned brewery in Tennessee, and two years later, the first Nashville craft brewer to can its own beer. Since then, Jackalope has continued to expand. It opened a second, larger taproom in Wedgewood-Houston nicknamed “The Ranch” in 2018. The new production facility enabled Jackalope to add to its lineup of quirkily named and beautifully designed cans of beer known for their balance and drinkability. The Den is closed amid COVID-19, but The The Ranch is open Friday - Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. so patrons can enjoy a beer on the patio or play a game of shuffleboard.

Summer Sipper: Lovebird, a wheat ale infused with fresh strawberries and raspberries on limited summer release

East Nashville Beer Works

Located on Trinity Lane between Ellington Parkway and Dickerson Pike, East Nashville Beer Works brews balanced beer served in a family—and dog—friendly environment. This neighborhood-centric brewery debuted the motto “Beer is Community” at its 2016 opening and has been producing top-quality brews ever since, taking the silver for “American-Style Wheat Beer” with its brew Cumberland Punch at 2019’s craft beer Super Bowl, the Great American Beer Festival. East Nashville Beer Works is also offering free next-day delivery to Davidson County residents with a $50 purchase, and same-day curbside pickup.

Summer Sipper: East Meets Weisse, a lightly tart Berliner Weisse beer brewed with tea leaves from High Garden.

Photo: Honky Tonk’s Blueberry Lemonade — Photo: Honky Tonk’s *Blueberry Lemonade*

Honky Tonk Brewing Co.

Self described as “serious beer from irreverent people,” Honky Tonk Brewing Co. masters blending fruit into a complex flavor profile. Don’t miss the Mango Milkshake, a DIPA brewed with lactose and mango juice. While there isn’t a patio to sprawl out on at their MetroCenter tap room, Honky Tonk offers free delivery to nearby zip codes with any size purchase, or free delivery to any Davidson country addresses with a $50 purchase. Rather pick up? They’re located less than a half mile from the Cumberland River Greenway, so this is the perfect spot to stop on a bike ride around the river.

Summer Sipper: Blueberry Lemonade, a fruited sour beer made with Michigan blueberries, is slightly tart, refreshing and perfectly sessionable.

Southern Grist Brewing Co.

Forbes called Southern Grist one of “the American South’s best craft breweries” and rightly so; since its inception in 2016, Southern Grist’s Head Brewer Jared Welch has created a brand known for unique flavors, specializing in small batch seasonal sours. The original taproom in East Nashville is open with limited outdoor seating, and the newer building in the Nations offers a bit more room to stretch out on the patio. Southern Grist is also offering curbside pickup from both taprooms, as well as delivery to Davidson County addresses for an extra $10, which goes directly to the beertenders making deliveries.

Summer Sipper: Breakfast Bowl: Açaí Escape, a fruited Sour Ale brewed with lactose, açaí, blueberry puree, vanilla granola clusters, almonds, and a drizzle of honey.

Tennessee Brew Works

Since 2013, Tennessee Brew Works has brewed true to the nature of the Volunteer State, placing community at the heart of all operations and goals. Proudly making what they call “finely tuned craft beer” each of the year-round headliners boasts its own distinct flavor. The sprawling outdoor patio is the perfect spot to kick back on a sunny afternoon, and it’s no secret that Tennessee Brew Works has the best food of any taproom in town, incorporating as many brews as possible into the menu. Don’t sleep on the Springer Mountain Farms chicken wings, served with hot sauce and State Park Blonde ranch. For those still staying in, TN Brew Works is still offering both beer and food for curbside pickup and delivery as well.

Summer Sipper: Walk the Lime, a 100% wheat ale bursting with lime and other tropical notes

Little Harpeth Brewing

Little Harpeth specializes in German-style lagers, setting itself apart in the Nashville craft-brew scene dominated by ales. Lagers were hugely popular in Middle Tennessee before prohibition, as a surge of German immigrants moved to the area in the late 19th century and brought the Old World brewing techniques with them to the New World. Little Harpeth seeks to honor the legacy of early Tennesseans and continue Southeastern brewing traditions while utilizing as many local ingredients as possible. The taproom itself is expansive, and the outdoor area provides an ample amount of room to strategically space out—with a great view of downtown to boot..

Summer Sipper: Strawberry Gose, a wheat beer that deftly balances salt, sour and sweet, brewed with local strawberries