Beer Spots in Downtown Knoxville
Knoxville's beer scene is one of the best in the southeast, and you have a plethora of choices when mapping your taproom tour through Downtown Knoxville! We've focused on the breweries and brewpubs you can walk to within the downtown central business district. It's also in alphabetical order, because the variety, prestige, and sheer volume of options are too much for us to rate (although Balter just brought home some very impressive awards🏆). Try them all and pick your favorite.
Balter Beerworks
Balter Beerworks clinched the coveted title of "Brewery of the Year" at The 2023 Great American Beer Festival, one of the most revered events in the craft brewing industry. The award is a testament to Balter's commitment to exceptional craft brewing, and if you've been, you know the same goes for their scratch-made food. Sip on their tasty Sunsphere Wheat that won Gold at the festival, or the Vecino that came home with Silver!
Calhoun's on the River
Brews and views are two things Calhoun’s on the River can provide ten-fold. They proudly serve selections from sister restaurant Smoky Mountain Brewery, where the beer is brewed in small batches for optimal taste and quality. Mainstays include the tasty Mountain Light (delicately hopped, American light lager), Cherokee Red Ale (Irish-style with five malts and English hops), and Helles (German light lager). Enjoy on the deck with a burger and BBQ!
Curious Dog
Like your beer with a side of brat? Curious Dog is a deli and craft beer market on the first floor of the historic JGF Building in the Old City offering over 200 different styles and flavors of beer to choose from, including draft, packaged, and constantly rotating singles. Available with your meal or on the go! Hot tip, they have 30 different hot dogs and sandwiches with made-from-scratch sauces and sides! This place is a hidden gem.
Downtown Grill & Brewery
A local staple for Knoxville’s beer enthusiasts! All of Downtown Grill & Brewery craft-brewed drafts are made on the premises, where you’ll see the gleaming 15-barrel Bohemian brewhouse in their dining room. Check out their White Mule Ale (named after a legend of the rare animal that died onsite and cursed the building) or the Alt, a full-bodied Düsseldorf style beer made with special malts imported from Munich that lend an authentic malty note to this exceptional brew!
Knox Brew Hub
Stop by Downtown Knoxville’s craft beer bar that celebrates all things Knoxville beer. Knox Brew Hub's draft wall consists of beers made in Knox County and surrounding counties. Same goes for their Cellar, where you can find aged and specialty craft bottles. If it's local, look no further! Anything goes in the Beer Fridge, where you can find a staff curated selection of favorites, plus, a selection of non-alcoholic beers. Trust us: order a flight to go with the delicious Cajun food from Fred Beans & Rice!
Merchants of Beer
Cheers! Merchants of Beer is a unique dog-loving venue for craft beer lovers to experience Knoxville's wide selection of beers. It’s crucial to always keep an eye on their rotating wall of 50 taps – you never know what’ll pop up next! Look for the orange stars, which mean local breweries. Enjoy your brew inside their art deco bar, or on the fan-favorite outdoor patio. And don't miss the grab-n-go market refreshed with new stock of unique selections every week.
Pour Taproom
Knoxville’s most high-tech bar, Pour Taproom, is a must-visit in Downtown Knoxville. Grab your wristband at the counter, scan it at one of the 68 self-service taps, and pay by the ounce. Beer, cider, mead, wine, seltzer, kombucha and more, you can literally try a little bit of it all. They have a fun, casual vibe inside and a nice outdoor patio overlooking Jackson Ave's historic architecture.
Pretentious Beer Co
Our local brewing scene’s creatives and fun-friends at Pretentious Beer always have tasty new offerings for you! They have 18 thoughtfully curated taps, including their own craft beers and seltzers, which they serve to you in a handblown glass made next door (peep their taps, which are also handblown). Their spacious patio is the perfect place to enjoy a beer from their tap, or perhaps a seasonal beer slushie.
Suttree's High Gravity Tavern
Suttree's High Gravity Tavern and sister spot Harrogate's Arcade Lounge might be all about the arcade games, but those high gravity selections are not playing around. This spot features 32 ever-changing taps, so you'll "never be in the same bar twice." With regular tap takeovers from the newest mom and pop breweries to tried and true favorites, you'll find a new and unique beer here every time you visit! If there is ever a new release, they will have it!