Beer travel is an important part of life. Here at Great Beer Now, we include brewery visits, tavern stops, and other beer- related tourism as part of every scheduled trip and I have often dreamed of visiting all of the breweries in my home state. Texas, of course, is a very large state and a visit to every brewery would take some effort. But mileage and vehicle wear- n- tear aren’t stopping a determined trio of friends in Tennessee from going on the road for a whirlwind tour across the Volunteer state, visiting 76 breweries from January 24 through February 13, 2017.
Partaking in this road trip to end all road trips are Tennessee residents Zack Roskop, Matt Malone, and Jessica Warblow. The three beer- loving comrades plan to embark on the 24th of January from east Tennessee on the Knox Brew Tours Bus, making their way westward to Memphis and back, visiting every operational brewery in the state and attending an after party each evening. Dubbed the Tennessee Beer Run, the tour will launch from Crafty Bastard Brewery and the crew plans to broadcast live from one of the breweries they visit each day, via Facebook, and they welcome all to watch and learn more about Tennessee’s amazing beer scene and craft beer culture.
Great Beer Now caught up with the leader of the pack and Knox Brew Tours boss, Zack Roskup, and chatted a little bit about the upcoming Tennessee Beer Run excursion:
- What inspired this brewery- visiting adventure? Is it all about the promotion of Tennessee craft beer, or is there more?
Zack: The idea came from a few buddies and myself sitting around a table at a brewery, drinking a few beers, and brainstorming different ways to promote craft beer culture. One of them said, “You should just visit every brewery in the state.” The other said, “No, that’s not unique enough.” Then I said, “What if I did it in 3 weeks?” Then the wheels started turning and we started asking ourselves if it was even possible. Once the idea made it to Didi Rainey, the owner of Tennessee Craft Beer Magazine and she insisted that our trip be the cover article for their spring issue, the trip went from a crazy idea to something that might actually happen. The trips focus is about exposure of craft beer culture and community and about supporting small business ownership.
2. Are there any places on the itinerary that you are most anxious to visit? Which ones rank at the top?
Zack: As far as visiting locations I’m mostly excited about meeting people I haven’t met yet. It’s almost like a treasure hunt. You don’t know what’s under a rock until you pick it up and look. I’m mostly excited about the stories and the connections that I can’t predict.
3. Will your excursion focus only on breweries, or do you have stops planned at other places?
Zack: Our trip is definitely brewery focused but we will also be making a few stops along the way. We will be visiting some craft beer markets, boutique hotels, and epic food stops. All of those are going to be listed on our DETOURS page. www.thetnbeerrun.com/detours.
The Tennessee Beer Run begins in just a short time and will conclude after 21 days of brewery visits, parties, and more. It’s enough to make me want to charter a bus of my own and traverse across the state of Texas and it sounds like an amazing and informative road trip, one that could easily inspire others to plan similar trips of their own.
Few things can rival the thrill and adventure of a full- fledged beercation and the Tennessee Beer Run is prepped and ready to explore the great state of Tennessee on a beercation of grand proportions. To join in the fun, be sure to follow along on Facebook and Twitter and be sure to consult the Tennessee Beer Run web site for other information.
Cheers to Zack, Matt, & Jessica……and Let the Tennessee Beer Run begin!
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