By Abbey Brown

There’s no stopping the craft beer craze that has sprung up these past couple of years, but then, why would you want to? Nashville has over fifteen small breweries that provide the area with a broad selection of beer options. Yazoo, Black Abbey, and Jackalope are just a few of the widely known breweries that can be spotted at one of the twelve beer festivals scheduled for 2016. In Nashville, we listen to more than country music, and we drink more than Bud Light.

Jackalope Brewing Company was opened in 2011 by two New England girls, Bailey Spaulding and Robyn Virball. They met each other abroad in 2002, and eight years later joined with Steve Wright to start a craft brewery that was active in the community, and produced creative beers. The company’s name comes from Bailey’s fascination with the jackalope, a mythical creature (described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns) from North American folklore she used to think was real.

Jackalope’s taproom offers a variety of circulating brews in addition to their year-round beers. Unfortunately, they don’t serve food, but there are plenty of places to grab a bite in the Gulch area. If you’re looking to spend a Saturday doing a full Nashville beer tour, Yazoo and Tennessee Brew Works are conveniently located around the corner from Jackalope. Brewery tours are $7 and come with samples and a pint glass. For those unable to make it to the taproom, the Jackalope website has a beer find application so you can still find one of their brews at a store or bar near you.

The Year-round Brews

Thunder Ann APA. Named after Davy Crockett’s fictional wife, this craft beer highlights citrusy American hops. It’s a bold tasting APA with honey and biscuit malts, and notes of apricot and mango.
ABV: 5.5%
IBUs: 37

Rompo Red Rye Ale. The mystical beast with a rabbit head, human ears, badger arms, and bear legs, Rompo puts a Tennessee twist on an Irish Red. The flaked rye added to the mash gives a little spice to this smooth brew.
ABV: 5.6%
IBUs: 22

Bearwalker Maple Brown. Named after the folklore creature that shape shifts between bear and human, the Bearwalker is deliciously infused with pure maple syrup. Maple syrup, chocolate malts and added hops gives this brew a more interesting flavor than your traditional dark, amber ale.
ABV: 5.1%
IBUs: 32

Leghorn IPA. This India Pale Ale is given its name from Foghorn Leghorn, the cartoon rooster most know and love. Leghorn IPA has a strong hoppy flavor with floral accents that give it a refreshing taste. A great summer beer!
ABV: 6.0%
IBUs: 65

You can stay up to date with Jackalope on their twitter account.