Nashville Best Of 2026 · Best Brewery
Jackalope Brewing Company
What started as two friends’ homebrewing dream grew into one of the most recognizable names in Tennessee craft beer. With 29 taps, weekly live music, and a sprawling patio in Wedgewood-Houston, Jackalope is our pick for the best brewery in Nashville.
The Verdict
Why Jackalope Earns the Title
Nashville’s craft beer scene has exploded, and Jackalope helped build it. Opened in 2011, it was one of the first female-founded breweries in the country, and in 2013 it became the first Nashville craft brewery to put its beer in cans. Today its taproom, affectionately known as The Ranch, pours 29 beers inside a working production brewery, with the tanks just steps from your table.
The beer is only part of the draw. The Ranch has a full food menu, live music every week on its outdoor stage, a dog-friendly patio, and shelves of board games made for lingering. Add college and NFL games on the TVs all season long, and it’s the kind of place that turns a quick pint into a whole afternoon.
2011
Founded in Nashville
1st
Nashville Craft Brewery to Can
29
Beers on Tap
Weekly
Live Music on the Patio
What to Order
Start with These Pours
With 29 taps, the choices can be overwhelming. Here’s where to begin.
Bearwalker Maple Brown
Jackalope’s longtime best seller and a Nashville favorite. This smooth maple brown ale proves a flagship doesn’t have to be an IPA.
Thunder Ann Pale Ale
A bright, easy-drinking American pale ale and one of Jackalope’s original core beers. It’s the perfect first pint on the patio.
Small Batches & Seasonals
Ask about the limited brews you can only find at The Ranch, plus beers from sister brand Black Abbey, now brewed under the same roof.
The Story
From a Homebrewing Dream to The Ranch
Bailey Spaulding and Robyn Virball became friends in the tiny Scottish village of St. Andrews. After college, Bailey headed to Vanderbilt Law School, but her passion for homebrewing won out. The pair began planning a brewery in 2009, Steve Wright joined the team in 2010, and Jackalope opened its doors on Eighth Avenue South in 2011.
After outgrowing that first brewery, Jackalope opened The Ranch in Wedgewood-Houston in 2018 and helped shape the neighborhood into one of Nashville’s most creative districts. Today it also brews fellow Nashville favorite Black Abbey under the same roof, and Bailey Spaulding remains part of the team keeping Jackalope’s spirit intact.
“Jackalope isn’t just where you drink. It’s where Nashville gathers.”
Jackalope Brewing Company
Plan Your Visit
Pull Up a Chair at The Ranch
The Ranch is about eight minutes from downtown in Wedgewood-Houston, with plenty of onsite parking. Rideshare is recommended on weekend evenings.
Location
Taproom Hours
Mon: Closed
Tue–Thu: 4 – 10 pm
Fri–Sat: Noon – 10 pm
Sun: Noon – 7 pm
Hours vary on holidays.
Good to Know
Dogs are welcome on the patio, and brewery tours are available. Planning a group outing? The Ranch has three private spaces for groups of 20 to 275+.
See You at The Ranch
Grab a table on the patio, catch a show on the outdoor stage, or check the tap list before you go.