Excited about moving to Knoxville, beer question (Kingsport, Gatlinburg: job transfer, to buy)

[Heath4617]

Hi! We are currently in SoCal, but have decided to make our move next year to Knoxville. I was born in Kingsport but raised in Maryland. My husband & I left MD in 2001 when his job transferred us to Northern California. Of course a few months after we left we find out I am pregnant with our first child. The following year my parents and brother leave MD and move to Knoxville. My husband's career has taken us to Honolulu and now San Diego and after having two kids and being so far away from my family I am ready to move! California may have its beauty, but the taxes, cost of living and distance from my family are not worth it to me.

It's a little harder for my husband to leave than me. His mother and step-father are here, but knows that San Diego is just not long-term for us. Neither of us want to move to another unfamiliar place without any family, been there done that, more than once.

So, now after the little background on me, here's my question. We are beer drinkers, and my husband enjoys trying different microbrews and such. Here, with Trader Joe's and stores like BevMo we can find just about anything. Do you have any specialty liquor/beer stores that sell microbrews and other hard-to-find beers? My parents aren't big drinkers so they could not really help with this question.

Earlier this year we left the kids with my parents and rented a cabin for 2 nights in Gatlinburg and enjoyed the brews at Smokey Mtn Brewery so at least I know he can get that if nothing else!

Thanks for reading!

[oldmanbob]

Hey Heath417, move on up, and by time you get here, we can probably have more like Gatlinburg. Calhouns is close to SMB, and they have several different stores here, and Smoky Mtn Brew, just opened a new store at Turkey Creek. Seveal good stores, has about any kind you want, and the Fresh Market carries about anything you want, as does the Leaf and ale, at Cedar Bluff.

[knoxgarden]

Promise him he can go to the Brewer's Jam every year.
Knoxville Brewers Jam 2008
Buy a glass and taste away! And it's for a great charity.
You'll find lots of different beers on tap. There's an Irish pub and an English Pub that carry those beers. Sunspot has some great microbeers on tap.
This is a college town. We've got beer.
Just make sure you've got ID with you. Law requires that you show ID to buy beer, no matter how old you look.

[RangerDuke08]

Heather, sounds like the good 'ol military life I once knew. Also check out downtown grill and brewery and new knoxville brewing company.

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Hubby will be glad to know that there are lots of good beer around to be sampled. He likes imports the best but micro brews will do just fine.

[Heath4617]

Thanks for the replies and info! Sounds like we will have more than enough to choose from! The Brewers Jam looks like a good time, wish we could be there now!

[chank51]

You might want to check out the Knoxville Cigar Company. They have 180 different bottled beers and eight on tap. They also have an excellent selection of scotch and bourbon as well. You can check their website at www.knoxcigar.com (broken link)

[Kitties of Domination]

Heath, I am a high gravity beer fan as well. McScrooges, while probably not as excellent as some stores in Atlanta, does indeed have a respectable selection (the best I have found in Knoxville). They feature a large selection Belgians, an increasing number of British old ales, rare finds like Thomas Hardy and Samiclaus, German smoked beers and bocks, barley wines, imperial stouts, etc. They are also very good about ordering special requests. For good beer selections when going out, Union Jack's, Preservation Pub, and Barley's are recommended. If you have any questions about the local availability of a specific beer, let me know.

[Beretta]

There is a beer article in today's Knoxville newspaper! Woot woot!

Copper Cellar brewmaster says Brewers’ Jam among best beer festivals nationwide : Local News : Knoxville News Sentinel