NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Craft beer enthusiasts grabbed a drink and a seat to stay warm at the Farm to Tap Festival.
"We woke up and it was, what? Five, ten degrees," said Owner and Brew Master of Tailgate Brewery, Wesley Keegan. "We couldn't believe that actually anybody showed up." But hundreds showed up to taste beers from 30 breweries across the state at Tailgate Brewery.
The event was part of the Farm to Tap initiative between Tennessee's Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee Craft Brewers Guild.
"Quite simply, it's bringing farmers and brewers together," said Executive Director of the Tennessee Craft Brewers Guild, Sharon Cheek. "We want to promote the use of homegrown ingredients in Tennessee craft beer, but we also want to promote homegrown ingredients to craft beer enthusiasts."
It was a welcomed opportunity for small businesses after what's been a tough two years.
"I mean a couple months ago we were dealing with the latest omicron surge and you look around at something like this and things feel pretty normal, but we're still feeling the effects of the last couple of years," Keegan said.
Still, the industry is booming. Currently, there are more than 100 breweries in Tennessee — double what there was ten years ago.
"So it's a fast-growing industry," said Keegan. "It's one that's young, it's one that's educated, it's one that's diverse and growing and it's an exciting industry."
The Nashville festival was part of a series across the state. It began in Knoxville last month before making a stop in Nashville. The next and final stop is Memphis next month.
