Cocktail barBrewery taproom$$$old-cityMon-Wed 15:00-21:00; Thu 15:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-23:30; Sun 12:00-21:00
Pretentious Beer Co. taproom on South Central in the Old City, glass artist Matthew Cummings' experimental brewery, pours small-batch beer in hand-blown.
Signature drink: Experimental craft beer in custom glassware
Food: Snacks; food trucks rotate
Tip: Beer garden between the brewery and glass studio is the centerpiece; weekday afternoons are quietest.
Cocktail barBrewery taproom$$$happy-hollerSun-Thu 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-23:00
Yee-Haw Brewing taproom on North Broadway, the regional Tennessee brand's Knoxville location, runs the full Yee-Haw lineup with live music programming.
Signature drink: Yee-Haw Pilsner and rotating Tennessee lagers
Food: Full kitchen with bar food
Tip: Live music nights run Fridays and Saturdays; the kitchen stays open through last call on weekends.
Cocktail barGerman brewery beer garden$$$happy-hollerTue-Wed 15:00-00:00; Thu 11:00-00:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-01:00; Sun 11:00-00:00; closed Mon
Schulz Brau beer garden on Bernard Avenue in Happy Holler, the German family-owned brewery's outdoor space, pours authentic German lagers and weisse.
Signature drink: Schulz Brau German lagers and weisse
Food: German bar food
Tip: Beer garden runs weather-dependent; check the brewery's Instagram before driving over on a borderline day.
Cocktail barBrewery taproom$$$north-knoxvilleMon-Thu 15:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-22:00; Sun 12:00-20:00
Elst Brewing taproom on North Central, the dog-friendly Belgian-leaning craft brewery patio, runs saisons, farmhouse ales and rotating seasonals in North.
Signature drink: Belgian-style saisons and farmhouse ales
Food: Snacks; food trucks rotate
Tip: Dog-friendly outdoor patio is the draw; food trucks rotate so check the chalkboard for the night.
Cocktail barBrewery taproom$$$old-cityMon 17:00-22:00; Tue-Thu 16:00-22:00; Fri 16:00-23:00; Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-21:00
Crafty Bastard at Emory Place, the downtown Knoxville taproom HQ on a corner lot north of Gay Street, runs a rotating tap list of Crafty Bastard brews.
Signature drink: Rotating Crafty Bastard taps
Food: Food-truck rotation
Tip: Food trucks rotate nightly; check the taproom Instagram before walking up.
Cocktail barAperitivo bar$$$old-cityTue-Thu 16:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 16:00-00:00; closed Sun-Mon
Brother Wolf on West Jackson, Aaron Thompson and Jessica King's Italian aperitivo bar below Osteria Stella, anchors the Old City's cocktail tier with amari.
Signature drink: Italian aperitivo cocktails and amari
Food: Light bites and snacks
Tip: Sister venue Osteria Stella is upstairs; pair the aperitivo with the Italian dinner for a one-stop Old City night.