Bristol is known for music, racing, its incomparable outdoor beauty – and its exceptionally strong craft beer and distillery game.

The downtown area, the heart and soul of Bristol, is home to five vastly different such establishments, each one bringing its unique take and flavors to the table. If craft beverages tickle your tastebuds, you’ll definitely want to drink it all in.

The Cascade Draft House

Cascade offers a unique selection of craft beverages and features ciders, sours, and seltzers. With 40 taps, you can find popular regional drinks, as well as hard-to-find ales from around the country. Cascade also offers a Bottle Shop with a variety of delicious grab-and-go beer you can take home.

The Belgian and Farmhouse Ales and the IPAs are among the most popular drinks, but you can always count on some surprises, too, as new choices are constantly added to the rotation. You can also enjoy excellent food truck selections, Singo competitions, and a great live music lineup – all of which make Cascade a favorite stop, not just for the locals but for folks around the region.

Elderbrew

Elderbrew was Downtown Bristol’s first small-batch brewery and prides itself on quality, craftsmanship, and creativity. Keeping that in mind, Elderbrew brews just one barrel of beer at a time, allowing them to focus on producing consistently premier beer, which is only available in their taproom.

Focusing on left-of-the-center hand-crafted ales and lagers, the brewery offers a diverse and constantly changing menu of ales and IPAs. Elderbrew also features special nights, including the popular “Bring Your Own Vinyl” and $1 Off Nights.

Lost State Distilling

It’s only been around for a few years, but Lost State quickly made a name for itself. The family-owned craft distillery was voted America’s Best New Craft Distillery in the 2020 USA Today Reader’s Choice awards, and its delightful Tennessee Gin recently received its second Gold Medal from the John Barleycorn Awards.

Lost State produces small-batch Gin, Rum, and Tennessee Whiskey, using only the finest ingredients with a focus on quality. It also features a Tasting Room, where you can sample a special selection of spirits only available there, and tours are also available. And, if you’re looking for a gift, there’s a shop inside the distillery, and you can purchase items online too!

Michael Waltrip Brewing

Featuring beers on tap and to-go, Michael Waltrip Brewing is owned by the two-time Daytona 500 champion. You’ll find signature and seasonal flavors, including favorites from brewing friends and an occasional surprise appearance from the NASCAR driver himself.

The brewery, located in an old fire museum, also has a kitchen with some incredible food offerings, Happy Hours, plenty of great live music, and special nights. Two-Time Tap Room offers customizable experiences for groups of all sizes, including company parties, tasting events, birthday events, and other private events. And, if you’re looking for merchandise, there’s an online gift shop.

State Street Brewing

As the name implies, State Street Brewing Company sits in the middle of Downtown Bristol, on its most famous street. Its mission is to brew enjoyable, flavorful, and unique beers. They love coming up with exciting, new beers and like to take old classics and add their own unique touch.

State Street features signature recipes that are always on tap, like the popular Trail Runner and High Hopes beers, and also has seasoning offerings. Like most of Bristol’s breweries, you can find live music on many nights, as well as special events, like the Masquerade Murder Mystery event. And State Street encourages patrons to BYOF – bring your own food from any of the many wonderful downtown restaurants.