We have our restaurant rankings on SoBros Network. I’ve written gin rankings. Our favorite things to do in Nashville have their own piece on this website. Hell, we’ve even written enough travel guides to have our own guide for the guides. So, why wouldn’t we have an article designated for our thoughts on the beer we consume? That’s why I’ve dedicated this space for us to share our quick thoughts on a beer and give it a rating on a 5-star scale. Here’s how I defined the criteria:

5 = a perfect beer
4 = a regular favorite
3 = rock solid
2 = not my first choice, but it’ll do
1 = don’t particularly like it, but it gets the job done
0 = probably won’t try again

This is a running list that will be updated periodically. All of the SoBros have been invited to contribute, and hell, I guess if you want to contribute too, you can. Just e-mail me a sentence or two on the beer you tried and give it a rating based on the above scale. I’m sure I’ll be sharing this thing every once in awhile on socials, but feel free to check back whenever you think about it to see if we’ve updated this thing. After all, we do drink a lot of beer around here.

The SoBros Network Beer Journal

5/5

Homestyle (Bearded Iris) – “My favorite beer brewed in Nashville, Homestyle is a New England IPA that nails the flavor without sacrificing the drinkability. I’d put it toe to toe with any IPA on the market.” -Stoney Keeley

“Named after the state flower, the OG for the brewery is a staple amongst the local breweries in town and is appreciated by both people that like and don’t like IPAs (like myself). Preferably on draft, the Homestyle is crisp and full of flavor from the first to last sip. Rating = 5/5.” -Sean Atkins

Pabst Blue Ribbon – “Unexpected free morning PBR from a yard sale on our street during our daily walk. 5/5” -Brittany Fernandez

Black Bear Ale (Smoky Mountain Brewery) – This might be a stretch, but I can’t come to gatlinburg without getting Smoky Mountain Brewery’s Black Bear Ale – a nice brown ale with a chestnut finish that has the slightest hint of sweetness to it. I’m giving it the coveted 5/5 – a perfect beer. -SK

Conspiracy Fruited IPA (Bearded Iris) – “5/5 perfect beer” -BF

A tradition unlike any other – if it’s snowing in Nashville, @brittbutspooky is going to review a beer in it. This year, it’s @beardedirisbrew’s Conspiracy Fruited IPA, which she calls a “perfect beer.” pic.twitter.com/upVX2e6cD2

— SoBros Network (@SoBrosNetwork) January 15, 2024

Apple Crumble Sour (Southern Grist): “A perfect blend of sour and just enough sweetness that is so satisfying from aroma to the smooth sip that goes down nicely. 5/5” -SA

Sam Adams Winter Lager: “5/5 every time” -BF

Lone Star – “Katrillion out of 5. No notes.” -BF, “I echo this sentiment. Lone Star may be the best drinkin’ beer on the market.” -SK

King Cake seltzer (Wingman Brewing) – Mobile, Alabama is home to one of the greatest beverages I’ve ever tasted, Wingman Brewing’s King Cake seltzer. If you can imagine all the flavor of a good King Cake with none of the bloating that comes with eating an entire cake, you’ve got the idea. I pounded these things when we were down there for the Senior Bowl, and I still think about it to this day. It’s like drinking birthday cake and not getting full. Amazing. It’s worth the drive from Nashville to Mobile just to buy a sixer.” -SK

Miller High Life – “5/5 when you’re in Roberts listening Mr Jukebox cover The Judds.” -BF | Editor’s Note: Listen to Joshua Hedley.

“Terrapin and Blue Moon have collaborated for a specialty beer you can only get at their beer garden at Truist Park: The Terramoon. It combines what I love about both beers into one. So crisp and perfect to sip on at the ballpark.” -SA

Caybrew Light – “10/10” -BF

Oktoberfest Festbier Gutmann Collab (Sierra Nevada) – Per Sierra Nevada’s website: “Our authentic Oktoberfest is a collaboration with Brauerei Gutmann, an iconic German brewer that’s been family-owned since 1707. This classic Festbier is smooth and balanced with biscuity malt flavor and a clean finish. Prost!” This is what a festbier is all about, in my opinion. Smooth yet complex, it tastes like a hundred different malts hitting your palate. Shout out to my guy at Providence Wine & Spirits’ Beer World for hooking me up with one of these sixers out of the back. He said they’d get another shipment in so be sure to head out to Mount Juliet when they drop. It’s a perfect beer.

Pumpkinhead Ale (Shipyard) – “There may be no greater sign of fall’s arrival than when you start seeing the Pumpkinhead Ale from Shipyard pop up on shelves. At least the way things work down here in Tennessee, you damn well better buy a sixer when you have the chance. It’s liable to be gone the next time you’re in. I love that Pumpkinhead has a wheat ale base. While brewing with a variety of hops and malts, it doesn’t drink like a complicated beer. It’s a good balance with subtle hints of pumpkin and spice, and the aroma teases the senses before that first sip. To me, it is the undisputed king of the pumpkin ales.” -SK

4.5/5

Reissdorf Kölsch: “German beers like Reissdorf Kölsch shouldn’t be this crisp. A little bit of vanilla and malt combined makes this such a drinkable, but also enjoyable  beer to consume any day of the week. 4.5/5″ -SA

Marbits Marshmallow IPA (Southern Grist) – “A wave of classical, hoppy IPA flavor crashes upon the palate before the subtlest of marshmallow tones takes rest on your tongue. It’s like your favorite IPA echoes Lucky Charms, and in my humble opinion, Lucky Charms marshmallows are the best marshmallows. A fun alternative to the Irish stout if you’re looking for something festive to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with (or if you just love IPAs and marshmallows).” -SK

Mexican Lager (Cedar City Brewing) – “Mexican Lager with a fresh squeezed lime hits the spot on a warm day like today.” -SA

Chipped Prop Pilsner (Tenn Lakes Brewing Company) – “There’s something so inviting about the front end of TennLake’s Chipped Prop that makes you want to keep sipping until the glass is empty.” -SA

Reviver, German Festbier (Marble Fox) – “Marble Fox may be newer to the Nashville brewing scene, but I haven’t had a beer yet that wasn’t solid. Their festbier is no different – the depth and richness of this one are its highlights, but the surprise of it all is its drinkability. Festbiers like this shouldn’t go down the hatch this easily. Much less one that tastes like a German festbier on steroids.” -SK

4/5

Gerst Amber Ale (Yazoo) – I love a good amber ale, but Gerst seems to really dial up the maltiness with this one. While a clean drinking beer, Gerst his rich with flavor. I’m a big fan of “Nashville’s original beer.” -SK

Vegas As Fuck (Revision Brewing) – “Damn good IPA.” -BF

Oktoberfest (Nevada Brew Works) – “Nevada Brew Works Oktoberfest is a solid 4.” -BF

Pumpkin Haze IPA (21st Amendment Brewery) – 21st Amendment has a damn good pumpkin IPA. Subtle hints of the sweet spicy pumpkin flavor on the front, and a back end of traditional IPA hoppy-ness. An impressive 4 from me. -SK

Celebration IPA (Sierra Nevada) – When I think IPA, I usually think summer and citrusy, but there are a couple of really good seasonal options throughout the fall and Christmas holidays. Chief among them is this effort from Sierra Nevada that has become my favorite winter IPA. It’s rich and hoppy, and I swear, maybe it’s just me feeling festive, but there’s just the slightest hint of Christmas wreath to it. -SK

Brut Willis (East Nashville Beer Works) – All the taste of a clean, crisp IPA with the dry finish of a good champagne. They nailed this one. -SK

Snowman Stout (Jackalope) – There’s just something about a heavy stout this time of year (written in December of 2023) that hits just right. Jackalope has done it again with this one. Snowman Stout tastes every bit the mocha stout it claims to be with the hints of coffee and chocolate flooding the palate with every sip. I tried this on tap at The Belcourt and found it paired perfectly with a screening of The Holdovers. This one may have to join the regular holiday rotation. -SK

Southern Gratzer (Yazoo) – “I am once again at Yazoo. Drinking a Southern Gratzer. Super light and flavorful.” -BF

Sweetwater Blue – “Not my first time having it. But it’s a perfect Friday beer after a long week.” -BF

Cinnamon seltzer (Wingman Brewing) – “This one’s a pretty simple eval…imagine someone turned a Red Hot into a seltzer.” -SK

Hooter Brown Ale (Oyster City Brewing) – “I love a good, rich, full-bodied brown ale, and Oyster City hit the mark with Hooter Brown. It finished with the slightest tinge of sweetness.” -SK

Irish Cream Stout (Southern Tier Brewing) – “love when a brewery adds a little sweetness to a stout, and this one hits with that classic irish cream flavor. a fantastic outside-the-routine option for St. Patrick’s Day.” -SK

Summer Tropical Blonde (Fat Bottom Brewing) – “Light, yet decent body with a subtle, delicious citrus bite at the end. 4.7 ABV. I see this as a staple in my fridge this summer.” -RY

Double Take (Marble Fox) – “4/5, a strong double IPA that’s worth sipping on with hints of mango on the back end.” -SK

Daddy O (Yazoo) – “Daddy O Pilsner is a definite crushable beer for a beautiful day on a patio. 4/5” -BF

India Pale Ale (Cedar City) – “Cedar City does their IPA west coast style, and while it fits the bill as a refreshing, hoppy, aromatic IPA, to me, there’s a surprising taste of sweetness on the front end of a sip…almost like a good hard candy. It’s one of the better, more unique, local IPAs I’ve had.” -SK

Hard Mountain Dew Pineapple – “I usually don’t really love these alcoholic mt dews but the pineapple flavor and zero sugar makes for an enjoyable little beverage on a hot summer day. Tastes like summa’” -BF

Oktoberfest (Sam Adams) – “Every August, when the summer begins to dwindle, and those blue and orange boxes hit every end cap in every grocery store in town, I can’t help myself. This beer was my introduction to Oktoberfests, and it may be the basic option by today’s standards, but I still catch myself enjoying it every year. It’s become a little watery for my Oktoberfest tastes as they’ve developed throughout the years, but I still love the rich malty tones in what is a highly drinkable beer.” -SK

3.5/5

Saison Colada (Yazoo) – “Hibiscus, coconut, kiwi, pineapple, pear, and black tea leaves. And I get every single one of those flavors. Sour up front, which is nice.” -BF

Heaven, Hell, or Hoboken (902 Brewing) – “A good, crisp clean IPA that is lighter on the hoppy flavor and highly drinkable for those of you who might struggle with IPAs. Let’s call this one a good ‘starter’ IPA.” -SK

3/5

Pumpkin Pie Treat (Prairie Artisan Ales) – “P good pumpkin sour. Would give it a 3 on the Stoney scale.” -BF

Oktoberfest (Good People) – Good People didn’t play around with their Oktoberfest. It’s a good, straightforward Oktoberfest that has an intense malt/toasty flavor. It’s like a regular Oktoberfest with the Oktoberfest part turned up to 11. -SK

F.I.L.O. (First in last out) from (The Fallen Brewery) – “This is a banana clove hefe. Also, I hit this place right at happy hour so this was a $4 beer. -BF

German Pilsner (Tailgate) – “German Pilsner from tailgate. 3 ” -BF

Las Vegas Craft Lager (Big Dog’s Brewing Company) – “well tastes like a light beer.” -BF

Everything Naughty (Brewery Ommegang) – A white chocolate imperial blonde stout that tastes every bit as rich as it sounds. It’s heavy, but it is tasty, sweet, and filling. -SK

Santa’s Private Reserve (Rogue) – Nothing says “the holidays” like a good chocolate stout. Add a little toffee to it and you’ve got something that is smooth and velvety that feels festive for the season. -SK

Edley’s Best (Black Abbey) – While part of me hoped this was made with someone squeezing smoked brisket into a vat of beer, this hits right down the middle of the road. I think it would be good with some fresh BBQ, but just in general, I give it a solid 3. – Ryan (Outdoor SoBro)

Red Right Return (Oyster City Brewing) – A delightfully (and somewhat surprisingly) refreshing and hearty red ale that makes for the perfect beer to sip on and enjoy a conversation with a good friend, as spoken from experience.

Coconut porter (Cedar City Brewing) – “A damn good effort from Cedar City, which should surprise no one at this point. I like a good Earthy porter, so to add the sweetness of coconut to that was a nice creative touch.” -SK

LeisureADE (Wingman Brewing) – “The folks at Wingman Brewing might as well be mad scientists. LeisureADE is sports drink inspired and, in flavors of ‘red’ or ‘purple’, it lives up to the billing. They even put electrolytes in it so you can stay hydrated while you get sloshed.” -SK

Hoppy By Nature (Braided River Brewing) – “As steady an IPA as you’ll find in the game – its classical, tropical IPA profile make this beer the perfect companion on a trip down to the Gulf Coast.” -SK

Bootleg Blonde (Yazoo) – “Supposed to have sourdough and fruit flavor, but it falls flat. The extra point was for Yazoo’s sick outdoor spot that I love.” -BF

Sour Monkey (Victory Brewing) – “Packs a punch up front but finishes off with a strong yeast note. Weird, but flavorful as hell. Stoney would hate it.” -BF

Bee-Haze Honey IPA (East Nashville Beer Works) – “A nice classic IPA with a hint of honey…bitter hop intensity pushes the finish towards skunky though.” -SK

New Wave Lemonade (B. Nektar) – “I don’t know why but it tastes like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich” -BF

Doom Pedal White Ale (50 West) – “wheat beer that is hazy as hell and rich…like Blue Moon had a baby with your favorite Hefeweizen” -SK

Daddy Day Care IPA (902 Brewing) – “902 can make a damn clean IPA, and they’ve done it again. This one is pure and classic, but it’s potent. It has a hearty hoppy punch.” -SK

Amber Waves Amber Ale (Capitol City Brewing) – “more bitter than rich and smooth, but an undeniably full-bodied amber ale that’s better sipped than pounded.” -SK

Oktoberfest (Shiner) – “I love just about everything I’ve had from Shiner (minus that coffee beer that had literal cold brew in it and had me shaking after two of ’em). What I’d say is the staple of their beer is how they manage to get a high drinkability without sacrificing rich flavor in their brews. The Oktoberfest is no different. You get the hint of the Oktoberfest flavor profile, but you can still slam these things without bloating.” -SK

2/5

Sweatfest Ale (Crosstown Brewing) – “A watermelon gose sour, I’m giving this one a 2 on the Stoney scale. Thanks for bringing it up McCash!” -BF

Claw hammer Oktoberfest – Rich flavor profile for an Oktoberfest but way too bitter. -SK

Pumpkin Ale (Aldi) – “The aldi pumpkin ale was fine after a couple of other beers but now I’m finding it insufferable.” -BF

Moscow Mule seltzer (Wingman Brewing) – “It’s a great seltzer that tastes JUST like a Moscow Mule, which begged the question for me….why wouldn’t I just order a Moscow Mule?” -SK

Black cherry seltzer (Cedar City Brewing) – “I love the taste of cherry NyQuil. If you’re like me, you’ll love this seltzer too.” -SK

Donna’s Pickle Beer – ” Lager with Real Pickle Juice. It tastes as expected: like someone poured a shot of pickle juice in a decent, smooth beer. Interesting, but not interested in drinking more than one.” -RY

Blueberry Picnic (Blackstone) – “I’ve had better blueberry beers but it’s easy.” -BF

Stupid Man Suit (B. Nektar) – “I’m interested to hear Brittany’s assessment, but I give it a 2/5. I’m not a huge cider drinker, but I’d drink this in a pinch. I definitely enjoyed it more as the glass got lower, seemed to lose its tartness. It was much too tart for my wife’s liking also.” -RY Brittany’s Assessment: “I would probably also give it a 2 maybe 2.5. I liked it better once it lost the initial punch. I love cider but tend to lean toward more traditional flavor. I love trying weird shit though.” -BF Ryan: “5/5 for having a Donnie Darko theme though.” -RY

Jack-O Pumpkin Ale (Sam Adams) – “I grab Jack-O every year thinking I won’t be disappointed. I love Sam Adams and appreciate the name. But I’m always left a little disappointed that it isn’t as flavorful as I believe it should be. A great one for people who enjoy a more beer forward flavor.” -BF

1/5

Bud Light – Any talk about beer has to start with Bud Light for me. It’s about all my dad drank, and even though it does taste like sparkling bread water, it still brings back memories of pitching quarters out behind his old body shop after a hard day of work. I’ll always carry that with me, and hey – for what it’s worth, every now and then I do get a hankering for a Bud Light at a summer cookout or after mowing the lawn. I talked about Bud Light more with my buddy Pat Artus on The Quick Sixer Podcast. -SK

0/5

Carrot Cake White Stout (Oyster City Brewing) – This one’s on me, guys. I should’ve read the description of this beer before ordering it because if I had known it had cold brew coffee and lactose in it, it would’ve been a hard pass from me from the jump. I love Oyster City. They’re one of my favorite breweries I’ve been to around the Southeast. But, this beer almost ended my weekend early for me. My insides are getting clogged up just thinking about it. I saw the name and thought “light fluffy carrot cake,” but it is a heavy beer, maybe the heaviest I’ve ever had. While the carrot cake flavor is nice with the subtle tones of vanilla, it is way too girthy of a beer for me to enjoy. I nursed that sumbitch for an hour (Zach can vouch for me on this) and thought I was going to shit my pants the whole walk to the next brewery down in Mobile. A rare miss from Oyster City in my book. -SK

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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley

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