![\"Metazoa](\"https:\/\/cdn.craftbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20211027120313\/metazoa.jpg\")
\nRoad trippin\u2019 is back! The beaches along the Gulf Coast are the destination of choice for millions of weary travelers. Interstate 65 is one of the main routes to get there, beginning just south of Chicago and winding down to Mobile, Alabama. Along the way are some amazing craft beer cities, towns and craft breweries to quench your thirst as you stop for the night.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019Metazoa\u2019 is the scientific word referring to the whole animal kingdom,\u201d explains Sarah Silcox, Metazoa Brewing Co. Marketing and Events Manager. \u201cSince day one we\u2018ve donated 5% of our profits to animal and wildlife organizations to give back to the planet that gives us beer. Drink beer. Help animals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Metazoa is nestled in the heart of downtown Indianapolis with 18+beers on tap and a dog park on-site. While our four-legged friends are always welcome, one thing that does set Metazoa apart is their brewery is ages 21+ only.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur best-seller is typically our house IPA called Hoppopotamus that features a bright, citrus aroma from Citra and Mosaic hops balanced by a light sweetness from Vienna malt,\u201d says Silcox.<\/p>\n
Metazoa is experimenting with some seasonal fruit beers this summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cFlaming Juice (Cherry Blonde Ale) and Blueberry Bandit (Blueberry Wheat Beer) along with the debut of our new Pander Bear hard seltzer series and our rotating DDH Hoppopotamus series featuring double dry-hopped versions of our house IPA, Hoppopotamus,\u201d says Silcox.<\/p>\n
Metazoa\u2019s brewing philosophy is all about balanace. From traditional ales to quirky experiement styles, they focus on balanced flavor.<\/p>\n\n
Brian Holton was working as an emergency room nurse three days a week when he decided he wanted to make it big with a brewery. He opened up Monnik in 2011.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat little spot opened in 2011 and was successful so I looked to open another bigger spot in Louisville.\u00a0My Dutch contractor friend, Ian, came on board as a partner and we opened our brewpub, Monnik Beer Co., in Louisville in November 2015,\u201d Holton told craftbeer.com.<\/p>\n
Holton says Monnik\u2019s beer is a mix of classic styles and new American creations and their food is locally sourced.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe summer beers you must try this year are both session ales.\u00a0Ginger Saison has been around since the beginning and is a bright and refreshing take on a classic style.\u00a0We also will have a low-cal session ale coming out in July called Nite Life Lite.\u00a0 Coming in at 4.6% ABV and only 100 calories, it’s a unique take on a low-calorie beer in that it’s lightly dry hopped and is 100% malted barley.\u201d<\/p>\n
Saisons have always been popular at Monnik, which usually has several available at any given time.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur biggest seller has always been our flagship IPA, but lately we’ve been selling a ton of Italian Disco, our Italian pilsner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Monnik also has a new location in New Albany, Indiana.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re not unlike most small breweries,\u201d said Aaron Hawkins, co-owner of Flywheel Brewing in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.\u00a0\u201cWe started as three homebrewers with a passion (for) beer who wanted to bring that passion to our hometown that desperately needed something craft that promoted a responsible beer culture.\u201d<\/p>\n
The spinning wheel, or flywheel, inspired the name of the brewery.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom printing presses to the mechanics of manufacturing,\u00a0the flywheel fostered our intellect and enabled our industry,\u201d explains Hawkins. \u201cWe honor that simple machine and simpler time by bringing brewing back to the heartland of Kentucky. We believe in the power of a good beer to break down social barriers, and that a community needs a relaxing space where neighbors can gather to form bonds and lasting friendships.\u201d<\/p>\n
Flywheel\u2019s taproom has a fully functional letter press from the early 1900s. They use it to print promotional materials and other items.<\/p>\n
Flywheel is known for its IPA\u2019s but also its cream ale.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe pitched a Belgian yeast strain in a cream ale to give it a little different taste and people love it,\u201d says Hawkins.\u00a0\u201cWe call it Decapitated Monkey it’s by far been our best seller.\u201d<\/p>\n
Their summer seasonal is a sour ale called Updog.\u00a0Made with dragonfruit, organic rose petal and guave sour, Hawkins said it\u2019s a perfectly balanced blend of tart.<\/p>\n
Jackalope is one of the first female founded breweries in America. Founded by Bailey Spaulding and Robyn Virball, it\u2019s been brewing since 2011. Steve Wright joined shortly after that as President and now business partner.<\/p>\n
Jackalope\u2019s trademark beer is Bearwalker, a maple brown ale.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was inspired by Bailey\u2019s roots in Vermont,\u201d explains Lisa Peterson, Jackalope\u2019s Marketing Director. \u201cPure maple syrup is infused during the conditioning phase and is noticeable from start to finish. Chocolate malts add roasted notes to the flavor and aroma. It is also more highly hopped than most browns to create a balanced, yet complex brew.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thunder Ann American Pale Ale became the first Jackalope beer to be canned in 2013. In fact, it was the first beer to be canned of any Nashville craft brewery.<\/p>\n
\u201cThunder Ann is named after Davy Crockett’s mythical wife – Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett, and is brewed with biscuit and honey malts that complement the citrusy American hops,\u201d explains Peterson.<\/p>\n
If your road trip takes you through Nashville this summer or fall, you can enjoy Lovebird. It\u2019s a strawberry raspberry wheat beer that\u2019s available through October.<\/p>\n
Jackalope outgrew its original brewery in 2018 and opened a new location in Nashville\u2019s Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood. Affectionately called \u201cThe Ranch,\u201d it\u2019s open Wednesday to Sunday and has a private events space as well as a dog-friendly patio.<\/p>\n![\"Jackalope](\"https:\/\/cdn.craftbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20211027120348\/jackalope-brewing.jpg\")
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Founded by the Atwood family in 2018, Cross-Eyed Owl Brewing Company\u2019s name is a nod to British beer culture and their formula for naming pubs like The White Lion, The Drunken Duck or The Green Harpy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are multiple members of the Atwood household who are in love with owls, so that part of the name was an easy choice,\u201d explains Shane Sieweke, who works sales at the brewery. \u201c\u2019Cross Eyed\u2019 seemed a good fit to give us the fun,\u00a0whimsical, light-hearted name we\u00a0were looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cross-Eyed Owl began as a home brew project. Erin Atwood hosted a BBQ and a Brew Day for her husband, Trey\u2019s, birthday.<\/p>\n
![\"cross-eyed](\"https:\/\/cdn.craftbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20211027120426\/cross-eyed-brewing.jpg\")
\u201cAfter several brew sessions, Trey became hooked on his newfound hobby,\u201d said Sieweke. \u201cA few years later, Trey was diagnosed with colon cancer. During his chemo treatment, as Trey reflected\u00a0on the shortness of life he told Erin he wanted to start a brewery to really do something with life for their\u00a0family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trey survived his bout with colon cancer and is doing well.<\/p>\n
Cross-Eyed Owl\u2019s Cream Ale is their top-selling beer. They also have a popular Berliner Weiss and summer beer, Sassymouth. But beer\u2019s not the only thing they sell.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike any other local brewery, we make craft soda,\u201d explains Sieweke. \u201cIn the tap room, we always offer four of our rotational beers. This is one of the family friendly things we offer. We also make shandies as a combination\u00a0of our soda and beer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Braided River has several year-round beers including Hoppy by Nature, Hang Out and Beer Here Now.<\/p>\n
Barely a year old, Braided River aims to produce drinkable, refreshing beer that works with the Gulf Coast lifestyle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe term \u2018braided river\u2019 describes the way multiple rivers come together in the Delta,\u201d explains David Nelson, founder of Braided River. \u201cThey slow down, spread out, and criss-cross with one another, before making their way to the Bay. We know life is at its best when we slow down and connect with one another. By brewing great beer, we provide a point of connection, bringing people together to savor life\u2019s moments and celebrate the natural world in Mobile\u2019s backyard.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Braided](\"https:\/\/cdn.craftbeer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20211027120503\/braided-river-brewing.jpg\")
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Braided River\u2019s facility is in downtown Mobile in an historic brick building with huge windows. The downtown is easily walkable and the brewery keeps several beer on draft year-round.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do a run of limited release beers every 3-4 weeks that show a range of styles we’re interested in,\u201d says Nelson. \u201cWe’ve recently released both a hazy IPA with mango and a New Zealand hopped pilsner. Coming this fall we’ll have a white stout and the return of our sour brown ale with raspberries.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once you hit the end of Interstate 65, you can go east towards Panama City or west towards the beach of Mississippi and the excitement of New Orleans. Regardless of which direction you choose, you can continue your travels with some great cities, stops and craft breweries in either direction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Headed south to the Gulf Coast? Interstate 65 offers up several great craft beer cities to quench your thirst as you stop for the night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5926,"featured_media":111812,"sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sticky_collection":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4943,4812],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beercation-destination","category-full-pour"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n