One of the most unique parts of the brewery boom has been discovering a spot that “never existed” before filled with patrons who forgot what life was like before the spot existed. An exciting new location quickly turns into a familiar barstool with the proper first impression.
Luckily, first impressions aren’t everything as Barrique is located in what felt like a shipping dock by Nissan Stadium. The grey wave of concrete had me checking the GPS a few times but upon arrival I was greeted with two tan wooden doors that felt like they were the gateway to a club I wasn’t invited to but was welcomed into.
Barrique Brewing & Blending is a hole in the wall lined with rows and rows of wooden barrels for aging. Their bar is small, maybe ten seats in total but lines up perfectly for your entrance to the brewery. There are a number of tables and rail seating past the bar which I didn’t venture into but looked inviting enough for larger groups.
If you do sit at the first seat at the bar once you enter, be sure to look up and to the right as the entire menu is on a push board. Unfortunately, it took me a little longer than I’m proud to admit to notice it. I had three beers while there; Polski Pils, Grissette and the Halfpence.
Pilsners are such a delight to find at breweries because its hard to hide behind such a low number of ingredients. The Polski was refreshing and crisp, everything I wanted off the rip at any brewery. They didn’t have an IPA on the menu
The Grissette was enjoyable but for sure was a one-and-done beer for me. They seemed to specialize in long awaited beers with their aging process and the sour aspect was a bit surprising when I took my first sip.
The Halfpence was the beer that really stole the show. This beer was poured from this Alexander Graham Bell looking machine and was as light a beer as I’ve ever sipped. The Halfpence was a lighter than air Guinness, a sentence I didn’t think was possible before yesterday. 10/10, highly recommend to a friend.
When I rate places on their “Food” category, I try to not be biased towards locations that have on site kitchens. It comes down to just the locations near by of the quality of their good truck selection and for the latter, Barrique could do no wrong. Sando Society had three menu items, all of which looked just absurdly delicious. I went with the Pinche Rancho, a chorizo dish that somehow paired perfectly with each beer.
All in all, Barrique is an absolute gem. I’m not sure if it instantly makes my “Breweries you HAVE to visit” just with the sheer name value of some of the top tier ones in Nashville but as of right now this brewery is the one I’m most excited for Greg to see when he visits next, and that sentence alone should carry some pretty heavy sentiment. The staff was energetic and welcoming, the regulars waved as they entered and exited and a group of kilt-bearing gentlemen walked in, one with a Steelers hat on. Need I say more?
Barrique Brewing – 15.1/20
Food – 3.9
Beer – 4.1
Space – 3
People – 4.1
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