Meet Two of Nashville's Indie Brewers

During Yahoo Y’All week, we’re celebrating the food culture of the American South. Expect profiles of cooks, makers, and bartenders, plus recipes showcasing the classics (and twists on those classics) you love. Today we’re spotlighting an artisan featured in the gorgeous book Southern Makers: Food, Design, Craft, and other Scenes from the Tactile Life, by photographer and writer Jennifer Causey.

Bailey Spaulding and Robyn Virball, founders of beer operation Jackalope Brewing Company in Nashville, Tennessee, had an auspicious start: They met during a college semester abroad in the very spirited nation of Scotland. The company (which now includes brewer-turned-partner Steve Wright) is about to turn five. Part of Jackalope’s secret to success? Brews showcasing popular local ingredients, such as a red ale that uses rye in addition to hops (a nod to their bourbon-loving state).  

Here are Bailey and Robyn’s thoughts on loving Nashville, where that goofy business name hails from, and what they love about makin’ beer. 

What do you enjoy most about living in Nashville? 

Bailey: So much! Obviously, I love the music. There are very talented people everywhere you look, and everyone is so passionate about what is happening in the city. There is an amazing feeling of community because we all believe in each other’s endeavors. I also have learned that I love fried pickles and Goo Goo Clusters.

What was the moment you decided to start your business? How did you partner up?

Bailey: I had thought about it for a long time and was having a bit of a crisis around the time of law school graduation. Then Robyn said she’d start the brewery with me, so at least one other person thought it was a good enough idea to put herself at stake. We had lots of “this is really happening” moments. Robyn moved down here, we wrote the business plan, we got investors, we signed our lease. The next thing you know, you’re no longer “thinking of starting a brewery”; you actually run one.

Robyn: As for partnering up, Bailey always says that of all the people who’d claim, “You want to start a brewery? I’ll totally do it with you!” I was the only one who actually did it. What’s the expression? 99 percent of success is just showing up!

Where does your business name come from? 

Bailey: I believed in jackalopes growing up. A family friend who was a taxidermist would tell me stories about how they were nocturnal and only lived in Montana. It all seemed very plausible. Years later a friend gave me a T-shirt with a jackalope on it that read “Believe in Yourself.” As we were starting the brewery, and going down a path a bit less traveled, it turned into our unofficial motto.

What hours do you keep? 

Bailey: Beer knows no weekend, as they say, and you have to be ready for any situation. In the summer when it’s 130 degrees in the brewery, we brew overnight to minimize the heat hallucinations. You have to be very dedicated to your job because it becomes an inextricable part of your identity. It’s a good thing we have plenty of beer around.

What is the most satisfying part of your making process? 

Bailey: The most relieving moment is coming back in the morning after you brew and seeing the liquid in the blow-off bucket bubbling away. It means that the fermentation is going and the yeast is converting the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Also, who doesn’t like bubbles? I also love the very first sip of a brand-new brew. I love the suspense and the idea of creating something that’s never been made before.

Robyn: In the taproom, I’ve encountered people who come in claiming not to like beer, and then walk out with a growler because they love our product. It’s been a long road getting here, so it’s really satisfying when people like what we do.

Photos and text excerpted with permission from Southern Makers: Food, Design, Craft, and other Scenes from the Tactile Life, by Jennifer Causey (Princeton Architectural Press, 2013). 

Check out the following to read about other Southern makers:
Behind the Scenes at a Georgia Farm
The Southern Company Inspired by a Hard-Living Grandpa
Vivian Howard Tackles the Veggie Burger on ‘A Chef’s Life’