USA, TN: Smith & Lentz Brewing Co. preparing for a late 2014 opening in Nashville

A new craft brewery is opening in SoBro in Nashville, Nashville Business Journal reported on August 13.

Smith & Lentz Brewing Co. is preparing for a late 2014 opening at 537 5th Ave.

The small-batch brewery is opening next door to Czann’s Brewing Co., another local craft brewery that opened shop in June. The opening will put five craft breweries within walking distance of each other downtown (with the others being Tennessee Brew Works, Yazoo Brewing Co., and Jackalope Brewing Co.).

That brewery district feel is, in part, what attracted the duo behind Smith & Lentz to the neighborhood.

“We liked the proximity to downtown, and we liked that we were a little bit removed from the Gulch, but we still see people hopping on bikes from one brewery to the next,” said Kurt Smith, one of the brewery’s co-founders.

His partner, Adler Lentz, has been brewing professionally for around seven years. Most recently, he was at Hops & Grain in Austin, which specializes in sustainably brewed beers. He also works for a brewery equipment manufacturer and has helped install brewing systems across the U.S.

The SoBro property they are leasing includes an old brick house that has been used recently as office space and a back warehouse. The brewing system will be out back and the house is being converted into a taproom, which Smith estimated will seat about 60 people.

So what about the beer?

“We’re really a small-batch brewing system so there will be some beers or styles that will be on more often than not, but there won’t be any, at least to start, there won’t be a flagship brew,” said Smith. “We’ll really focus on being able to brew a variety of different styles, both ales and lagers, and work with the season and play with different brews.”

That means the IPA won’t be the same IPA every time you come, he explained, adding that they’ll play around with different recipes.

“We want to keep things fun and interesting, so if we have repeat customers, hopefully they will be able to try something new,” he said.

15 August, 2014