USA, TN: Next Level Brewing Company aiming at spring opening

Andrew Armstrong and Nathaniel Sears always knew they would work together. That mindset never changed, even after they graduated from South College brewing school in 2015 and went their separate ways to continue learning the craft — Armstrong, all the way to California, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported on January 4.

In fall 2017, an opportunity arose when Sears and Rick Cox reached out with a business plan for a brewery at 700 N. Broadway. Armstrong read it through.

"He literally packed up his life and moved here from Northern California to do this with us," Sears said. "We've come to a point where things have happened pretty fast here."

Armstrong, Sears and Cox — instructors at the Knoxville Brewing and Distilling Center — will create and serve the latest trending styles of beer and the ones each member of the trio enjoys to drink when they open Next Level Brewing Company in the spring.

"The goal is to really stay fresh with what the industry is doing," Armstrong said. "Right now, that is fruited sours, barrel-aged stouts and IPAs."

The name of the brewery comes from the path the brewers took to get to this point: learning the trade, working at breweries and instructing students.

"Now we are taking our lives to the next level by going out on our own," Sears said.

But that doesn't mean their roles as educators will go away. The three plan on moving the distilling center's pilot system to the brewery and inviting students over to volunteer.

"We want to make sure students have a well-rounded education," said Cox, the lead instructor at the distilling center. "And we are looking at being one of the greatest breweries in Knoxville."

The brewery will be housed in a two-story building that once housed a coal company and an open air market on North Broadway near the intersection of Lamar Street. Each floor is 3,200 square feet, but the street level will be the only space open to the public.

That level will include a bar, seating and brewing equipment, which will be separated from guests only by a short wall.

"We're going to leave the wood ceiling — a rustic look," Sears said. "It's a very open space."

Because of the tall ceilings and open concept, having amplified live music would be a challenge. The partners are open to the idea of hosting acoustic artists inside the brewery.

Come summertime, Sears said, the brewery could expand its entertainment offerings with the 10,000-square-foot parking lot directly behind the building.

Part of the lot could be transformed to host live music, construct a beer garden or park food trucks. The brewery will not offer its own food, Armstrong said.

Having so many successful businesses near the brewery provides endless opportunities, he said.

"The growth potential — there's so much going on over here," Armstrong said. "Old City is full. Downtown is full. People want to expand, and this is the next logical step. ... There's so much potential here. In five years, you probably won't even recognize this neighborhood."

Each partner in the business is a brewer, and each brewer has a specialty.

"We have our own things we like," Armstrong said. "I like saison, farmhouse-style beer. Nathaniel is a big IPA guy."

The brewery plans to have 12 of its own beers on tap at a time, half of which will be small-batch beers brewed on the pilot system. Cox said they are shooting to brew just under 50,000 gallons of beer per year.

Not all of that beer will be consumed at the brewery. The partners plan on self-distributing throughout the county at select venues like Casual Pint and Hops and Hollers. They also will refill growlers and have a crowler machine on site.

They hope to sign with a distributor around the third year of business to expand their reach.

"We love making beer, and we love the Knoxville area," Cox said. "We want to focus on that now and providing Knoxville with the best possible beer we can."

07 January, 2019