Where is Alliance?
Alliance is in South Knoxville, specifically the Old Sevier community right beside the river. I’m going to call this area Brewery Row, because they are walking distance neighbors with Printshop Beer Co, Trailhead Beer Market, Hi Wire Brewing, and Honeybee Coffee (I know that’s a coffee shop, but they BREW coffee – plus they have beer too!).
Free parking is a non-issue – they have a small lot and street parking all along the premises.
When is it open?
Alliance Brewing is open Monday through Thursday 3p – 10p and Friday through Sunday noon through 10p. For updates, check them out at alliancebrewing.com or on Instagram @alliancebrewing.
Something I found notable: they have had open hours on holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.
So...how's the menu?
Alliance brings some interesting things to the table. While the have IPAs, lagers, and Scotch ales, they also occasionally cask-age some beers, dabble in sours/gose, and have a stout available year-round. That stout stands out to me – I believe it is now the Alliance Stout (formerly the tropical stout), and was “tropical” due to the lager yeast and turbinado sugar that give it a refreshing taste and lighter body than I’m used to. Dark beer guys – you know where to find at least one stout in the warmer months!
This brewery really hammers home the point of staying local and working together. In recent months, we have seen collaborations from them and other Downtown Knoxville locals Pretentious Beer Co and Crafty Bastard brewing. These brought us 11 O’clock Curfew triple IPA and Kid Charlemagne, a champagne-inspired saison, respectively. So it is fair to say they are down to grab some buds and experiment!
If you’re searching for food to compliment your beer, they are neighbors with Simpl, South Coast Pizza, and Landing House, so there’s something for everyone. Those not so into alcohol, they also have options like the local Frog Juice Kombucha.
What's the space like?
Alliance has a diverse space: there’s indoor seating, a huge patio, and you can even rent out an area inside (complete with your own bartender if you want). At the time of our visit (social distancing, everyone) there were 7 tables in the indoor space with room for about 30 people. I think their patio is the star of the show, though. With small tables for 2 to big picnic tables, I’m going to say there’s room out there for at least 50. There are coverings to make shade, and in the colder months they even have fires to warm up by.
The style scheme is simple – exposed wood whenever possible, complimented by neutral gray walls and colorful chairs inside. The patio speaks for itself. I especially like the Alliance Brewing “torch” symbol.
Our Experience
I enjoyed the stout, and with their fondness for cask aging I would love to see them do something unique with it or even throw it in a bourbon barrel. You can’t really go wrong with any of their IPAs either, give them a try. We had fun relaxing on the patio and had a chat with the friendly “beertender” (as they call them) who recommended some things to do in the area when we were new to it.
One of the things that drew me in right away is their focus on “active beer culture”. They have trail runs at nearby Ijams Nature Center, they host holiday parties (most notably festivus, complete with “feats of strength” competition leading up to it), and even partner with neighbor Bliss for beer yoga (find more about that in our post here).
Something we learned, for those looking to take beer home: they do crowlers here (i.e. 32 ounce cans), and will give you $5 off when you purchase 3. They will not, however, fill your growler – they seem to firmly believe that crowlers will keep their beer optimal until you decide to drink it, avoiding the effects of light and oxygen exposure (and we can respect that).
Other things to do in the area
If you need some pick-me-up in South Knox, head over to South Press.
Looking to sample more brews? Try Printshop Beer Co. down the street.
Questions, Comments, or Concerns?
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