A Middle Finger to the Mundane - The Story of Crafty Bastard Brewery
Written by Candace “Ace” Preston
Aaron McClain (left) Owner of Crafty Bastard on a bike delivery to Candace “Ace” Preston (right) Author
Owner of Crafty Bastard Aaron McClain, former high school math teacher turned craft beer mad scientist, began homebrewing over a decade ago. By his 3rd homebrew, he had graduated from kit beers to his own personal recipes. One of these first attempts became a long-standing favorite at the brewery for both Aaron and Carl Bowers, a once regular of Crafty Bastard who went on to become their head brewer. This beer, the White Arrow Pine Ale, incorporates 10 pounds of fresh pine sprigs per batch. Aaron’s first batch of White Arrow was indeed a labor of love: it took him several days to pick enough pine sprigs (weighing in at an average of less than a gram per sprig) from around his parent’s property. He had lamented to Carl that he wasn’t aware of a stand large enough to supply a fresh crop of pine sprigs for a commercial batch. Carl, through family friends, was aware of a closed Christmas tree farm just outside of Knoxville. The day of the inaugural group harvest, Aaron, Carl, a few Crafty Bastard regulars, and Zack Roskop of Knox Brew Tours drove the BREW BUS to the farm and back. Following years saw participants sharing in a keg of last year’s batch to and from the harvest!
This story, and this beer, is the true spirit of Crafty Bastard. The pine sprigs produce flavors of citrus and cherry, and accomplish what Aaron sets out for all his beers to be: surprising, unexpected, locally sourced, and really damn good. The space in which the brewery resides is also a combination of scruffy ingenuity and meticulous attention to detail. The bones of Crafty Bastard were built in 1890 and had several incarnations before the current brewery: a general store, a taxi cab company, even an underground music venue alleged to have hosted a show by the Foo Fighters in the 1990’s. This raucous underground event space met a sudden end when one night, the top floor of the building collapsed, wounding several but thankfully seriously injuring none. Since that event, the building stood vacant, accumulating trash and graffiti for over a decade.
The building was the first space seriously considered by Aaron for his brewery. After years of traveling, Aaron had sought out many community spaces, and intended to create not just a brewery, but a community space in his own neighborhood that supported local art, music, and provided a space for friends to gather. Even the record collection behind the bar has a cool origin story! Their very first day open was for a community block party, and a line had formed out the door for 7 hours. The very next day, the much softer opening (10-15 people in the building at a time), was met with a fairly “awkward” situation: no music. To remedy this, Aaron ran home to fetch his PA system, record player, and record collection. To this day, speakers for the system have lived on top of the cooler, and vintage tunes as well as local live jams can be heard whenever the space is open to the public.
Aaron intentionally left the space fairly sparse for a few reasons. Wall space is allotted for the work of local artists, both old and new. Along with framed art from local creators, old graffiti still looms in the space (look no further than the “Thinking Man” on the second story wall or the “Poop” conveniently placed above the men’s room). Sitting space is expanded by ingenious keg topper seats, while picnic tables lean into the communal experience. The most ingenious set up of all is the brewery itself: a self described “accordion brewery” that is entirely mobile (almost every piece of brewing equipment is on wheels, from the grain mill, to the fermenters, and even the hop fridge!). When the brew day is finished and guests are allowed on premises (at 4pm on weekdays), the brewhouse is neatly folded away behind a chain fence.
Grady Milligan plays live in the corner on a Monday night inside of Crafty Bastard Brewery
More than anything, however, Aaron wanted people who entered the space to know that the focus is on the beer. At the time of their opening in 2015, Crafty Bastard was one of the the first truly experimental breweries in Knoxville, and one that focused its attention on the wonderful and weird side of beer, and not just for the sake of being weird or unique. Everything brewed on site is thoughtfully crafted. One such beer is the Earl Grey Tea Pale Ale: a surprisingly quaffable beverage where citrusy sweetness and bitterness, both of which are derived from the hops and the tea, dance hand in hand. “A beer that rewards your attention, but does not demand it.” On the other hand, other styles brewed at Crafty Bastard demand your attention, from the fiery Mayan Chocolate Chili Porter to the array of sour beers being produced in barrels lining the walls. One barrel in particular stands out, with the front adorned with multiple signatures. The barrel harkens back to a party held at the brewery where guests brought bottles of sour beer and were encouraged to share them before draining the dregs into the barrel. This was the unofficial introduction to their souring program, and a snapshot in time that perfectly captures the essence of Crafty Bastard: experimentation, collaboration, and community.
At the end of the day, Crafty Bastard is a brewery for the people. An intentional community compound, a dog & kid friendly area, a middle finger to the mundane, and a lighthearted space for the serious craft beer drinker. Even during the pandemic, Crafty Bastard’s growth continues to expand into a new location in West Knoxville with quadruple the capacity of the original location. While the new brewery will offer the same community feel and more delicious beers, the 4th & Gill location is here to stay. As the Jeff Goldblum mural so aptly states in their front window: “Beer...uh...finds a way.”
A Knox Brew Stories Project
