Year of Change: Local Brewery Scene Sees Exits and Expansions in 2024

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The past year of 2024 has been a year of change in the local beer brewery community. One Nashville Brewery was going to open a branch in Murfreesboro and chose not to, while another one did open a taproom in Murfreesboro. Two local favorite local breweries chose to close down. One hopped to a new location. And two others continue to be hubs for locals and visitors who want to try experimental small batch brews with a local twist.  

Nashville-based M.L Rose Craft Beer and Burgers announced plans to expand into Murfreesboro in 2022, but that announcement never came to fruition. Instead, they chose to open three other locations in 2024, including Franklin, Gallatin, and Inglewood, effectively ending the chance of a Murfreesboro location anytime soon. However, according to their website, founder and CEO of M.L Rose Austin Ray believes that the Greater Nashville area can support ten of the restaurants and is still considering a Murfreesboro location in the future. 

Sadly in 2024, two favorite breweries closed, including Panther Creek Taproom and Mayday Brewery. Although Panther Creek closed their taproom in October 2024, they will continue to make beer according to co-owner Jeremy Taylor. It will be carried for home use at Stones River Total Beverage and CNG Wines and Spirits, and at Jack Brown’s, BoomBozz and other local restaurants. They will also be able to be found at local festivals like Children’s Discovery House’s Shakesbeer fundraiser. 

After 12 years as a favorite local hangout that started through bootstrapping, Ozzy Nelson announced the closing of Mayday Brewery on YouTube saying the last day as November 16, 2024. The space will be taken over by the expansion of the Experience Church, which they have been sharing the building with for a number of years. They had a huge celebration on their last day. 

“I want to thank Murfreesboro on behalf of my family, my daughters Ashley and Chelsey who have helped me with the brewery the last 12 years,” said Nelson on YouTube, “and I appreciate your love and…I can’t think of another thing I would rather have done…I hope Mayday has made Murfreesboro a more beautiful place…” 

Two local breweries that continue to have local tasting rooms and loyal followings are Cedar Glade, located behind Chewy’s on Broad Street, and Middle Ground Brewing Company, located on Old Fort Parkway on the west side of I-24. 

A member of the Tennessee Ale Trail, Cedar Glade enjoys being “purveyors of foamy goodness.” The brewery was founded by four local beer lovers with a mission to produce high-quality craft beer pulling inspiration from the land, traditions and culture of Middle Tennessee. They feature seven flagship beers, like Lytle Creek Lager and Long Hunter IPA, and a crisp ale on tap at all times. And for the holidays they created “Lump of Coal” for all of those on Santa’s naughty list.

Cedar Glade also has lots of activities, so check out their online calendar.  They are opened Wednesday and Thursday from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., Fridays from 4:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m., Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m., and Sunday 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. A food truck is usually on site. 

Middle Ground is known as a family-friendly brewery. “We focus on brewing approachable beers and creating a place for everyone,” says their website.  “Our outdoor seating is the quietest and most secluded in Murfreesboro, while our food menu has something for everyone. We are proud to be locally owned and operated.”  

Offering appetizers like wings, churros, a big pretzel and cheese curds; they also have sandwiches like a Ruben, pesto, pizza melt and classic grilled cheese; and house-made pizzas. Pair a sandwich or wings with one of their regular beers on tap like Live, Laugh, Lager or one of their unique seasonal beers like Peppermint Porter. 

Like Cedar Glade, Middle Ground has a full calendar of activities like specials and trivia that can be found at https://www.middlegroundbrew.com/. They also offer their facilities for veteran’s meet-ups. Closed on Mondays and for special events, their usual hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., Fridays from 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., Saturday from noon until 10:00 p.m., and Sunday noon until 7:00 p.m. 

Prohibition Home Brewing and Premium Cigars moved to Hop Springs located at 6790 John Bragg Highway. The move has been great for all involved, creating a unique synergy and opportunities for both parties. The business was founded three years ago by Jim Africano and Aaron Stephenson. During that time, they developed their business offering supplies for home wine making and home brewing. They added classes in wine making and an offering of cigars more recently. The CigaRV is available for rental at parties. 

Earlier in 2024, Prohibition began developing unique wines for Hop Springs, so the continued development of the partnership was a natural fit. This partnership has allowed Hop Springs to add some events to their calendar that the Prohibition crew can uniquely offer, including wine tasting, cigar nights, and monthly events dear to Africano’s heart for veterans and animal rescue, among other things. 

For more information about Prohibition Brewing, classes, and events at Hop Springs, follow them on Facebook. They are open Wednesday and Thursday from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., Fridays from 4:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m., Saturday from noon until 11:00 p.m., and Sunday noon until 7:00 p.m. 

Nashville’s Tailgate Brewery opened in Murfreesboro on June 7, 2024. Located at 210 Stones River Mall Boulevard, TailGate offers a diverse lineup of craft beers with a full menu including appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and made-from-scratch Detroit-style pizzas. Five award-winning core beers are available year-round: Orange Wheat, Wizards’ Order IPA, TENN Golden Lager, Peanut Butter Milk Stout, and TailGate Cider. TailGate brews over 250 unique recipes each year, and releases several small-batch beers weekly that are only available in their taprooms. 

They are open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.

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