Beer Name: Cutaway IPA
Brewery: Tennessee Brew Works
Style: IPA
ABV: 6%
Food Pairing: Hot chicken sandwich and fries
Appearance: Rusty brown, dark amber
Aroma: Grapefruit and malt
Where to Find It: Tennessee Brew Works taproom
Overall Takeaways:
Like festivals, assorted sporting events, and feigning exercise, rooftop drinking naturally occurs when the climate outside becomes tolerable. And while Nashville now offers seemingly endless options for getting sauced in the sky (I’m sure by the time this is printed, there will be three more celebrity rooftop bars on Broadway), I prefer a more low-key high-elevation drinking experience. That’s why I recommend spending a spring afternoon enjoying a Cutaway IPA and a hot chicken sandwich on Tennessee Brew Works’ taproom patio.
On its own, this signature IPA from our friends in Pie Town is a treat—its bold, almost spicy citrus and rye flavors on the front end give way to a grapefruit finish that’s just my brand of bitterness. Pair the Cutaway with TN Brew’s take on hot chicken (a cayenne-heavy boneless breast smothered in beer cheese made from their Extra Easy pub ale, spicy Cutaway-brined pickles, and farm egg gribiche), and you’ve got a seriously delicious situation on your hands (and probably on your shirt too). The citrus and rye from the IPA keep the richness of the beer cheese at bay, while the aforementioned grapefruit-y bitterness washes down the heat from the chicken. There’s also a harmony pairing going on with the fries: the IPA’s rye notes unsurprisingly mesh perfectly with TN Brew’s in-house Basil Ryeman ketchup. So next time the sun is out, forego the lines and skylines of downtown and head a little bit south of downtown. Your taste buds will thank you.
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