Bearden Beer Market & Brewhouse

Brewery, Bar, Beer-to-go

4524 Old Kingston Pike
Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919-5234
United States

(865) 712-4388 | map
beardenbeermarket.com
BEER STATS
Average:
4.05
Beers:
4
Ratings:
4
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.14
Reviews:
23
Ratings:
44
pDev:
13.29%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by atrocity:
Photo of atrocity
Rated by atrocity from Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -15.5%

Sep 01, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of hoptheology
Reviewed by hoptheology from California

2.26/5  rDev -45.4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 3 | service: 1.25 | selection: 1.5
Bearden Beer Market. This review is for the package shop inside.

Looks like a fun place otherwise to spend some time, but definitely shop elsewhere if you're looking for a beer haul.

It's half inside, half outside. Has fire pits and a couple video games, too.
I came there to shop since we didn't have time to knock back a beer.

Mix-A-Six:
1 out of 5
Everything's a single here but none of it's marked, and when I asked about general pricing they said that someone stole their price gun and so I'd have to ask on anything I was interested in. So when it came time to do that, I brought two beers up and they acted like it was a huge chore. Yep, thanks.

The markup on said singles is sky high, but there's supposedly a discount if you buy a 4 pack of singles, and a bigger discount if you get a 6 pack of singles. It was a weird complex equation, and they weren't quite clear on it, but it was something like, $7 off a 4 pack, $13 off a 6 pack, but it depends on if it's a new release or not, and the walk-in cooler had some beers that didn't qualify. It sounded like a massive discount initially, but when they're charging $7 for Ever Clever, it almost sounds necessary.

I was not offered a receipt, only an option to tip right in my face, so I do not know the breakdown, but even with a 6 pack-including-discount it was pretty off the charts.


General selection :
4 out of 5
Selection is good, but check dates and check them again. The newer releases are fine, but some stuff has been sitting there awhile.


Cleanliness, Lighting, & Price Tags :
2 out of 5
Everything's lit up fine, and the place is clean, but with no prices, and the confusing "discount" scam...ahem, system.....it gets a 2 from me.

I did notice that they were charging $19.00 for a 4 pack of Homestyle. That's $15 anywhere else you go, and $12 over at Total Wine across town.


What I came away with :

Six singles :
(2) Edmund's Oast PB & J, (1) Bearded Iris Over Achiever, (1) Southern Grist/Deciduous Hill, (1) Wait For It (house brew), and (1) Bearded Iris Maestro.

Looking at prices, this really should have been around $25 including tax. That's over a dollar extra per can, considering a modest 10-15% markup over these beers' original 4 pack pricing gathered from other sources.

I won't be revisiting unless I'm there to hang.

Total spent : $33.00
Trip Running Total : $747.00
Oct 25, 2021
 
Rated: 4.1 by Kdouble from Tennessee

Sep 22, 2019
Photo of WillieThreebiers
Reviewed by WillieThreebiers from Connecticut

4.42/5  rDev +6.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Great little bottle shop/ taproom. Small shop with counter service, draft and bottles and cans to go. Solid local tap list. Large outdoor patio area with plenty of seating and food truck. Parking can be a challenge. Affiliate of Knoxville Ale Trail (where I was able to redeem my passport for a T-shirt).
Mar 31, 2019
 
Rated: 5 by Davit from California

Apr 15, 2018
 
Rated: 4.56 by tmm313 from Georgia

Jun 13, 2016
 
Rated: 4.18 by Bugcatcher from Tennessee

Mar 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.65 by PassMeAZima from Kentucky

Jul 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4.38 by knoxbeer from Tennessee

Apr 19, 2015
 
Rated: 4.18 by jshusc from South Carolina

Mar 09, 2015
Photo of West_Chester_Ale_Tester
Reviewed by West_Chester_Ale_Tester from Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -9.4%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75
A cool selection of local stuff. I was here when you didn’t have a lot to choose from in the area. I’d imagine it would be a place I’d frequent if I was a local.
Jan 17, 2015
Photo of halo3one
Reviewed by halo3one from Georgia

2.91/5  rDev -29.7%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 2.5 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5
Reminds me of a redneck farm party or backwoods bootlegger. The service was very good but the the best selection available was rogue, shiner, and miller light.
Dec 21, 2014
Photo of DCgolfpro
Reviewed by DCgolfpro from Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -15.5%
Very kind people and extremely entertaining atmosphere. Selection however was extremely unimpressive. I'm not sure if it's due to local beer laws but there wasn't anything there I can't get at home in DC. That said, every time I visit my friend in TN we make it a point to go and play giant jenga.
Dec 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by harrod12 from Tennessee

Oct 31, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by AlexFields from Tennessee

Oct 07, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by tmcginess from Tennessee

Sep 27, 2014
Photo of chaski101
Reviewed by chaski101 from Tennessee

5/5  rDev +20.8%
Great Outdoor beer garden spot in Knoxville
The Staff is fun energetic and know about the brews
dog friendly, and kid friendly (but kids are rarely there)
a slew of out door activities (corn hole, checkers, life size jenga, ping pong)

rotating taps that will come and go during your stay
nice package selection. Many places deliver food here, and they encourage you to bring anything you like to eat in, and will even provide a grill.

cons:
cant sell high gravity beers, but at least there are so many tasty low grav items
Sep 07, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Jenebauer from Tennessee

Aug 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.04 by Smoky54 from Georgia

Aug 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by gl1800rider from Pennsylvania

Aug 02, 2014
 
Rated: 2.99 by elkinbrown from Tennessee

Jul 29, 2014
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4.23/5  rDev +2.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 3.75
We stopped here on our way to Bonnaroo, and they had planned ahead and stocked extra cans for the festival-goers. Bottle/Can selection is pretty good, nothing world class, they also keep constantly rotating tap lines, which was nice to fill my growler up as well. The outdoor patio is really nice with plenty of space, the store definitely had a nice vibe. We stayed long enough to have a couple on tap before taking off. Next time I go to Bannaroo, I'll definitely stop by again.
May 24, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by penguinboat from California

Feb 26, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by TurdFurgison from Ohio

Jan 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by khargro2 from Tennessee

Dec 06, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by mte1972 from Tennessee

Dec 05, 2013
Photo of cruzbay
Reviewed by cruzbay from Ohio

4.31/5  rDev +4.1%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
11-13-13
What a neat place. Outside they have a beer garden with fire pit and lots of seating. Looked very inviting, and there were a couple of people outside even for a chilly evening. I wish I had time to sample some of the beers on tap.

Inside the beer store is relatively small, but they make the most of the space and had a very large selection of beers. Probably close to 100. I am from Ohio so my focus was to find beers that are unavailable in OH. The selection had a significant portion of local beers from TN and neighboring states. I had no trouble finding some new beers to sample. They do not sell single bottles. They had a cooler with beers chilled and ready to go.

They had about 10 taps of quality craft beers to select from. Would have been fun to have one and sit by the fire.

The staff was very friendly and as helpful as I needed them to be. They even helped me carry my boxes of beer to my car.

The only issue was finding the place. GPS got me there, but the sign is low on the building and a truck was parked in front so I could not see it.

I went to a couple of other places while in town, some from this site, and this was the best.
Prost!
Nov 17, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by ZachBaldwin from Ohio

Nov 07, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by sansho from California

Oct 29, 2013
Photo of MarcatGSB
Reviewed by MarcatGSB from Michigan

4.24/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4
What a gem. Really. Driving from the north, heading to Asheville, I needed a beer after a long journey from Michigan. Pull up the old trusty BA, and this place was the winner, and I'm glad we stopped. They deserve the fine reviews it receives.
Does it have a great, world class, draft selection? No. Does it have rare one off bottles? No...but they will. Chris the owner is working hard for the greater good of TN. Changing people's mind set, and the laws that are imposed from the slow to transition local and state wide governing bodies. He is passionate, and knows the business.

It is a small store front, but after you walk into the back you will find one of the most unique beer gartens you have ever seen. It's an open space, with walls, a fire pit, a canopy, a huge projection tv...all good stuff.
Chris seems to be on the verge of something big, and I hope he makes it. Put that ball court in man! I'll bring the short shorts...booya!
Must stop if travelling through!
Dec 10, 2012
Photo of JosephThompson
Reviewed by JosephThompson from New Jersey

4.34/5  rDev +4.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
It's a unique spot in that it adds the outdoor garden to enjoy your tap rather then just being a bottle shop with a few taps. Believe they had eight lines open when I was there. They fill growlers. Seemed to have a nice local crew that makes it in often enough to create a pretty welcoming atmosphere.

Tennessee is one of those interesting states where the alcohol is split due to ABV and what is classified as food and on and on and on so you won't find anything above 6% here. That said, I was able to zero in on some regional stuff I don't see in Jersey and eventually settled on Catawba Valley and Sweet Water but left a few on the shelf.

Gave service a 5. Reason was the guys took the time to not only brief me on each label of what was local (as you may expect) but also sent me off with a list full of what I should visit and drink as I was making my way over to Asheville. It's one thing to get a pointer but this was above and beyond and really made my trip over the mountains easier since I could narrow down my own list.

Taking care of a customer in for the first time like this was impressive. Definite stop if you're in or near Knoxville.
Sep 28, 2012
Photo of SaCkErZ9
Reviewed by SaCkErZ9 from South Carolina

4.8/5  rDev +15.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
I really loved this place. As one of the other reviewers said, this is the place I would love to open if I had the means and ability to do so. This place was a little tricky to find. It is on the corner of two major roads, where the addresses intersect, number wise, but the odds and evens are on the same side at this intersection. Needless to say, I felt like a drunk driver before I even pulled into the parking lot. What I found was a veritable oasis and I was very welcomed to see this place.

Tennessee isnt exactly the most beer friendly state, but it isnt Mississippi. They have some weird laws where only frocery stores and gas stations can carry beer under 6% and only liquor stores can carry beer over 6%, yet this place, niether a liquor store or grocery store, is able to have drafts, beer to go, growlers to go, beer consumption on premise; whatever the laws are, this place is pretty awesome.

It was a perfect 65F outside so I chose a spot in the sun to get some color to these Scottish cheeks. I really only have one complaint, and although it is rather minor, I couldnt award a 5. The area is large and outdoor, like a true beer garden, but some of the seating areas and/or outbuildings are a bit dilapidated. One was full of junk like bricks and broken chairs and paint cans and other sundry items not fit for the human eye, especially those consuming alcoholic beverages. Everything else was very nice.

Perhaps I came after one of those feared "Tap Takeover" weekends because four of the eight drafts were consumed with New Belgium. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but having 50% of your taps covered by one brewery puts a hurt on the selection category. The bottled beer selection was outstanding, however.

Cornhole was set up, pool table in the "pool room", 8 draft selections, large selection of bottle beer to go or on-premise consumption. This place basically has it all with a killer beer garden atmosphere. This is certainly the best place in Knoxville to get beer and atmosphere together. Highly recommended.
Apr 09, 2012
Photo of DCon
Reviewed by DCon from Missouri

4.43/5  rDev +7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Passing through Knoxville on the way to Nashville, I saw the high ratings of this place so decided to swing by for a visit. Very "Texan" like entrance with open doors and then a HUGE area for either beer events or room for college parties. On the right (when walking into this open area) looked like a beer store. This was where you ordered your beer on-tap, in bottle, or took beer away. Growler refills were also available. They let you browse with no limits in the cooler with chilled bottles to-go available in the same room with the kegs, in the beer garden, or in the ping-pong/television room. While walking around for a while, there was a bon-fire going right next to the television room with a ping-pong table by it. A total college hang out!

Their "bar" has a chalkboard behind it with all of the listed beers on-tap. You can also buy any one of their beers on the shelves and enjoy also where ever you please.

Staff were easy going and friendly. I Was able to chat with Chris, the owner, and he knew exactly who I was meeting the next day for my tasting. Tight-knit community around Tennessee. After enjoying a brew with him, he gave me some pointers if I were to come back or when in Nashville what to see.

The selection on-tap was decent (7-8 offered including a nitro) but in bottle!?!? Couldn't beat this! I wasn't able to take anymore to go except for one or two interesting ones because of the haul I already created in the back of my trunk. Will be back when passing through Knoxville though!

I recommend stopping by this place for I've never seen anything like it! For my current age and what I like to do, this was a perfect place for great beer and to hang with friends. Don't come if your looking for a "waiting" on experience or classy. Very easy going here.
Jan 19, 2012
Photo of KroMagnon
Reviewed by KroMagnon from Tennessee

4.56/5  rDev +10.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4
This is a really awesome niche place, great beer store with a cool beer garden and great stuff for everyone including cornhole (hate saying that but I refer to the "beanbag" kind of game) and games. Now these are not necessarily the only things to recommend them, but they have a great atmosphere that combines a sort of beer garden with backyard homey vibe that I think is awesome. Come in and bring a growler or just pick up some bottles or have a draft along with it. They have a great selection and super friendly staff. They make you feel at home, give good advice, and are a great addition to the local beer scene.
Jul 11, 2011
Photo of swooshjtb
Reviewed by swooshjtb from Mississippi

4.34/5  rDev +4.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
The Bearden Beer Market is a great place, but the state of Tennessee requires that all beer above 6.00% ABV must be sold at liquor stores. Therefore, this store does not carry any beer above 6.00%.

That being said, the selection here is great and very diverse. There are a great number of European imports and American craft beer. The staff is helpful, and there is typically 5 or 6 beers on tap to be enjoyed in the beer garden. Usually, they run a special on the beers that are on tap for that week.
Jun 07, 2011
Photo of AndyAvalanche
Reviewed by AndyAvalanche from Massachusetts

4.41/5  rDev +6.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Was on a road trip to New Orleans from Boston and looking to score some Duck Rabbit Beer, I called about a week in advance and they even held some in the back for me because they were running a little low.

When I finally arrived I thought the place was small, but they were careful with their space. I came in and saw a good selection wrapped around a the showroom, and a cooler section in the back a little smaller but a solid selection back there as well. Lots of local brews and good selection from the midwest and up and down the east coast, some good imports as well.

I was greeted by the staff and he immediately knew who I was and grabbed some beer in the back and and more beer off the shelf. After conversing with him for a little while, another employee showed up who was actually who I spoke with on the phone. I was buying 2 mix cases of Duck Rabbit and they recommended a few other locals so I got 3 more six packs. They even let me try one before I bought it. Very friendly and knowledgeable. about beer

A successful trip all in all, but my only gripe is that the TN taxes are insane! With sales and alcohol tax were steep but they gave me a 5% discount for getting so much witch helped a little. It wouldn't be fair to jack up the value section of this review based on TN alcohol laws.
Mar 29, 2011
Photo of bluesandbarbq
Reviewed by bluesandbarbq from Tennessee

4.95/5  rDev +19.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Great beer store and pub with a nice outdoor beer garden and great attentive owner. Chris, the owner, says he will stock anything that is available to him in Tennessee and special orders are welcome. Fair prices, very good selection with more added weekly, added bonus of growler fills of his own IPA and Wit along with the hard-to-get Yazoo Hop Projects and other special beers (he tapped the first ever keg of DFH 60 Minute in Knoxville), lots of glassware and growlers for sale, chips, snacks, Tshirts... A much-needed store for this market area. I am looking forward to many visits to the Bearden Beer Market as it is already a smashing success! Kudos to Chris! The beer scene in Knoxville is looking brighter.
Feb 04, 2011
Photo of mbdaniel
Reviewed by mbdaniel from Tennessee

3.81/5  rDev -8%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5
Chris, the owner, absolutely knows his beer and his staff is hospitable and knowledgeable. Six changing beers on tap at all times, and a decent selection of bottled beers. No high gravs-the liquor store next door doesn't have many of them either. Negatives that prevent this place from being among the best are lack of parking, lack of seating space, lack of shelf space, and absence of food. Got to have those to get an "A". For obvious reasons, Chris should give away the nuts and popcorn! The dogs walking around can be a little scary(although they arguably add a little character).

Despite its limitations, it's worth going to. Great to finally have a craft beer establishment in Knoxville, especially in the Bearden area. Go and enjoy.
Jan 30, 2011
Photo of austinhensley
Reviewed by austinhensley from Tennessee

4.8/5  rDev +15.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
By far, my new favorite place to go. Every day, or as often as I can, I stop by and meet a buddy or two and have a local brew. The fact that east Tennessee finally has a beer haven is very refreshing, literally.
The owner and his lovely wife have gone out of their way to make the garden look like a biergarten. And, since the market is located in East Tennessee, there is plenty of cornhole. If you live anywhere within an hour of this revitalizing east TN oasis, I strongly suggest giving it a try.
Oh yeah, and as far as parking goes BBM should consider doing something, please.
Oct 09, 2010
Photo of veech
Reviewed by veech from Tennessee

4.8/5  rDev +15.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Bearden Beer Market is the place I would open if I had the start-up capital. Chris, the owner, is a local guy that after years of experience as a wine distributor as well as a bar owner in Arizona, has returned home with big plans in store for the East Tennessee beer scene. While it has on so many levels been fantastic to watch Asheville, N.C. (less than a two hr drive) blossom into "Beer City USA" while we fans of better beer here in Knoxville flounder in Bud Light soaked anonymity, it has also made me think that there have to be enough fans of better beer here in East TN to make a place like BBM work, and take our first fledgling steps toward a newer, more enlightened beer culture. I mean we've supported a couple of local brewpubs: Calhouns/Smoky Mt. & Downtown for yrs, but still don't have a true production brewery here.
Enter Bearden Beer Market. BBM is setting the bar very high for anyone hoping to compete in the retail and/or draft market here in K-Town. The selection includes brands you can only find in Chattanooga and Nashville outside of BBM because they're willing to go the extra mile and beyond and that's just how they do things. 8 taps that rotate very frequently: with delicious offerings like Victory, Dogfish Head, Boulder, Flying Dog, New Belgium & regional favorites like Sweetwater, Highland, Terrapin, & Bluegrass just to name a few, as well the very tasty locally brewed(per recipe by Smoky Mt Brewery) house beers, the West Coast IPA & Sunsphere Wheat Beer. Sip any of those while perusing the shelves & picking up harder to find bottles/cans such as Moylan's, a wide selection of Rogue, Caldera, and eclectic imports such as Tilburg, Wurzburger, Lammsbrau and Estralla Damm. Retail selections are offered both at room temp (easier for travelers & passers through) or chilled in the large walk-in cooler. The Beer Garden is a very low key, laid back place to have a few pints & ponder life, or test your remaining hand-eye coordination on the corn hole boards. As word spreads, weekends are getting crowded, & parking can be limited during those busy times, but don't let that dissuade you. This place is an absolute oasis in the arid landscape that has been the local beer marketplace. Granted, the difference/improvement in the Knoxville beer scene has been night and day over the past 10 & esp 5 years, as the local distributors continue to pull their heads out of the sand, but BBM just kicked the progression into overdrive. An absolute must stop if in the area. The sky(and the antiquated alcohol laws) are the only limits for this place. Stay tuned, this place will expand exponentially over the next year or so, and the main beneficiary of that will be the better beer consumer.
Aug 18, 2010
Bearden Beer Market & Brewhouse in Knoxville, TN
Brewery rating: 4.05 out of 5 with 4 ratings