From Washington to Tennessee, barbershops across the US that have embraced the relationship between local beer and the barber’s chair say the bond has proven to be a boon for their business.
In 2010, Lori Beck and Tyler Trotter transformed a former house of worship into Holy Grale, a bar and restaurant inspired by their trips to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. The building’s prior use is still evident in its dark woods, hanging lanterns and arched windows.
When Jerry Gnagy was brewing for somebody else, he’d only brew the beers he really wanted to brew when those beers fit around an established production schedule. Gnagy flipped that equation upside-down when he opened Against the Grain, the Louisville, Ky., brewpub he co-founded two years ago.
When you throw high and low culture in a bag, douse it in bourbon and shake it around a bit, good things tend to come out. The city has vibrant arts and music scenes, and a level of comfort with folks on the fringes. All of which makes it a fine place to pause and tip back a pint.
