Jackalope Brewing Company - Sarka

Named after a legendary female Bohemian warrior, this Bohemian pilsner presents a bright golden hue in our glass, capped by a head of vibrant white foam. As we lean in, classic noble hop aromas jump out right away, offering touches of lemon zest, herbal spice, some floral flourishes, and a bit of earthiness and grassiness, laying atop a clean malt profile evoking fresh bread. On the palate, look for this pils to come across very well-hopped, with plenty of that Magnum bitterness and zesty Saaz aromatics developing in the flavor, as in the aroma. It comes across quite spicy and zesty-citric, with some woodsy, pine-like tones, and touches of grass and hay which meld nicely into the pils malt, with all of its biscuity character that forms a solid foundation for this brew. It all finishes super crisp and quenching – the brightness here reminding us of a German pils, but with the classic Czech Saaz delivering a distinct Bohemian feel. For pairing options, we’d steer toward bready and somewhat spicy fare like pizza, calzones, and empanadas, along with fried chicken, fried shrimp with a lemon spritz, or a salad with grilled chicken and a lemony vinaigrette. Cheers!

The story of Nashville’s Jackalope Brewing Company begins when Bailey Spaulding and Robyn Virball met in Scotland while Bailey was taking a semester abroad and Robyn was finishing her undergrad degree. The young ladies remained friends as Robyn entered the working world and Bailey finished her Harvard degree and went on to Vanderbilt to study law. It was there, in 2006, that Bailey began homebrewing – eventually realizing her passion for brewing was greater than her passion for the law. Robyn, too, felt as though something was missing in her life, and the duo began the planning for Jackalope Brewing Company in 2009. It was at that time that Bailey met Steve Wright, who had recently moved to Nashville with his wife, Lindsay. Steve eagerly joined the Jackalope project in 2010.

In May of 2011, Jackalope opened its doors to a thirsty public, and the company grew and expanded over the next few years. Robyn left in 2014 to pursue new opportunities, but Bailey remains CEO and Steve serves as president. In 2018, they opened a second, larger location about a mile from their original spot. Known as The Ranch, it boasts increased brewing space and a larger taproom.

Jackalope is committed to sustainable operations, and pursues this goal through more ways than we can mention here. Examples include the capturing of CO2 from fermentation for use in carbonation of their finished beers, donating spent grain to local free-range cattle and hog farmers, extensive use of LED lighting, composting at their zero-waste taprooms, the use of “plastic” cups which are made from plants and are fully biodegradable, and partnerships with several non-profit projects. Additionally, in 2013 they became the first craft brewery in Nashville to can their beer, to better protect it while improving recyclability. Currently, Jackalope produces five year-round brews, two seasonals, and a multitude of other limited production beers on an ongoing basis. For more info, visit them at jackalopebrew.com.