Albright Grove
About us
Albright Grove Brewing Company is a Knoxville based brewery and tasting room focused on fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create thoughtful and innovative flavors.
Farm to Glass // Farm to Table
Given his thirst for a deeper knowledge of brewing and putting those theories into practice, he quickly earned his diploma in Brewing with distinction. The Barrons then moved to Chicago, Illinois, where Nick was hired as the Headbrewer for Flossmoor Station, and it wasn't long before he was offered the highly sought-after position of Pub Brewmaster for Goose Island. With years of experience at the Clybourn and Wrigleyville pubs and hundreds of new recipes under his belt, Nick and Nichole were on the road again this time to the Lost 40 Brewing Company in Little Rock, Arkansas. Nick then worked with the Siebel Institute of Technology and their Master Craft Brewer Theory Program in Hanover, New Hampshire, before returning home to Knoxville.
When he's not brewing new beers, Nick can be found hiking, biking or whitewater kayaking in the Smokies. Lightly floating on shallow creeks and rivers, he's found a deep connection to the wilderness and a drive to protect the valuable forests and watersheds that he calls home. With years of insight into the world of brewing, hands-on experiences around the world and a host of awards ranging from the Great American Beer Festival to the World Beer Cup, Nick is thrilled to bring new methods and flavors to Albright Grove Brewing Company. That rich history will push him to thoughtfully create new styles of craft beer, blending innovation with old-world techniques. Stop in for a drink and great conversation.
Cheers!
Drew McDonald
Drew was a late bloomer to the culinary world. After a 2 year pre-med stint at Lipscomb University he got a job at Park Cafe just to see if cooking could become a career path. It was the right move. Graduating Lipscomb with a degree in Food Systems Management, he headed straight for Sullivan University in Louisville, KY to add a degree in Culinary Arts. Drew spent the 2 years after culinary school working at Blackberry Farm, a Relais and Chateau property in Walland, TN. It was there he began a respect for local food, artisan bread, and the purity of scratch-made cuisine. After leaving Blackberry Farm, he and Bonni made a small stint of living in New Zealand where Drew worked at Huka Lodge. New Zealand left a mark on his heart and made clear his vision for his food. Returning to the states, he settled in Nashville working at The Hermitage Hotel and Capitol Grill as Sous Chef. A year later the desire to head back to East Tennessee led him to opening The Plaid Apron here in Knoxville. Now a staple in the restaurant community Drew looks forward to the new venture with Albright Grove Brewing Company.
