[jeffy]

One other question: each state will have different rules for who sells what and where.  Will my wife be able to order a Chardonnay or a gin and tonic at a brew pub?  Are there separate stores for beer, wine and spirits?

[tommymorris]

One other question: each state will have different rules for who sells what and where.  Will my wife be able to order a Chardonnay or a gin and tonic at a brew pub?  Are there separate stores for beer, wine and spirits?

There are separate stores: wine and beer are together, spirits are separate. The Liquor Store has both. You just go left or right inside the outer door.

Some breweries make vodka and gin and therefore sell some mixed drinks: Yellowhammer and Straight Ale

Brewpubs sell food and other beer and other alcoholic beverages: Below the Radar, Old Black Bear (Brewpubs must get half their revenue from food and must sell other brands of beer)

Many breweries sell cider.

Our breweries technically can’t sell food (brew pubs can). But, they can rent space inside to a restaurant: Straight to Ale and Yellowhammer.

Other breweries often have a food truck or may let you order in with Uber Eats, etc.

[tommymorris]

PS. Take your wife to L’Etoile Patisserie for coffee and a pastry. She’ll love you for it. You’ll like it to.

https://www.facebook.com/100810318285638/

While your there check out the two stores on each side; Holtz Leather Co. and Preservation Co. They are cool too.

[majorvices]

Yellowhammer and STA both have distilleries and both serve mixed drinks/liquors. Some of the other pubs may have them as well. In AL the restaurant must have a certain manufacturers lic. to serve both and in most cases also serve food. Hard to be more descriptive than this without going into loads of detail.

[jeffy]

Well, we’ve been here about eight hours now and had a diner-like breakfast at Gibson’s BBQ, walked downtown a bit, strolled the Botanical Gardens, had a flight at Yellowhammer, went to the Art Museum, and had a beer or two at BeeZr (Chandlers Ford).  I’m drinking a can of Midnight Special in the hotel room and working on a plan for tomorrow.

[tommymorris]

Well, we’ve been here about eight hours now and had a diner-like breakfast at Gibson’s BBQ, walked downtown a bit, strolled the Botanical Gardens, had a flight at Yellowhammer, went to the Art Museum, and had a beer or two at BeeZr (Chandlers Ford).  I’m drinking a can of Midnight Special in the hotel room and working on a plan for tomorrow.

and you’re like, “Now what?! We done everything on the list.”

[majorvices]

Well, we’ve been here about eight hours now and had a diner-like breakfast at Gibson’s BBQ, walked downtown a bit, strolled the Botanical Gardens, had a flight at Yellowhammer, went to the Art Museum, and had a beer or two at BeeZr (Chandlers Ford).  I’m drinking a can of Midnight Special in the hotel room and working on a plan for tomorrow.

Come out to Rocket Republic in Madison tomorrow (close to the HSV Airport) and I'll show you the brewery and pour you a couple beers.

[jeffy]

Well, we’ve been here about eight hours now and had a diner-like breakfast at Gibson’s BBQ, walked downtown a bit, strolled the Botanical Gardens, had a flight at Yellowhammer, went to the Art Museum, and had a beer or two at BeeZr (Chandlers Ford).  I’m drinking a can of Midnight Special in the hotel room and working on a plan for tomorrow.

and you’re like, “Now what?! We done everything on the list.”

Today we went to the L’Etoille Patisserie for coffee and pastries (thank you tommymorris, it was delicious), toured the Twickenham neighborhood and Five Points by car, spent several hours looking at rocket parts at the Space Center, then walked around Monte Sano Park a little bit before heading back to BeeZr for beers.  I like those guys.  They’re making really interesting beers. 
Not sure what to do tomorrow. 
Sorry we didn’t make it to Keith’s brewery yet.

[majorvices]

Chattanooga is a 90 minute drive from Huntsville. The Chattanooga Aquarium is the tits, rivaling Atlanta's and Baltimore's. If you go check out "Odd Story Brewing". The brewer there (Jay Boyd) was my very first assistant brewer at Yellowhammer. He's making some great beers. There's some good restaurants there as well and it used to be free public transportation (not sure if it still is).

[majorvices]

Well Jeffy, how did you like Tennessee Valley/Rocket City?

[jeffy]

Well Jeffy, how did you like Tennessee Valley/Rocket City?

We had a nice trip.  It has a nice small town vibe.  The beer scene is good, with a nice variety - not heavily NEIPA or fruited/lactic sours - I found good beer at almost every beer place.  I especially liked Beezr’s selections, but didn’t mention your name to the brewer, although he did recognize that I’d been there more than once.  Your warning about the beer at downtown Rocket Republic was on point, but the mural inside was nice.
Saturday we drove to De Soto Park to see some fall colors.  Oh and the Harrison Bros. Hardware store is pretty cool.
We were good tourists.  Thanks for all the recommendations.

[tommymorris]

I’m glad you enjoyed the trip!

[Ron756]

This string is good to help us too.  My son lives in town and we will be down to visit the week after Christmas.  Is anything going to be open?  Still looking for places to retire, Alabama keeps coming back up the list.

[tommymorris]

This string is good to help us too.  My son lives in town and we will be down to visit the week after Christmas.  Is anything going to be open?  Still looking for places to retire, Alabama keeps coming back up the list.

Everything should be open except for Christmas Day.

Don’t get me started on the greatness of Huntsville! I think Huntsville is a great place for retirement. To me the weather is perfect here. We have four seasons but they are pretty mild. We have two hot months in the summer and the rest of the year is perfect. For example today it was 33F in the morning and it will go up to 55F in the afternoon. Lots of sun, but also plenty of rain so you hardly have to water your lawn.

When I moved here, my work recruited me based on the beer scene. It’s good but, really it is the outdoors that I have come to love. The mountains (really hills) are beautiful and just out our back door. So much great hiking. The lakes are also great. Most of the lakes are damned up between the mountains and so you have cliffs and rocky shores. It’s very pretty.

Huntsville has a real commitment to providing the amenities that make life nice. We have a new concert venue because people wanted bigger bands. We have several entertainment districts around town where you can have a drink to go in a purple cup.  The bars in those areas have lots of live music. In just the last few years the city has  created a cross country park (who has that?!), championship sand volleyball courses, a mountain biking course, and a new skateboard park is coming.  We have greenways. We have the North Alabama Land Trust with hundreds of miles of free trails on the various mountains. We have the US Space and Rocket Center- read Smithsonian affiliated museum and German nights with German beer and schnitzel. I know a lot of cities have many of these things. But, a lot don’t.

PS. We also have good jobs.
PPS. It’s not crowded here.

[BrewBama]

... For example today it was 33F in the morning and it will go up to 55F in the afternoon. Lots of sun,…

We went to Yellowhammer for lunch today. Great pizza, great beer, great outdoors so the grandkids can run and play. We had to pull our jackets off it was so nice out.

I would add that if you’re a fisherman, the TN River has some of the best fishing in the country. That’s why the Bass Master’s and American Crappie Trail has a stop here every year.

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