No bachelorette party weekend would be complete without copious amounts of drinking. Now I’m not in my college years anymore and my body doesn’t quite accept alcohol the way it used to. But I do make exceptions on important occasions like this one. Thankfully, Nashville has quite an assortment of different watering holes, including holes in the wall, cocktail lounges and craft breweries. They’re also home to a selection of delicious coffee shops to help the next morning’s hangover.
The Filling Station — 904 E Main Street
If you like local beer and good deals, then this is your spot. The Filling Station allows beer connoisseurs to come in and fill up their own growlers with the latest and greatest beers, or walk out with a six pack. They also offer a traditional bar if you want to dine in. They’ve got nearly 30 beers on tap, and they sort the menu by style so you can easily find what you want. I got a delicious sour ale I hadn’t had before, while my friends tried some local IPAs.
Pinewood Social — 33 Peabody Street
As I mentioned in the Nashville:What I Ate post, Pinewood Social is an uber cool hangout that is a must visit if you’re taking a trip to Nashville. Their food was definitely tasty, but I would say that the drinks were the highlight. During brunch, I ordered a regular latte and it was spectacular. They also have a robust selection of different cocktails, including more traditional styles and more new age varieties. I went for the Most Valuable Commodity and continued to drink it throughout the day. It is the perfect sunny day, poolside cocktail.
Barista Parlor — 519 E Gallatin
This has got to be the most hipster coffee shop I have ever been in my life. I’m not at all saying that in a bad way, because I like hipster stuff especially restaurants! But this place wasn’t quite the right vibe for me. The staff was not very friendly or helpful, especially for coffee novices. You can order a variety of different roasts, and they do their own cold drip brews and pour overs. I ordered a simple latte, and while it was nearly flawless it was incredibly expensive, and I felt uncomfortable and out of place inside. Not sure I would go back, but it is labeled as the best cup of coffee in Nashville.
Nelson’s Greenbrier Distillery — 1414 Clinton Street
For me, this was the highlight of our drinking tour of Nashville. The bride, Angie, wanted to do either a brewery tour, or a more locally supportive, distillery tour. With neighboring Kentucky, Tennessee has a robust whiskey industry, and Nashville has several distilleries in the surrounding areas. We stumbled on one of the most historical ones, which has a history that can take back to the mid 1800s. Reinvigorated by the great-great-great-great-great grandsons of the original develops, Greenbrier Distillery offers a tour as well as a tasting, which we enjoyably participated in. I’m not normally a whiskey drinker, but I was impressed by how much I loved their various whiskeys. I especially loved the bourbon barrel aged variety!