Williamson County Debuts Boozy Trail

FRANKLIN, TN — With a growing craft beer and spirits community sprouting up countywide, the Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau created the "Masters & Makers" trail, with craft breweries, distilleries and a vineyard along the way.

Visitors who traverse tje Masters & Makers Trail — presumably with a designated driver — will visit Arrington Vineyards, Mantra Artisan Ales, Mill Creek Brewing Company, H Clark Distillery, and Leiper’s Fork Distillery.

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“Williamson County has a thriving wine, beer, and spirits scene that you won’t find anywhere else thanks to the diverse array of partners that make up the Masters & Makers Trail,” said WCCVB President & CEO Ellie Westman Chin. “Connecting them into one trail will provide visitors with a great experience, showing them first hand how these great products are made, while also showcasing the beauty across Williamson County.”
With numerous side stop and local restaurant options along the way, the Masters & Makers Trail has positioned itself as an ideal weekend getaway destination. The mixture of a winery, breweries, and distilleries along the trail also highlight its uniqueness. While most trails you find around the country focus specifically one one product, when visitors make their way around the Masters & Makers Trail they will experience the wide variety of spirits and beers that are handcrafted here in our backyard.”

A trip planner for the trail is available at the WCCVB web site, which has information about hours, tours, tastings and information about nearby restaurants and other side stops.Travelers can plan their trip around the Masters & Makers Trail on its listing at here. In addition to details about hours, tours, and tasting experiences at each stop visitors will also find suggestions for nearby local restaurants.

Here's more information about each stop, including locations and hours, from the WCCVB:

Arrington Vineyards

Arrington Vineyards provides a wine country experience complete with award-winning wines, wine tastings in the rusting tasting lodge and "Music in the Vines" - free live music on the weekends - all set among the picturesque rolling countryside of Williamson County. Owned by country music artist Kix Brooks, winemaker Kip Summers, and entrepreneur John Russell, AV has indeed become Nashville’s wine country.

Arrington Vineyards offers tastings and tours every day. Tours are offered Monday - Thursday on a walk-in basis. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, visitors can enjoy the Premier Experience at Arrington Vineyards. This experience includes a tour, plus wine + food tastings. The Premier Experience is two hours long and $50 per person. The Premiere Experience is offered Fridays and Saturdays at noon, 3 p.m., and 6 p.m., and on Sundays at noon and 3 p.m.

Mantra Artisan Ales

Located just minutes from Main Street in Downtown Franklin, Mantra Artisan Ales offers carefully crafted beers featuring seasonal ingredients. You'll not regret enjoying any of the homegrown brews offered!
Tours of Mantra are available every Saturday on the hour at 3 - 6 p.m. Tours are $10 and include a souvenir glass filled with your choice of beer to enjoy while you tour the facility.

Mill Creek Brewing

Mill Creek takes pride in brewing craft beer that doesn't mess with the standard. What we do is pure and simple. It's beer at it's finest. Stripped of pomp and privilege. Bare-boned, but bold. It's the beer that stocked in your fridge -- good for the backyard barbecue AND the dinner party with your boss. It's the beer you can drink all day and never get tired of.

No rules, guidelines, or dress code necessary.

Tours Available Saturday from 12-5 p.m. Tours are $10 and include a tasting flight.

H Clark Distillery

H Clark Distillery is creating hand-crafted spirits one small batch at a time. With a passion for quality and craft integrity, they take the finest grains and ingredients and transform them into the ultimate spirit experience. Focusing on quality over quantity; H Clark Distillery creations include Tennessee Bourbon, Black & Tan Whiskey, Tennessee Dry Gin, and New Whiskey.

H Clark Distillery crafts 100 percent of its spirits in the old town Granary in the charming and picturesque town of Thompson’s Station. In August of 2014, H Clark Distillery became the first legal distillery in Williamson County in over 100 years, and they craft their spirits in the same building local farmers used to house grains before loading them on the railroad for sale generations ago.

Complimentary tours are available daily at H Clark Distillery, and tasting flights are $10.

Leiper's Fork Distillery

Leiper's Fork Distillery is honored to bring back a lost art and history to Williamson County - a county that has always put its history and heritage at the forefront. Because of this, Leiper's Fork Distillery pledges to their distilling forefathers and patrons to pour their heart and soul into every drop of whiskey they make.

The Distillery has assembled a team of individuals who share a passion for the history and heritage of Tennessee whiskey. Typical of many small batch distilleries, Leiper's Fork Distillery is family-owned and operated.

Tours are available daily at Leiper's Fork Distillery and include a sampling of whiskey in their tasting room.

Image via WCCVB