Which Knoxville brewery was named third best in the US? Hint: The one with the best bier
Refreshing golden beers deserve prestigious golden awards, and the honors don't get much higher than being named the third-best brewery in the country.
Schulz Brau Brewing Company in Knoxville took third place in this year's U.S. Open Beer Championship, one of the industry's top competitions in the country.
It wasn't a single beer that earned Schulz Brau this honor but, rather, the culmination of multiple medals and general recognition received by the German-style brewery throughout the 2023 contest:
Barrel-aged Maibock - gold
Gratzer - gold
Roggenbier - silver
Hefeweizen - bronze
Oktoberfest M?rzen - bronze
The brewery, located at 126 Bernard Ave. just north of downtown Knoxville, puts its energy into tradition. This could make it harder to stand out among a sea of experimental beer being brewed daily throughout the country. But not this time.
"(The competition) gets a lot of really well-known competitors, and it means a lot to us," Ben Oliver, sales manager for Schulz Brau, told Knox News. "We work really hard to create a quality German-style product, and getting noticed for that is fantastic. ...
"That's incredibly meaningful because within this industry, we really are a little bit different. We aren't necessarily putting out a new beer every week. We're not doing anything crazy or out of the box."
New Knoxville beer makes splash at brewery competition
But when the brewery makes new beer, people notice. What's especially rewarding for Oliver is that the Gratzer and Roggenbier were new recipes created for the brewery's Ritterfest in April.
When announcing winners July 10, the competition noted Schulz Brau "is also known for having one of the best beer gardens in America."
The brewery began in 2016 inside what looks like a medieval castle. Schulz Brau added a full kitchen in the following years, as well as a wine and liquor menu, before nearly doubling its brewing capacity in 2022.
Come summertime, the outdoor stage regularly hosts live music, while fall means Tennessee football games on the big screen.
The business even stays busy throughout the winter, with fire pits, igloos and German delicacies keeping its guests warm.
Schnitzel, sausages, pretzels and pizzas comprise the mouth-watering food menu at Schulzes Schnitzel Kitchen.
Full list of U.S. Open Beer Championship winners
1. Toppling Goliath Brewing — Iowa2. Flix Brewhouse – Carmel – Indiana3. Schulz Brau Brewing – Tennessee4. Urban Artifact – OhioT5. Boulevard Brewing Company – MissouriT5. Bull & Bush Brewery – ColoradoT5. New Heights Brewery – Nashville, TennesseeT5. Sun King Brewery – Indiana9. Pontoon Brewing – GeorgiaT10. Lupulin Brewing Company – MinnesotaT10. Woodland Farm Brewery – New York
Winners for individual beer categories can be found at usopenbeer.com.
The competition judged more than 9,000 beers, representing 3,107 entries and more than 160 styles.
Want to visit? Here's what's next for Schulz Brau
The next big thing for Schulz Brau is Oktoberfest, Oliver said. And, for the first time Oct. 14, the brewery will host the official U.S. Steinholding Association State Championship for Tennessee.
When asked what the third-place honor means for Schulz Brau moving forward, Oliver had a simple answer: "It means we're going to keep doing the same thing we've been doing."
For Knoxville beer lovers, this should come as good news.
The brewery is open 11 a.m. to midnight Thursday and Sunday, with extended hours until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Tuesday and Wednesday hours are 3 p.m. to midnight.
Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email [email protected]. Instagram @knoxscruff.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville brewery Schulz Brau third at U.S. Open Beer Championship
