What a pleasure to discover a local craft brew pub in Dayton, Tennessee: Monkey Town Brewing!
We stopped by to pick up a growler, and chose Road to El Dorado: Batch 3, an American saison. The tasting notes on the web site say “toast | crushed rock | pineapple | orange peel | pleasantly subtle acidity.” We agree with the orange and acidity for sure, and found the brew to be refreshing and delicious.
The brewery is named Monkey Town because Dayton was home to the Scopes trial, where a teacher was charged for teaching the theory of evolution. The “trial of the century” was made infamous in Inherit the Wind.
Our brewer also has a good story. Kirby Garrison grew up in the area, but learned the restaurant ropes on Shelter Island, where his dad managed Vine Street Cafe. They crowd-funded the brew pub together, and opened in 2014.
When I introduced myself to Kirby, and told him where we live, we found a connection: He attended Purchase College.
Here’s the dining room:
And the taps:
A welcome addition to the region. We’ll be back for a meal next time we’re in town.
Go: Monkey Town Brewing Co., 287 1st Ave., Dayton TN. 423-775-1800, monkeytownbrewing.com.
