< Back to Oral History project: Nashville Eats
ORAL HISTORY
Linus Hall
Vicksburg native Linus Hall got into the beer business on a lark when he and a college buddy ordered a home brewing kit from Rolling Stone magazine. The small kitchen kit was later upgraded to a larger basement still, and now, years later, Linus and his wife, Lila, own one of Tennessee’s best microbreweries. Yazoo Beer is a hit in the Music City. Yazoo loyalists frequently navigate downtown Nashville’s street maze to find the taproom that’s marked by a water tower and tucked between overpasses and railroad tracks. Guests can buy a growler-to-go, or if arriving early enough, can grab one of the coveted seats in the taproom. There, amidst walls covered with their favorite Delta folk art, Linus and Lila serve their specialty beers with a menu of local breads and cheeses. “Beer and cheese” may not initially have the same ring as “wine and cheese,” but it’s all a part of the Yazoo plan to elevate the concept of beer as a pairing with good food. “When you have good beer and good food, the flavors marry very well,” says Linus.