Linus Hall of Yazoo Brewing

BC: As president of the Tennessee Craft Brewers Guild, what do you see as the organization’s most significant accomplishments?

Linus: I’m proud of how the guild has worked together with state wholesalers on almost every issue. Looking at other states, this seems pretty rare. We’ve reformed state beer excise tax, raised the ABV of beer allowed to be sold in grocery stores, and worked with the wholesalers to make it illegal for big brewers to own their own distributorships in the state. Brewers are strong individuals, and trying to get them together on topics that aren’t burning issues can be like herding cats, but they usually come through in the end.

BC: If you could go back in time to the start of Yazoo and tell yourself one thing, what would it be?

Linus: I grew up when your word and handshake were as good as a contract. I’ve been burned a couple of times for things I didn’t get in writing, so now I’ve learned not to simply take somebody’s word. This is a business when it comes right down to it. When money is involved, it’s important to make sure you are covered.

BC: How did Yazoo’s Hop Project series begin?

Linus: It was basically born out of necessity. The 2008 hop shortage limited us to small batches of hoppy beers, and we numbered each brand. When the shortage was over, we decided to keep the Hop Projects going by trying out experimental hops and varieties from new markets like New Zealand. We’ve done 82 different Hop Projects to date. For number 50, we set up a poll to take votes for everyone’s favorite Hop Project so we could make it again. Trouble is, the votes were spread all over the place, with not one beer getting a clear majority of votes. In the end, we just picked our favorite.

BC: Space seems quite tight at the brewery. What are your plans for any future expansion?

Linus: We are used to working in tight spaces, and we have a little room to grow a bit here in the foreseeable future. Yazoo doesn’t need to double growth each year — we have no investors to make happy. If we can add more markets, that’s great, but if our existing markets continue to grow, it would make us happy to just continue to fill local demand. Slow and steady is our way.