Over the last 20 years, Hendersonville experienced a period of rapid growth that ushered in many new retail establishments. Almost daily, new businesses seemed to pop up all across the City by the Lake.
By the end of 2016, it seemed that Hendersonville had just about every type of business that anyone could want.
Except one – a craft brewery.
Since the 1990s, microbreweries had begun to spring up all across the nation. Offering locally-brewed craft ales and specialty beers, these breweries were proving to be extremely popular with beer aficionados.
For a while, despite its popularity elsewhere, it appeared that Hendersonville was going to miss out on the craft brewing phenomenon.
Fortunately, local entrepreneur Nate Newton had other ideas.
Since his college days at LSU, Nate had always been interested in producing his own beer.
“I started home brewing beer in 1995 in my apartment,” says Nate. “I did the actual brewing in the kitchen and the fermenting in my closet.”
After college, Nate began working in IT. However, while he enjoyed his profession, the notion of owning his own brewery remained in the back of his mind.
“Opening a brewery is something that I have wanted to do for many years,” says Nate. “But I had a family and a successful career, so my brewery calling remained just a dream.”
However, after his children graduated from high school, everything changed for Nate.
“Around 2014, I realized that there was never going to be a better time,” says Nate. “I cashed in my retirement account, gathered a few investors and took the plunge.”
In 2017, Nate finally opened Half Batch Brewing. He brewed his first beer professionally in June, and then opened his taproom to the public the following Sept.
Since then, Half Batch has become a popular destination for Hendersonville area beer connoisseurs offering a wide variety of custom brewed quaffs. The brewery features five beers that are available year-round, along with annual and seasonal limited-edition brews.
“We have 13 taps in our public room, and we rotate our beers regularly so that our customers always have something different to drink,” says Nate.
Along with the taproom service, Half Batch distributes some of its brews to local businesses for resale. Retailers such as Pour Vous and Bluegrass Beverages and restaurants including Sanders Ferry Pizza & Pub and H’Ville Grill all offer Half Batch products.
Keeping up with all this demand requires a steady supply of fresh product, and Half Batch is up to the challenge.
“We usually brew about 8-9 batches a month, totaling around 2,500 gallons,” says Nate.
Although the production process follows a fairly consistent timeline each month, it can vary to accommodate individual brew types.
“Typically, it takes one day to brew our beers, two weeks for fermentation and then another day for finishing,” says Nate. “However, certain beers, such as our Fulkin and Two Foot ales can be produced in as little as 10 days, while others such as our BS IPA may require as many as 18 days.”
Along with running the business, Nate is committed to supporting the local community. From small, intimate affairs, such as Historic Rock Castle’s Songwriter Nights, to large events such as Sumner Fest, Half Batch is always there.
“Giving back is very important to us,” says Nate. “We want to be part of the community and a part of local life.”
Half Batch Brewing
393 East Main Street, Suite 6A,
Hendersonville, TN
615.431.5479