Hard Truth Hills Distillery.
The Pioneer Room at The Ferguson House.
There’ s something gratifying about bellying up to the public bar and having a few pints in the company of strangers and passing acquaintances. I ordered a glass of beer, and Mrs. Sampler opted for a nice chardonnay, deftly served with a winning smile by our charming bartendress, Lorraine.
In fine weather, the Ferguson House features a beer garden out back, at the mouth of“ Antique Alley,” with a full bar and live entertainment.
As with most things in life, the perfect Nashville bar crawl is a matter of timing; of being at the right place at the right time. It’ s a matter of knowing when to move on to the next thing. The Pioneer closes at four o’ clock, perhaps a haven for day-drinkers and senior citizens, but, happily, right around the corner, we discovered the delightful Henhouse, which is an offshoot of The Bird’ s Nest restaurant.
Upon entering the Henhouse, I couldn’ t help notice that everyone there except for me was female. For a moment, I feared I had wandered across some kind of unknown gender line, that perhaps“ Henhouse” was some kind of cultural code I had not properly interpreted.
But then some regular guys came in with their wives( dragged in by their wives, most likely) so I felt better.
The back bar at the henhouse displays“ Sugarland Shine” in a mason jar,“ Clyde Mays Straight Rye Whiskey,”“ Songbird Coffee Liqueur,” and“ Howler Head Kentucky Banana Bourbon Whiskey.”
I ordered something called a“ Hermes pain killer” with tikki rum. The wife had some iteration of a white Russian named a“ Caucasian” in honor of“ The Dude” from The Big Lebowski.
By early evening, it is time to get some fresh air by taking a little stroll up Van Buren Street to the oldest dining establishment in the county, The Nashville House, and their new addition,“ The Hohenberger Bar.”
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