While getting a degree in biological anthropology from Harvard and a law degree from Vanderbilt isn’t the typical path for a brewer, it was the journey for Bailey Spaulding, founder of Jackalope Brewing Company. The inspiration to start brewing her own beer struck during a conversation with colleagues while working at the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York between semesters. And when she came back to Nashville for her second year of law school, she immediately started brewing her own beers and learning everything she needed to know to make her dream a reality.

Bailey grew up surrounded by a thriving craft beer culture in Vermont, which gave her an early love for great beer. After passing the bar exam, instead of heading back home to Vermont, she and her friend Robyn Virball decided to stay in Nashville and open their brewery here. Bailey’s background in biology gave her an understanding of the science of making the beer itself and of the process of repeated experimentation, and her law degree helped her navigate the practical and legal hoops for making and serving alcohol.

Bailey now operates the extremely successful craft brewery with former intern and current COO, Steve Wright, and together, they create “legendary beers for legendary folks,” with inventive seasonal and small-batch brews alongside their classic year-round staples — Thunder Ann pale ale, Bear Walker Maple brown ale, Sarka pilsner and Fennario IPA — which they now distribute around Tennessee and, more recently, New York. Bailey took time out of her busy schedule to talk with us about her favorite things about her job, her best advice for getting into brewing and more.

Bailey_Jackalope_0006.jpg

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Starting Jackalope was my first job in the industry! I went straight from graduating law school to working on the brewery. I remember, about five minutes before we opened for the first time, I looked at the cash register and realized I didn’t know how to use it. Now that I’ve been in it for a while, I definitely have the perspective that everyone should work in hospitality at some point in their lives.

JOB PERKS

I love the feeling that we are able to make a difference in our community, while at the same time doing something that we love. I don’t take that kind of satisfaction for granted. I also really love the people I get to work with every day and the spirit that they bring to it.

BEST RESTAURANT

My favorite restaurant in Nashville is Tailor, and it’s not just because my husband, Luke Williams, works there. The food is incredible, and the concept is just hospitality personified. I love that it’s not just a meal; it’s a shared experience.

FAVORITE LOCAL BEERS

I’m really impressed with what the Nashville brewers are putting out across the board these days. Everybody has their own style and vibe, and that makes it all the more fun to be a part of. This is a tough question for me because I don’t want to leave anyone out when I think we’re all busting our butts to create something amazing! 

FAVORITE LOCAL BITE

Excluding Jackalope beer (ha!), I would say the creamy basil pop from Las Paletas. It is pure, fresh, summer deliciousness. I used to walk my dog to Las Paletas weekly in the summer and get us each a popsicle (his favorite is peanut butter), so even thinking about it makes me very nostalgic. Even though they don’t have a permanent location right now, I’m really hoping Las Paletas does another pop-up this summer.

BEST ADVICE

I would say don’t be afraid to ask questions, and you belong here! In my experience, brewers are generally really excited to talk about what we do, so as long as we aren’t totally in the weeds, we’ll generally be happy to share any knowledge we can with someone who is looking to get into it. Also, educate yourself, whether it’s reading and homebrewing on your own (which was my path), attending a brewing course or even getting an advanced degree in fermentation science! Brewing has been happening for literally thousands of years, so there is a lot to learn out there.

WEIRD SCIENCE

[The strangest ingredient I’ve used is] maybe mustard greens? We were trying to see if we could use them for bittering, which is generally a job for the hops, but it turned out that the bitterness they put out was too intense on the palate.

GET INSPIRED

I get a lot of inspiration from the people I’m around, so really, the Jackalope crew. I like when ideas escalate into something bigger and exciting for us all and then we pull it off and can look back on what we’ve done and how we got there. I think we’ll have a lot of that happening in 2022.

IN ANOTHER LIFE

I would probably be practicing environmental law. That is what I went to law school for and even passed the bar exam while I was working on the business plan for the brewery.

MEMORABLE MEAL

I think it’s a two-way tie. Number one would be the first time my now husband (then boyfriend) cooked for me at the restaurant he was working at, Hot & Hot Fish Club in Birmingham. I got to sit at the chef’s counter and watch him work, which was really special. The second would be at Hia Franko in Slovenia with my family. The food they prepare is so imaginative yet also so tied to the land and traditions of the country. And the bread, a sourdough made with fermented apple peels, was probably the best I’ve ever had.

IN THE KITCHEN

My baking specialty is canelés de Bordeaux, which are these little pieces of French pastry heaven that are custardy on the inside and crunchy and caramelized on the outside. They are very finicky, and you really need to know your oven and your molds, but once you have your process down, they are amazing. I’ve made them with my 2-year-old daughter since she was a baby, and she now knows all of the ingredients and how they go together. The hardest part for her is that after they come out of the oven, you have to let them cool and set for about two hours before you eat them. Pure torture!

WHAT’S NEXT

I think, at Jackalope, we’re really excited to get back into the swing of what we do best, which is create fun! The past two years have been challenging but still full of growth, so I’m excited to pair what we’ve been doing as far as growing our limited release beer program with more social events at the taproom this spring and summer.