Goldcrest 51, the flagship beer of the old Tennessee Brewing Company, is back — at least temporarily.
Soul & Spirits Brewery has brewed a small batch — seven barrels, or 217 gallons — of the historic lager for Westy’s owner Jake Schorr, whose great-grandfather, John Wolfgang Schorr, founded the Tennessee Brewing Company in 1885.
Before prohibition, the Tennessee Brewing Company was once the largest brewery in the South.
Goldcrest 51 was released in 1936 to celebrate 51 years of business, and the beer was the brewery’s top-seller until it closed in 1954.
Ryan Allen, master brewer and co-founder of Soul & Spirits, said getting to brew a recipe from a historic brewery that’s no longer around was special.
“Heritage brands are something that I love,” Allen said. “It’s good to see where we’ve been, where we’re at, and where we can go.”
Allen described Goldcrest 51 as “super quaffable,” with a sweet corn and subtle spice flavor.
The beer is available on draft now at Westy’s, 346 N. Main St., and — on a really limited basis — at Soul & Spirits, 845 N. Main St.
Goldcrest 51 has been brewed off and on in the last couple of decades. For a time, it was brewed by Blue Pants Brewery in Alabama, which closed in 2019.
The beer brand, dubbed “the original Memphis beer,” could be primed for a comeback.
If Allen is asked to brew more, he said he’s hoping to make a much larger batch — and use local ingredients.
“I don’t know for sure that we’re going to make another batch,” Allen said, “but I enjoyed making this one.”
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