Common John Brewing Co — Restaurant in Manchester

Common John is always a favorite spot of ours when we can find the time. Usually we drive down to hang out on a Sunday afternoon and enjoy their great beers and friendly vibe. Last night my wife had the idea that she could meet me after work, since my job is now relatively close. Though she had to drive from Nashville. I typically avoid restaurant type places with live music in the evening because the music is almost always too loud which kills the ambiance and ruins the experience. I knew CJ was known for their musical artists in the evenings and thought I would give them a shot.

I arrived just after 7:30 PM Friday night and the parking lot was absolutely packed! I love to see that, and that the community has really embraced this great brewery. I met my family inside and though Common John was very busy, service was quick, friendly, and the beers were as tasty as ever.

I was also very happy to hear that Common John has perfected the music balance of their live performers, something that is extremely difficult to do. Plenty loud enough to enjoy their performance, but not too loud to prevent normal conversation, of which there was a lot among the joyful patrons!

My better half had the tasty baked wings, they even customized double-baked them since she wanted the wings extra crispy. I had the hippy pizza, which was fantastic. The porter, Vienna Lager, and American pale ale were all true to style and delicious. Common John's brewing consistently is always remarkable. Something that is so difficult, you don't even know unless you've tried it.

Manchester truly has their own "Cheers" (with the added benefit of hand-crafted libations) and I'm very...

Sweet Mother of Jesus, a brewery that opens at 8am!

We were driving from Chatt TN to Nashville, looking for something to eat and drink, and my wife found a Google listing for Common John. Surely they were jesting…a morning brewery? But it was true, so we hit “Start” and followed Google the rest of the way.

Seeing as we did not want a full meal, we grazed lightly. My wife ordered a hot dog with chips, and I noshed on a huge Bavarian Soft Pretzel. Our server was kind enough to let us order off the lunch menu even though it was only about 9:30. They were both excellent!

I ordered a flight of four beers, with a wide variety of varietals in the set. It is so typical for craft breweries to either be top-heavy in one category, or strong in one and weak in everything else. But Common John is not common…they knocked it out of the park on all four beers I tried, which included a Vienna Lager, an Imperial IPA, a Pale Ale, and a Black Ale.

And then I spied the 64-ounce glass growlers they stocked, and knew I had to purchase a souvenir (I have 320+ of them from all over). It was at this point I stumbled into a consumer choice problem, because all four were excellent. I eventually settled on the Damage Control Pale Ale, which was by a nose my fave of the four I tried.

This is a great place, and if I lived in or near Manchester, I’d be here all of the time. Even...

MY FAVORITE PART OF MANCHESTER! My fiancé, pup and I came here while camping at Old Stone Fort Park and we'd drive the hour back just to come here. Got a chance to chat with one of the owners and she was so hospitable- from bringing our dog some water and us and umbrella for shade, to offering local recommendations and giving some of the kids here toys to play with. Love some southern hospitality! The beer is excellent!! All of the ones we tried were great and I just couldn't pick a favorite. They have a large selection of their beers along with some good complimentary brews from some other local spots. We only tried theirs own brews and loved them all!! All of the beer has fun music themed names like "these pink boots were made for walking." (Try this brew!!) They have a great selection of food too. Lots of pizza and sandwich options! There was also a little sandwich truck parked outside that seemed popular. The owner told us they have music weekend nights on their cute outdoor stage, and a beer fest in the fall! Will definitely be back to check these out! Loved everything...