If you’re anything like me, you are over the pandemic and cold weather, but moreso over cold weather during the pandemic. I believe we’ve already experienced the false spring, so this good weather we’re having should stick around. Our days are getting longer and Spring is officially around the corner, I think we can say patio season is upon us.
Let’s be clear, the pandemic is still going on, and warmer weather won’t change that, BUT it will allow for us to enjoy more outdoor activities, which the CDC has said is safer. One outdoor activity many beer drinkers look forward to is patio drinking. There’s nothing like great beer on a warm day, with a cool breeze and some dope people at your favorite brewery. I’ve been planning and plotting on the breweries I plan to hit since the weather has broken. Through my daydreaming, I’ve come up with my top 5 breweries with best outdoor space.
The patio is most important (for this article) but other factors are weighed in the decision, including location and beer offerings.
5. Fat Bottom Brewing
fatbottombrewing.com 
nashvilleguru.com
The beer garden here is great for events or gathering with friends. I just feel like there needs to be a few more seats outside because I struggle to find a spot, but once you’re out there it is nice. The vibe matches the trendy suburban neighborhood and they even have a balcony, which makes you feel a little fancy. If you’re a cornhole fan there’s an area for that too. They have a kitchen residency with The Mac Shack, which makes tasty mac n cheese dishes. Their beer menu doesn’t have the depth most breweries offer so the limited option takes them down a notch, but the beer is good and goes well with warm weather and soccer games.
4. Tailgate Brewery – West
tailgatebeer.com 
tailgatebeer.com
Ok so their location, on the border of West Nashville, is far from me, as I’m clear across town, but it’s also a good distance from downtown. The space is large and doesn’t have a specific theme, but in a pandemic, who cares? You can comfortably enjoy beer without feeling like someone is breathing down your neck and that’s important. The large selection of beer is fun and the pizza is delicious too! You’ll have a great time exploring their menu. Just depending on where you live, you might have a drive in front of you. They have other locations where you can get the experience without the drive, so there’s that.
3. Jackalope Brewing
jackalopebrew.com 
@Jackalopetaproom
This brewery is very Instagramable. The bright colors and geometric shapes make the patio fun, vibrant and great for pictures. Located in the center of Wedgewood-Houston area, it’s walkable so you can explore more than just the brewery. The patio is inviting and makes you crave summer’s fun and games, while the food truck on site tackles your drunken hunger. They have upped their beer selection with special brewery releases, which increases their patio presence. You can grab a beer and get to snappin those photos, just take a rideshare cause the parking isn’t great.
2. East Nashville Beer Works
@eastnashbeer 
@eastnashbeer
As I write this, they’re making upgrades to their patio area. So, for this article I’m going off my previous experience and pictures of the new changes. I don’t doubt the upgrades will elevate the space, but if you’re adverse to kids this may not be the space for you seeing as how they added a playground.
The space is fenced in and tree-lined, which makes it feel like an urban oasis on the outskirts of the city. There are Adirondack chairs, prefect for lounging or picnic tables for the group of friends having pizza. There’s also a covered patio that gives you the best of both worlds. They’re the only brewery in the city who makes a brut IPA consistently and they have a decent offering of pizza. The vibe is very family friendly, but it’s like your friends who have kids and not just “parents.” This makes absolute sense in my head, hopefully you get it.
1. Various Artists Brewing Co.
variousartistsbrewing FB 
@variousartistsbrewing
I’m not going to lie, this space has always felt like my cheers, the team has always been warm and inviting. Located on the edge of south Nashville, it’s one of the closest breweries to my house. They’ve expanded their beer menu to include more variety and you may get a food truck or Pat’s cooking, depending on the day. The Parallelogram definitely affected this brewery due to its small size and lack of to go options. They took the shutdown time to build out the patio space. There’s a covered patio space, a large front deck, and a cool beer garden with fire pits and picnic tables. Lounging areas and tables are plentiful but something about the space makes you want to stand and chat with strangers as if they were friends. The cold weather brings unreliable hours and limited inside space but VABCO will be a gem this summer as we all look forward to gathering outdoors again.
This was a harder task than I expected. These may be my top 5 but there are definitely other breweries offering outdoor space and good beer. I encourage you to try them out then report back with your top 5.