KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — You can find local beer at nearly every corner of Knoxville, with even more options planned for 2020.
Brewery owners and beer lovers say the more beer the better and think the craft beer craze has become part of Knoxville's identity.
There are 23 local breweries and taprooms on the official Knoxville Ale Trail.
Twenty-one of those opened in the last 10 years.
To look back at this decade in craft beer, let's go back to 2010.
"Back then a lot of people didn't even know what craft beer was," said Nathaniel Sears, co-owner of Next Level Brewing Company.
In 2010, the only local beer could be found at Smoky Mountain Brewery and Downtown Grill and Brewery.
Fast forward to the end of 2019.
Those two establishments are still going strong, now joined by 21 more breweries and taprooms in and around Knoxville.
"There's not really a bad beer place in town," said Knoxville native Jonathon Littrell.
He's watched as these breweries popped up around town, most of them starting in 2015.
"Now you know we've got stuff going on out in West Knox, North Knox, deep deep in, you know, all the cardinal directions," said Littrell.
We met Littrell at the city's newest brewery.
Next Level Brewing Company opened at the intersection of Central and Broadway in mid-December 2019.
Sears and his co-owners are excited to be the new kids on the block.
"We want to see this place grow. We want to see this community grow around us," said Sears.
He said Knoxville has plenty of room for more local beer.
"It's evolved so much in the past few years," said Sears.
Sears said all the breweries are helping shape the city as a tourist destination.
"We want people to come to Knoxville to celebrate craft beer," he said. "That way they can stay here and eat here and it just helps the city. I don't see anything negative about having more to be honest."
Beer is definitely making a mark on the economy.
According to the 2019 Beer Saves America report, revenue from East Tennessee brewing totaled over $1.3 billion in 2018.
Five more breweries have opened just in Knoxville since then.
Those are Elst, Hi-Wire, Albright Grove, The Oak Room by Abridged and Next Level.
"Having the younger professionals starting to come in as well, having the aspirations to invest in their own city," said Littrell.
As the taps keep flowing through the new year, Sears and Littrell are excited to see what's in store for 2020s.
At least two new breweries plan to open at the start of 2020.
The Brewhouse at Bearden Beer Market and Orange Hat Brewing Company in Hardin Valley are planning to open soon.