In the midst of the absolute nightmare that we know as ~the year 2020~, local bike aficionado Jim Johnson started a new business in Chattanooga called Bike The South . The idea behind the company is to provide fun, exciting bike tours for people who aren’t necessarily cycling pros. 🚲
Experience
Going on a bike + brew tour with local bike tour company Bike The South
City Editors Brianna + Trista learning about the brewing process at Five Wits | Photo via Bike The South
What we tried
While Bike The South offers a variety of tours — from backroads cycling + farmland biking to overnight explorations — we eased into the bike tour world with a bike and brew tour.
There are 3 different options for the bike and brew tour, depending on the day you’d like to go and the length of the ride you’re most interested in. We tried the shorter, 2-mile ride that stops at 4 breweries, where you get a 5 oz. pour at each:
- Five Wits , where you also get a behind-the-scenes brewery tour
- Oddstory
- Hutton & Smith
- WanderLinger
2 of the murals that are part of EPB’s 10th Street Mural Project | Photo via Bike The South
Don’t miss
The city’s scenery. Because you’re riding with professionals who have equipment on hand in case of emergency + provide safety checks before you start, it’s easy to feel safe and enjoy the ride across Chattanooga. We loved riding past the EPB 10th Street Mural Project and enjoying the sunset as we rode back to our starting point.
Parking our bikes before heading into our second stop of the night, Oddstory Brewing Co. | Photo via Bike The South
What we’re still talking about
We originally chose the 2-mile tour because anything longer felt intimidating, but Bike The South’s goal of catering to the non-professionals is truly successful. From offering e-bikes to those who may want a little extra help on hitting the mileage, to making stops to ensure you get a break (and not just on the bike and brew tour — longer tours, like the upcoming Halloween ride , make fun stops for things like a trolley tour + lunch), even the longer rides are really for everyone.
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