Hall graduated from the University of Virginia and returned home to work for Rouse Rubber Industries for five years. After his high school sweetheart Lila Buchanan graduated, Hall married and moved to Nashville in 1996. Linus was offered a job at Bridgestone Americas, Inc., which is a tire manufacturer with headquarters in downtown Nashville. Linus didn’t stop brewing beer even though he was now a steady employee. Photo by Adam Jones Linus was immersed in Nashville’s thriving homebrewing scene. He made connections with other home brewers, and spent time in some of the local brew pubs where he learned the ropes. He said, “We were trying meet people when we moved here,” during a Mississippi Today interview. We would go to parties, and I’d bring my home-brewed beer. It was quite funny… People could watch their eyes roll back when they asked me what I did. Linus said, “Well, I’m tire engineer, but that is my home brew, you’re right there.” He then quit Bridgestone to pursue his online studies through the American Brewing Guild program for two years. In 2001, Linus was offered a job at Brooklyn Brewery in New York. He and his wife returned to Nashville to begin their search for equipment as well as a place to start their own brewery. Photo by Adam Jones Yazoo Brewing opened its doors in a former 1800s-built car factory in north Nashville in 2003. Linus and Lila purchased a building in the Gulch, a former industrial area of Nashville after they outgrew their first location. This area saw rapid revitalization. Distribution was made more difficult by the presence of chic hotels, high-rises, and upscale businesses around Yazoo Brewing’s Gulch building. The Halls constructed a new, 6,000-square-foot building, this time north of town, with a large patio that overlooks the Cumberland River. Linus stated that the new space was a significant departure from downtown, as it is right in the middle oh honky-tonk and bachelorette party center. It was almost like running a brewery down Bourbon Street. Even though we are right off an industrial road, there is a lot of natural beauty and views of the river. It’s much more relaxing to relax on our patio and enjoy a few pints.” Since 1996, Linus has been Linus’ sole partner in the beer-brewing business. The two Mississippians found relief in dividing and conquering, despite having to run a taproom and change business locations three times. He said, “We are both involved in the day-to-day.” It can be challenging at times. The brewery was founded around the time that we had our first child. It was difficult for us to manage two little girls while simultaneously running a taproom, and brewing beer. “We found out very early that we needed to have areas we did ourselves and not a great deal of overlap. Linus and his spouse drew inspirations from their home state’s rich food culture during the initial phases of Yazoo Brewing Company. They wanted to make delicious beer that would pair well with Southern cuisine. Courtesy Yazoo Brewing Company The best-selling beers at Yazoo Brewing are Dos Perros, Pale Ale and Gerst. Craft beer is available in Tennessee and all Mississippi markets. It is the biggest brewery in Nashville, with a total of 25,000 barrels. Linus used to load a separate vehicle filled with beer each time he traveled to Vicksburg. Linus established his taproom in Nashville but it was important that Yazoo Beer had a strong presence back in his home state of Mississippi. He says it’s where he learned the work ethic that he has today. He said that he learned the values of hardwork and being able take care of oneself and manage his own affairs while growing up in rural Mississippi. You are used to making things work, and making them last. “I think that was very important when I moved up there because I had the confidence and the ability to just sort of tackle any job that needed to be done.” Photo by Adam Jones Linus’ hometown values, years of determination, and hard work earned him the title Nashville Post’s CEO of the Year 2019. Linus is a respected leader in Southern craft beer and will open his taproom to Mississippi ExPats of Nashville during Mississippi Today’s ExPats Project on Thursday, November 21. Rick Cleveland, Mississippi Today’s sports columnist, will speak to guests and they will get their first beer for free. Find out more. This story is part Mississippi Today’s Mississippi Expats Project. It aims to connect Mississippians who live outside of the state with live events and expat profiles. Subscribe to The ExPat below, our newsletter designed specifically for the expat community. {#label}{label}: {/label}{message} Something went wrong. Please try again later. D