AS THE founders of Back Bone BrewWorks, Blake Skeets and Tyler Rens are working toward opening Franklin County’s first brewery, a dream that has been years in the making.
“We live in Winchester, and so far, [the brewery] is basically housed at my house,” Skeets said. “We don’t have a brick and mortar yet, but we want to be Franklin County’s first brewery.”
Skeets and Rens, both Franklin County High School graduates, have been brewing together for years, traveling across Tennessee to participate in beer festivals and competitions. They’ve built a following through their homebrew, and with a win at Common John Brewing Company’s “Family Reunion” last fall, they’re ready to push forward.
“We took home [the] Best in Show [award], which just cemented for us that people like what we do,” Skeets said. “The cool thing about coming back each year is seeing familiar faces who remember us and our beers. The fan base keeps growing, and that just validates everything for us.”
The name Back Bone BrewWorks is a tribute to the hard-working people in their community.
“A lot of people ask us if we’re chiropractors or something,” Skeets said. “But really, the name comes from wanting to represent the backbone of our community — the hardworking folks who keep things going. The veterans, teachers, health care workers — people like that.”
Both Skeets and Rens have backgrounds in public service. Skeets works as a nurse, having spent time in emergency rooms and intensive care units across Tennessee, while Rens, a retired Navy Corpsman, now is a terminal manager of one of the long-haul logistics companies in Winchester.
Like many craft brewers, Skeets started small.
“I started out with just a pot in the kitchen and a homebrew kit,” he said. “Now, it’s turned into something much bigger.”
Their beer lineup features a variety of styles, but one of their most popular creations is “Stoutkast,” a peanut butter coffee stout that was a crowd favorite at their recent competition win.
“It’s like Outkast, the band,” Skeets said. “But stout.”
Currently, Skeets is working as a travel nurse to save money for a future brewery space.
“My soon-to-be wife and I are both travel nurses, so we’re 2,000 miles from home right now, just saving up,” he said. “We’ve come close a few times, but it never quite felt right. We’re waiting for the right opportunity.”
Despite the distance, Skeets remains dedicated to his craft.
“I’m constantly coming up with new recipes,” he said. “I even challenge myself to find ingredients at the grocery store and see what I can brew.”
Skeets’ stepdaughter, Lalei, has designed all of their logos, a tradition he hopes to continue.
“Any label we make, I want it to be created by someone in the community or someone we love,” he said.
Working in an emergency room is challenging, and brewing beer has become an outlet for Skeets.
“It’s something that I can pour a different type of energy into and see how other people like it,” he said. “I’ve kind of got a sciencey brain anyway, so it kind of fuels that. I really love the work I have to put into it. It’s just a stress relief for them from the emergency job, but it also lends to the awesome community that I’ve absorbed myself into.” GN
