Drinking at Humble Baron, the Longest Bar in the World

At 7 p.m. on a Friday night in the middle of nowhere Tennessee a local musician named Sarina-Joi Crowe takes the stage with her band to sing covers of hits from the past four decades. As they switch effortlessly between The Beatles’ “Come Together”, Prince’s “I Would Die for You”, and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’”, a half-a-dozen women visiting from out of town start dancing in front of the stage. While not packed, the Humble Baron Bar might be the most happening spot in the 24,000-person town of Shelbyville, Tennessee. It also happens to be the longest bar in the entire world. 

Two hundred and two barstools fit along a 518-foot bar that snakes around the indoor stage. To put the length in perspective, the bar stretches out to over one-and-a-half football fields or half the elevation of the Eiffel Tower. In May, the Guinness World Records officially declared Humble Baron in the tiny town one hour south of Nashville as the World’s Longest Bar. Humble Baron shattered the previous record holder—the Beer Barrel Saloon in Ohio—by more than 100 feet. The Beer Barrel Saloon held the title for almost 25 years. 

“We wanted a bar where everyone has a seat at the table,” said Keith Weaver, the founder of Humble Baron. “We wanted Humble Barron to be a place where more than 200 people from every background can pull up a chair and engage with one another at the same time.”

The new record-setting bar is located within the record-setting whiskey distillery, Nearest Green Distillery. Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey is the first-ever spirit brand to honor a Black whiskey maker. It is also the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in U.S. history. Keith’s wife Fawn Weaver founded the brand in 2017 after learning the incredible story of Nathan “Nearest” Green. Born into slavery in Maryland in the 1820s, Green spent most of his life in a nearby Tennessee town. He was well known in the area for his exceptional skill in whiskey distillation. After the Civil War and emancipation, he continued his work in Tennessee where he played a crucial role as the first master distiller for the distillery that would become known as Jack Daniel’s. It was here that he mentored a young Jasper Newton “Jack” Daniel, imparting his craftsmanship in the art of whiskey-making. As the first African American master distiller on record, he helped Jack Daniel create the whiskey that has grown into one of the most famous and valuable brands today. 

For many years, Green’s contribution to the whiskey industry was largely forgotten, overshadowed by the Prohibition era and the tumultuous racial dynamics of the time. However, recent efforts by Fawn and Keith Weaver have aimed to posthumously celebrate his invaluable contributions to the whiskey industry and restore his legacy as a pioneering figure in American distilling history. The distillery already welcomes more than 100,000 visitors each year. Humble Baron is taking the next step in continuing the celebration of that legacy with live music, great cocktails, Southern-comfort fun and plenty of whiskey. 

Beverage Director DeAndre Jackson

Humble Baron Beverage Manager DeAndre Jackson’s signature cocktail—The Queen’s Gambit—is a house favorite. Jackson mixes Uncle Nearest 1856 with Sorel Liqueur, Hella Cocktail Co Apple Blossom bitters, pineapple and citrus to create his signature cocktail. The distillery partnered with lifestyle site Gin & Luck, the others of the celebrated chain of bars Death &  Co.,  to create its cocktail program. “Deer Fawn” is another crowd favorite. It is a spin on the espresso martini that uses local Tennessee whiskey instead of vodka. While there are plenty of Uncle Nearest cocktails to be had, the bar also serves a wide variety of spirits for the non-whiskey lovers out there. To help soak up all the alcohol, James Beard nominee Chef G. Garvin created an elevated menu of classic Southern dishes. The restaurant’s signature Nashville Hot Shrimp and Grits is the most popular dish, while the Snow Crab Claws sauteed in brown butter and sage is not far behind. 

Humble Baron takes its entertainment as seriously as it does its food and drink. The former technical director and engineer for Prince’s Paisley Park designed the audio and visual for the state-of-the-art music venue. A glass garage door separates the indoor stage from the outdoor stage. The bar hosts live music almost every night they are open. The venue can accommodate up to 15,000 fans. 

While the bar was Keith’s inspiration, it was his wife Fawn Weaver who came up with the name. 

“Although the vision of Humble Baron comes from the incredible mind of my favorite person on earth, I had the great honor of naming it,” said Fawn Weaver of her husband and partner, who’s also an executive with Sony Pictures. “Keith’s storied career as an executive vice president for one of the largest movie studios in the world and one of the highest ranking Black executives in Hollywood for more than 20 years causes people to look at him as a baron. But he’s remained the humblest person I’ve ever known throughout his impressive career.”

Jennifer Simonson is a travel writer by trade and a lover of the world’s food, cultures, drinks and outdoor spaces by nature.