Hook Point Brewing Co. owners Mike and Cindy Sadler
Known by his aviation call sign, “Blaze,” Mike Sadler, owner of Hook Point Brewing Co., is no stranger to taking risks. The career pilot spent 16 years as a Naval aviator, guiding F/A-18s through combat and training operations before settling into the Naval reserves and, eventually, flying commercial airliners for FedEx. Sadler’s passion for adventure led to the creation of his Flat Hat brand in 2014, and later, the opening of Hook Point Brewing Co. in Collierville. But Sadler had always hoped to incorporate a restaurant/taproom combination, to enhance customers’ experience and his business. So, when the opportunity arose to open The Ready Room at Brookhaven Circle earlier this year, he viewed it as a risk worth taking. And East Memphis diners have already taken to Hook Point’s beer-inspired bar snacks and brew flights.
A flight featuring (L to R) Haze Gray & IPA, Yo-Yo Pale Ale, Dry Dock Brut IPA, and Afterburner Red.
Currently, The Ready Room offers lunch, dinner, and brunch options. Whenever you visit, start with the Afterburner bites, which take advantage of Hook Point’s Afterburner Red, a mild Irish ale. The chicken bites are doused in a spicy sauce and infused with the ale, giving the morsels a hit of maltiness, plus some notes of toffee and caramel underneath the added blue cheese crumbles and ranch drizzle. It’s perhaps one of the best snacks for the table, each piece fried perfectly crisp and boasting a variety of textures, with the thinner pieces hewing close to a pork-rind like quality.
“We’re trying to involve beer in almost all of our food options going forward,” says Sadler. “We’ve been brewing for a couple years now, so it made sense to utilize our first strength to bolster the menu.” There are plenty of bar snacks, of course; the pretzel bites stand out as a simple classic, a traditional pairing with a glass of beer. The fresh-baked pretzels are fluffy inside with a crispy exterior, and the spicy mustard dipping sauce is enhanced with the brewery’s Cat Shot Kölsch.
Pretzel bites and duck wontons.
We particularly relished the duck wontons snack. Fried and flattened into a triangular shape, the chip-like exterior hides a delicious helping of savory minced duck, with any hint of gaminess cut by the addition of bacon, and accented by the thick, syrupy side of blackberry cream ale beer jelly. Before we knew it, the wontons had vanished from our plate.
The Ready Room’s brunch offerings include several sweeter options. The chicken and waffles piles those fried chicken bites atop a malted waffle with bacon jam and spicy maple syrup. “Bananas Oscar,” the taproom’s take on Bananas Foster, highlights the Inky Barley coffee stout’s notes of chocolate, coffee, and smoke in sautéed bananas and chocolate sauce, mixed with bacon, a malted waffle, and whipped cream. And the “Full Dressed Blues” is a fruity blast, centered around blueberry compote atop a blueberry malted waffle and a heaping of sweet ricotta cream.
It might seem like quite an unconventional mix, but that fits right in with Sadler’s ethos. “I’ve always been about adventure, taking on a challenge,” he says. “Our original brand, Flat Hat, is a naval term used for unauthorized low-altitude flying, which became synonymous with any kind of stunts or flybys that were kind of outside the rules for pilots. It was more about pushing yourself and testing your limits and seeing how good you were.”
A trademark issue convinced Sadler to change the name of the brewery, located in Collierville, to Hook Point Brewing Co. But Flat Hat remains the brewery’s flagship brew, familiar to local beer drinkers. And the Flat Hat Pale Ale, says Sadler, is a beer that fits neatly into an adventurous lifestyle. “It’s a very light beer, about 97 calories and under two carbs. We introduced it as the light, crisp beer that you can have out on the golf course, by the pool, or after a race.”
Toasted bruss-acado sandwich.
Other Hook Point beers, like the Cat Shot Kölsch or the Haze Gray & IPA, have been canned and are recognizable around town. But The Ready Room gives Hook Point and brewmaster Jay Marchmon more opportunities to experiment with small-batch varieties. The Ready Room has 14 taps available, with selections listed on the “Daily Flight Schedule” next to the bar. The establishment can seat around 80 inside, and there’s a small patio for nice days. Now that the taproom has had a few months to settle, Sadler is ready to start focusing on expanding the business again. Expect more events to take place there, like trivia and live music. He’s also playing with whimsical pairings, such as beer and Girl Scout cookies. There may also be a karaoke night in the works. “Overall, we want it to be a place where people have fun,” he says. “It won’t just be for eating and drinking.”
Sadler is also ready to resume growing the overall Hook Point brand. The last few years have been hard on the business. The brewery and distribution center opened in early 2020, forcing Sadler to adjust quickly. But having come out stronger on the other side, he’s looking at increasing distribution and expanding the selection of beer. “A big step will be for us to get our own canning line,” he adds. “It will be more efficient and give us greater flexibility. And that means more options for people to buy at The Ready Room.”
Having sampled plenty of beer-infused snacks, we put in one final order for the toasted “bruss-acado” before we left. Expecting a simple open-faced toast, we were instead greeted with a full-on sandwich, stuffed full of Brussels sprouts, garlic, avocado mash, feta and Swiss cheeses, and cranberries on wheatberry bread. With more menu items touching down soon, there’s plenty to keep diners and beer enthusiasts excited. But for now, I’ll have to head back and try their new meat-and-three plate lunch. And another round of beers for the table, please.
The Ready Room is located at 715 W. Brookhaven Circle. Open 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday/Tuesday.
