Iron Forge Brewing Company is now open at Covenant Health Park, adding another street-facing restaurant and taproom to Knoxville’s growing stadium district.

The Sevierville-based brewery celebrated its official opening last week with a ribbon cutting alongside local officials, according to local reports. The new location sits at Covenant Health Park, home of the Knoxville Smokies and One Knoxville SC, but the key detail for residents is this: it is designed to serve more than game-day crowds.

Inside of Knoxville reports the location is open to the public and does not require a ticket to enter, making it another year-round option for lunch, dinner, drinks, or a stop near the Old City and East Knoxville corridor. The brewery has 18 beers on tap at the Knoxville location, with beer brewed at Iron Forge’s Sevierville facility.

That public-facing setup matters because Covenant Health Park was always pitched as more than a baseball stadium. The area around the ballpark has been expected to grow into a more active district, with restaurants, apartments, events, and foot traffic extending beyond Smokies and One Knox game schedules. Iron Forge gives that vision a visible first step: a stadium-adjacent business that people can visit on ordinary weekdays, not just when gates open for a game.

The brewery also brings an existing East Tennessee brand into Knoxville. Iron Forge began in Sevierville and has expanded its beer distribution across East Tennessee. WVLT previously reported that the Knoxville location was planned as a full-scale taproom with a patio, craft beer, cocktails, and a scratch-made food menu.

For downtown and East Knoxville residents, the opening adds another option in a part of town that has been changing quickly since the stadium opened. For visitors, it gives Covenant Health Park a more flexible front door — somewhere to meet before a game, grab a meal after work, or visit even when the Smokies are on the road.

The bigger story may be what comes next. As more businesses open around Covenant Health Park, the stadium district will be judged not only by attendance numbers, but by whether it becomes a useful, welcoming neighborhood destination on non-game days, too.