Multi city road trip

[KiltedDrummer]

My manager is taking his daughter on a road trip to celebrate her moving on to middle school and was looking for a few breweries that he shouldn't miss along the way. Obviously his daughter won't be all that into this part of the trip so he's looking for one or two in each area, or along the way, that he really shouldn't miss to pick up a bomber or growler (he'll have a cooler so hopefully the growlers can make it home). The trip is a long one:
Charlotte, NC (start)
(pass through Knoxville and Nashville TN)
St. Louis, MO
Chicago
Louisville, KY
Back to Charlotte

Are there any absolute must hits, especially in St. Louis, and perhaps brew pubs in the TN cities? Anything in cities I'm missing along the way (think the most obvious interstate based route)? Any advice is appreciated by my boss directly, and by me indirectly, from a brown nosing perspective.

[siwelwerd]

Are there any absolute must hits, especially in St. Louis?

Urban Chestnut and the Schlafly Taproom. Another option that might be more palatable to his daughter would be a yuppie burger place called Bailey's Range, which has 18 or 20 local beers on tap.

[BDawg]

When you get to Louisville, Dirk says there's a place that sells - I shit you not - HOT SMOKED PORK BELLY ON A STICK - aka "Bacon-popsicles".

He's going to have to give you the details though. I only saw the pics, but was jealous as hell.

[codewritinfool]

When you get to Louisville, Dirk says there's a place that sells - I shit you not - HOT SMOKED PORK BELLY ON A STICK - aka "Bacon-popsicles".

He's going to have to give you the details though. I only saw the pics, but was jealous as hell.

Ok, I know you aren't going to SFO, but this is for BDawg... http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2013/06/the_willows_a_soma_bar_for_rea.php