Since you’re a brewery guy/fam, I’ll give you my list.
Xül- best in the area IMO. Kind of a hype brewery selling mostly IPAs, sours, pilsners and occasionally some fantastic pastry stouts.
The rest in no particular order to try:
Bearden Beer Market- They brew ton of different beers here and some can be hit or miss. More hit than miss though. Check untappd scores on beers before you buy.
Abridged- two locations, regular and Oak Room, the latter focuses on sours. Good beer and great burgers.
Schulz Brau- German style beers and lots to choose from. Worth visiting just for the ambiance alone (looks like a castle and has a beautiful courtyard). Also has authentic German food.
Pretentious- very eclectic in style and their taproom has lots of personality even if it is small. It’s in the Old City which has tons of charm and lots of other places to visit…but that also comes with hard to find parking.
Printshop- a good stop right alongside the Tennessee River and friendly staff with above average beers.
Next Level- nice trendy taproom in a growing bohemian area of Knoxville. Can be very hit or miss.
There’s a few others, but those are my suggestions for a weekender.
