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Podhajsky said measures at Yee-Haw were focused on people coming and going rather than keeping an eye on customers, though guards were regularly spotted standing along the beer garden's perimeter watching people as they drink. She would not say whether future security measures will include armed guards.

Founded in Johnson City, Yee-Haw also has taprooms in Nashville and Greenville, South Carolina, in addition to its cider taprooms in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge under the Tennessee Stud brand.

Since opening halfway between downtown and Old North Knoxville, Yee-Haw has remained one of the city's largest breweries, able to accommodate roughly 1,000 people at any given time between its indoor and outdoor spaces at 745 N. Broadway.

Because of the brewery's size and multiple entry points, Podhajsky said, armed security was there "to make sure we are preventing any issues and being proactive."

But when it comes to hiring armed security, Young said, decision-makers usually are thinking about "low-probability but high-severity incidents." Think active shooters, for example.

"A lot of people do knee-jerk reactions, but they don't think through the consequences," Young said. "An armed guard at a location that is distributing alcohol − most cases, you're probably only dealing with drunk and disorderlys and have to remove them if they become violent.

"How frequently does that happen? Can individuals do that without armed guards? Yeah, absolutely."

Knox News made a public records request to the Knoxville Police Department on Jan. 3 for any incidents that required a police response at the brewery since it opened. There was just one: a needle found in the parking lot.

Podhajsky said it was the security company that suggested arming the guards.

"The moment that Yee-Haw was even considering opening up (in Knoxville), we were already called. We were doing walkthroughs when they were still building it," Steward said. "The key to security is being one step ahead of the problem."

The industry standard calls for one security guard for every 50-100 people, Steward said, which means Yee-Haw could have required roughly 10 armed security guards depending on crowd size.

Tennessee law requires extra training for security at bars

Armed security sends a certain message, Young said, whether or not it's intended by the business.

"What is the culture you are conveying by having these individuals?" he said. "Most people will typically think if they have never been there before, 'What has happened here that I don't know about?"

That's how Knoxville resident Chris Jarrett felt when he stopped at Yee-Haw within the first few months of it opening and noticed roughly five armed security guards. He and his wife stayed for one beer, left and won't be back again.

Jarrett said he could not believe "security theater" ended up being the negative highlight of his visit, especially when juxtaposed with the adopt-a-dog event Yee-Haw was hosting.

"Bouncers are one thing, but the gun is what stood out. It's something I've never encountered, even in nightclubs back in my 20s," the 37-year-old told Knox News. "I grew up doing Boy Scouts stuff, and I'm familiar with firearms. I've used firearms. ... I know that alcohol and firearms do not mix at all."

This point was echoed by Young, who for five years managed a dance club near Michigan State University where he sometimes teaches security and risk analysis courses. It's also a point acknowledged by Tennessee lawmakers.

Any security guard in Tennessee working at a business that serves alcohol must complete additional training required by Dallas's Law, which was put into effect after 22-year-old Dallas Barrett died following a fight with security guards at a downtown Nashville bar in 2021.

That includes de-escalation, safe restraint, first aid and CPR training. This is in addition to the base training Steward provides his security guards at Relentless Protection Services, which filed as a business with the state in October 2021.

Becoming an unarmed security guard takes a day of training, Steward said, but armed training comes with additional requirements that include a shooting test. There's also a background check.

"These (guards) just can't be bullies," Steward said. "They can't just be some big guys walking around with firearms."

All this training takes about one week, Steward said, and his security guards retrain quarterly. Steward says he has about 50 employees, which included up to a dozen in Knoxville.

'Paul Blart stigma' hard to overcome, and guns don't make it easier

One of the first things Young, the security expert, would suggest to any business considering using security is to instill a positive culture where guards get to know regulars − a friendly approach that, perhaps, includes stopping at tables to chat and making sure customers are comfortable.

Podhajsky said that was happening at Yee-Haw and that security was not meant to be intimidating. But guns simply being present can counteract friendly efforts, as weapons come with their own risk.

"I'm breaking up a fight; what if they get ahold of a gun?" Young said. "Does it make it more severe? You bet. What if the security officer overreacts and does some harm? Now, you're increasing your severity, and it's because of a judgment call."

Steward argues the likelihood of someone getting ahold of a security guard's firearm was low due to the professionalism he instills as their boss and instructor − and because of the high-grade holsters that require additional steps to retrieve a weapon.

"If you get qualified as a state armed officer, whatever gun you qualify with that’s (the gun you use)," Steward said. "I prefer Springfields or Glocks. ... Whatever they have on their person, they're qualified for."

Steward said his security guards also carried handcuffs and at least one less-lethal weapon (pepper spray or a taser, for example) to prevent going "from soft hands to deadly force."

When security was present at Yee-Haw, Steward said, guards were looking for anything illegal. They were also there to keep an eye on customers who had too much to drink.

"We're there just to cool them off," he said. "That comes with de-escalation."

But de-escalation strategies can be challenged by what Young calls the "Paul Blart stigma," a reference to the 2009 "Mall Cop" film starring Kevin James. It's the idea that security guards are "rent-a-cops" who won't be taken seriously by troublemakers because they do not have the arresting power of law enforcement.

"Giving them a gun does not make them more credible," Young said.

How Yee-Haw Brewing Co. differs from other Knoxville breweries

Breweries have expanded in recent years from being places known just for their beer to neighborhood anchors that regularly feature art, live music, food and community events. Many Knoxville breweries keep games on hand for children and are popular hangouts for families.

That's part of what Jarrett, the one-and-done Yee-Haw customer, has enjoyed about Knoxville's growing beer scene.

"I have a new son now, and I would never bring him anywhere near that place (Yee-Haw) now knowing that bullets could theoretically fly," he said. "I doubt that they will. But when they're there, there is always the nonzero chance of that."

Yee-Haw is the only Knoxville brewery that has used armed security on a regular basis, though some breweries may have security at the door during large events.

But even during large events, Young said, "there's probably very few occurrences" that require a security to go in armed. An unlikely visit from a well-known celebrity is one of the rare cases it might make sense, he said.

Multiple threads on the Knoxville Reddit page include comments from other people frustrated with Yee-Haw's use of armed security.

"For me it's the weird feeling of being in a Florida panhandle college drop-out bar combined with like five armed security guards," one user wrote. "People who pick up bags of cash from businesses to drive to the bank have less security, lol. What an anti-brewery vibe."

Did armed security make 'boogeymen' feel real in Knoxville?

Also in its first year, Yee-Haw regularly checked for IDs and firearms at the door before providing a wristband to indicate customers are of-age. This is another unordinary policy as far as local breweries are concerned, but it's not uncommon to see this strategy implemented at busy bars and clubs.

The wristband system − and armed security, for that matter − takes some responsibility off Yee-Haw staff so they can focus on providing "excellent service," Podhajsky said.

Young said security checks are great, but they do not require an armed guard.

This all feels like a step back for Jarrett, who used to be scared of downtown before it became the thriving business and nightlife hub we know today. He didn't surpass the fear until someone invited him out for a night on the town, and he understands people who haven't been to the area in years might feel the same way.

If guns are supposed to make people feel safer, Jarrett said, the effect at Yee-Haw "was anything but."

"You create all these boogeymen in your head," he said. "This does not feel like a brewery."

Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com. Instagram @knoxscruff.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Yee Haw Brewing in Knoxville used armed security guards