Frog Rock Brewery opened in August 2023 and has been growing at a steady pace.
The brewery is part of the Cincinnati Junction redevelopment project in downtown Austell, which includes several historic brick storefronts. It’s notable for the rail lines that divide the heart of the city and make it a popular destination for train watchers.
During a recent visit, Frog Rock brewer Ryan Hall conducted a tasting in the taproom, often interrupted by the wail of train whistles. “There are 60 to 80 that go by every day,” he said.
Hall has been brewing professionally for seven years, starting out in Telluride, Colorado, before moving back to Georgia to work at Drowned Valley Brewing in Cartersville and Red Top Brewhouse in Acworth.
Frog Rock takes its name from the effigy of a frog at Louis Suggs Park in Austell. The beer gets its unique flavor from the famed Lithia Springs water found in nearby Sweetwater Creek State Park.
“It’s packed full of magnesium, potassium, sulfates and obviously a little bit of lithium,” said Hall, a former home brewer. “It definitely adds a character to the beer. You don’t need to add salts like most brewers have to. Also, it’s so full of salts and electrolytes, it rehydrates you as you’re drinking. In our opinion, it’s one of the healthiest versions of beer.”
Credit: Bob Townsend
Credit: Bob Townsend
Frog Rock has 16 beers on tap, plus a variety of hard seltzers, as well as 16-ounce four-packs of cans available at the taproom.
“We brew the seltzers with Lithia Springs water, too,” Hall said. “A lot of people really appreciate us having them, because they don’t drink beer. They’re about 30% of our sales, which is more than we expected.”
Top sellers on the beer list include Pursuit of Happiness blonde ale and Austell La Vista Mexican lager.
“Pursuit of Happiness just took over the No. 1 spot from Austell La Vista,” Hall said. “I’m super proud of it. It’s just easy drinking, good, clean beer. But I wanted to have a little bit of everything on my list, including saisons and barley wines that you don’t see that often.”
The brewery’s backyard beer garden is about to open, with picnic tables, food trucks and a stage for live music.
“A lot of our regulars can walk to the bar, and they’ve been so good to us,” Hall said. “We have a group of about 25 regulars that are in there four times a week. ... They’ve been extremely loyal to us. They appreciate that we’re here and trying to revitalize Austell.”
Frog Rock hopes to land a distribution deal that would allow it to send beer beyond the taproom. Hall said that Six Flags Over Georgia “reached out to us and they wanted our beer, but we don’t have any way of distributing it right now. And there are all these beer festivals that are wanting our products, but we’re stuck in this void.”
Whatever comes next, Hall is dedicated to helping Austell grow. “I think our biggest thing is that we are 100% community-driven,” he said. “We’re trying to give back to the community. ... Once we get a couple more businesses in here, this will be a little mecca.”
Frog Rock Brewery. 2764 Broad Street, Austell. frogrockbrewingco.com
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