More New Brewing| A map of Atlanta-area breweries and brewpubs
Story: The new Westside Atlanta brewery opened in January. Partners Jonathan Baker, Jeff Heck and Joel Iverson met in a weekly Monday night Bible study and decided to open a craft brewery together while concocting home brew recipes in Heck’s garage. Their slogan: “Weekends Are Overrated.”
Beers: Fu Manbrew Belgian-style Wit, Eye Patch Ale, Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale, all recently in bottles
Info: 670 Trabert Ave. N.W., Atlanta, 404-352-7703.
Story: Named for the shelter owner/brewer Tom Stahl used in his home brew days, the small Decatur microbrewery released it first beer in December. Stahl, a former University of Georgia biochemist, does most everything himself, making the kinds of session beers and IPAs he likes to drink.
Beers: Bantam Weight Red, Hopsided IPA, Mother Hoppin’ Double IPA
Info: 731 E. College Ave., Decatur. Tasting room and tours coming in June.
Story: This small brew pub opened in December in Vickery Village of Cumming in partnership with Rick Tanner’s Grille & Bar. Head brewer and founder Nick Tanner works with Dan Reingold and Jonny Bradley to craft a wide variety of styles, with 10-12 beers on draft daily.
Beers: Cream Ale, Irish Red, Porter
Info: 5810 Bond St. E-2, Cumming, 770-205-5512. Tours: 2 p.m. Saturdays.
Story: David Stein, former head brewer at Twain’s, and Adam Beauchamp, a brewer at Sweetwater, will build out the new downtown Athens brewery this summer and hope to have beer in the market by early fall. Look for a variety of styles, in both kegs and cans, including barrel-aged offerings.
Beers: IPA, German-style Pilsner, Berliner Weisse, Oaked-Rye Amber
Info: 297 W. Hancock Ave., Athens.
Story: Partners Michael Lundmark and Josh Rachel funded the final push for their new Alpharetta brewery (named for the historic Southern island brewery) with a successful $30,000 Kickstarter project. They hope to start brewing their American- and German-style beers in May and be in the market in June. Beers: IPA, Kolsch
Info: 2855 Marconi Drive, Suite 350, Alpharetta.
Story: New venture from 5 Seasons brewmaster Crawford Moran and business partner Russ Yates in the former Everybody’s Pizza space in Emory Village will open as a restaurant and bar in June and add a brew pub in the fall. Pizza-plus-beer is the basic equation, with creative takes on each side.
Beers: Pale Ale, IPA, Porter, Stout, Vienna Lager, Pilsner, Bock
Info: 1593 N. Decatur Road, Atlanta.
Story: Opened in December in Fairburn by brothers Will and Lamar Strawn and fellow home brewer Doug Evans as what they call “The Working Man’s Brewery.” That means they mainly make easy-drinking beer styles to enjoy after a hard day’s work — because they all still have day jobs.
Beers: American Wheat, Amber Ale, Scottish 80
Info: 27 Word St., Fairburn, 404-268-1551. Tours: 1-4 p.m. Saturdays.
Atlanta has been experiencing a craft beer boom that’s about to become a major explosion, with craft breweries and brew pubs opening, under construction or in planning from Cumming and Alpharetta to Decatur and Fairburn.
Part of a national trend that’s tracked the steady growth of craft beer sales, it’s been a bright spot in an otherwise down economy. And, as ever, it’s another sign of a lively and enduring beer culture that dates to ancient times.
Brian Purcell, the founder and president of Three Taverns Brewery in Decatur, may be setting the bar the highest for new Atlanta breweries. Named for a refreshment stop on the Appian Way in Italy, Three Taverns will produce premium Belgian-style beer, combining Old World brewing techniques and a creative style similar to American craft breweries such as Dogfish Head.
“I want to have an Old World aroma woven into everything we do,” Purcell said. “What I associate with that is a world where craftsmen were appreciated for the effort they put into making their product, and they were passionate about it.”
To that end, Purcell raised $1.9 million in capital and took over an 8,500-square-foot space in East Decatur Station for a build-out that includes a four-vessel, 30-barrel brewhouse, multiple fermenters, keg and bottling lines, and tasting and barrel-aging rooms.
Purcell is a longtime home brewer who worked for Coke, then owned an incentive marketing and promotion company before finding the funding to begin Three Taverns.
Over the five years it took to finally get to a bricks-and-mortar brewery, he was designing and perfecting his beer recipes, brewing on a pilot system in the basement of his office and defining his brand while working with clients upstairs.
“Working with all the brand managers and promotions managers at Coke, I saw how world-class brands were created,” Purcell said. “It all starts with a great product, but then you need a great story and great marketing to succeed.”
Right now, Three Taverns is in final construction and on pace to open for business in June. By late summer, Purcell plans to employ a young Belgian head brewer, Joran Van Ginderachter, who worked for Kasteel and Bockor in Belgium and has been consulting with Three Taverns.
The first two Three Tavern beers set for release in June are Single Intent, a Belgian-style single, and A Night in Brussels, a Belgian-style American IPA.
“Single Intent is named after the single-minded intent I’ve had to have to pull this off for the last five years,” Purcell said. “There were times when I was so discouraged. But I always had this vision I call the journey to Three Taverns. I still have a picture of the Appian Way that I kept up to remind me of the road I’m on.”
Info: Three Taverns Brewery,121 New St., Decatur.
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