Breweries offer Georgia residents place to enjoy beers, be social

These days Georgia is full of companies changing the game with their beer.

When Roland Ivey and his wife, Teresa, are in the mood for a beer and want to get outside, they’ve got options.

The couple has lived in Fayetteville for more than 30 years but has recently been enjoying the number of breweries available in and around the community.

“Several have popped up within four or five miles of each other,” Ronald Ivey, 69, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’s great to be able to get outside and have a beer and enjoy that downtown atmosphere.”

One of their favorite breweries, Line Creek Brewing Bus Barn on City Center Parkway, was built on the site of the old Fayette County Bus Barn in Fayetteville’s entertainment district.

“They repurposed that property and turned it into a brewery,” Ronald Ivey said. “We heard about it and decided to check it out. It’s a good place to gather. You can just sit around and enjoy the beer or the company.”

Ivey likes stouts. He enjoys the darker beers and said Line Creek usually has a good selection. But his wife prefers lighter beers, and she enjoys some of the pilsners Line Creek has to offer.

“Our visits are seasonal,” Ronald Ivey said. “From spring to fall we go to one of the local breweries weekly.”

Other options the couple enjoys visiting are Awkward Brewery on Lee Street and Barleygarden Kitchen and Craft Bar on Trilith Parkway, both in Fayetteville.

“Awkward has a good selection of beer and they also have good outside seating,” he said. “We like that one a lot too.”

He said that since the COVID-19 pandemic, he and many others tend to want to visit places with outdoor seating.

“At Awkward Brewing, the outside seating is comfortable and you can enjoy your beer and your friends. Sometimes we go with friends but sometimes it’s just my wife and I.”

Jeff Longino said he enjoys Line Creek as well as Senoia Beer Company on Main Street in Senoia, about a 20-minute drive from Fayetteville. He likes the community atmosphere they offer.

“So many of the breweries have popped up,” he said. “To a certain extent, they tend to have a relatively similar vibe. We go to Line Creek, but Senoia Beer Company is a newer one. I tend to like the darker beers better. The porters and stouts tend to be my favorites.”

Longino said both those breweries are in an entertainment/restaurant district. He and his wife, Holly, might meet her parents or some friends for dinner and a few beers after. The breweries provide a relaxed atmosphere that makes being social easy.

“Some years ago I went to the U.K. on business trips and as an American, I liked the pub mentality there,” he said. “It’s a central meeting spot. I walked away with the thought that here with our sprawling suburbs, we’ve lost that central gathering place with neighbors. These breweries are taking steps toward that.”

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