Talking Head: Beer news sprouting all over
April 29th, 2009 by Jeff Holland in Drink
May Flowers. The month of May promises to be one of the biggest in recent memory for Georgia beer lovers: Craft Beer Week, two new Terrapin releases, the opening of 5 Seasons Westside, and the Georgia debut of Bell’s and New Belgium. Look for more details here in the coming weeks on all of these events. Then, toward the end of the month, the East Atlanta Beer Festival kicks off the Atlanta festival season. The fest takes place on Sat., May 30, from 1-6 p.m. at the corner of Moreland and Metropolitan avenues in East Atlanta. Over 120 craft beers will be featured and proceeds benefit community projects. Buy your tickets today (Apr. 29) to save $5 and avoid the long lines. They will be $35 at the gate.
French Broad spotted in Atlanta. No, not Carla Bruni. Asheville’s French Broad Brewing Company has begun distribution in the Atlanta area. The small brewery (about 2,500 barrels in 2008) opened in 2001 and has pursued a goal of creating classic European style beers with an Asheville twist. Recently they have been stepping up production, expanding into Virginia, Eastern Tennessee, and now Georgia. “We’re a little stressed here at the brewery right now,” says marketing director Matt Barnao. “We’re on a pace to triple our production from last year.” To keep up with orders, beers are brewed during the day on the company’s 15-barrel system, then the night shift comes in to bottle on a semi-automated bottle filling system.
French Broad fields 5 year-round selections and occasional seasonals. “We have skipped a spring seasonal for this year in order to keep up with our regular lineup,” says Barnao, “but we had an imperial porter this winter and are currently working on ideas for a summer beer.” Last year’s fall seasonal, the Rye Hopper, was so popular that it was made a year-round offering, replacing the Goldenrod Pilsner. In addition to the Rye Hopper, the lineup includes the Gateway Kölsch, Altbier, 13 Rebels ESB, and Wee-Heavy-er Scotch Ale. All of these will be available in Georgia in bottles, while the Scotch ale and Rye Hopper also will be available on draft. Taco Mac and Brick Store Pub both have some on now.
Hop City is open! After considerable delay, Hop City Craft Beer and Wine store on Marietta St. is open. The store will have most of its stock in by the end of this week. The homebrewing equipment arrived this week and is being set up for display. More details about the store can be found here.
Hey Porter. Tonight’s Dogfish Head/Terrapin beer dinner at the Porter Beer Bar is sold out, so if you missed it you will just have to wait for next month’s dinner on May 26, featuring newcomer Bell’s Brewery out of Kalamazoo, MI. Or stop by for Firkin Friday this week and enjoy a pint from a rare cask of Nick Stafford’s Nightmare Porter from Hambleton Ales of Thirsk, England. The Porter also offers a monthly beer class that highlights a particular style. The May class is scheduled for the 20th, with wheat beers being featured. The class runs from 7-9 p.m. and costs $20. Call to reserve a spot.
April 29th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
CORRECTION: Tickets to the EABF are $30 in advance, $35 at the gate. Go to the EABF website to purchase advance tickets up to the day of the event.
April 30th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Hallelujah! Bell’s is coming to Georgia! Now all we need down here is a decent Coney Island and I will have no reason to move back to Michigan.