Finding Craft Beer @TheMasters – 2016

Top places to find good #CraftBeer while you're in AGS! 

My third edition of this annual write-up won’t be as extensive as it has been in the past. Most things haven’t changed, and I would encourage you take a look at my 2014 & 2015 posts for some more in-depth expositions. 

So where do we stand in 2016? To answer that, lets look at the area’s newest craft beer developments. 

This Beer Purgatory will soon be the home to two (at least) new craft breweries! Just outside of Downtown Augusta, the newly opened Riverwatch Brewery is Augusta’s first brewery in ~90 years! Owner and brewer Brey Sloan has already begun production, and looks to have product on local taps for Masters.  Brey recently retired from the Army, has been homebrewing for years, and has a great business plan and Siebel schooling to stand on.  We cant wait for our first pint!

By this time next year, Augusta will also be home to Savannah River Brewing. The operation just received its tanks and equipment, and hopes to be up and running by this Summer. Just this week however, they ran into a bit of trouble when the received a Cease & Desist letter from The Masters for looking to name one of their brews 'Green Jacket Pilsner'.  I suppose we will allow them a Mulligan for that one.  Or perhaps a 'Mulligan Pilsner'....

Outside of this exciting development, what are the best places in Augusta to get your Craft on? Follow me… 

If you are looking for the best place to sit down and enjoy great craft beer variety, along with great food, then look no further than the block of 10th St between Ellis and Broad Sts. This is the area’s epicenter of craft beer, housing 3 restaurants that you should most definitely be on your visit’s itinerary. 

- Bee’s Knees (211 10th St; @beeskneestapas): Bee’s Knees is the has the longest tenure on the block, well known for its tasty small plate tapas (Get the Smoked Gouda Nachos!) and a good craft beer selection.  They have several taps and additional bottle/can selection, mostly of rotating and eclectic craft variety.

- Hive Craft Beer Bar (215 10th St; @hivegrowlerbar); Right next door to TBK is its new younger sibling. Hive features 76 taps, 58 of which offer an impressive and constantly changing craft menu, and a food menu with a yummy eclectic take of pub grub. You can also get growlers filled here as well. 

Hive Growler Bar

- Füse (1002 Broad St) The new kid on the block is built around an ever-changing menu of international and southern recipes using local ingredients. And to top it off, it has 30 taps of craft and another dozen or two in bottles.

Füse

If you are looking to top off you’re a growler or two during your visit, Augusta now has several places that can do so, which is a huge improvement over 2 years ago.  

- Gravity Growlers (341 Furys Ferry Rd, Martinez; @gravitygrowlers) Run by two years ago by two brothers who know their stuff, at Gravity offers 25 taps and numerous bottles of great craft beer. Visit them and you will not be disappointed! 

- Tip Top Taps (4317 Washington Rd, Evans; @TipTopTapsEvans) Opened just after Masters last year, Tip Top you can find 20 taps for growler fills. Convenient for those further up Washington Rd. 

If you are looking to find a bottle shop in order to build a craft six-pack, or buy a sixtel, there are three great choices in the area. First is Toast Wine & Beverage (417 Furys Ferry Rd, Martinez). Equally as impressive is the selection at sister stores Beverage Outlet (248 Bobby Jones Expy, Martinez) & North Augusta Wine & Beverage (1135 Knox Ave North Augusta, SC). Beverage Outlet is currently claiming 50+ brands available in kegs of various sizes. Both also have what seems to be acres of wine and liquor selections to finish out your drinking needs. Lastly, if you are pressed for time, you can find a fairly good selection at our new Whole Foods while out shopping for some gourmet eats. They have a 5-tap growler station, and have a good variety of craft single and six-packs to choose from. 

While we don’t have any Brew Pubs here in Augusta, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Aiken Brewing Company (140 Laurens St SW, Aiken, SC). This brew pub is located in the Aiken shopping district, and if you are staying North of the river, I would recommend you check them out. 

So that is it for this year....enjoy the golf, and enjoy the best Craft Beer that this Beer Purgatory has to offer!

AGS gains another Growler Store - Pt 3

My first purchase

After adventuring over to Lowes this morning, I stopped across the street for my first stop at Tip Top Taps, and picked up a growler of Smuttynose Finestkind IPA.

TTT just opened for business yesterday, and is offering 20 taps of craft beer goodness.   Buy a 32oz or 1gal growler for a one time cost of $5 (sizes can be interchanged for no charge), and fill it from your choice of constantly rotating taps for the cost of the beer.  Then drink & repeat.  Owner Marty Koger, who previously owned the gas/mini-mart at the same location, said that he was looking to reinvent his store and help fill a need for which the Augusta area has limited options.  The location also offers an e-cigarette/vapor counter, for those looking for nicotine, rather than hops.

Tap list and availability at tiptoptaps.com

A year ago, Augusta couldn't spell Growler, let alone fill one conveniently.  Now with 4 local growler stations, and a 5th one coming, AGS has plenty of options for great take-home craft beer on tap.

Augusta, lets make sure that they all prosper!  Drink up!

AGS gains another Growler Store - Pt 2

Tip Top Taps is now open for business with 20 taps of #craftbeer.

We are excited to announce that Tip Top Taps is now open for business!

Come in to say hello, try a few beers, and buy some to take home with you!

Check out our beer selections to see what’s currently on tap. You’re welcome to try before you buy, and we’re confident that you’ll find something you love on our diverse menu.

We offer 32-ounce and 64-ounce growlers, filled with your choice of delicious craft beer from one of our 20 taps. Growlers are a convenient way to enjoy draught beer at home and without paying bar premiums.

If the draught options don’t strike your fancy, we also stock bombers (large 22-ounce bottles) of a variety of other craft beers.

We are open from noon to 8 pm, 7 days a week. We are located at the corner of Washington Road and Belair Road in Evans, Georgia — just down the street from Evans Towne Center Park.

@BeesKneesTapas To Open 70 Tap Growler Pub

@JennaNMartin says Downtown AGS will soon get a lot more craft beer, courtesy of The Hive Growler Bar.

Bee's Knees restaurant owners prepare to open growler pub
By Jenna Martin

The couple that brought The Bee’s Knees downtown to Tenth Street will soon add a “Hive.”

Eric and Kristi Kinlaw are in the midst of gutting a storefront next to the Bee’s Knees tapas bar for their second full-service eatery, The Hive Growler Bar, a hybrid retail growler shop, restaurant and bar.

“Here, we’re kind of limited on space,” Eric Kinlaw said of Bee’s Knees, which has room to offer only six beers on draft. “We really wanted to expand our on-tap offerings, so we’re going to have over 70 taps and we’re going to sell growlers to go.”

Kinlaw said the pub-style restaurant will emphasize beer selections from Georgia and other regional breweries, and offer monthly beer events.

[...]

They’ve been working on their new concept for about a year and a half and decided now to lease the adjacent space...Kristi Kinlaw said.

“We’ve been down here for a long time and seen the ebbs and flows of downtown,” she said. “A lot of great restaurants have opened up over the past few years, and we just want to keep the momentum doing down here.”

This will be interesting, given that both the Bee's Knees and old Rooster's Beak restaurant next door (where The Hive will be) only have/had several taps at most.  I am wondering where The Hive will be able to find room to store kegs to feed *70* taps, without giving up kitchen space and/or dining space.

No matter what though, I know this will have a lot of people lining up for opening night!  I can't wait...

AHA Homebrew Rally in ATL - Jul 12

This @HomebrewAssoc event will be hosted by @MondayNight.  

Monday Night Brewing Company of Atlanta, GA is inviting all local homebrewers to an American Homebrewers Association (AHA) Rally on Sunday, July 12!

Join us at Monday Night Brewing Company!

- Enjoy Monday Night beer samples
- Learn about hops during an educational presentation from Monday Night brewers
- Take home a Rally-exclusive gift from the AHA
- Meet Monday Night brewers and staff
- Take a VIP brewery tour
- Mingle with local homebrewers
- Win great prizes from the AHA and Monday Night

AHA Rallies are free to current AHA members. Non-members can join now, or sign up onsite at a discounted member rate. Save time and fill out a membership form in advance to bring with you to the Rally. Don’t forget to RSVP to help us properly prepare for the event.

See you there!!

Craft Beer Politics in Perspective

@BeerSommelier points us to a warning from the Lone Star State. 
 
While #GABeer seems beset by politics influenced by a strong lobby with deep pockets, at least we are moving forward.  However once (someday) we as beer lovers achieve what we want with modern beer distribution and sales laws, we must not consider the war won.  Why not?  Just look at some states that have things a lot better than we do, and you will find states where progress is in the process of being rolled back  Take Texas for instance, a place know for its economic freedoms and strength, but not free of crony capitalism and the influence of those deep lobbying pockets....

Texas Brewers Are Ready to Fight a Bill That Would Kill the Craft-Beer Boom

Texas Rep. Senfronia Thompson filed legislation this week that proposed new limitations on craft breweries that operate in Texas. Specifically, her bill seeks to limit the amount of beer small breweries can self-distribute to 5,000 barrels a year. The current limit is 40,000 barrels.

Texas Brewers were quick to cry skunky suds. Thompson has long received large donations from organizations that lobby on behalf of Texas beer distributors, casting a dubious shadow on her bill, which would force small breweries to participate in the same distribution systems that cater to large, commercial operations. The move is decidedly anti-business, and Texas loves business goddammit.

[...]

The 5,000 number is also insultingly low. So low, in fact, it threatens to impact even the smallest brewers. "I brewed 3,500 barrels last year and will cross 5,000 this year," says Michael Peticolas, owner and operator of Peticolas Brewery and a lawyer who's active on legislation that effects local breweries. To continue to grow, he'd have to find a distributor, giving up his distribution rights in the process. Revolver Brewing, a larger brewery that also self-distributes, would be hit even harder.

Fortunately, the article concludes that the bill has little chance of passage.  But the effort demonstrates that the war is never won, and craft beer lovers must always be on guard.

Augusta gains another Growler store!

In the near future Columbia County will add another growler fill location - Tip Top Taps.

Coming soon to the Augusta and Columbia County area, Tip Top Taps will be located at the corner of Washington and Belair Roads, convenient to Evans Towne Center Park and Lady Antebellum Amphitheater.

We strive to offer a wide selection of craft beers representing the myriad styles available. From pale ales to porters, you’re sure to find something you’ll love.

If you have a special request, please contact us.

Whether you’re a beer novice or an old pro, we hope you’ll feel right at home at Tip Top Taps.

The exact location will be: 
Tip Top Taps
4317 Washington Rd
Evans, GA 30809

Signs You're A Little Too Into Craft Beer

This is for the guys on @CBCast, from @PorchDrinkingCO.

- You have a closet/attic/cellar full of beer that will likely not be drunk for another few years.

- You consider people you’ve never met, but traded beer with, as your close friends. 

- You’ve started using words like mouthfeel, malty, weight, gravity, balance, hopped, finish, and most notably head, in everyday conversations but in a nontraditional and unintentionally sexual way.

So true....

Reminder - Augusta Shamrawked Pub Crawl

Don't forget today's @RedHareBrewing sponsored event. Tickets on sale at 4PM at 11th & Broad.

Old Guard Biere de Garde Release

@GAAleTrail reports Savannah's @ServiceBrewing tonight released their Spring Seasonal: Old Guard Biere de Garde.

Continuing their effort to connect the community with their beer and mission, Service Brewing Company announces the release of their first spring seasonal, “Old Guard“ a biere de garde style ale. This special beer contains Yaupon Honey courtesy of the Savannah Bee Company and is fermented with the brewery‘s house yeast strain harvested in Savannah, Georgia.

[...]

The Beer
One of the greatest military honors is the privilege to serve with the 3rd U.S. Infantry, otherwise known as the Old Guard. This prestigious unit serves as the official escort to the President, and its members maintain a constant vigilance over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In 1996, the first woman proudly joined its ranks.

[...]

The Mission
Service Brewing is a veteran owned and operated craft brewery, in Savannah Georgia, dedicated to honoring those that have put their lives at risk and their country and community first. Their mission is not only to make great craft beer, but to donate a portion of the revenues to assist charities that support service. They brew their year round beer on a large scale, but maintain a small batch Research and Development division to enable experimentation and innovation using locally available ingredients to connect our farmers and consumers with their beer and their mission.

The beers from Service Brewing have two things going for them right off the bat.  First, they are #GABeers, and second, they are Veteran owned and operated.  Give them a try.

Service Brewing in my beer fridge!

 Obviously available here in Augusta...

Could Downtown AGS get a Brewpub?

@jennanmartin suggests that it might just happen...maybe.   

DDA board gives support for brewpubs
By Jenna Martin
Staff Writer
Thursday, March 12, 2015

Downtown Augusta, like other cities across Georgia, is missing out on the economic boon seen from the craft brewery industry.  By signing a resolution Thursday in support of state legislation to open up retail avenues for Georgia microbreweries and brewpubs, the Downtown Development Authority of Augusta hopes to attract one.

“They are very popular,” DDA Executive Director Margaret Woodard said. “They’re great for tourism. They’re great for downtown businesses. They’re a good draw.”

So we shall see.  So many good things could happen in Downtown Augusta if the bureaucracy and political infighting would just get out of the way.  Support is one thing, a good thing, but I am sure there are a bunch more hurdles for someone to jump over before this dream might happen...

Augusta Shamrawked Pub Crawl

Augusta peeps, mark your calendars for March 14th!

Red Hare Brewing Company presents SHAMRAWKED Pub Crawl - Saturday, March 14, 2015

Tickets are $10 and will be available for purchase starting at 4p at the corner of 11th & Broad (1102 & Metro Coffeehouse)

Get your stamp at Farmhaus Burger • The Playground • 1102 • Metro A Coffeehouse • Blue Sky Bar&Kitchen • The Soul Bar • Joes Underground • The Loft of Augusta • Bar On Broad • Firehouse Bar • Sky City • Whiskey Bar (kitchen) • Soy Noodle House • Stillwater Tap Room!

SouthStar Trolley will be offering FREE rides to participating bars for all Pub Crawl patrons.

This event benefits the the The Greater Augusta Arts Council!

GA Politics v. #GABeer, Round 1

Greased Palms take Rnd 1 w/a TKO.  @austinlouisray from @ctl_atlanta & @EWErickson bring the details:  

Decimated Beer Jobs Bill passes through Regulated Industries

After an eventful week at the Gold Dome, both sides of the Beer Jobs Bill fight convened once again in Room 310 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building Friday morning for a second hearing and voted in favor of Senate Bill 63, albeit a drastically altered version of the original bill designed to loosen the state's three-tier beer distribution laws for Georgia brewpubs and breweries.

The new version of SB 63, a committee sub (basically, a last-minute substitution for the original bill) proposed by Regulated Industries Chairman/State Sen. Rick Jeffares (R-McDonough), allows for no direct sales for breweries. Instead, it alters the current tour structure so that brewers can give away 36 ounces on-premises during the tour (compared to the current 32 ounces) as well as a "souvenir" malt beverage container of no more than 64 ounces to-go. In other words, what was originally a bill allowing direct sales has been reduced to a bill that expands on the current "free beer" tour structure, except that breweries would be able to charge various rates for tours (they sold glasses before, into which they poured the free beer) depending on how much beer is consumed by attendees.

As for brewpubs, they'll no longer be limited to draft-only production. In addition to bottle and can production, the new SB 63 allows for a growler provision similar to 2014's Senate Study Committee report. In short, consumers who buy a meal at a brewpub could also buy a growler with the meal, then take home the remainder of the growler that they don't drink with their food.

The only thing likable in this bill is that Brewpubs may now bottle and can their brews.  Though it validates the idiotic brewpub growler provision that says one has to drink some of the growler before going home....

Erickson provides some outlet for your apoplectic rage displeasure should you choose to do so (nicely please...).

They Gutted the Beer Jobs Bill

The Senate Regulated Industries Committee in Georgia has gutted S.B.63, the beer jobs bill. Breweries will continue to be prohibited from making direct sales to customers. Now, you’ll have to buy a tour and, in the price, be able to pay extra for no more than 64oz. of beer in a single container.

This is ridiculous. So many of these guys got major contributions from beer wholesalers and they are listening to them and not the voters.

Clearly we need a change in tactic. Try these phone numbers. They are their in-district office numbers. They won’t listen at the Capitol. Make them listen in their offices back home.

Tell them how angry you are that they gutted S.B.63. And then go find someone to challenge them in a primary.

Name                   District Number
Rick Jeffares       (678) 432-7676
Frank Ginn         (706) 680-4466
Joshua McKoon  (706) 442-9130
Ed Harbison        (404) 656-0074
David Shafer       (404) 497-0048
Renee Unterman (404) 463-1368
Brandon Beach   (678) 640-1811
Bill Cowsert        (706) 543-7700
Steve Gooch        (404) 656-9221
Steve Henson       (404) 243-5107
Jack Hill              (912) 557-3811
David Lucas        (478) 254-7600
Butch Miller        (678) 989-5301
Jeff Mullis           (706) 375-1776

While this may seem like a loss, perhaps there is some optimism to be had.  Ray points out that this is not the end of the line, for this bill or future ones...

"No matter how silly it may seem, the main thing is to get a bill passed," GCBG president and co-founder/president of Terrapin Beer Company, John Cochran, says. "Any bill. And we are thankful to the committee for doing that. We will work on improving this bill when we go to the House side. There really is a long way to go."

Get Out of the Way!

Here is why #SB63 should become law!

Get out of the way of brewers
KYLE WINGFIELD

Help small business. Get government out of the way. Unleash the free market. Encourage entrepreneurs. Grow jobs. Make Georgia more competitive.

Do you really need to hear any more?  Well, go read the whole thing anyway...

Craft Brew-volution in Georgia?

Help @GaBrewersGuild & call your Senator to support this bill! #GAbeer

Beer Jobs Bill On Tap in Georgia

A Georgia lawmaker has filed a bill in the state Senate that aims to repeal a number of Prohibition-era regulations that brewers have said are overly burdensome and restrictive.
 
The Beer Jobs Bill, as its dubbed, would allow for breweries to sell up to 72 ounces of beer per person for on-premise consumption and up to 144 ounces of packaged product to go. Currently, breweries are expressly prohibited from selling direct to consumers for both on- and off-premise consumption, though they can give away free samples. Likewise, brewpubs would be granted the right to sell beer for off-premise consumption under the same quantity limitations, should the bill pass as written.

 It couldn't come soon enough!  Though it currently would change craft beer availability here in Augusta, since we have no breweries or brewpubs....

Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting - Jan 24!

So, who's up for 40+ casks of ale?? Brewtopia, @5SeasonsBrewing, & @TacoMacPrado host the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting on January 24, 2015 from 3-6pm.   For $44-tax you can:

• Sample 40+ rare, cask-conditioned real ales from the USA and UK!
• Take home a free Monday Night Brewing souvenir pint glass!
• Experience one of the Southeast's most highly regarded craft beer events!
• Delectable food from 5 Seasons and Taco Mac will be on sale!
• Vote for "People's Choice" award!

Last year's event, hosted by Georgia beer advocate and Brewtopia's Owen Ogletree, featured 38 casks of ale.  The offerings were headlined by Uinta's Hop Notch, dry-hopped with Cascade and Galaxy and then cask-hopped with whole leaf Amarillo; and 5 Seasons Prado's All Good, a robust porter aged in the finest Heaven Hill Bourbon barrel, and then casked with sugar a Belgian yeast.

Owen Ogletree

However the People's Choice award went to Hole in Juanita Mexican Mazurt, an ale brewed with Mexican coffee, organic Peruvian coca Nibs, Vermont grade-B maple syrup, Madagascar vanilla, Georgia wild flower honey and numerous varieties of Mexican peppers, then casked on Tequila-soaked charred American oak.  This year will add some UK casks to the mix as well!

So what are you waiting for??  Treat yourself for Christmas and go buy your tickets!

If you don't, you might miss all this caskiness!

Abita, Beavertown (UK), Boulder, Brooklyn, Copper Creek, Cherry Street, Creature Comforts, Dark Star (UK), Eagle Creek, Five Seasons, Green Flash, Heavy Seas, Hobsons (UK), Ilkley (UK), Jailhouse, Jekyll, Left Hand, Mazurt, Max Lager's, Monday Night, Moon River, Mother Earth, New Belgium, O'dempsey's, Old Speckled Hen (UK), Omaha Brewing, Oskar Blues, Red Brick, Red Hare, Rahr & Sons, Second Self, Service Brewing, Sierra Nevada, Southbound, Starr Hill, Sweetwater, Terrapin, Thomas Creek, Three Taverns, Twain's, Wild Heaven, Wrecking Bar, Yes Face....

 

Ponce de Leon Beer Festival

This Saturday, @PonceBeerFest will be held at the Yaarab Shrine in Atlanta.

$35 for General Admission, $45 for VIP.  Doors open at 1pm, though VIP tix will get you in at 12 noon.

"With this festival we look to accomplish bringing out these new styles to the public and enlighten people on styles of beer. We would also like to surprise the beer lovers out there with new brews that they have not experienced. For example, many breweries are making a one off beer not available to the public yet. We are trying to keep it in a more intimate feeling with only allowing 1500 people in at the door. We feel this will be able to give the attendees more room to move around and try each beer selection.
The 2014 event will be an amazing experience in taste and sound being held on November 15th 2014 from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm."

This will be a very regional festival with the following breweries available to General Admission:

If you buy a VIP ticket, you will also have access to some special brews from the following:

Ticket prices will increase on the day of the festival, and part of the proceeds will go to support the Children's Hospital.

Enjoy!

Get on the Brew Bus Gus!

According to @drinkblogrepeat, @ColumbiaBrewBus hits the streets of SC's capital on Nov. 7th!

"The Capital City’s first brewery tour business gets rolling this Friday, Nov. 7, as the Columbia Brew Bus begins its weekly tours of Columbia’s breweries.

[...]

During a preview tour Sunday, Nov. 2, the Brew Bus staff gave an idea of what each of the weekly trips will be like. The rotation of the breweries will change, but the bus will take riders to Swamp Cabbage, River Rat and Conquest where they’ll have the chance to try 24 oz. of beer at each brewery..."

It will be nice to now have a "Brews Cruise" as it were a little closer to the CSRA than Atlanta.  If we wanted to do one here in Augusta we would have to go to our one main growler outlet, and a number of top homebrewers houses....

For more information on the Columbia Brew Bus, check out their website at columbiabrewbus.com!

A photo posted by Columbia Brew Bus (@columbiabrewbus) on Oct 10, 2014 at 12:06pm PDT

Brewing for Gold!

3 Georgia breweries medaled at 2014's Great American Beer Festival! Gold for @MondayNight, Bronze for @creaturebeer & @CEBC_Sav.

From Creative Loafing Atlanta:

Each year since 1982, beer geeks have made their annual pilgrimage to Denver, piling into the Colorado Convention Center by the thousands for the Great American Beer Festival. There, they spend three days sampling beers from all over the country...

Also each year, GABF judges award gold, silver, and bronze medals to beers sorted by various styles. This year, more than 200 judges tasted and evaluated more than 5,500 different brews across 90 categories.... Three Georgia breweries brought 2014 medals back to the Peach State:

* Savannah's Coastal Empire Beer Co. won bronze in the Herb and Spice Beer category for its Dawn Patrol Breakfast Stout.

* Athens' Creature Comforts Brewing Co. won bronze in the American Style Brett Beer category for its Curiosity No. 2.

* Atlanta's Monday Night Brewing won gold in the Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer category for its Bourbon Barrel Drafty Kilt.

All three breweries are first-time GABF winners. Three is the most medals Georgia's won at GABF, and that's happened five times now: 2014, 2011, 2009, 2002, and 2000. This year marks the first GABF since 2007 where SweetWater or Terrapin didn't bring home a medal.

Congrats to all three, and here's to Georgia winning a few more next year!

AGS Tap Takeover! Sep 25

UPDATE!  I JUST NOTICED I GOT THE DATE WRONG.  THE TAKEOVER WILL BE ON THURSDAY THE 25TH!
 
Join @JekyllBrewing at 5pm in downtown AGS for a Tap Takeover @BeesKneesTapas. Word is they will even be bringing their Hoot'n 'n Holler'n DIPA to the party.

Amongst the beer geeks I talked to after the Augusta Beerfest, this was the consensus best of show.  And in my opinion was every bit the equal of the highly rated Citrus Ninja from @Westbrookbeer.

Stay tuned for future Tap Takeovers at Bees Knees:

October 30th  -  Eagle Creek Brewing (Statesboro, GA)
November 20th  -  Mother Earth Brewing (Kinston, NC)
December 18th  -  Founders Brewing (Grand Rapids, MI)