Cool Breweries in Georgia: Sipping Along the Peach State Ale Trail

Georgia has seriously stepped up its beer game. With 180 breweries across the state – and at least 50 of them right in Atlanta – there’s no shortage of places to sip. As someone who’s always on the lookout for a great brewery while traveling, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to explore my own backyard. I’ve got my work cut out for me – sampling some of the best breweries in Georgia.

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Breweries in Georgia

Line Creek Brewing Co.

My guide to the best Georgia breweries starts with this one close to my hometown of Newnan. Line Creek Brewing Co. – according to their website – “started with a few local guys’ love of quality beers that appeal to everyone – from the most avid craft beer fan – to the casual consumer”. And now they have three locations in Georgia.

You can definitely feel that love in everything they do – from the craftmanship of their beer to their active role in the community. In fact, the brewery gets its name from Line Creek, a beloved natural area near their original Peachtree City location.

Another appealing thing I like is in a job dominated by males, they have a female brewer. In all the breweries I’ve toured – and I’ve toured breweries in Little Rock, Wichita and – I can’t recall meeting a woman at that level of leadership and creativity in the brewing process – it really sets Line Creek apart.

Line Creek Brewing Beer

Line Creek offers a wide range of beers, from classic mainstays to seasonal and limited releases that rotate weekly – so there’s always something new to try. One of my favorite ways to explore their lineup is with a flight, which lets you sample several styles in one sitting. Find out what you like – or don’t like.

Line Creek Brewing Food

There may not be full kitchen at any of the Line Creek locations, but that doesn’t mean you have to go hungry. They host a rotating lineup of food trucks throughout the week, offering everything from tacos and BBQ to gourmet sandwiches and sweet treats – so there’s always something delicious to pair with your pint.

And if you’re in the mood for something specific, you’re always welcome to bring in food from other local favorites in Newnan – think BBQ from The Oink Joint or a slice of pizza from Karvela’s or Fabiano’s. That way, you can pair your favorite brew with exactly what you’re craving.

Line Creek Vibe

The vibe at Line Creek is very laid back and casual. It’s the kind of place that’s perfect for a friendly date night or that you can pull up to after working in the yard on a Saturday afternoon. There’s always something going on – from fundraising for the local dog rescue and yoga to paint nights and Christmas pajama parties. It’s just that kind of place.

Peachtree City and Newnan both offer indoor and outdoor spaces. The Reserve at the Newnan location is huge and housed in a repurposed building I always loved. With a stage for live performances, a biergarten and a covered patio, it makes fun easy to find – whether you’re stopping in for a quiet pint, catching a lively event or hanging out with friends.

Breweries in Atlanta

Sweetwater Brewing Company

Even though it’s not the oldest brewery in Georgia, Sweetwater Brewing Company has been around a long time. Since 1997. And it’s their famous green 402 beer bottles that most people are familiar with. In fact, Sweet Water is so popular, they make half of the beer produced in Georgia yearly.

Located in an industrial area northeast of Atlanta, Sweetwater is easy to get to and is pretty large. They have indoor seating and an outdoor, dog friendly, area that’s covered. Even though the brewery wasn’t crowded when we got there, it filled up as the afternoon progressed. They do offer a 30 minute tour for $10 but we were starving and decided to forego the tour to eat.

Sweet Water Beer

I’m not a beer connoisseur by any means. In fact, I can’t even tell you what a lot of them are. I only know what I like. My preference leans towards German beers, Belgian ales, gose and sour beers. I am not a fan of IPA’s and it just so happens that one of Sweetwater’s most popular beers is an IPA. But no worries. They have a huge selection – whatever your tastes are.

Instead of a flight, I picked a Sour Berliner Weisse called Easy Lover. It was made with El Dorado hops that the server explained are a special kind of hops. Sweetwater puts a lot of attention into the ingredients they use. In doing some investigation when I got home, the El Dorado hops tend to have tropical fruity notes.

Which makes sense, since my beer was a cloudy, more fruity sour beer that tends to be found in Northern Germany. I really enjoyed the taste and it complimented my burger nicely. Sweetwater also serves a hard seltzer for those that don’t drink beer.

Sweet Water Food

The only thing better for me than a brewery with good beer, is a brewery with good beer AND good food. I have to say, Sweetwater Brewing has some of the best menus I’ve seen at a brewery. Huge, generous portions, perfect for sharing.

The burger I ordered was enormous, topped with cheese and bacon and the fresh handcut fries were a perfect side. My daughter ordered smoked chicken nachos made with cheese, charred corn, black beans and a creamy verde sauce. As nachos go, these were some of the tastiest.

As more people came in, we checked out what some of the other people were ordering. In fact, the lady next to us let me snap a photo of her crispy Thai brussel sprouts. She swears they are the best thing on the menu. Next time Sweetwater. Next time.

Sweet Water Vibe

One of the things I really don’t like about some breweries is a snobby, we know more than you, attitude. There was none of that at Sweetwater Brewing. The bartender was professional and went out of his way to explain the beer when I had questions. And in a nice way. Not condescending.

The food came out quick and we were well taken care of. The brewery is big enough to feel comfortable but not so big that you feel lost. There’s a fun, happy vibe about the place and I would definitely go back. I’m pretty sure Sweetwater is going to rate really high on my breweries in Georgia list. I’m only sad I didn’t tried it sooner.

Bold Monk Brewing Co.

Bold Monk Brewing Co. is one of Atlanta’s newer breweries. Housed in an industrial complex in West Midtown, Bold Monk has a restaurant, a library, a coffee house and a newly completed beer garden. They literally want you to find your most comfortable spot and enjoy yourself.

One thing that really surprised me about Bold Monk is they also serve brunch till 3pm on the weekends. I’m a big fan of breakfast all day so I can’t wait to go back and do brunch. There’s a mixed berry waffle with whipped cream, calling my name.

Bold Monk Beer

Like Sweetwater, I visited Bold Monk with my daughter and we met up with a mutual friend. Bold Monk’s beer model is Belgian and the menu is full of ales, stouts, lagers and a few IPA.s. I chose a Belgian Witbier brewed with lemon, orange peel and coriander called White Oak White.

And it was delicious. The attention to detail in the glassware was something I appreciated as well. For the non beer drinkers, the brewery has Urban Tree cider and Atlanta Hard Cider.

Bold Monk Food

When we decided to visit Bold Monk, we really didn’t know what to expect or if Bold Monk Brewing even served food. Unfortunately, we had eaten before we went. I say unfortunately because the food looks amazing.

In fact, their current Google rating is a 4.6 with over 1000 reviews. That’s pretty incredible! I can’t wait to go back for brunch or some of that pizza our bar mates ordered. Shout out for letting me snap this photo. Yes, I do that a lot to the embarrassment of my daughter.

Bold Monk Vibe

I really enjoyed the upscale, which is different for a brewery, but welcoming vibe at Bold Monk. Everyone was super friendly. Since we weren’t eating, we sat at the bar. The service was great and our bartender did a thorough job explaining about the beer. Bonus points for no snobbery.

We felt well taken care of and he continued to check back frequently to see if we needed anything. Even though I enjoyed sitting at the bar, and would do it again, I am looking forward to checking out the new beer garden.

Breweries in Atlanta

These two breweries were a good introduction to Atlanta breweries. They couldn’t have been more different but I enjoyed each one equally. Before these breweries, I had only been to Ocmulgee Brewpub in Macon. I started my Georgia breweries beer quest in February of 2020 and even though I was off to a good start, we all know how 2020 turned out. I’m hoping to get back on track for 2021 and working through a few more breweries in Georgia’s. Until then…slainte.