New Breweries Coming to Georgia

Despite our brutal beer laws in Georgia there are several dedicated brewers looking to open in the Peach State over the next year (or so). Currently Georgia has 54 61 operating breweries, brewpubs, cideries, or meaderies. That’s a pretty impressive number, especially considering just 5 years ago there were only 15 in the state. With another 15 23 Georgia breweries in planning (actually 16, but #16 is being hush-hush for now, stay tuned) we’ll be pushing 70 locations crafting brews for your enjoyment. To find a brewery close to you check out our interactive Georgia Brewery Map.

DISCLAIMER: We did a good amount of research before posting this but as these breweries are in the planning stages, some of them very early planning stages, the info available may have been limited or changed since then. If you see something we need to change or update, please let us know! Also, plans can change, especially with breweries. Although each of the names on this list have stated an intention to open over the next year some may be delayed, or not open at all.

Map of Georgia Breweries in Planning

Where an exact address for a brewery/brewpub is unknown the expected city was used for the location. This could change and we’ll update the map when we have more info. Map points are color-coded to show breweries in the planning stage (blue), breweries under construction (yellow), and recently opened breweries (red).

Georgia Breweries in Planning

Big Springs plans to open a “significant” brewing operation in Athens, GA but have not committed to a launch date yet. So far they have participated in a few events sharing their ESB, IPA, Kölsch, and a Tripel.

Firewater Brewing Company | Kennesaw, GA

Firewater’s founder recently made a cross-country trek to purchase a vintage fire truck for his brewery. More details soon on Kennesaw’s latest craft brewery.

Georgia Beer Company | Valdosta, GA

Aaron and I recently spoke with Chris and Barron about their brewery, the temptation to cross state lines and open in Florida, and being the first craft brewery in South Georgia. They plan to open in early 2016 and will offer a Pale Ale, an IPA, a Porter, and a Blonde Ale. In addition they’ll also brew limited and experimental batches that will be available at the brewery or at local craft beer venues.

UPDATE 01/30/16: Due to other commitments Barron Slüder will not be joining Georgia Beer Company, they are currently searching for a Head Brewer.

Good Word Brewing | Decatur Area, GA

Good Word Brewing will be a brewpub located in the Decatur area. Some of the folks from Brick Store Pub are behind the venture. They don’t want to say too much right now as it’s in the early stages, but you can follow them on Twitter or Instagram.

A new brewery-in-planning slated for Acworth. These guys are just getting started and plan to begin by contract brewing while securing a location in Acworth. They are targeting early-to-mid 2017 as a launch date.

You can follow along with their progress on Facebook and Twitter.

Hopstix |Chamblee, GA

A unique brewpub concept coming to Chamblee. Hopstix will be a Japanese raw bar and brewery. Although this has been in the planning stages for a while now they’ve just recently made the news public. To see how they are coming along follow their Facebook page. With the addition of Hopstix and Locomotion Brewing (more info below) it looks like some gaps are about to be filled in one of the Atlanta metro’s craft beer deserts.

Slated as “Athens’ next brewery” Kudzu posts several updates on their Facebook and Twitter accounts. Their website shows some interesting styles such as their “Gölsch”, a beer “somewhere between a gose and a Kölsch“, a raspberry wit, and a barrel-aged porter. No info available on their anticipated launch date.

Oconee Brewing Co. | Greensboro, GA (Formerly Lake Country Brewing)

Slated to open in Spring 2016, Oconee Brewing Co. will be a 6,000-square-foot brewery housed in a circa-1917 former mill. The brewery is being developed by father and son team John and Nathan McGarity and UGA grad Taylor Lamm will be the owner and Brewmaster.

UPDATE 01/30/16: We recently received samples of Lake Country’s Pilsner, Märzen, and Dunkelweizen and they were all very good. They continue to make progress on their build-out and after sampling their beers I think they’ll be an awesome addition to the Georgia beer community.

We recently received samples of Lake Country’s Pilsner, Märzen, and Dunkelweizen and they were all very good. They continue to make progress on their build-out and after sampling their beers I think they’ll be an awesome addition to the Georgia beer community. UPDATE 06/03/16: Due to some conflicts with the Lake Country name, the brewery is now Oconee Brewing Co.

Due to some conflicts with the Lake Country name, the brewery is now Oconee Brewing Co. UPDATE 08/06/16: Taylor Lamm joined us in the studio to talk shop. check out Episode 32 of Beer Guys Radio to listen in.

Locomotion Brewing | Chamblee, GA

Just recently announced, Locomotion Brewing will be a production brewery in downtown Chamblee. One of the team behind Locomotion is Chase Medlin, current head brewer at Twain’s Brewpub. For now they’d prefer not to release many details, but I’ve chatted with Chase and when they’re ready to let folks know more we’ll be sure to update.

UPDATE 09/07/16: A few more details are coming out now about Locomotion. They will be located at 3588 Broad Street in Old Town Chamblee in a 20,000 sqft section of an existing warehouse. The brewery is targeting an opening date of February 2017.

MAZURT Brewing | Atlanta, GA

The mysterious MAZURT. If you’ve sampled their beer at festivals like HOToberFest or Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting then you know that MAZURT is serious business. With a focus on big, barrel-aged beers like stouts, barleywines, and even a 13.5% IPA their brews don’t mess around. Even with very limited appearances MAZURT takes home a lot of awards, including 2nd place out of 260 beers at this year’s Hunahpu’s Day in Tampa. I reached out to one of the brewers prior to writing this and was told they are working on getting launched but there’s nothing exciting to report at this time, the wait continues.

UPDATE 12/14/15: I spoke with Dan Rosen today and got a bit more info on the plans for MAZURT. They had originally intended to be gypsy brewers, using the equipment at other breweries to brew their beers, however with the sensitive politics surrounding breweries they’ve decided it’s in their best interest to build their own brick & mortar facility. Target locations are Chamblee / Doraville area and they want to be close to a Marta station so you can enjoy their beers responsibly and return home safely. MAZURT will launch a crowdfunding campaign in March 2016, look for more info on that soon. Dan also told me that MAZURT will be returning to Hunahpu’s Day in 2016. BONUS TRIVIA: MAZURT is always spelled with all capital letters. The name comes from mazurt (also spelled as mazut) which is Russian for a very heavy, low-quality crude oil. MAZURT took their name due to the way their beers pour, definitely not due to the quality of the beer being produced.

I spoke with Dan Rosen today and got a bit more info on the plans for MAZURT. They had originally intended to be gypsy brewers, using the equipment at other breweries to brew their beers, however with the sensitive politics surrounding breweries they’ve decided it’s in their best interest to build their own brick & mortar facility. Target locations are Chamblee / Doraville area and they want to be close to a Marta station so you can enjoy their beers responsibly and return home safely. MAZURT will launch a crowdfunding campaign in March 2016, look for more info on that soon. Dan also told me that MAZURT will be returning to Hunahpu’s Day in 2016. BONUS TRIVIA: MAZURT is always spelled with all capital letters. The name comes from mazurt (also spelled as mazut) which is Russian for a very heavy, low-quality crude oil. MAZURT took their name due to the way their beers pour, definitely not due to the quality of the beer being produced. UPDATE 04/11/16: MAZURT continues to impress festival goers with their brews as well as winning awards. At this year’ Hunahpu’s Day Fest in Tampa they were awarded 3rd Place for Best Beer and 3rd Place Best Brewery.

Normaltown Artisanal Brewery & Cucina | Atlanta Area

Normaltown will be a “Neapolitan inspired pizzeria & artisanal brewery” offering up to 35 rotating taps of their own beer. The brews will be chef-inspired and include ingredients to enhance each base style and complement their food offerings. Menu selections will include house-made pastas, desserts, and a curated selection of red and white wines and cocktails. They are currently crowdfunding their brewery but not through a traditional crowdfunding source. Normaltown is seeking investors that will actually have equity in the brewery as opposed to various awards for differing donation levels.

For more information on Normaltown as well as information on investing visit their website.

UPDATE 10/16/16: Some very sad news was shared on Facebook recently that the Damien Schaefer, the man behind Normaltown, recently lost his battle with cancer. Damien was a good friend to many in both the Atlanta and Athens beer communities and very active in the culinary scene. Our condolences go out to Damien’s family and friends.

Oak Brewpub | Oakhurst, GA

As of May 2015 Oak Brewpub was on the search for a Head Brewer and targeting a Late Spring 2016 opening date. The brewpub will be located in Decatur’s Oakhurst neighborhood where they’ve signed a lease on a 4.500 square-foot space with plans to open a roof top deck garden where you can enjoy a beer or watch a movie on their projector screen.

UPDATE 12/15/15: Decaturish.com posted an article with additional details on Oak Brewpub. The owner, Daniel McKinney, has announced their location will be the former Mulligan’s bar on East Lake Drive. The brewpub will have 24 taps with half pouring their in-house brews (focusing on mainstays like stout, IPA, and Kölsch-style beers) and the other half dedicated to local craft beer. McKinney also announced he’s hired Chuck Duffney, formerly of Orpheus Brewing, as his Brewmaster.

Ocmulgee Brewpub | Macon, GA

Not a lot of info on this one yet but it’s in planning now. A news article stated it opened in early April but I’m told that isn’t correct. We’ve got an email out to them to get more info.

Piedmont Brewery & Kitchen will be a brewpub in downtown Macon and plans to open in the Fall of 2016. Co-Founder and Head Brewer Brian Whitley tells Beer Guys Radio he and partner Richie Jones have been planning their brewpub for about two years (hence their logo showing 2014) after he jokingly suggested Richie add a brewpub to his steakhouse. They will operate with a 7-barrel brewhouse and offer 7 of their beers on tap with 3-4 dedicated to core styles and the others rotating limited and seasonal selections. The brewpub will be a two-story facility and include an arcade with pinball and other games, if space allows there may be a mini indoor bocce court similar to Ormsby’s in Atlanta. Brian tells us they are very dedicated to making the space kid/family-friendly.

For updates on their progress you can follow them on Facebook or visit their website. As of right now the site is just a landing page, but will be updated soon.

Printer’s Ale Manufacturing | Carrollton, GA

A brewery in the early planning stages in Carrollton, GA. Printer’s Ale Manufacturing plans to brew several year-round offerings as well as unique, experimental, and one-off beers. Their website isn’t live yet but you can follow them on Twitter and Instagram for updates.

Rome City Brewing | Rome, GA

Jay Shell, of Rome’s Brewhouse Music & Grill announced plans to the Rome Downtown Development Authority to build a brewpub inside his restaurant. The new brewpub will be called Rome City Brewing and he hopes to be doing some test-tasting by August or September.

Augusta has been brewery poor throughout the recent boom but that will change very soon. As mentioned above, Riverwatch Brewery should be opening soon and by this Summer Savannah River Brewing Co. plans to open as well. We spoke with Founder and President Steve Ellison and Brewmaster Mark Walters about their plans. The team is currently renovating a 31,000 sq. ft. warehouse to accommodate the brewery and a 1,300 sq. ft. tasting room. Initial offerings will include an IPA, Amber Ale, Brown Ale, and Pilsner. You can read our full write-up on them here.

UPDATE 04/10/15: We received an email update from Savannah River Brewing that renovations on the brewery are underway and progressing nicely. The brewery also received a cease and desist from Augusta National for their Green Jacket Pilsner, so they are holding a contest to rename the beer. You can check that out on their newly revamped website.

Senoia Beer Company | Senoia, GA

Founded by four homebrewing friends, Senoia’s Facebook page states they are currently in the exploratory and planning stages.

Slowdown Brewing Company | Lawrenceville, GA

Aaron stopped by Slowdown Brewing Company (Previously 1821 Brewing) recently and chatted with the owners and sampled a test batch of their IPA. This production brewery will be one of the first in an otherwise brewery-barren area of metro Atlanta. When they’re brewing test batches they welcome folks to stop by and say hello. Follow them on Facebook for updates and to see when they’re brewing.

UPDATE 05/02/16: 1821 has recently changed their name to Slowdown Brewing Company. They’ve also launched a new website and added some info on their beers: The Southern Gentleman (Brown Ale on roasted pecans), The Southern Belle (IPA with notes of peach), and Belgian Boxcar (Belgian-style Tripel).

Standing Pitch Brewing Company | Atlanta, GA

Standing Pitch Brewing Company plans to be the first “distribution brewpub” in Georgia. With changes in Georgia’s laws in 2012 brewpubs are now able to distribute up to 5,000 barrels of beer per year off-premise. However, existing brewpubs weren’t designed to allow for distribution, Standing Pitch will be designed and built with distribution in mind.

Founded by Tim Schiavone, former Head Brewer at Max Lagers, the brewpub plans to be located in West End Atlanta on the South Beltline. Their beer will focus on IPAs and Sours but also include a variety of styles for all beer lovers. Food offerings will be food truck inspired and include many locally-sourced ingredients. The brewpub plans to open in 2017 with distribution starting in 2018.

Update 06/03/16: Standing Pitch’s Kickstarter didn’t meet it’s funding goal but they have said they plan to continue on and open the brewpub.

Update 09/07/16: A GoFundMe campaign is currently active for Standing Pitch. Schiavone notes in the campaign they are still on track for a 2017 opening.

Brothers Brian and Kevin Sullivan plan to bring their production brewery, Steady Hand Beer Co., to Roswell’s Green Street. Kevin tells Beer Guys Radio they’ve got an “exciting location” in Historic Roswell and will have more information to share soon. You can also follow them on Facebook for updates as they progress.

Variant Brewing Company | Roswell, GA

Variant is the brewery we teased about being #16 on the list. They’ve recently gone public with their plans and we spoke with the owner and Brewmaster, Matt Curling, about what they’ve got in the works. The brewery will be located in a 3,600 square feet building near the Canton Street area of Roswell. They will start with a 7-barrel brewhouse and along with several year-round mainstays they will offer several seasonal and one-off variations as well as experimental brews. Distribution plans aren’t set and their main focus initially will be serving the local community.

Recently Opened Georgia Breweries

Abbey of the Holy Goats | Roswell, GA

With the recent completion of their successful Kickstarter campaign Abbey of the Holy Goats is progressing nicely and plans to open some time this Fall. Backed by brewmaster Kathy Davis ( who will be Georgia’s first female brewery owner see correction below) the focus will be on Belgian-style and sour beers. I haven’t tried any of Kathy’s brews yet but friends that have assure me this will be an excellent addition to Georgia’s beer offerings.

CORRECTION: I worded the ownership statement poorly when first writing this article. To my knowledge Kathy is the first female to be the sole owner of a brewery in Georgia. There are many women owners of Georgia breweries; including Carly Wiggins of Southbound, Haley Cowan of Eventide, Gail Smith of O’Dempsey’s, and Brey Sloan of Riverwatch, which is mentioned in this article.

Arches Brewing | Hapeville, GA

Located in the arts district of Hapeville and targeting to open this December, Arches Brewing will focus on, “bringing old-world beer styles to Atlanta by combining American craft and traditional brewing techniques.” Their initial offerings will include three year-round offerings and four seasonal lagers, with specialty and limited-release beers available at the brewery.

UPDATE 01/30/16: Per Facebook Arches has received their federal permit and are working on state approval. They are making great progress with construction at the brewery.

Per Facebook Arches has received their federal permit and are working on state approval. They are making great progress with construction at the brewery. UPDATE 03/03/16: Arches has announced via Facebook that they will open their doors for public tours on 04/16/16. Read our preview of Arches Brewing here.

I didn’t list these guys on the original brewery-in-planning list as they were contract brewing at the time and had beer in the market. However, they’ve recently opened their own brewery and tasting room in Kennesaw so they’re getting added to the list. Owners Trey and Coop were on Episode 14 of Beer Guys Radio and spoke with us about contract brewing and working to make Georgia home. They plan to do a lot of collaboration beers and will serve those up at the tasting room.

Dry County opens for tours Thursday and Friday from 5:30 – 8:30 PM and Saturdays 12:00 – 8:00 PM. They currently have 8 taps available and will add 10 more soon. In addition to their core beers they plan to offer a continuously changing tap list.

Green Line Brewery | Canton, GA

This brewpub was originally targeting to open in Early Fall 2015 and posted a few updates to their Facebook page, however they’ve been silent on social media since July. An email sent to them for an update received no response.

UPDATE 01/30/16: Green Line remains elusive of my attempts to contact them however recent activity on Instagram indicates they are working on the brewery and targeting a Spring 2016 opening.

Green Line remains elusive of my attempts to contact them however recent activity on Instagram indicates they are working on the brewery and targeting a Spring 2016 opening. UPDATE 10/18/16: With very little fanfare Green Line announced on their Facebook page that they are now open. They’ve confirmed to Beer Guys Radio that they are open but so far have not shared any additional details.

Left Nut Brewing | Gainesville, GA

With a name like Left Nut Brewing I sure hope these guys can crank out some awesome beers. Initially denied their trademark on the grounds that the name was too vulgar, a recent reversal allowed them to register the name after the brewer’s explanation that the term was not intended to be offensive but refers to the, “willingness to give up something of extreme value to do something or create something unique.” Alrighty, if you say so. The brewery is under construction and as of October 23rd LNB says they are making headway.

UPDATE: 02/24/16: Left Nut plans to start brewing within the next few weeks and hopes to open by mid-April. (via GainesvilleTimes.com)

Left Nut plans to start brewing within the next few weeks and hopes to open by mid-April. (via GainesvilleTimes.com) UPDATE: 04/11/16: I ran into the Left Nut Brewing crew at Classic City Brew Fest in Athens. They are brewing now and at the final stages of setting up distribution and plan to enter the market soon.

I ran into the Left Nut Brewing crew at Classic City Brew Fest in Athens. They are brewing now and at the final stages of setting up distribution and plan to enter the market soon. UPDATE 09/07/16: Left Nut has been distributing for a while now and their beers have been popping up at several locations in the Atlanta area. I tried their Mighty Banyan DIPA and while it was too intense for my tastes, it’s a well-made beer and has as respectable 3.88 from Untappd users.

Opening very soon in Marietta, Naughty Soda’s focus will be all-natural craft hard sodas – think root beer, ginger beer, pumpkin pie, and toasted marshmallow. If you’re wondering what the heck this is doing on a brewery in planning page 1) you’re not the boss of me and 2) they will also share space with Ironmonger Brewery, which will offer craft beer in the tasting room and very limited offerings on draft in the Atlanta metro. For more info on Naughty Soda and Ironmonger check out our write-up here.

North Georgia is about to get their first brewpub. Phantom Horse Brewing company plans to open June 13th inside Pie Slingers Pizzeria according to this Facebook post. They plan to launch with 10 beers, with 5 of those being part of their core offerings including an IPA, Blonde, Pale Ale, American Strong Ale, Oatmeal Cream Stout, and a Red Ale. Phantom Horse also plans to host beers from guest brewers as often as possible. Their website isn’t live yet but you can follow them on Instagram.

Riverwatch Brewery | Augusta, GA

Originally planning to open November 1st there’s been a bit of a delay, which is pretty common when trying to put together a brewery. As of November 25th they have their lab built out and expect more equipment to arrive soon. Owner Brey Sloan has been brewing for over 20 years and plans to launch the brewery with a Pale Ale, an IPA, a Blonde Ale, and a Lime Wheat beer. Once open Riverwatch will be the first brewery in Augusta since prohibition.

UPDATE 12/23/15: News 12 Augusta ran a segment on Riverwatch and spoke with the owner. All their major equipment is in now and they are waiting on TTB approval, which could come after the holidays and the brewery could open as early as February. Brey Sloan says, “As soon as I can legally make beer in this place I will start brewing beer.”

News 12 Augusta ran a segment on Riverwatch and spoke with the owner. All their major equipment is in now and they are waiting on TTB approval, which could come after the holidays and the brewery could open as early as February. Brey Sloan says, “As soon as I can legally make beer in this place I will start brewing beer.” UPDATE 04/30/16: Riverwatch has sent their first kegs out and will be opening soon for tours and tastings.

After two years in planning this self-funded brewery is looking to open soon and is currently on the hunt for a Head Brewer who will brew on Scofflaw’s 15 barrel, 4-vessel brewhouse.

UPDATE 03/08/16: Scofflaw is in the process of their build-out and equipment setup. They’ve hired one brewer and are currently searching for a Head Brewer and an Associate Brewer per their Facebook page.

Scofflaw is in the process of their build-out and equipment setup. They’ve hired one brewer and are currently searching for a Head Brewer and an Associate Brewer per their Facebook page. UPDATE 08/23/16: Scofflaw has been doing launch events all around Atlanta and they will be heading to Savannah soon. They’ve also done some preview days at the brewery an the official tasting room grand opening is set for 09/17. Initial feedback on their beers has been very positive.

Urban Tree Cidery | Atlanta, GA

Located on Howell Mill road less than a half mile from Monday Night Brewing, Urban Tree will be Atlanta’s first cidery. They’re currently building out the cidery and hope to open soon.

Urban Tree joined us in the studio for Episode 19 of Beer Guys Radio.

Torched Hop Brewing Company | Atlanta, GA

Located on Ponce, Torched Hop Brewing Company aims to be a “dynamic and upbeat” brewpub that will be a community gathering place. Their focus will be on creativity and having fun while expressing themselves through their products. Their most recent posts show steady progress on their buildout and as of November 20th they were searching for their Executive Chef.