We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers Head Brewer Gavin Lord about Maple Barrel Aged Smoked Porter.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe? 
The pFriem Team!

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
I love the way the Rauch malt has integrated itself over the course of barrel-aging. What we were looking for through its inclusion wasn't smoke necessarily, but rather a nuanced savory note to balance the big sweet flavors and aromas of maple and dark chocolate.  

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from? 
It's named for the recipe and process, it's a lightly smoked Porter aged in a maple syrup barrel. 

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?” 
No, this is my snowed-in cabin beer. 

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
Chocolate mousse, maple, decadent.

BC: Do you know a story – or have a personal story – that revolves around this beer? 
This beer was inspired by a donut. I never had much of a sweet tooth, but occasionally my folks would take me to Roth's IGA for a Tiger Tail, which is a maple bar with chocolate added. I found it greatly improved by two slices of bacon. While this isn't a dessert beer by any means, we wanted to convey that balance of sweet and savory that I discovered as a kid.       

We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers Head Brewer Gavin Lord about Sauv Blanc Barrel Aged Golden Ale.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe? 
It was a group effort!

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
I've been pleasantly surprised by how well the fruity aspects of the Brett transition into the incredibly expressive nature of these barrels. We were expecting the barrels to come across as quite a bit more neutral. Instead they threw this huge Piña Colada note that really complrmented the tropical aspects of the yeast. 

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from? 
It's really named for the process, simply a Golden Ale aged in a Sauvignon Blanc barrel.  

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?” 
Oh, it would be lovely on the beach. 

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
Piña Colada, watermelon, papaya.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer? 
Chevre, oysters, artichokes and sole. 

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We spoke with pFriem Family Brewers Head Brewer Gavin Lord about Druif - 2018 Vintage.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe? 
We work as a team on recipe development, but this project was special in that we were able to collaborate with the extraordinary crew from Brooks Estate Vineyard. They continue to teach us a great deal about fruit and fermentation. 

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
I love the way this beer defies definition. It flies at will between the realms of light mixed-culture beer and dry sparkling wine in a way I find intriguing and delightful. 

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from? 
We name our fruited sours for the fruit included, translated into Flemish as a tip of the cap to our Belgian colleagues. In this case, Druif simply means grape. 

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?” 
No, but it will be tough to beat on New Year's Eve. 

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
White pepper, stone fruit, floral, effervescent. 

We spoke with Urban Artifact Chief of Brewing Operations Bret Kollman Baker about Chariot.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This is one of the few recipes we have that is relatively unadulterated from when we opened. This came about as a classic Gose that we thought would play wonderfully with tart cherries.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The interplay of the tart cherry with the salty wheat base beer. So fantastic together, it has notes of a liquid cherry cobbler.

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
Yes, I would drink this all the time if possible. Sessionable ABV, salty and refreshing, with a moderate fruit presence. Such a wonderfully balanced beer.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
I like to lean a bit on the meatier side with this beer. A classic dish of lamb paired with the salty and cherry nature of the beer is a natural fit. Both work to enhance the flavors of the other.

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We spoke with Urban Artifact Chief of Brewing Operations Bret Kollman Baker about The Gadget.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This is a special one that actually came from feedback from our customers that was distilled through our bartenders and eventually made it back to the brewers. In short, customers wanted "More sour. More fruit." So we gave them what they wanted! This was actually the birth of the Midwest Fruit Tart style and has since become a hit line of products that we release on a rotating basis.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The complementary and enhancing nature of blackberry and raspberry together. Raspberry is bright. acidic and intense. Blackberry is tannic, sweet and subtle. When combined, they create this truly classic berry harmony.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
The beer is named after the bomb developed during the Manhattan Project. The scientists working on the project at the time simply referred to the weapon as "The Gadget."

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
It isn't mine, but it is for our head of barrel-aged beers, Josh Elliott.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
Berry pie and a black coffee.

We spoke with Urban Artifact Chief of Brewing Operations Bret Kollman Baker about Fire Iron.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The banana. It is such a wonderful complexity driver. Its rounds out and enhances everything about the beer from the aroma and flavor to filling out and smoothing the texture.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
Fire Iron is old west slang for a trusty hand gun. We thought this was a nice juxtaposition to the tropical fruit nature of the beer.

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Tropical fruit smoothie.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
How about pairing it with another alcohol? Fire Iron goes beautifully with white rum. It is truly fantastic to add a splash of white rum to the glass. It tastes like a tropical daiquiri!

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We spoke with Arches Brewing Co-Founder Jeff Dake about Southside Lager.

Who was responsible for this beer’s recipe? 
Brewmaster Jamey Adams designed the original recipe for this beer at his home brewery in an attempt to taste/test the impact of decoction mashing versus the use of specialty grain.  He used a simple grain bill, all noble hops, and a Bavarian lager yeast strain to create a beer where differences in the subtleties of the flavor would be easiest to discern. After brewing this beer multiple times, we all grew to love the characteristic caramel flavor and deep color created through decoction and the crisp hop finish of this classic lager style. 

Where does this beer’s name come from? 
Southside Lager ties us back to our humble beginning on the south side of Atlanta.  We've been brewing beer on the south side for over a decade and this beer has been with us from the start.  It reminds us of where we came from, the community that embraced us, and the devoted fans that we have here on the south side.