IamA veteran beer writer who covers the beer scene for The Atlanta-Journal Constitution. AMA!

What are your thoughts on all the buy-outs of craft breweries by giant producers like In-Bev and such? If the quality of the beer isn't affected, is it still harmful to the craft industry? Do you still consider it craft beer if it's produced in small quantities but owned by an international conglomerate?

It's a super complicated question. I have longtime friends who founded buy-out breweries and as far as I'm concerned they are still the same people and the beer is still good. On the other hand I think small and family owned is kind of a craft ideal. What you do with Boston Beer and the like is another question.

Where do see the beer scene going in the next 20 years?

I'm a beer fan and used to live in one of the craft brewery capitals of North America and its really a great time to be a beer drinker. Lots of experimentation and collaboration happening, it's really coming into its own as an art form. But i also feel like we're getting to a point where the whole industry might risk stagnation. As a consumer, what do I drink when I feel like I've tried everything?

Also, why don't more breweries make Belgian style Dubbels, Tripels, and Quadrupels?

20 years is a long time. Hard to know. But in the shorter term, more breweries and beer. The question remains: How much more is too much more?

Belgian beers are hard to sell even in Belgium right now. I think some breweries like Allagash (and Orpheus here in ATL) are still trying hard. But IPAs and hops still rule craft.

Belgian beers are hard to sell even in Belgium right now.

Really?? As someone who is a huge fan of this style of beer, I really don't get that perception. Sure, IPAs are the more popular choice, but I still think Belgian style beers do okay. Do you have a source on this?

I'm talking about overall sales around the world, visiting Belgium, and talking with members of the Belgian Family Brewers. I didn't say that were not available or beloved. It's just that younger beer drinkers aren't as interested. Go to Brick Store Pub and ask how sales are in the Belgian Bar as opposed to few years ago.

What is the best Hefeweizen beer in Georgia?

Not really my style, but Arches has a popular one called Queen's Weiss

What’s your favorite brewery to visit in ATL if you’re just going for fun? Not just for the beer, but the atmosphere and everything too

Currently, I'm really liking Monday Night Garage. Great chill space. The New Realm rooftop is great at sunset.

Hi from Michigan, have you had any of our craft beers especially Two-Hearted or All day IPA?

Yes. Love them both as go-tos...

What’s a consistent beer you can always go to that fits most situations, whether a local beer or a more distributed one?

For widely distributed beers for all occasions, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, SweetWater 420, and locally Three Taverns Prince of Pils are go-to.

Hi Bob. Having been away from Georgia (and the US) for about a decade, other than occasionally visiting family, I mainly just remember Sweetwater being the main local brew. What are some other Georgia brands that I have missed in the past 10 years?

Atlanta Brewing you might remember as Red Brick, Creature Comforts, Monday Night, New Realm, Scofflaw, Three Taverns, Wild Heaven, Second Self, and so many more...

Here's a good place to start looking:

http://www.georgiacraftbrewersguild.org/members/

What are some up and coming brews and breweries we should be on the lookout for?

Arches in Hapeville, Dry County in Kennesaw, Gate City and Variant in Roswell, Pontoon in Sandy Springs, and Wild Leap in LaGrange are beginning to make a mark...

Have you tried Tree House from Monson, Ma? If so, thoughts?

Yes. Good stuff

As a person who doesn't like hoppy beer at all, I feel like this beer wave has passed me by as soon as it started. What do you recommend for someone who likes as little hops as possible?

Sour beers, fruit beers, malty darker beers, Belgian beers, especially dubbels and triples...

When did the whole “beer snob” trend start? I appreciate a good beer just as much as the next guy, but when it’s 100° outside, sometimes I just don’t feel like drinking some stout or IPA, I would actually prefer an ice cold high life. When I lived in charlotte, it was extremely hot outside, some friends and myself were drinking at a place where you can buy beer or wine and drink it there (common market if you’re familiar). Anyway, we were about to head back to my place to grill out, so I grabbed a bunch of “summer beer,” and some complete stranger turns to me in line and says “all of the beer here and you’re getting high life?” I chuckled, thinking he was joking, but he was being completely serious. For me, there’s a time and a place for everything, I just don’t remember people ever being an asshole because of someone’s beer choice, prior to the rise of the craft beer scene.

I have really smart, really interesting friends who drink Bud in the bottle. It doesn't bother me at all.

It's a new trend to make THC or CBD infused beer. I know weed is still illegal in Georgia but do you see this becoming a thing in Georgia when it is eventually legalized?

It's not really legal anywhere that I know of. But SweetWater has the new 420 Strain G13 IPA described as “a phenomenally tasty IPA with strain specific terpenes and proprietary hemp flavor, creating an olfactory experience that mimics the G13 cannabis strain.”

Read all about in Beer Town in the AJC this week

When is English Mild coming back?

Good Word has great one!

How did you get that job? I wish I had better parents and guidance counselors!

I was lucky and had a good editor.

How did you get into beer writing? Did you start in a different niche and switch? Did you go to school for writing?

See answer above. I wrote for high school and college papers and wrote about music, film and food before beer.

as someone who's mostly stuck to cider, are their beers you would suggest branching out into? best craft brewery?

Try some of the newer sour and fruity beers. There are so many good craft breweries I couldn't name the best.

What is the best brewery tour you've done in Atlanta and why?

WE don't need to do tours anymore because we have taprooms!

Have you heard of Sand City our local brewery in Northport Long Island, NY?

I have not that I remember

What is your favourite mouthfeel?

My own

Can you recommend any notable breweries over towards Augusta?

I don't really have any major recommendations over that way. Though there are some really good breweries in Savannah, including Service and Southbound.

Here's a good place to find Georgia breweries:

http://www.georgiacraftbrewersguild.org/members/

I have a couple of questions, if I may; I currently just found myself hired on with a local (for me) restaurant/bar that is trying to jump on the craft trade by offering a selection of over 150+ craft beers on draft. We are regional to the Southeast and have been trying to carry a lot of breweries from around us. We actually currently carry Monday Night’s Slap Fight IPA, Rucksack Hefe and Han Brolo pale ale, Sweetwater’s Tropical Lover, Blue, IPA, and 420 Extra Pale Ale and then Orpheus Transmigrations of Souls IPA all from breweries based in Atlanta, Georgia, as I’m sure you may know. I’m only 25 and just now starting my studying for my first tier Certified Beer Server certification through the Cicerone Program and have found all of this information on beer to be a bit overwhelming (but delightfully challenging) and I was wondering if you just had any general tips for anyone just starting out on the best ways to help easily transition customers who are used to standard American Lager styles into these more unknown craft styles.

Also, for the types of the Atlanta beers that I just mentioned above, do you have any cool stories about the breweries or their histories, or the beer lines specifically? Or anything about the crafts that you would find as an honorable mention flavor-wise? I have learned from a lot of the more knowledgeable individuals around me that part of selling craft beer is painting a beautiful and interesting picture of the products for your customers and I’m trying to learn as much as I can so I just wanted to know if you had anything being that you are so well-versed to the ATL beer scene.

Thank you so much and it was so exciting to see you doing this!

I'd say the best way is to let people sample lot of things. I have a bunch of cool stories but not the time to tell them here. You should visit as many breweries as you can, take the tours, take in the different cultures, drink the beer and and ask questions. The new Atlanta Beer Bus I just wrote about is a good way to travel around to a bunch of breweries.

Want to switch jobs? I mean I'm terrible at writing but I feel like I have the beer drinking part down.

You probably make more money. I'd switch paychecks.

Will you come out to Sweetwater bar and grill Thursday at 9 to watch our stand up show?

Probably not. But sometime, maybe...

Ever tried a swedish beer?

Yes. I'm fond of Carnegie Porter

What's your take on beer snobery and elitism? I went to a beer fest and a bottle share and both times people were so focused on rating everything on untappd and some people wouldn't even sniff a beer that was under a 4pt rating. There seems to be this increasing elitism in beer trading culture as well that to me seems very toxic and totally against what having a beer is all about.

I'm a working class guy from a family of farmers and factory workers. Guess how I feel about snobbery and elitism? I'm against it!

Have you tried anything from Reformation Brewery in Woodstock? I'm a big fan of Jude.

Yes. They make some good beers, especially some of the limited releases.

Can you name a bar with a better beer selection than The Brick Store?

There are plenty of good ones, and many with more taps, but BSP always has a well curated list and has a wonderful cellar program.

What beer do you recommend for someone who loves the taste and flavor profile of IPAs, but isn’t a huge fan of the bitterness? I’ve found that Magic Hat No. 9 does a good job with this, but was wondering what your opinions would be.

Some of the newer, fruitier or even fruited IPAs would be your ticket.

Where can I find a good Kölsch in ATL?

Eventide makes a pretty good one and just won an award for it at U.S. Open.

For many answers to your questions, check this link:

https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/dining/the-ultimate-georgia-beer-lover-guide-breweries-beer-and-brewpubs/DjEKuMMPz82BsCvqa6AzbM/

What are some underrated features/aspects of small bars that you really appreciate?

The sense of community is what I love about drinking beer. It's how I grew up and pub culture feels like a home away from home.

What are your thoughts of Creature Comforts vs Sweetwater and Terrapin as far as distribution and quality goes?

I think all three are top notch.

Do you swallow every sip you take? Or do you take sips? Seems to me a swig is more appropriate for beer, or do you think it affects your preception of the taste/mouth feel?

I always say beer drinkers don't spit. But what kind of sip or swig sort of depends on the beer and if I'm drinking for pleasure or tasting to judge it. There are some supposedly pro instructions out there. Your mileage may vary.

I've been looking for a certain beer taste. I have had it once with a summit summer organic IPA. This was a seasonal beer that just worked for me. I bought every one I could of the magic lot but was unable to recreate it with subsequent lots. I've tried every recommend beer on Reddit or from my contacts in the beer / auditing industry but have gotten no where.

I'm looking for the equivalent taste experience of dying of dehydration in a desert. And then suddenly while I'm passed out in the sun someone takes a pine tree, covers it in snow, adds some lemon, a single blade of wheatgrass then violently shoves it down my throat bringing me back to life but at a terrible cost of never having that experience again.

This beer was off the shelf and was kept on the ground not in a refrigerator and still provided that experience. I've yet to find the right combination of pine and lemon. Do you know of anywhere I can start looking?

Hmmmm... I'm guessing you may have taken LSD. But, seriously, I have no clue. Sorry!

What are your thoughts on Founder’s and Bell’s? As they have become giants in craft beer.

Both still solid!

Thanks for posting OP! I work for a larger brewery out here in Oregon, I love these beer geek AMA's.

Question: what do you feel is the reason some of these so-so beers like Heady Topper, Pliney the Elder, etc. have developed such a cult following?

I think rarity is a big factor. I'd take Pliney over Heady.

Whats your opinion on scientists working on creating better yeasts? At my uni theres a whole department working on brewing technology (KU Leuven Belgium, I aspire to work in that lab later on). Ive read some people are opposed to such technologies because it removes the “naturalness” or “pureness” of craft brewing.

The science and technology behind brewing is amazing nowadays, as is the knowledge of younger brewers lab people.

If I'm ever in Georgia, what do u recommend as an absolute speciality that i must try?

https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/dining/the-best-and-the-brightest-taste-georgia-made-ipas-pale-ales/IMOncuLmIaV8QcesrXBWqI/

Are there any beer types that will bloat me less when drinking? i love beer, but most times i dont drink beer its because i dont want that terrible bloated feeling

Pour into a glass the proper way to release the carbonation. Look up the technique on YouTube.

What is "the beer scene"?

I need to take a break and finish a story on deadline today. I will check back later this afternoon or evening. The series I wrote may answer many more questions:

https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/dining/the-ultimate-georgia-beer-lover-guide-breweries-beer-and-brewpubs/DjEKuMMPz82BsCvqa6AzbM/

Have you ever tried any Weihenstephan beers?

Yes. Great, though not my fave style

What convince store has the best selection and coldest malt liquor available?

Check your fridge. Then check your head.

What's the shittiest thing about Atlanta?

Do you live in Atlanta?