Atlanta Brewing Company - Soul of the City

Pouring a bright golden color with crystal clarity and a fluffy head of almost white foam, Soul of the City looks good in the glass as its aroma summons us in for a closer sniff. Look for plenty of inviting, luscious fruit impressions conjuring tropical and stone fruits, with soft citrus, pear, and light melon touches. On the palate, this pale ale is quite crisp from the start to the finish. The malt profile is super clean, allowing the quartet of Pacific Northwest hops to come forth in full effect. Tropical and citric tones seem to predominate along with some herbal touches, while moderate to firm hop bitterness keeps this brew dry, crisp, and refreshing. For pairing options, the playbook is wide open for this food-friendly brew, although we're inclined to go towards the crispiness of fried options like fish & chips with a dash of lemon, or chicken fingers with an array of dipping sauces. Cheers!

The Atlanta Brewing Company (ABC) is the oldest operational craft brewery in the state of Georgia, having been founded by former Guinness executive Greg Kelly in 1993 in an old brick warehouse that he transformed into a brewery. English brewing equipment was brought in, including a grain mill – still used by the brewery – which was found lying abandoned in an English meadow.

In 2006, the Atlanta Brewing Company was named one of "10 great places to see what's brewing in beer" by USA Today. We agree—especially amidst the awakening of craft-brewed beer's collective consciousness that's currently happening in the South. In 2013, Garett Lockhart and Steve Anderson took over brewing operations as brewmaster and head brewer, respectively, and the duo began brewing a new array of award-winning beers. In 2015, Garett was promoted to brewery president as the brewery began the transition to packaging in cans – a smart move as cans have quickly overtaken bottles to become the preferred method of packaging craft beers. Today, ABC offers four core, year-round beers along with a wide variety of seasonals and limited-production beers. For our friends living in the ATL, as well as visitors to the city, a stop at ABC's brewery Taproom is recommended, as they offer a wide selection of beers on tap as well as available to-go. For more information, call them up at 404-355-5558, or visit atlantabrewing.com