location: norcross, georgia
website: www.cultivationbrew.com
looking at cultivation thru a lens of overall personality, taste, architecture + the brand that reflects it all so well. our most recent trip here was after our summer weekend family hike.
this is one we first visited back in 2021, located just over a mile away from the historic train town of norcross. being tucked behind landscape trucks + lawn service warehouses lends itself right away to a gardening + horticulture vibe which fits in with the hops + the process of beermaking. also, fun fact, the guys who run the brewery started this spot when they decided to make a shift from running their landscape company.
the brews themselves are usually all lighter + super refreshing with a clean finish, as you might expect from a group who are most likely looking for a cool down following a lot of time outside landscaping + these beers always deliver that crisp note.
in conjunction with that, the space is airy + almost always opened to the outside with garage doors + plenty of windows. it’s tucked in with a few landscaped areas that have an experimental feel as hops, herbs + hanging baskets are growing alongside picnic tables set up for tasting. there’s a fenced-in turfed area that invites some kid-play, a gravel lot where food trucks often land + they have a rotating schedule of other community enrichment opportunities from pilates, to live music, trivia + more. the guys who started cultivation are also focused on supporting the building of community even further + have gone as far as setting up a foundation to stay committed to improving the people + places in the area–this is a very cool aspect that really makes this brewery stand out to us. you can see more on their website.
though i’m more of a dark beer fan + don’t typically like fruity beers, it’s so interesting to see + taste what they come up with + what others may be enjoying after a long hot day in the yard or after outings with friends on the river. the typical crowd tends to be laid back groups of friends + families, looking for a place to all be together in a casual setting. we get nostalgic seeing young families pull up with a baby in tow as we can remember the days of trips out while the baby was sleeping.
as landscape designers ourselves, we love how it feels like we’re walking up to a plant nursery of sorts, as if we’re going to be inquiring on some plant purchases along with our beer tasting. they seem to have a policy that if it’s not severely incelement weather, then the doors + windows stay open to welcome the outside in + vice versa encouraging a friendly, warm invitation to visitors.
as building designers + space planners, we so appreciate the intentional design + textures happening here…lots of focus on the hops. the wood board light fixtures (in the shape of hops) illuminate the bar inside of raised garage doors, wall murals repeat this motif, while the pergola above offers a unique cover + gives a front porch feel. the umbrellas + pavers bring in some added depth making it feel cozy + comfortable to stay a while. just writing this, i’m already looking forward to our next visit.
let’s not forget to mention the fantastic branding– a nod to the landscape background + the idea of breaking ground for planting new seeds of improvement with a hoppy theme that runs throuhgout this experience. what’s not to love here?
cheers!
pencil + ink creative 