Tag: atlanta craft beer

from the desk of..., inspiration found

inspiration found | contrast artisan ales

location: chamblee, georgia
website: contrastartisianales.com

this is one that’s caught my eye for quite some time. not sure why it took us so long to get here, but we chose this spot because it was in range of a jeep ride from our weekend hike, + riding in the jeep is always a fam-favorite. contrast is one of the first i’ve seen that made beer brewed with coffee + since those are my two most preferred drinks of choice–craft beer + small-batch coffee– it’s been high on my list to get a taste. obviously with this trip happening in the summer, the dark beers were not in-season, but it was all the more intriguing to see what they were doing + offering with seasonal flavors. this is one of the many things i admire about small breweries; it keeps me curious to come back again.

the location captured my interest as well, as this neatly packaged micro-brewery can be found in the newly revitalized downtown chamblee, tucked behind a bagel shop that is our favorite, maybe in the whole of atlanta–shout out to the bronx bagel buggy! we like “the veggie” on rosemary salt bagel, but their menu is full of delicious freshly-made options–don’t skip the bialy bomb if you’re really hungry.

the first impression at contrast was fantastic + neither the building design nor the beer disappointed. the space is a small to-go counter, behind garage doors akin to a walk up window at an urban eatery, with a few tables + chairs inside + out in the parking lot as well as a bunch of picnic tables under the trees adjacent to the brewery. the set up of the operation includes their brew tanks within view, kegs + cans in coolers + offers ample space for imbibing at the bar or nearby tables, yet it’s compact + efficiently arranged in such a way that underscores the polished brand + beers served here.

the vibe was giving a laid back parking-lot-party type of experience that seamlessly fit with the brand we had seen prior to visiting: a no frills, no nonsense place to grab a really well crafted beer. on this trip we settled on tasting two of their seasonal brews:

mandarina belgian saison + stuck in suspension hazy ipa

both were perfectly refreshing summer beverages that provided just what the humid father’s day afternoon called for. this is a spot we’ll surely add to our rotation as the new-age urban watering hole it is, for a laid back stop by after a long day. we’re already planning a trip back as soon as the coffee-infused brews return to the lineup, if not before!

do you ever find yourself enjoying food/drink at a place + think “i love these glasses”? this is something mc + i do a lot of, because we acknowledge that details that may seem minor or are otherwise overlooked have the power to elevate even the most mundane experiences + this is the sort of thing that stands out to us wherever we go + keeps us on the hunt for what inspires. hopefully we’ve been able to share a peek inside our designer brains here… check back for more again soon!

as a final design note: we love to share a good logo/branding + we found this one equally clean as it is interesting + meaningful. we enjoyed reading more about the brewmaster’s concept behind contrast artisan ales + look forward to our next post-hike cool down here in the near future. we hope you might join us!

cheers!

from the desk of...

inspiration found | cultivation brewing co.

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?

Cultivation Brewing Co.

cheers!