we’ve often found our way to local breweries in our time in georgia + almost always look for them in our travels, but most recently, we’ve been taking family hikes every weekend + found ourselves including these spaces in the cool down rotation following the active time outdoors. sometimes it’s a meal shared together before or after at a new restaurant near the trail + sometimes it’s a stop at a brewery around town. it eases our transition back into the weekend/mealtime routine + it’s a nice mixup for us in different ways for each member of our family.
it’s a fun way to shake up the typical meal circuit when there’s a food option available in tandem with the beverages being served, but we also love checking out these places from a design point of view. ryan explains, “the establishments that i’m most attracted to are one-offs.” ryan, as an architect + mary catherine as a designer, both find it’s interesting to see how the beer + the aesthetics coincide. “it helps inform our designs,” says mary catherine. “because it’s more than just the beers, though that is certainly a part of the reason we go there at all. like the tasting that occurs, we notice every detail of the visit from start to finish, the structure, the floor plan, the lighting, hardware, unique touches + the branding.”
visiting local craft brewers has served a few purposes for us over the years + i’m sure for you all as well, they have been on the rise as popular spots to go to take a beat + relax usually outdoors. they also serve as a kind of public house, a place to be among others in the nearby areas. “we had my high school reunion at westbrook in mount pleasant back in 2014!” now, for mc, it’s about getting to know the different neighborhoods of atlanta + understanding a little more about the culture of where we are currently living + raising our family beyond the suburb. it’s important to pop our familiar bubble from time to time to remember there’s a great big world out there, just beyond our daily hub.
remember to stop by the porch to catch up on our summer hike series! please, let us know where you’ve been too. hiking, breweries, travels…
ryan’s approach to visiting a brewery is akin to ordering the daily specials at a restaurant. we aren’t there to see how much we can imbibe; instead, it’s about taking a peek at what they’ve come up with lately. we find these places to be epicenters of creativity flowing freely. the product is not mass produced, but created from the best, fresh, seasonal ingredients, much like a farm to table restaurant. at the breweries, we’re seeing the subtlies of expression that exist among brewmasters, as they each find different ways to use sometimes similar ingredients or hops which leads us to realize that so many of these establishments have grown out of home brewers who have had a boon of passion + innovation for the old-as-monks craft. ryan says “i may not like each + every flavor profile or style, but seeing the varieities + iterations these creatives come up with is enjoyable.”
it may come as a surprise to some that these “watering holes” are usually quite the family friendly stops with water bowls for the dogs, food trucks, music + games. we appreciate not only the crafting but also the stories behind the beers + brewery + see a lot of creativity in it. we usually split a pint or a flight of the drafts on tap just to taste what they’ve been working on + occasionally will purchase a can or two to take home in support of these hardworking local entrepreneurs, who are at their core creative, small-business owners just like us.
here’s to sharing more of what inspires everyday!
x pencil + ink
pencil + ink creative 