Schoolhouse Brewing has two locations. I visited the Atlanta location, near the Emery campus. They have done a good job with the 'Schoolhouse' decor. The location is called the Gymnasium and the theme is appropriate being near Emery. Once inside, there are two bars and school memorabilia all around. I especially liked the 'Pencil' Tap Handles. They have 16 brews and continually make different styles so you could have a different beer each visit. My favorite was Astro Kitty a hoppy NE IPA 7.0 ABV with notes of tangerine, papaya, peach and pineapple. Cluck Around and Find Out was a traditional American IPA; clear and golden in color. Retrofuture Rye Sc IPA was malty and had nice bitterness. 0 Days without a Dad Joke was an authentic Belgian Tripel that was spicy with light malty tastes Website: SchoolhouseBrewing.com

Tail Gate Brewery has 7 locations around the Nashville area. The main production brewery opened in 2014; they are now 6 other taprooms and one in Chattanooga. Several of the taprooms have a different brewing areas. One has all of the spontaneous brewing; another does ciders etc. I visited the Music Row taproom which houses the cidery. There were 35 different 'brews'. At least 25 are beer styles the rest include ciders, seltzers and sparkling water. I had a 4 IPA flight with the Pest Coast IPA my favorite. It's a West Coast IPA 6.8% ABV with melon and citrus notes with a orange and pine finish. Hendy Three Step is a "Glow Up - Hazy IPA". It is 8.8% ABV which wasn't evident. Zooted Hazy IPA is made with 4 hops. At 6.0% ABV is has a smooth mouthfeel with easy bitterness and slightly sweet finish. Penjamin Franklin is also a 6.0 % ABV Hazy IPA. It used 4 hops; has a melon lemony taste and light bitterness. Website: TailGateBeer.com

The Filling Station is located in Nashville's 12 South neighborhood, a walkable area with many small shops and boutiques. After lunch at nearby Edley's BBQ (Excellent) the Filling Station was discovered just behind. it's a cool place with a laid back, hip vibe and great brews to go or enjoy there. Brian and Brandie have a great place here and everyone there was enjoying the day. I met some regulars who love coming here for the good beers and atmosphere. They have 24 taps and many more bottles and cans available. Some styles include: Pils, IPAs, Porters, Imperial Stouts and Sours. The selection also has N/A beers, Hop Water, CBC Infused and more! Some of the breweries here are Bearded Iris (Nashville) Creature Comforts (Athens GA) and DuCkaw (MD) there are many more. I got a sixer of Yazoo Cold IPA as I was leaving town soon after. Website:BrewStop.com

WanderLinger Brewing's taproom is in a cool space. It's part taproom, music venue and art gallery.  After driving around to find it we found parking about a block away. They brew many different styles and the beers are good. My favorite was Watch This, a cold IPA. Brewed as a tribute to a local festival it had pineapple notes and light bitterness. They also have a West Coast IPA and  several Hazy IPAs. The selection was varied including a Brown Ale, Baltic Porter, Stout and an  American Barleywine. Everything I tried was top quality and true to style. This was appreciated. The food selection is good pub grub with the "Build your own Grilled Cheese" my choice. There is a wide variety of cheeses, meats, sauces and add ons. This allowed for a really great custom sandwich to suit all tastes.  The venue has several different rooms, several with displays of local artists works.  Artworks were displayed all around the taproom, with some dedicated gallery rooms. Update October 2024: WanderLinger has closed this location and reopening in the Chattanooga Choo Choo in early 2025. Meanwhile, thier beer continues to be available localy.  Website: WanderLinger.com                                 

After touring the Edison / Ford estates it was time for a good local beer. We found Coastal Dayz nearby. CDB is a small local brewery serving some good beers with a sea faring theme. The small brewery area is right by the back door from the parking lot. The taproom has a laid back atmosphere where friends can chill and enjoy a few brews. I got a sampler of 4 brews to start. Seas the Day IPA is a Hazy at 6.3% ABV. It has low bitterness with fruity notes throughout. Bombay Double;e IPA had the best flavor and was very hoppy and bitter. There are 3 traditional hops added and was my favorite here. Portside Pale Ale is hopped with Citra hops giving it a tropical fruity aroma and tastes. At 6.3 ABV it was easy drinking with lots of hop flavor. Sea Side Scotch Ale was unexpected but enjoyed as not too many make a good Scotch ale. This one had some good malty flavors and light on the hops. At 7.2% ABV it was right on style. Website: CoastalDayzBrewery.com

It was early October and we decided to take a day trip to Cartersville. After visiting a local museum and lunch at nearby Walkup BBQ we decided to try Drowned Valley Brewing. Located in Downtown Cartersville it is a popular place. I got a flight to try some of their beers. Citra IPA, brewed with Citra hops, was my favorite. It's an American IPA at 6.5% ABV not too bitter and the hops were evident. Itaba IPA, also an American IPA, at 7.0 ABV was tasty and had good bitterness. Endless Possibilities Vol. 2 was an Imperial Hazy IPA clocking in at 8.0 ABV. I'm tired of Hazys but enjoyed this one and appreciate the 8.0 not being higher for an Imperial. It was nice to see a Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy here. Not many breweries make one but it was fall, the perfect time. Quite tasty, and I liked the maltiness that came through well. Website:DrownedValleyBrewing

Southernside Brewing is a large place,inside and out. The seasonal decor was very cool!. The place is friendly to all and we enjoyed the atmosphere here. We decided on some samplers and enjoyed many different styles of beer. Corner Pocket IPA; at 6.8% ABV was my favorite. Tasty and clear and drinkable. The Dancing on the Radio West Coast IPA was also a winner. At 6.8% ABV is had a good bitterness and was piney. Stormwind Dopplebock was a pleasant surprise; I don't see many of these and it was tasty and enjoyed. At 7.5% ABV it left a bready taste and the malts stood out. Starve the Ego, Feed the Soul Baltic Porter was really enjoyed; it's a relatively rare style and this one made our visit! This Lager has great tastes. I took one sip and walked around the brewery and as I moved away I got a great chocolate taste after just the one sip! 8.1% ABV added to the complexity of this lager! We want more! So Fresh and So Clean Pilsner is a great example of the style. It's not easy to brew such a crisp, clear Pilsner. The Saez hops are floral and it was conditioned for weeks! Nice job! The food here is also top notch. There are several southern specialties that are unique. We will be back! Website: SouthernsideBrewing.com

New Realm Brewing Co is located in an old cigar warehouse in downtown Greenville. It's a very cool place and has been updated into several different drinking areas. There is a bar, speakeasy and outdoor area, I have been to the Atlanta location and know that they have great beer and food. This is a new location and they aren't fully brewing here yet. However what was there was good and I will return to try the food another time. Kickflipper West Coast IPA was the favorite here. It is clear and dry with a light color. WC IPAs have made a great comeback and I'm glad to see New Realm has made one. There are several IPAs that I remember, from Atlanta, that I hope to see again in the future. Walking around I could overlook the speakeasy and the outside beer garden looks good. When the weather is good I would choose the outside. The front has a Cool Neon Sign which goes with the building well. Website:NewRealmBrewing.comGreenville

Double Stamp Brewery is located in the Holland Park area of Greenville. The facility has several different areas of seating; inside, outdoor patio and upstairs that overlooks the area. The menu above the bar has a variety of choices. This was the last stop on our brewery crawl so I didn't get to try everything so we will just have to return, one day. (We will!) 5 on It is a west coast Double IPA that was clear with a floral aroma and piney finish. The malts are from Carolina Malt House and traditional 'old school' hops, Centennial and Cascade were used along with a new hop, Sequoia which gave some pineapple flavor and the piney finish. This was a great combo and has my vote for the favorite of the day. Vampire Slayer, Blade is a Willet barrel aged Imperial Stout. It was aged for 24 months and finished with Mexican vanilla beans. This is a very special brew that will disappear quickly, I'm sure. It has a smooth as silk mouthfeel and some sweetness. Barrel aging really added to the complexity of this fine ale. Double Stamp is a great brewery and they share a brewer with the above mentioned Southernside Brewery. He has put together a long list of excellent brews. Here is a pic of the Two Special Brews form this visit. Website:DoubleStampBrewery.com

Hopstix Asian Brewpub is an Asian Fusion restaurant with a brewery making beerss that pair well with the different foods. i like the idea of having a great restaurant with a brewery making beer for that restaurant, They were established in 2017 and have been going strong ever since. There is more on the people and ideas on their website. In addition to the Asian foods there is a raw bar and tempura. i visited on Tuna Thursday which is the day they get fresh Bluefin Tuna delivered. there is a special menu with 8 selections. The beers are all great and do go with the foods as advertised. Judoka Juice Hazy IPA is a 5.9% DDH with Talus Hops. Light and easy drinking this had little bitterness. DDH Kung Fu Hops was a new offering. an easy drinking double dry hopped with double the regular amount of hops. ABV 6.7% Oktoberstix 2024 was a traditional festbier style the same as served in Munich each year. This brew also won the prestigious International Beer Cup in Japan. One of the best festbiers I have had there are many in Atlanta this time of year. Seven Seas is a 7.5% Imperial Stout. It was 'roasty and toasty' with chocolate and coffee notes. Perfect for the weather that day. (Rainy and chilly) The Kung Fu was my favorite and I was sorry they were out of Black Belt a bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout clocking in at 11% ABV! I'll try it next time! Atlanta has a greet beer scene and I have tried and enjoyed most of them. Hopstix is at another level. Fine dining foods in a casual environment is hard to beat. Greet beer just adds to it. Each year I select one of the breweries I visit for my Brewery of the Year. For 2024 I choose Hopstix. I recommend it to anyone in the area. It is not heavly advertised, I found it some time ago but didn't get there until now. Well worth it, I'll be back! Website:Hopstix.com

Heavale Brewing Co is located in the historic old downtown area of Calhoun. It has indoor and outdoor seating. We stopped by after a day in the nearby country area. They are brewing 12 different brews and I tried four. Headless Rooster is a 9% ABV Double IPA. It has good bitterness. 62 IBU, and the alcohol wasn't evident. Hazed and Confused is a Hazy IPA. It was the most quaffable brew and at 6.9% ABV not too strong. Bermuda Triangle is a Tropical stout. this style is unusual, especially this far from the tropics. It had a slight chocolaty taste and a nutty aroma. Hawthorn Tree is an easy drinking Irish Red. At 4.75 ABV, this is one of the Irish favorites that folks can drink all day! It was a quick visit for us and they were getting ready for a big Saturday night. Website:HeavaleBrewing.com

The Ravenous Pig is a gastropub, brewery and beer garden. We sat outside in the beer garden. It's a popular place; the gastropub has fine dining quality food and the beer garden has good pub food. By good, I mean raw oysters great BBQ, and more. The brews are also very good. My favorite was the Fivepoints IPA an American style IPA. At 7.2% ABV it has a good malt backbone and bitterness. The Rye and Chi, at 7.2% ABV, is a Rye IPA with Chi Spices, brewed with El Dorado and Amarillo Hops. I liked the spiciness, with the two hops made this a great beer. Flatwall is a classic west coast IPA brewed with 3 hops. The Blantons Barrel Aged Imperial Stout was strong in taste and ABV.(11%) It spent a year in the barrels and the bourbon tastes were dominant. We enjoyed the food and beer and will return to try the inside gastropub next time. Winter Park is a cool smaller town and has lots to offer. Cheers! Website:TheRavenousPig.com

Sailfish Brewing Co was the last brewery, for me, of 2024. We were heading down to south Florida and Fort Pierce is right off the road. Of course, hitting a brewery for dinner works for me and the stop was well worth it. We arrived as a big rainstorm was passing through. It wasn't too busy and we sat om the big dry outdoor porch. My beer was Sunrise city West Coast IPA. It was a good one 7.0% ABV with malt sweetness; good and hoppy. An appropriate end to this years page with the theme of West Coast IPAs. I had many this year; most breweries have one on the menu now. What does the future hold? Stay tuned; I'll continue my brewery travels in 2025. Sailfish serves some good pizza so the dinner stop was great and Tommy's pie was excellent. Cheers and Happy New Year... see you at a brewery next year!

Website: SailfishBrewing.com