Happy National Beer Can Appreciation Day

Atlanta Craft Beer
Photo credit Ridofranz

On January 24, 1935 the Gottfried Kruger Brewing Company delivered the first canned beer to consumers. To pay tribute, Jan. 24 is known as National Beer Can Appreciation Day.

Make sure you grab a canned Georgia beer today and look around for specials. Pretoria Fields is offering $1 off 6-packs today and Dry County Brewing Company, on their IG, promises can specials tonight on their IG.

Let’s get to the coolness happening this weekend:

BEER GOES WELL WITH…

Over the last few days there’s been a few kick-butt events where breweries paired their beer with food.

My friend Kelly was torturing me with photos Thursday night from The Nest in Kennesaw as I was at the gym. She was at the 4th Annual Chef vs. Brewers Beer Dinner in conjunction with Reformation Brewery. They paired six courses of food (seven, technically, if you count the passed hors d’oeuvres pairing) and beer together. No joke, I was drooling over the idea of braised crispy garlic & chili oil beef short rib with white cheddar grits paired with Pinot Noir Cadence. I’ve been trying to get my hands on that pinot Cadence for a while. I just seem to always miss it.

The Sweetwater Taproom, with the help of Certified Cheese Pro Michael Landis and head brewer Nick Nock, paired five cheeses with five beers on Thursday.

Tucker Brewing is working with Brockett Pub in Clarkston for a beer pairing dinner tonight (Friday, Jan. 24) at the pub. It’s a three-course meal with a 10-ounce beer for each course. More details on their social media.

These beer-food pairing events are adventurous and reasonably priced, not to mention delicious.

FUTURE IS BRIGHT (AND SUSTAINABLE)

Terrapin Beer Company announced Thursday they are the first brewery in Georgia to use solar renewable energy to make beer.

In a project started last year, Terrapin partnered with Cherry Street Energy to install solar panels on the roof of the brewery. This sustainability effort will supply 30 percent of the brewery’s energy needs.

TASTE THIS

Take a look around Atlanta this weekend for these new brews that were either released this week or are coming soon.
  • Cream Weaver makes its return Saturday at Three Taverns in Decatur. It’s a 5% tangerine, vanilla and cream ale sour and they’re only available at the brewery.
  • Creature Comforts has a rotating series of single-hopped pilsners called “Everything Is…” Friday at 3 p.m. you can try “Everything Is… Citra,” their new version utilizing Citra hops.
  • Monday Night is dropping Lay Low on Friday. It’s a low-calorie IPA that comes in at 3.2% and has only 90 calories.
  • On Thursday, Left Nut Brewing released an homage to Harry Potter called Mudblood Braggot. It’s an 8.4% half beer, half mead combination. They added a “dash of cranberry” to bring out sweet and tart flavoring. It’s only available in their Gainesville taproom.
  • Akademia Brewing Company introduced Wave of Mutilation on Wednesday, a 4.8% lager with cucumber and butterfly pea flower. It’s a limited brewpub-only release in Athens.
  • NoFo Brew Company released Griffland Hazy Pale Ale, version 2 on Wednesday.
  • Every Friday Wild Heaven brings out a new beer. Tonight it’s Cali Drago at 5 p.m., a Red Dragonfruit IPA brewed with experimental cryo hops and red dragonfruit. If you like it Friday, head back on Saturday and they’ll release a special cask version at 4 p.m.
  • Cuts from the Bine is an 8% double IPA that Creature Comforts will release Friday with Everything Is… Citra. It’s a limited release using a variety of hops found on their 2019 visit to farms in the Pacific Northwest.
  • Wild Leap has everyone buzzing this week with the re-release of Truck Chaser Creamsicle Double IPA. It’s going to hit bars, restaurants and retail locations next week.
  • Speaking of Wild Leap, they released Caramel Cake Stout this week, a 10.5% sweet milk stout with caramel and hints of cinnamon and vanilla.