Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
What began as an idea among college friends has blossomed into a business that has won national acclaim. Georgia Beer Company, located in Valdosta, Ga. stemmed from an idea that came up during a game of “If I won the lottery, I would …” One of the friends said he would open a brewery, so they could all “hang out and drink beer all day.” Two of these friends, Chris Jones and Jack Martin, remained close, and years later decided to seriously pursue that brewery idea. Only one detail stood in the way of this dream becoming a reality: neither of them knew anything about beer except how to drink it.
Not to be deterred, the two friends began researching the brewing process and learning all they could about brewing beer. The fact that Martin had earned a degree in microbiology proved useful in understanding how ingredients interact to give beers their own unique flavor and characteristics. The two began perfecting the process, and through trial and error, with an emphasis on “error,” they began to experience some success. Georgia Beer Company was born in 2014 in a garage. It has since grown, and in January of 2019, moved into their current location at the site of the historic old Water Works Building, in Valdosta. The brewery now employs close to 20 workers.
In 2023, two of their locally brewed craft beers, Destress Express and Pavilion Peanut Butter Porter, were rated among the nation’s top 50 beers, according to the Winter 2023 issue of The Beer Connoisseur magazine.
Several varieties of Georgia Beer can be found in all Publix grocery stores throughout the State of Georgia. More retail outlets are being added on a constant basis.
Georgia Beer Co. is located at 109 S. Briggs St., in Valdosta. Their taproom hours are Monday through Thursday, from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, from 12 p.m. until 10 p.m. and Sundays from 12:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. Tours of the brewery are often available. The website and online store can be found at https://georgiabeerco.com.