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Creature Comforts Brewing Co. is the Rising Star of Athens, Georgia

Lee Heidel
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Georgia isn’t a state that’s revered for its craft beer culture. Until just a few weeks ago, it was the only state that didn’t allow breweries to conduct direct sales with customers. That meant no bellying up to the bar in a tap room or buying a six pack or growler to-go when visiting your friendly neighborhood brewery. With new laws firmly in place now to allow these transactions, Georgia breweries are preparing to grow larger, faster thanks to this needed revenue source.

One of the breweries you’ll hear a lot more about in the coming months is Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Located in the college town of Athens, Georgia, Creature Comforts’ origin story is a familiar one. A couple of dedicated home brewers decided to go pro; teamed up with a business-minded acquaintance; and, through a lot of hard work and a little luck, a brewery was born. While that tale isn’t unique, Creature Comforts’ early success makes it stand out from the increasingly crowded local market.

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Its collection of rave reviews and a legion of dedicated fans is typically traced back to one beer: the Tropicália IPA. But that’s not the only great beer in Creature Comforts’ portfolio. While its line up is only available in Georgia (for now), be on the look out for these quality, delicious beers at bottle shops and bars state-wide — or plan a trip to the tasting room. You won’t be disappointed.

Tropicália

This is the big dog in Creature Comforts’ stable. A big, fresh, juicy IPA, Tropicália tends to sell out immediately wherever it’s shipped. Your best bet is to grab this beer is at the brewery or one of the surrounding Athens liquor stores, like Five Points Bottle Shop. Is it worth the hype? Yes.

Bibo

I’ll be the first to admit that it’s hard to get excited about a pilsner. But, even with all of the extreme beer on the market today, sometimes it’s nice to have a quality, clean, classic drink. Bibo is refreshing and crisp, perfect for hot Georgia summers.

Athena

Another highly drinkable beer for those lingering summer months, Athena is a Berliner weisse that is brewed in the traditional style with a house-blend of lactobacillus, a bacteria that imparts a sour quality to the beer. In Athena’s case, it’s a very mil, lemon-like tartness reminiscent of a dry white wine.

Beyond this core line-up, Creature Comforts also brews a variety of seasonal and limited edition beers, as well as a new series called Subtle Alchemy that features wood-aged beers. Get more information about where to find these beers by visiting the Creature Comforts website.

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Lee Heidel
Lee Heidel
Lee Heidel is the managing editor of Brew/Drink/Run, a website and podcast that promotes brewing your own beer, consuming the…
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