So we did the 1st of our official "Ale Hoppers" tours this July 26th and we're going to give you our review.
Mind you it's our opinion, what we think, what we like and what we didn't like.
You may disagree and that's okay, the whole objective here is to get people to try new things, try something different and see what they think about it.
On to the review:
Wild Heaven Craft Beers
Where are they: 135 Maple Street, Avondale Estates, GA
Website: wildheavencraftbeers.com
How Long Have they Brewed: Since 2010
On Site Brewing: Yes. Though until recently, they farmed out a majority of their production to Thomas Creek Brewing in South Carolina.
The team has some tanks used by Terrapin Brewing and one of Sweetwater Brewing's original production tanks. They are ramping up to do all the production in house and have a small canning machine as well.
Tasting Room: Old warehouse in an industrial area just east of Decatur. Open air with limited seating inside and benches outside in a courtyard area.
Vibe: Laid-back. Very relaxed. The day we were there, we were with a group of friends. There were maybe 25 or so others there enjoying the beer, talking and learning about the team
Tastings and Tours: They offer 3 tastings a week on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And they are relatively new to the business as the "Brewery" has only been offering this since June. For $12 you get a really nice tasting glass and 6 tokens to sample the beer.
Beers: They had 6 beers on tap beginning with a Golden Ale and moving all the way up to Barleywine.
Let There Be Light: A solid pale ale. Nothing outstanding. To me, a bit bitter at the start, though the more you sip, the less bitter it tasted. A bit hoppy for a Pale Ale to me, but I'm not a "Hop-Head"...
White Blackbird: Nicely done Belgian Saison. Tasty. The pear taste is very noticeable, but not overpowering. Dry, not bitter at all a very easy drinking beer, particularly on a warm day.
Ode to Mercy: Big smile :). Well done brown ale that becomes rather strong at the brewery where they add fresh expresso to it. The day we were there, the coffee/chocolate finish was a bit to much, it over powered the smooth taste of the beer.
Invocation: Slightly spicy, well rounded beer. Somewhat similar to Let There Be Light, but much deeper flavor profile. A good beer to have with food.
Eschaton: My favorite. Very malty. Pronounced brown-sugar, molasses taste even though that's not in the description. Faint vanilla and fruit aromas round it out. A very strong beer at 10.5 abv, that you could drink a lot of but probably shouldn't.
Civilization: Not a fan of this style, but Michelle is. Interesting flavor profile with a lot of fruit in each sip. Very strong and like a carbonated wine.
Should you go?:
Wild Heaven is one of the more underrated, less noticed breweries in the Metro Atlanta area. They put out a quality product that for some reason doesn't get the love of some other local breweries. Their beer is available at Publix, Kroger, most Beer Stores and a handful of local restaurants.
The styles are unique, the beers are very complex and well produced. I'd recommend going to a tasting as the beer tastes considerably fresher on site as opposed to what you could buy at the store. The volunteers at the brewery are very friendly and knowledgeable and enjoy chatting about the beer. It's well worth your time to make the trip.
Our Rating (1-5 Beer Glasses, 1-meh, 2-uh..maybe, 3-uh-huh, 4-uh...probably, 5-uh...yes)
3 Glasses...if you like good beer and a laid back vibe, you'll love this place.
Cheers!
Enjoy this video while reading our review--(The song is appropriate, don't cha think?)
So this weeks choice for Beer of the Week is actually stolen from the Chelle collection.
