Wanna know what’s great about Gate City Brewing? It just opened in Downtown Roswell a couple of months ago, and it’s only a few miles from my house. A brewery in my own backyard? I had to go check it out, and what better way to explore new places than to bring a couple friends along?
For a little backstory, Gate City was founded in 2013 and named after Atlanta’s historical title “Gate City of the New South.” I love how connected this brewery is to the heart and soul of the city, and the phoenix in the logo is a perfect reminder of how Gate City’s beers aim to capture the spirit and opportunity that my hometown is all about.
Back to the beautiful Saturday afternoon, we strolled up to the huge open garage door and wandered inside. The parking lot was full of picnic tables and groups of people deep in conversations. As we waited to get our first round, we listened to some live music (oh yes, my kind of place!). There was an acoustic twangy sounding band called Crooked Wit playing some tunes that perfectly complimented the sunshine an light breeze. It couldn’t have felt like a lovelier day, and we hadn’t even tried the beer yet.
And man, I couldn’t decide what I wanted to go for (I guess that’s why they give you six tickets!). I landed on the 'Mosaic’n Me Crazy,’ honestly because the name sounded so fun. But the beer was delicious too! It’s a pale ale, and I remember it being much lighter and less bitter than the only other Mosaic I’ve had (Terrapin’s version, I wasn’t a fan of it). But both of them were distinctly smooth, and I really enjoyed this lighter session-style Mosaic.
The rounds get a little fuzzy after this point, but I know I tried everything on the list at least once. I loved the 1864 IPA, it was so flavorful and bold compared to most of the IPAs around. It’s an American IPA that’s built to be a crowd pleaser, whether you’re new to the craft beer scene or are considered a veteran. Another one that stuck out to me was the 20 Grand, it’s a cream ale that has a tasty hint of something (vanilla, maybe?), and I drank every drop of it.
It felt like we ran out of tickets rather quickly, but I think that’s just because we were enjoying ourselves so much. And all of the beers are so tasty that they don’t sit in your glass for long.
We didn’t get to take a full tour, but we jumped on the tail end of one. Pat, one of the founders, was kind enough to give us some extra time. I learned that they are in the process of building a larger tasting room below the brewery, and it sounds like it’s going to be the coolest space ever. There will supposedly be a sneaky entrance from one of the back alleys on Canton Street (old-style beer cellar sounds about right!). I can’t wait to watch the brewery grow. It has potential to gain a hell of a lot of attention.
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Gate City has already carved out a special place in my heart and I’ll definitely be going back soon to keep trying their new selections. Tours are held on Fridays (5-9pm) and Saturdays (1-8pm), if you’re in the area you gotta go check this place out. Tell me what my next brewery adventure should be in the comments below!