For a blog about Atlanta breweries, you may notice that I don’t stick to only ITP spots. As much as we may joke about OTP people, I gotta admit, they still make some interesting beers.

Take Gate City Brewing Co. for example. Located in the historic downtown district of Roswell, Gate City is a hidden gem of a brewery. Boasting lots of indoor and outdoor seating, along with a large range of beers, it certainly was enticing enough to get me to make the drive outside of the perimeter.

For today’s selection, I went back to my roots and ordered a flight of three IPAs – Bro Ham, Awe Juice, and Fast Fjord – and one IPL – Citras Maximus.

Bro Ham:

As a self described margarita inspired beer, Bro Ham does not fall short. Right as you first smell it, you’re hit with a distinctive margarita scent. With lime and sea salt as some of its ingredients, the flavor is more subtle than the scent, but it still combines the essence of a margarita, while still maintaining a definitive beer flavor. This beer is undoubtably sour and carbonated, but it complements the flavor and leaves an interesting sea salt aftertaste. Since it is such a complex flavor, I’m not sure if I’d buy more than a glass, but for how intricate of a beer it is, I’ll give it 4/5 mugs.

Awe Juice:

“Aw” Juice might be a better name for this IPA. Though there’s really nothing wrong with this beer, there’s not really anything outstandingly right about it either. It is somewhat reminiscent of Three Tavern’s Rowdy and Proud (see my review for that beer here), but just with a more mild citrus tone. To me, this beer is just a regular old IPA, not bad but not memorable either. I’ll give it 3/5.

Citras Maximus:

If you thought the last beer was disappointing, unfortunately this one was even worse. As my first IPL (India Pale Lager), I didn’t know what to expect, but after trying this, I think IPAs and lagers should stay separate. Though it was smooth and easy to drink, to me, the flavor just seemed… wrong. The best way I can describe this beer is that it hints at the complexity of an IPA, but ultimately just ends up being disappointingly plain. The citrusy tones adds a new layer to the beer, but the lager flavor overpowers it. I’ll give it 2/5 mugs just because of its drinkability.

Fast Fjord:

Not to worry, after the last two beers, this review will close on a bit of a higher note. Fast Fjord is an international IPA, with Norwegian hops. This is definitely a strong IPA, so if you’re into that, you’ll love it. As for me, I like IPAs, but maybe not enough to really love this beer. However, I still can appreciate it for what it is. This beer is creamy, almost reminiscent of a milkshake IPA, with a complex flavor profile. As you can see in the far right picture above, Fast Fjord stands out as the lightest and creamiest of the flight and it has the taste to match. For me, it still is too strong on the hops, but I’ll still give it a 3.5/5 since it is so complex and interesting.

Overall Review:

Gate City was bustling with dogs, families, and twenty-somethings alike, even at 7pm on a Tuesday. With lots of open space, brewery classics like oversized connect-four games, and a plethora of outdoor seating, this brewery gives off what my partner described as “good vibes”.

I would certainly call this brewery one of the hidden gems of metro Atlanta, and would recommend stopping by if you’re ever in the area visiting historic Roswell or the mill – and please bring your dog.

For this review, I ventured over to a tried and true brewery on Ponce de Leon Ave. Torched Hop is known for its various entertainment – from an indoor bocce ball court to an N64 system with plenty of games – its delicious selection of food, and last but not least, its beers.

With a rotating collection, you never know what selection you’ll get for the day, so each new visit is a chance to try something new. For this visit, I went out with some friends and tried out three beers I’ve never had – Anthem of Angels, Hops De Leon, and Cornbread.

Anthem of Angels:

First up is the chocolate porter. Historically, I’ve been known to like the flavor of these heavier bodied beers, but never enough to commit to an entire pour. This beer was no different. With a clear coconut flavor thanks to its brewing process, Angels offers a smooth, cocoa taste with a silky finish. Though it was good, it wasn’t totally outstanding enough for me to have a big glass, though that is more of my problem than that of the beer. 3.5/5 mugs for good effort.

Hops De Leon:

This IPA lead the way with an equally fruity and hoppy flavor profile. As the regular IPA of the brewery, Hops boasts a citrus taste with just enough haze to keep things interesting. With how easy to drink it is and how agreeable the flavors are, I’d give this beer a solid 5/5.

Cornbread:

Right off the bat, this beer’s first impression is that it’s HAZY. It is also a lactose containing IPA, which I found out is responsible for the beer’s hazy finish and almost cream-like texture. Underneath it’s bold flavor and texture profile, there are notes of mango, a theme common to the beers at this brewery. Like Angels, it might just be a type of beer that’s too much for me. But again, I’ll give it a 3/5 for the attempt – it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t for me.

Overall Review:

Though two of the three beers I tried didn’t blow me away, Torched Hop is always a good time, and I would gladly return – just for different beers. What this brewery lacks in outdoor seating and pet-friendly premises, it makes up in variety, entertainment, and food. With most breweries relying on outside vendors or food popups, Torched Hop stands out with its in-house kitchen. And as someone who doesn’t eat meat, their vegetarian options are diverse and more than just a reheated veggie burger, which is always good.