Atlanta Beverage Guide [Beer, Cocktails, & Wine]

Thanks in large part to establishments like Holeman & Finch (and by extension H&F Bottle Shop),  Leon’s Full Service, and Perrine’s Wine Shop, Atlanta’s beer community, cocktail culture, and wine enthusiasm is alive, well, and growing.  Despite spending a year of my life working for a distributor (and managing a bar in college), I must say that I often overlook the contribution libations make to my dining and entertainment experiences.

Thankfully, there are no shortage of resources available that will help keep you in touch with all the cocktail happenings here in Atlanta and the neighboring areas.  Here’s an abbreviated guide to all things drink in The Dirty South (in alphabetical order of course).

Ale Sharpton (AleSharpton.com)

The very first thing Ale Sharpton puts on his blog is the phrase “Cruisin’ For A Brewsin.”  That sic-tastic statement is a pretty good preview of what follows.  Ale’s blog is one of the better news sources for beer related events in and around the city.  He also has a habit of stepping outside our playground and will sometimes recap his escapades from places far away.  He recently started a Vimeo channel, so check that out for some fun little video work.

Atlanta Beer Master (AtlantaBeerMaster.com)

The name says it all.  Atlanta Beer Master offers a wealth of information about beer.  One of the best features of the site is its focus on seasonal brews, new releases, and upcoming lines of bubbly.  If you want unfiltered beer info, then this is the site for you.

Decatur Wine & Food Dude (DecaturWine&FoodDude.com)

With a strong focus on the Decatur scene, The Decatur Wine and Food Dude has been churning through vino like I consume Krystal.  He brings a lighthearted and friendly approach to wine drinking and intersperses his thoughts with food experiences and other stories of interest.

Dirty and Rowdy (DirtyAndRowdyWine.com)

One party Dirty South Wine (aka Hardy Wallace – above on the right) and one part Rowdy Food (the other dude in the picture), these two fun loving people have long had a quasi formal association with one and other.  Despite Wallace’s much publicized move out west some two-years back, he continually updates DirtySouthWine.com with fun little ditties about his life in Wine Country.  Meanwhile, Rowdy has long since abandoned his blog; but, he has been dazzling ever since with food and wine videos on the Rowdy Food YouTube channel.  It’s absolutely the best moveable media food thingy going on in our city.

Oh yeah, with passion and enthusiasm comes progress.  The two have officially paired up to produce Dirty and Rowdy Wine.  After debuting with about one ton of wine last year, vintage two is just around the corner.  Now up to three to four tons, the label/winery/whatever is set to put out two single-vineyard Mourvèdre and one white blend.  According to Sir Wallace of Grape, the wine is getting bottled on 7/16 and should be out around September or October.  Available by mailing list only, you sign up and get all the details over on DirtyAndRowdyWine.com.

Suburban Wino (SuburbanWino.com)

First and foremost, Joe is a certifiable goof.  But don’t let his happy-go-lucky attitude fool you, the man can whine about vine.  His website serves as a blog encompassing recipes, wine reviews, and a cornucopia of other information relating to the topic du jour.

The Legend (@ATL_Legend)

Easily the most elusive gent of the bunch, The Legend does all of his “reporting” from twitter.  Amongst the many rewards following said stream, you’ll get to see what the man himself is pouring down his pipe.  As professional in the wine industry, much of what he consumes is unobtainable to hummanoids like you and me, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t reach for the stars.

Thirsty South (ThirstySouth.com)

I’ve already mentioned Thirsty South on here, but in case you missed that post … here’s the scoop.  Started by a local food and beverage enthusiast, Thirsty South is webzine dedicated to cocktail culture and wine from all over the South.   One of the best features of the site is their Thirsty Guide To Atlanta.  Clicking that link will take you to a comprehensive list of Atlanta’s best wine bars, liquor stores, coffee shops, and the like.

Wine For Normal People (WineForNormalPeople.com)

Elizabeth Schneider is a certified sommelier (wino-experty-thingy-majigger) and wine educator.  Through Wine For Normal People, Schneider offers up wine reviews, tasting tips, and all sorts of wine-centric goodies.  She also produces one of the most popular wine podcasts anywhere (found here and on iTunes) and offers her services in the form of tastings and consultations.  She also blogs, so be sure to check that out.