Name: Monday Night Brewing
Location: Atlanta, GA
Website: https://mondaynightbrewing.com/
What you need to know: Monday Night Brewing started as a group of homebrewers in 2006 getting together to brew together, before evolving into a long-term business plan. In 2011, they started contract brewing some of their perfected recipes and brewed their first beer in their own facility in downtown Atlanta in the beginning of 2013. This slow and steady approach has worked well for them, as they gained in popularity and opened a second location for barrel-aging, sours, and other experimental beers in 2017. Their goal is to produce balanced, flavorful beers that pair well with food, so they should fit right in with the SAVOR crowd. They have won several medals at the GABF and World Beer Cup, and just last year they took first place (out of 151 entries) in Paste Magazine’s Pale Ale blind taste test, so they are clearly accomplishing their goals, becoming one of the Southeast’s fastest rising breweries.
Beer/Food Pairing #1: Pervasive Species (Sour / 4.5% ABV) paired with Grilled Lamb with Peas, Mint, Feta and Pea Pesto
Notes/Thoughts: This mixed-culture sour beer is the first to come from Monday Night’s French oak foedre. It features lactobacillus, brettanomyces, and a saison yeast strain with the goal of producing a nuanced, funky beer that is light and refreshing. Reviews are a bit limited, but promising, and the accoutrements in the pairing could elevate the experience.
Beer/Food Pairing #2: Maple Rum Barrel Aged Situational Ethics (Stout / 13.8% ABV) paired with Coffee Crème Brulee
Notes/Thoughts: Situational Ethics is a series of double mash stouts aged in different types of barrels. This version uses barrels that previously held rum, then held maple syrup from Bissell Maple Farm for months before Monday Night got their hands on them. The beer also includes fresh ginger, nutmeg, Vietnamese cinnamon, cloves and Tahitian vanilla beans, as it aims for a classic gingerbread flavor. Reviews are almost as limited as the first beer, but they talk about bold flavors that hide the big 13.8% ABV. A beer this big needs some bold flavors to pair with it, and the dessert should do the trick, so I am definitely looking forward to this one.
Overall Impressions: Monday Night Brewing is another standout brewery in the burgeoning Southeast region. They have won awards in several different categories at the major festivals, including a couple for their barrel-aged beers. While they are bringing beers in the more popular styles on the SAVOR beer list, these choices have enough of their own character, they should stand out from the crowd. If you are interested in checking out what an up and coming brewery from a growing craft beer scene is currently doing, then one or both of these beers should be under consideration.
