Expert Picks: Must-Try Beer, Wine and Spirits in Georgia

With Georgia's brewery, winery and distillery scenes booming, it could be quite a challenge to visit all of the taphouses, tasting rooms and vineyards around the state. So, we asked three local experts to point to a few places that visitors should add to their must-visit lists.

Below, Ale Sharpton, host of the online beer show "Cruisin' For a Brewsin'," recommends three breweries that are creating iconic and unique Georgia beers. Randall and Karen Heard, owners of Marietta Wine Market, highlight wineries in the Northeast Georgia Mountains. And, Akila McConnell, owner of Unexpected Atlanta Tours & Stories, chooses a few of her favorite experiences for those who prefer distilled spirits.

From a brewery with a rooftop patio to a town square filled with tasting rooms and a museum with a speakeasy, start planning your tasting tour of Georgia with these expert picks.

Beer

Jekyll Brewing in Alpharetta

Alpharetta's first brewery, Jekyll Brewing, opened a second location in 2019 in the heart of Alpharetta City Center. The stunning two-story brewpub offers a full menu, including a bison-Wagyu beef burger, fresh oysters, and vegetarian options. The rooftop patio complete with an Airstream camper converted into a bar, live music, and one-and-done beers crafted in the state-of-the-art brewhouse seal the deal.

SweetWater Brewing Company in Atlanta

Heralded as the largest craft brewer in the South, Atlanta's SweetWater Brewing Company welcomed its 22nd year with a fresh perspective after totally revamping its taproom. Visitors come for crawfish boils, beer and cheese pairings, Big Green Egg Smokeouts, year-round live music, and, of course, 24 unique beers on tap, including its Hatchery pilot brewhouse exclusives.

Wine

Dahlonega

The town of Dahlonega is a must-stop for wine lovers. (Blessed with mountain elevations, climate, and soil ideal for growing wine grapes and home to five wineries and 12 tasting rooms, it's known as the Heart of Georgia Wine Country.) There are a number of tasting rooms located around the square, so you can sample wines from a variety of North Georgia wineries.

Wolf Mountain Vineyards in Dahlonega

A Dahlonega standout, Wolf Mountain Vineyards has been in existence since 1999. Not only does the winery produce and bottle some of the best wines in Georgia, it offers spectacular views of the mountains and an award-winning restaurant that serves up an amazing brunch on the weekends. Try the Howling Wolf, an excellent blend of cabernet and syrah.

Yonah Mountain Vineyards in Cleveland

Yonah Mountain Vineyards in Cleveland has a stunning tasting room complete with a grand piano, great views, and a private underground cellar. It produces a number of award-winning wines, among them the Genesis X, a Bordeaux blend of cabernet, cabernet franc, malbec, and petit verdot; it's a great example of what winemaking in Georgia is all about.

Spirits

American Prohibition Museum in Savannah

The American Prohibition Museum is not your usual "dry" museum. Located across from Savannah’s open-air City Market, the kid-friendly museum combines live actors, engaging visuals, and wax figures. Adults may cap the visit with a 1920s-era cocktail at the museum's speakeasy or sign up for one of its whiskey-tasting or cocktail-making classes.

ASW Distillery in Atlanta

In just four years, Atlanta's ASW Distillery has won some of the world's most important spirits awards. Stop in to sample its double-gold-winning Duality whiskey or the silver medalist Fiddler Unison bourbon whiskey. Take an "adult field trip" past the gleaming copper stills, play a game of checkers in the lounge, or while away an afternoon in the dog-friendly courtyard.