Celebrating Savannah Craft Beer Week

By Kenda Williams, Guest Blogger

Why wait to enjoy craft beer only during the Savannah Craft Brew Fest when you can sample it all week! Savannah restaurants and bars are hosting a number of special events throughout the week leading up to SCBF. It all begins Sunday, August 26 and goes through Sunday, September 2.

Take your pick or try them all, but we know one thing – there’s going to be a lot of beer flowing from Savannah that week!

Green Truck Pub
Locals are pretty familiar with this quaint midtown neighborhood hotspot. Known for their amazing grass-fed burgers, fresh-cut fries and homemade pickles and ketchup, the Green Truck Pub is also quite the popular beer bar.

Green Truck Pub boasts one of the 'Best Burgers in the U.S.'

They are kicking off the week Tuesday with six taps dedicated to Georgia’s own Sweetwater Brewing company. This will also feature the launch of fall’s Motorboat Seasonal Ale. Brewery rep Luke Cooper will be there giving away Sweetwater glassware and other goodies while they last. On Wednesday, Green Truck Pub is bringing in Allagash Brewing Co. beers such as the Confluence Ale, an American Wild Ale, and giving away glassware. Red Brick Brewing is taking over Thursday and will feature their 17th Anniversary Ale, which is an American Brown Ale aged in Jim Beam bourbon barrels. Brewery reps from Red Brick will also be present during the event and giving away pint glasses. Friday at the pub is IPA night. They’re bringing in rare, seasonal IPAs for all six of their taps and giving away Green Truck Pub pint glasses. For Saturday, Green Truck Pub owner Josh Yates said they have more great things in store. “We’ve been saving up some special beers, so after the grand tasting people can come by, have a burger, and get some of our reserved drafts on tap that night,” Yates said.

The Distillery
The Distillery has been cranking out 21 rotating taps of draft beer for Savannah since 2008. Home to “Night of the Beer Geek” each SCBF week, the restaurant and bar is excited as ever to showcase some of their best craft beer for all of Savannah to enjoy. Beginning Sunday with a ribbon cutting ceremony, they will feature beer from the great state of Georgia, such as Terrapin, Coastal Empire, Red Brick Brewing, and more.

• Monday is Empire and Quality Distributing night and will include beer on tap from Sam Adams, Chattanooga Brewing Co., Nimbus, and Clown Shoes, to name a few.
• Tuesday is Southern Eagle night and will include beer on tap from Southern Tier, New Belgium, Lazy Magnolia, Magic Hat, Magners, and RJ Rockers.
• Georgia Crown is coming on Wednesday and bringing brews from Brooklyn, Wild Heaven, Uinta, Anchor, Flying Dog, and others.
• Thursday will be United Distributing night, and they’ll be bringing taps from Terrapin, Sweetwater, Sierra Nevada, Abita, and more.
• Finally, The Distillery is co-hosting their third annual Night of the Beer Geek with Savannah Distributing on Friday. This is a true beer geek’s night of nights, according to general manager Jacob Sanford. They will have kegs of Allagash Victor, Allagash Victoria, Yakuza, and JW Lee’s Calvados, as well as several surprises.

“It’s the rarest of the rare; things we’ve saved up specifically for this weekend. It’s a nice showcase from Savannah Distributing,” Jacob said.

You don’t have to be a beer geek to enjoy it, but you’ll definitely appreciate what they have to offer.

“It’s a concentrated dose of beer geekery,” he said. “I think everything is going to be fun.”

World of Beer
A new kid on the block, World of Beer has already made a name for themselves on Broughton Street. With hundreds of bottled beers and 50 on tap, you’re sure to find your favorite craft brew.

As their first SCBF week, the bar is kicking it off on Tuesday with “Keep the Pint Night” from 6-9 p.m. When you order a beer from select breweries, you keep the glass.

• On Wednesday, they’re offering $1 off Southern Beers from 6-9 p.m. This includes brews from Terrapin, Wild Heaven, Highland, Mother Earth, Sweetwater, and others.
• Thursday is “Schwag Night” where if you order a beer on draft between 6-9 p.m. you have a chance to win free schwag from different breweries.
• Friday is Terrapin Brewery Night beginning at 6 p.m until close. The bar will feature 10 beers on draft from Terrapin Brewery out of Athens, Ga.

Your Pie
Known for their made-to-order pizzas, Your Pie is getting in on the SCBF week action, too. During that week, when you spend $10 or more you can get one free serving of cheese sticks. From Wednesday through Saturday, when you purchase a beer along with your food, you can get yourself a free pint glass, with a different brewery featured each day.

On Wednesday, the restaurant is offering a free Terrapin Brewery pint with a beer and food purchase. They’re also offering a free Stone Brewery pint glass with a beer and food purchase on Thursday. The free pint glass for Friday is Dogfish Head Brewery, with a purchase of beer and food. Saturday’s free pint glass is Coastal Empire Brewery, with a beer and food purchase.

Aqua Star
In celebration of craft beer week and in conjunction with the International Brew tasting, Aqua Star will be featuring a beer pairing Prix-Fixe menu for the week. This includes an appetizer, entrée and dessert, each paired with a different beer, all for $38. The dessert alone sounds divine – a lavender scented panacotta with bee pollen, candied lemon zest and bruleed apple slice paired with a Mai-ur-Bock from Einbeck, Germany.