400 The Life - May 2017 by Forsyth County News

ATLANTA UNITED'S

REACH INTO FORSYTH COUNTY

Antiquing tips from a teenage expert

Nursing new life Why Northside Forsyth's NICU is leading the way in family care

PLUS: Quiet on set... Dahlonega's growing film industry

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elcome to spring. Or is it summer yet? Let's be honest, in Georgia, there is really no way of discerning the difference. One thing I do know, however, is I'm glad you picked up this issue. We had the privilege of being invited into the rooms of Northside Forsyth's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where the staff there is caring for children as premature as 22 weeks. The attention to detail the hospital has put on the individualized rooms not only helps the babies reach important milestones, but also keeps the mothers comfortable and informed. Their state-of-the-art care is bar none, and I can't thank the staff and the mothers enough for letting us into their lives for a moment. But growing up just a few years, we also talked to a 15-year-old antiques dealer who found his calling a little earlier than most and examined what the effects of having a professional soccer team just down the interstate will mean for the sport here at home. All this, and more, in this issue of 400 - The Life. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Micah Green

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TABLE OF CONTENTS The Rise of Atlanta United

Antiquing with a 15-year-old expert

COVER STORY: Northside's NICU

Dahlonega's growing film industry

Changes coming to Georgia breweries 28 Events 30

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A UNITED WELCOM

With the rise of Atlanta United F.C., soccer is big news in Georgia. How far can that take the sport in Forsyth County? Story by

Photos by Ian Frazer Micah Green

The atmosphere around the north end of Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium on a Saturday in early March feels fit for an ACC home game. But there’s a different, more festive energy to it, more scarves than bow ties, more salsa music than fight songs. There’s plenty of gold, but also red and black. There are more people coming – a sellout, for the second week in a row – than have come for any American football game since 2015.

“I’m in heaven,” Iggy Moleka says. He said that on Friday, but the next afternoon, Moleka flits around the crowds gathered before the second home game in Atlanta United’s history. The first one, against the New York Red Bulls, ended in a fashion familiar to the city’s sports fans, an early 1-0 lead turning into a 2-1 loss after two Red Bulls goals in the last 14 minutes of regulation. But they’re back, perhaps spurred by a 6-1 road blowout Continued on 12

of Minnesota United in the following game, or maybe just by the general excitement of having a Major League Soccer team in Atlanta for the first time ever. Moleka does have a job to do, and many people are trying to get his attention. He’s the executive director of soccer for the United Futbol Academy, the biggest travel soccer program in Forsyth County and one of the most successful in the country. Around 40 of his players are gathered, waiting for Atlanta United’s squad to arrive. They wear their club jerseys, red with stripes on the side, “UNITED” on the back and a Dunkin’ Donuts logo on the front. When the players step off the bus, the UFA contingent forms a high-five line, greeting them as they head to the locker room. “I never want to wash my hands again,” says Austin Bender, 11, afterwards. It’s easy to argue that there has never been more excitement for soccer in the history of Atlanta. What remains to be seen is how far forward it can carry the sport in Forsyth County. “It doesn't impact what we do, but it helps what we do,” Moleka says. “Because now we're teaching our kids a way to play soccer and we can tell them, ‘Hey, you know what? We have a professional team in town. You need to go and watch them execute what we teach you.’” Atlanta had a professional soccer team

before Atlanta United: the Ruckus, which later became the Silverbacks. But that team played in lower leagues with far smaller crowds and less exposure than what Atlanta United has garnered. It was the Silverbacks that brought Moleka to Atlanta. The native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo grew up in Belgium, played college soccer at Florida International University and came back to the United States after a stint playing professionally in Japan. Moleka’s playing career ended in 2001 when he had his first daughter, and in 2003, Moleka and his brother, Deo, started a club called Atlanta Soccer Academy in Forsyth County. United Futbol Academy in Forsyth County took its present form in 2010, when ASA merged with Forsyth Fusion, a club led by Jose ‘Gaucho’ Pinho and Don Schultz. The club has added branches in Norcross, Lawrenceville and many other Georgia cities – as well as one in Baltimore – but the one in Forsyth County is the biggest. The club had humble beginnings, using a field at a school in Alpharetta and a couple fields at churches in Forsyth County. It gained access to county fields in 2008 and now has a large swath of territory at Fowler Park for use, with club banners draped over the surrounding fence. UFA has grown through its mergers and through the overall population growth in Forsyth

Left: The team celebrates a goal in the fourth minute of play. Right: Josef Martinez with the header.

County. Two high schools – Lambert and West Forsyth – have opened since the club was established, and both have grown competitive soccer programs stocked with Division I-level talent. Much of UFA’s growth has been organic: Parents talk, children in town for games and tournaments draw attention, and word of the club’s resources and success has spread. “(Players) are wearing their UFA uniform into their high school when they go to school,” Moleka says. “So that's the biggest promotion you can have.” In terms of overall popularity in the county and region, soccer is still behind football, baseball and basketball. But parents of UFA players are impressed with the size of the scene in the county and the resources the club offers. “I didn’t expect to see such a big club,” says Kevin Schukowski, whose

May 2017

8-year-old son plays for UFA. Schukowski is from Germany, where soccer is clearly the top sport. The scene there, he says, is composed of many small clubs representing towns rather than the large clubs with

Atlanta United defender Michael Parkhurst is escorted onto the field by Callum Powell, a young member of United Futbol Academy of Forsyth prior to a game against the Chicago Fire.

wide geographical reaches seen in the U.S., which reduces travel demands. But Schukowski still feels fully immersed in soccer: practice three times a week, events on the weekends and tournaments for his son’s threeon-three team “all the time.” “I’m living in a soccer community,” Schukowski says. “So to me, it feels as (if) soccer was No. 1.” For those whose lives are largely defined by soccer, Atlanta United is filling a void in the city’s sports scene, and some of the club’s players can be included in that group. Defender Mark Bloom, a Marietta native acquired from Toronto F.C. in a trade, gravitated toward other local teams growing up, but the MLS was largely lost on him. His father, Neal, coached at Lassiter High School, so Mark would look up to the players there. Continued on 14

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“Imagine growing up idolizing hometown soccer players, professional soccer players,” he says. “It’s just on a different level.” “I would have loved to have that growing up,” says goalkeeper Alec Kann, a Decatur native. “It just kind of fosters a soccer culture for the city that has kind of been flying under the radar for years and years.” Bill Kaloudis, whose son, Christopher, plays for UFA, says his family now has a local outlet for its voracious soccer consumption, which in the past was largely focused on European leagues and international competitions like the Copa America Centenario. “I think it was one of those big things that was missing from the city, and for us … soccer is a religion,” Kalousdis says. “Our weekends are here, and we can’t wait for the [new] stadium to open.” With the higher level of play, national exposure and sellout crowds, it’s clear that Atlanta United is on a different level than the Silverbacks – the MLS club is a team that kids are already dreaming of playing for. UFA is taking steps to help that happen. Atlanta United, like every MLS team, has a development academy that focuses on developing local players to the level of first team contributors, and UFA has partnered with the academy to give particularly gifted players the opportunity the move through the ranks of their hometown club. “The MLS clubs … will

provide those kids with certain things that a youth club itself cannot provide,” Moleka says. “We don’t have all the infrastructure they have. We don’t have all the money. We don’t have all the staff available.” So there isn’t just an MLS team for local players to watch and try to emulate – there’s a pipeline in place to get them there in a quicker, more direct fashion than could ever happen with the Braves, Hawks or Falcons. UFA has already contributed what Moleka estimates to be 15 players to Atlanta United’s academy, and current players say that they’re seeing more scouts at games. Atlanta United’s pregame pump-up festivities are heavy on railroad imagery, drawing on the confluence of freight lines that helped make the city a major metropolis. Before the game, an oversized golden spike is “hammered in” – before the match against Chicago, rapper Rich Homie Quan swung the ceremonial hammer. Fulton County’s railroads run through every neighboring county – except Forsyth. The reach of Atlanta United, however, doesn’t make that omission, and the effect has been clearly felt. Kevin Schukowski certainly thinks so, as he stands in the midst of a hectic pregame scene before a sold-out game at a football stadium that, surprisingly enough, isn’t football. (At least not the American kind.) “I think," he says "something is changing, yeah.”

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Picking an early career

A look inside the mind of a 15-yearold antiques dealer extraordinaire STORY BY ISABEL HUGHES PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN

“

I’ll take $35,” the man said, turning the rusted 1945 Georgia license plate in his hands. “Could you do $25?” replied 15-year-old Allen Shrewsbury, looking again at the antique tag he had just found in an orange Coca Cola crate. The man shook his head. “$30?” Shrewsbury asked. The man sighed. “I can’t replace it; I’ve had some of these 15 years,” he said, his older southern drawl apologetically stressing the “can’t.” Shrewsbury smiled, turning away. “That’s basically what I do at every booth; I look to see if there are good Continued on 16

plates,” he said. “I just wouldn’t make money on that license plate – it’s a $50 license plate, and once I included [eBay’s] fees, it would $42-$44, and is $35 really worth it? It really isn’t.” Shrewsbury continued through the rows of trucks, vans and U-Hauls at the Northeast Georgia Swap Meet, repeating the process again and again. The Forsyth County teen has an inherent understanding of what is worth his time and money and what to pass on, which is part of what makes him so successful. In 2016, he earned $120,000 in gross income, and this year he expects to make as much as $200,000 between his online business and six stalls at Forsyth’s Lakewood 400 Antiques Market. Most of his antiques come from shows like the swap meet, which is held monthly in the parking lot outside the Atlanta Dragway, a racetrack in Commerce, Georgia. For the last two months, the swap meet has boasted more than 300 vendors at each event, with an even larger number of non-sellers attending. While this was only Shrewsbury’s second time at that particular locale, he has previously attended others across the state and country. “I do the Braselton Antiques Festival. I do Jefferson. I’ve done a show in Liberty, North Carolina,” Shrewsbury said. “I fly up to Massachusetts for the largest antiques show there and fill up a storage unit and hire people to bring it back … it’s just grown into a huge thing now.” Shrewsbury officially entered the world of antiques three years ago, at age 12, but his passion for old collectables started more than a decade ago. “When he was old enough to communicate, like 3 or 4 years old, [he said] he didn’t want new toys from Walmart or Target,” said his mom,

In 2016, he earned $120,000 in gross income and this year, he expects to make as much as $200,000. Pam Shrewsbury. “He liked matchbox cars, but he liked the old ones. By the time he was in kindergarten, I was taking him to [Lakewood 400] to find the old cars. “I never did anything [with] antiques or anything, so it was always amazing to me, like, why does he like this old stuff? what does it mean to him.” Shrewsbury’s interest quickly evolved from just matchbox cars. “I like the stuff you see on American Pickers – that’s basically

what this whole business is,” he said. “It’s digging through barns, dealing with clients in other states and buying overstock and old signs, that kind of thing, and re-selling them. “I’m doing what I love, and I’m making money at it.” Shrewsbury is good at it, too, his mom calling him a “naturalborn salesman.” “It was a little hard for me in the beginning because I would think, ‘Oh, you can sell this for $100’ and he’d be wanting to sell it to that guy for $75,” his mom said. “But the thing is, he’s bought so much where he can move product and make the rest of [the money] back and have more money to spend on other things. “He’s always understood that somehow, because I didn’t teach it to him. He just naturally has that knack for understanding.” Shrewsbury agreed, saying the process has always made sense to him. “You have to have cash flow in this business,” he said. “Everyone’s smart in this business, but a lot of people hold their stuff, they hold their stuff, they hold their stuff … and as soon as a collection comes on the market, they’re like, ‘I gotta get rid of everything’, and try to dump it and they lose money just so they can buy that next collection. Then they sell that next collection and they never make any money. “The people that sit there and try to get the last little penny on everything [lose] when a big collection comes their way because they can’t afford it. But as long as you keep this stuff turned, you’re on your way.” He doesn’t expect to ever stop selling. “I just always wanted to sell stuff and I’d take any job in sales or business, working with salespeople,” Shrewsbury said. “I love this business so much and I probably will stick with it the rest of my life, but I’ve May 2017

always wanted to own a company where I can fly different places and conduct large business deals. “I don’t think I could take it waking up in the morning and driving to a cubicle and typing up whatever I need to do in that moment; I’m much more of a risk taker.” Shrewsbury sets up shop at Lakewood every third weekend of the month from Friday to Sunday, and while a website is coming, his eBay site can be accessed at stores.ebay.com/toysandcoins0504/. Want to check out Shrewsbury's wares? Visit him at one of these upcoming shows: Braselton Antique Festival — April 23 H&H Homestead — May 6 and 7 Lakewood 400 Antiques Market — May 19 - 21 and every third weekend of the month

TIPS

For antiquing from Shrewsbury that can help even the most humble beginner

1. Practice lots of

patience. It takes some time to sell some of the products.

2. Try and get the best price. Most people will negotiate at least a little bit. If you can get the price that much better, it helps you have more room to make some money.

3. You make your

money buying, not selling. You will always find people to sell to, but

it is getting harder to find things to buy at the right price.

4. Buy products that

will sell (follow trends). The market is always changing, and you need to change with it in order to stay in business.

5. Find your niche and stick with it. Deal with products you like. You will be able to sell stuff that you like better than stuff you don't.

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May 2017

NURSING NEW LIFE

Northside's NICU is not just saving lives, they're building families. Story by Kayla Robins Photos by Micah Green

is 10 smaller-thannewborn toes were all there. They all curled and straightened as they should, connected to two legs that were connected to the rest of his body that had been exposed to the natural air for what may only have been minutes.

Continued on 20

May 2017

Enclosed in the isolette crib, his toes are pinker than brand new, each leg about the size of the blue-gloved fingers that are nursing him to health from what just years ago would almost certainly be a lost cause. He’s a fragile that most hospitals are not equipped to write a happy ending for. He’s miniature yet massive. He has a team of nurses and doctors at Northside Hospital-Forsyth unwilling to give up on him. Born after only 29 weeks, the 2 pounds and 10 ounces he takes up in this world is stocky for what they’re used to. He’s one of the “big guys.” Babies born as prematurely as 22 weeks are now admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at the Cumming

Above: Sandra Grady, clinical manager at Northside Forsyth NICU, through the door of an isolette. Top: "Big Guy" yawns big as a nurse repositions him in his isolette. Top left and right: Holly Ramey with Bradford in their room.

branch of the statewide health care system. Not because something is getting worse. Because technology – and the units like the one Big Guy is in – are getting better. About 3,200 babies were born at the Women’s Center in 2016, 10-12 percent of which were admitted to the NICU, according to Melissa Sugg, the center’s manager. More families chose a Northside branch to welcome their children into the world than any other health care system in Georgia last year. To give them their best chance when that welcome comes early, Sugg and her team have realized what it takes. Giving the family the space, privacy

May 2017

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and the technology they and their child needs.

“The highest experience level”

A few rooms down from Big Guy, Holly Ramey visits her son every day. Bradford Ramey was born on Jan. 26 after a mere 25 weeks and three days. The first time mother and son met, he weighed 1 pound and 14 ounces. “I’ve just heard from other families that they have visiting hours because it’s a NICU ward with all the other babies.

All the families can’t come in at the same time. Because we have our own rooms here, we can stay. We can spend the night if we want to,” Ramey said. This NICU is unique among hospitals throughout Georgia in that it has 25 private rooms – the new Northside campus in Cherokee County will have this layout when it opens. A couch pulls out to a bed for moms or dads to stay overnight with a curtain to pull around it.

AGA, LLC and its affiliates are participating providers for Medicare, Medicaid, and most healthcare plans offered in Georgia. We comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn.

Continued on 22

Big Guy grabs hold of his father's finger in his isolette.

May 2017

The baby’s bed is temperature- and humidity-controlled, specially designed with teeny in mind. Small babies, small medication dosages, small feeding tubes, small X-rays. “They don’t reach certain milestones until about 36-40 weeks, like breathing on their own and eating, being able to stay warm,” said Davin Miller, medical director for Northside Hospital-Forsyth’s neonatology. Each nurse cares for two or three babies at a time, one if the newborn is sicker. Miller said the unit’s five neonatologists and about 70 nurses “have the highest experience level of all of Northside.” The unit is a Level III – the same as Atlanta’s campus – meaning any age baby is accepted, and Northside can partner with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to provide cardiac surgery. Sugg, the Women’s Center manager,

said more than 50 percent of the RNs working in the NICU are certified for a specialty.

Caring for the whole family

While the improving technology is certainly a must, simply aiming for a baby to survive is not the end-goal – a baby still needs to bond with a mother, and parents still need to begin their family. Holly Ramey has made good use of the recliner chair that sits next to her son’s bed. By around March 20, Bradford weighed 4 pounds and 2 ounces. “It’s just a comfort measure, but it helps the baby physically,” Ramey said. “I can now breastfeed him, and I can now do that more than if I just had visiting hours. There’s more hands-on time. I’m involved in changing his diaper. I can hold him.”

Changing his diaper, one of the many products companies are having to make smaller and smaller. Sugg showed one about the size of her palm. The idea of family-integrated care continues beyond the rooms. “It’s nice that everything you need is here. I didn’t have to go to another campus for anything to be seen by any specialists,” she said. “During my stay, I needed to see a prenatal specialist. They wheeled me to an adjacent building. They held off labor for about four days because I was able to get steroid shots to help his lungs. My OB is connected to this building, too, so my doctor could come over and see me.” Now that she is healthy again and comes and goes to visit each day, Ramey can take advantage of the parents’ lounge open only to NICU visitors.

May 2017

“The lounge has a key pad and a passcode for NICU families only, and it has a kitchen, a bathroom with a shower,” she said. “There’s sitting areas, a TV, computers. There’s kids’ tables and books. We can’t bring food into the NICU, so we can have lunch there, and there’s other NICU families there, but it’s quieter.” It’s now mid-April. Bradford is 11 weeks old. He weighs 6 pounds, 3 ounces. “ T h e s e d o c t o r s ,” Ramey said, “are just … Everyone told me when I had this baby I was in the right place.”

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Quiet on set... As Georgia’s film industry grows, the North Georgia Film Office is using Dahlonega’s natural resources and the University of North Georgia to attract new productions to the city.

STORY BY KELLY WHITMIRE

eorgia has one of the fastest-growing film industries in the state and, in recent years, the state has been the filming location Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War,” seven seasons of A M C ’s “ T h e Wa l k i n g Dead” and FX’s “Atlanta,” the 2016 Golden Globe winner for best comedy TV series. Gov. Nathan Deal said in August 2016 Georgia’s ever-growing film industry generated $7 billion during the 2016 fiscal year, with more than $2 billion in direct spending in the state from 245 feature film and television productions. The Peach State has even grown to the third largest producer of TV and movies, behind California and New York. Until recently, however,

the industry was largely centralized. “Filming traditionally has been a 30- to 45-mile radius around Atlanta, and we have begun to see more interest in north Georgia, just more interest outside that traditional radius,” said Rebecca Shirley, director of the Downtown Development Authority in Dahlonega. In early 2016, the North Georgia Film Office, which operates under the development authority, was created as a way to get ahead of the growing film industry in north Georgia and to be ready for any questions that come along. “In an effort to get ahead of the game, we created the film office, got our film permit, our ordinance, all of that in order so as we begin to get interest in our area, we were

able to quickly facilitate anyone’s needs,” Shirley said. “Obviously, you get more inquires than you get actual permits being processed, but either way, we wanted to have the ability to seamlessly facilitate whatever needs were asked.” Shirley said the office is one of the state’s eight film commissions and the only one in north Georgia, and serves both communities and productions. “We would help with anything film related,” she said. “Maybe we help one of our neighbors on their film permit or on an ordinance or we have a location manager who would call us and they say, ‘Hey, we’re looking for a waterfall,’ or, 'I’m looking for a downtown.’” Filming movies is nothing new in north Georgia. Just ask Burt Reynolds; his films “Smokey and the Bandit” and “Deliverance” filmed across the region in the 70s. In fact, filming goes back more than a century with now-lost silent movie-era productions “Life Without Soul,” one of the first Frankenstein adaptations, and “The Plunderer,” an adaptation of a Roy Norton novel, both released in 1915. In total, five silent films were shot in north Georiga, largely focusing on the gold

Top and left: Behind the scenes of "Hail Mary"; photos by Michael Cottrell Photography. Bottom: Camera crews set a shot for a scene for "Christmas in the Smokies," shot in downtown Dahlonega; photo courtesy of Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce.

mine community. More recently the films “Christmas in the Smokies” and “Christmas in Homestead” and “Hail Mary,” a TV pilot, have been filmed in Dahlonega in the last two years. Shirley said filming has largely been driven by the area's natural amenities, but other filming locations are growing in popularity. “What we have encountered is definitely on-location-based filming,” she said. “People obviously love our downtown, that authentic built-in environment. We have amazing natural resources, so the national forest, trails, waterfalls, creeks, all of that is a tremendous asset. “For Dahlonega, we have wineries, so it can look like you’re in Italy or France and that’s a fantastic asset.” One reason for the growth of the local film industry is incentives from the state that can provide up to 30 percent of production expenditure in tax credits. “The state’s incentive program allows productions to travel a little further outside that traditional zone while also staying within Continued on 26

“I think there are more people working in that industry northeast of Atlanta than people realize, and there’s a lot of really talented people in this area, too.” Jeff Marker Associate professor of film and English and head of UNG’s Communication, Media and Journalism Department

Growing together and depending on each other.

their budget,” Shirley said. “If the incentive program didn’t exist, no, I wouldn’t say these outlying regions would have as much opportunity to participate in film projects, but the incentive program really allows production to spread across the state, not just stay central in Atlanta.” Shirley said once they choose Georgia, productions can have a big impact on the local economy. “Basically we view Rebecca Shirley, director of film as economic devel- the Downtown Development opment for job growth, Authority in Dahlonega. tourism, on-location spending, things of that nature,” she said. To grow the workforce for the industry, the film office has partnered with the University of North Georgia’s film and digital media degree and offers a scholarship for students. “We’re working with the University of North Georgia to promote job and workforce development that they’re doing through their film and digital media program,” Shirley said. “Film has so many layers and the entertainment industry has so many layers that any little bit of it we would certainly participate in, it varies in what is being asked.” Jeff Marker, associate professor of film and English and head of UNG’s Communication, Media and Journalism Department, said the school has two aims; to create a workforce ready for any new projects and to help students create new projects. “On the one hand, we are supporting the need of more of a workforce, a crew base in the state, which is one of the things we’ve struggled with,” Marker said, “but we’re also trying to develop the next generation of people who are going to be leading their productions, and hopefully that leads to more original concepts and intellectual properties being developed here and staying here.” Like Shirley, Marker said productions have been heavily in Atlanta and while there is work to be done to grow the industry in north Georgia, the film office is ahead of the curve. He said officials from the film office and school had recently hosted a nonprofit coalition of companies, individuals and film professionals. “We’re already taking steps to make the northeast region more aware of all these opportunities,” he said. “North Georgia Film Office and our university collaborated to host a meeting of the Georgia Production Partnership last month, and that’s the first time they’ve ever had a meeting in this area of the state. “I think there are more people working in that industry northeast of Atlanta than people realize, and there’s a lot of really talented people in this area, too.” Shirley said the office will be there to guide other north Georgia communities and new productions as the industry grows. “As [communities] begin to understand the industry and can quickly facilitate requests, if you make it easy then people want to film in your area,” Shirley said. “Being prepared for those questions and connecting to property owners will also help people realize north Georgia is a place that is film friendly.” May 2017

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A BETTER WAY TO BEER A new law passed this year that will drastically change the way Georgia breweries operate. Brewery owners are seeing the beer mug half full.

Story by Kayla Robins

y cabinet is filled with partial sets of wine and water glasses, survivors from moves and falls and clumsy hands. What takes over most of the shelf space, as many willing themselves to be adults may attest to, are brewery glasses. Each a different flavor, logo, design du jour from whatever they were selling and handing out that happy hour, night or weekend day, they are unmatching while combining to create a complete millennial’s more-than-12-piece china set. I never made a conscious effort to build my glassware to resemble an eclectic restaurant where every piece, from plates to cups to tables and chairs, are different – now a common fad. I do like going to those places. My dining set matches, though. The stockpile of cups in my cabinet came from the fact that at a brewery in Georgia, the only option is to pay somewhere around $10-$18 for a handful of

tickets to “exchange for free samples during a brewery tour.” If someone visits and we go, often they don’t want to carry glass home. And my set grows. I’ve fulfilled enough tickets at Sweetwater Brewing Company in Atlanta to where I no longer bring my souvenir glass home. I never have gone on that tour. It’s a loophole that breweries that are sans accompanying restaurants have to follow to sell cold ones on-site. No bringing beer home. Drink all your tickets, or you get less for your buck. Soon, no longer. Starting this September, that six-pack can be finished at home, at your pace. Or you can pay for one drink, hold the tour. With the passing of Senate Bill 85 in the Georgia General Assembly this March, direct sales will be allowed at breweries for both on-premises consumption and to go. “Today, Georgia is the last state

where y o u cannot walk into a brewery and physically buy a beer,” said Nick Tanner, co-owner of Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative in Cumming. The new law won’t affect brewpubs like Cherry Street, which are associated with restaurants (Rick Tanner’s Grille) for revenue and therefore

“It will level the playing field for breweries." Nick Tanner, co-owner of Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative 28

May 2017

could already sell their own beer on site. Local ordinances have also been popping up – like in Forsyth County – that allow brewpubs to sell to-go growlers on-site. “It will level the playing field for breweries to be more like restaurants and bars, which is a good thing. It will help Georgia beer tourism, which is lacking at the

moment,” Tanner said. “It’s going to increase tourism and increase quality.” Gov. Nathan Deal still has to sign SB85. As of mid-April, he hadn’t, but he is expected to. Once that happens, the Georgia Department of Revenue has to write regulations for the new law’s implementation. That’s why the effective date is September, not the

typical July 1 – the law will change the way taxes are collected and reported, so they’re taking a little more time. In the meantime, there are plenty of breweries still operating on their normal limited-schedule tours – there are 45 listed as members of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild – as well as festivals and events ready to be tapped.

Just a taste of the breweries along the Ga. 400 corridor Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative & Taproom

Jekyll Brewing

• 5817 S. Vickery St., Cumming

• 2855 Marconi Dr., Alpharetta

• Taproom hours: Tues – Wed: 4-11 p.m.; Thurs: 4 p.m.-midnight; Friday – Sat: noon-midnight; Sun: 12:30-8 p.m.

• Hours: Tues – Thurs: 5-8 p.m.; Fri: 4-9 p.m.; Sat: 1-9 p.m.; Sun: 1-4 p.m.

• Brewery tours: Saturday, 1-4 p.m.; all beers offered on short or full pours or sampler flight; Bottles and growlers for sale. • www.cherrystreetbrewing.com

• What you get: Tour with 36 oz. of samples, souvenir mason jar, 32 oz. crowler to take home, $18 • www.jekyllbrewing.com

Abbey of the Holy Goats Brewery • 4000 Northfield Way, Suite 800, Roswell • Hours: Fri: 5-8 p.m.; Sat: 2-6 p.m. • What you get: Tour with 36 oz. tasting, $15; Tour with 1-liter growler, $25; Tour with 2-liter growler, $30. All come with souvenir pint glass. • www.abbeyoftheholygoats.com

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May 2017

Events in your area

What’s happening?

May 2017

Enjoy culinary demonstrations, activities for all ages and entertainment to please every palate.

Visit alpharettachamber.com

5 to 10 p.m., Historic Downtown Alpharetta

Olé 5K Run/Walk and Fun Run Everyone that pre-registers will receive a shirt and everyone will receive a free taco.

Visit runsignup.com/ole5k 6 p.m. to midnight, Cumming Fairgrounds

thru May 14

Shaky Knees Music Festival The 5th Annual Shaky Knees Music Fest will take over Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta.

www.shakykneesfestival.com Atlanta, GA • Centennial Olympic Park

Artists will be sharing their talents and products with the community, all to the beat of 70’s music and good food!

Visit suwanee.com 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Town Center Park

Food Trucks n’Forsyth

Relay For Life of Forsyth County

Arts in the Park

Taste of Alpharetta

Live music, bounce house for the kids, hot air balloon rides and 11 of Atlanta’s premier food trucks!

Food Trucks n’ Forsyth 5 to 8 p.m., Lanier Technical College Forsyth Conference Center

1/2 Price Family Days at Cumming Aquatic Center

No Longer Bound 2017 Golf Tournament We want to invite you to join us this year for No Longer Bound’s 2017 Golf Tournament benefiting the residents of No Longer Bound’s Regeneration Program and be part of the life saving story.

Visit nolongerbound.com 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Windermere Golf Club

thru May 29

13th Annual Alpharetta Arts Streetfest This three-day event will host more than 90 colorful artisans from around the country will showcase their works in the Alpharetta Historic District.

Visit alpha.splashfestivals.com

Verizon Amphitheatre

Join us the third Friday of each month for half price off daily admission.

Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds will hit the stage as part of their U.S. tour.

Visit cummingaquaticcenter.com

Visit vzwamp.com

2 to 6 p.m. Cumming Aquatic Center

7:30 p.m. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre May 2017

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