Wines, Vines & Brews

from Lakeside on Lanier November 2020

Dining guide

My wife and I enjoy driving up to the northeast Georgia Mountains in the fall. We made the 40-minute drive from Gainesville to Tantrum Brewing Company on a beautiful Saturday in October. The cool weather and sunshine made it a perfect day to enjoy a delicious assortment of craft beers outdoors. Tantrum is a family run brewery located near Cleveland, GA, with Yonah Mountain as a backdrop. During our visit, we had the privilege of spending time with the CEO, Ross Crumpton, Georgia Tech graduate, and former electrical engineer, as he shared Tantrum’s interesting story, impressive knowledge about beer and brewing, and their vision for the future. When asked about the origin of Tantrum’s name, Ross smiled and said growing up with two brothers there may have been some tantrums along the way.

I’m fascinated with stories about entrepreneurs who turn a hobby or passion into a successful business. The story of Tantrum begins with Ross having a conversation with his father, John, in 2017 after doing some homebrewing and developing a greater passion for beer and brewing. From there, it became a family afDon Duval

Wines, Vines & Brews

PHOTOS BY DON DUVALL Flights of beer at Tantrum.

fair with his father, Elizabeth his mother, and his two brothers Will and Ben, who continue to uniquely pour into the brewery. Shortly after talking with his father, Ross began creating a business plan while researching other breweries and talking to financial executives. It wasn’t long before they secured funding and started their search for property. Their search led to 5.23 acres east of Cleveland in an ideal location off Helen Highway. They built an impressive rustic, industrial brewery and taphouse with plenty of outdoor space for all to enjoy.

In February 2018 they broke ground and by March 2019, they opened the brewery to the public, which according to Ross, was their greatest accomplishment. Ross and his brothers grew up in White County so support from the community followed suit for Tantrum. Ross said one thing that pleasantly surprised him was that licensing to open the brewery was not as difficult to obtain as he imagined.

The Crumptons’ vision for Tantrum is to cultivate a familyfriendly environment so customers can have good conversation over great beer. When asked about something that makes Tantrum unique, Ross said that the North Georgia mountain location, which includes beautiful views of Yonah Mountain and Pink Mountain, offers a special experience for visitors. The hops growing vertically on the property also contribute to the pleasant outdoor atmosphere. Many breweries are located near mid to large-sized cities and unable to offer such views. The other key to

Inside Tantrum Brewing Company. John and Elizabeth Crumpton with son and Tantrum CEO Ross, right.

the brewery’s success is the taproom staff who have a passion for making great beer.

I imagine every small business encounters large hurdles and Tantrum encountered their largest hurdle in March of 2020: the coronavirus. Tantrum closed for two months during a time when they planned to host a one-year anniversary bash to celebrate with their greatest supporters and customers.

COVID may have slowed them down, but it certainly didn’t hinder their desire to serve great beer to their customers. The Crumptons refocused their efforts

temporarily from serving in the taproom to selling their beer via customer pick-up in the parking lot. This allowed them to keep their doors open and their employees working. Tantrum was able to celebrate their anniversary bash and is now open and following safety protocols, so you can enjoy a cold beer or a flight of brews on the premises, inside or See Wine, page 43