Creature Comforts Brewing Wants Beer Lovers to “Get Comfortable” While Helping Others

Jason Pellett - Orpheus Brewing
Jason Pellett of Orpheus Brewing in Atlanta welcomes craft beer lovers to the brewery he started and brews at.

Craft Beer=Community

One of the things that has always drawn me to drinking local and regional craft beer has been a sense of community that the brewers know is an important part of their success.  Sure, there are also other things that draw people to these brewers and their beers: creativity, taste, interesting brewing methods, a nod to brewing history, and many more.  Another great thing about the community in Georgia is most of the breweries are in the stage of development where the founders of the breweries and the brewmasters are still in the breweries often, and sometimes you even have one of them lead the tour of the brewery.  It’s a fun experience to get that “behind the curtain” look at the place your favorite beers are made.  Let’s face it, who knows better where a beer’s name comes from, or how they integrate that special ingredient that gives a beer its distinctive aroma or taste than the people who named and created the beer?  Having fewer layers between you and the main man, or woman, gives a beer lover a tiny bit of “ownership” in those breweries.

Make Good Beer. Do Good Things.

In Georgia, we see a lot of these types of charitable and other community building events and exercises.  The state’s largest craft brewer, SweetWater Brewing, holds the popular 420 Fest every year close to Earth Day to raise awareness and money for environmental and other causes.  It filters all the way down to many of Georgia’s brewpubs with Cherry Street Brewing Coop doing monthly specialty beers for local charities. Cherry Street Ta Ta Cream Ale  

Twain’s Brewpub and Billiards gives proceeds to different charities on Monday nights.  A lot of the time, these funds go to organizations that are based right here in our own communities in Georgia.  More than just charitable events, craft brewers know it’s important to build an almost sports like home team feel to create a base of customers that they can then build upon.  As with any business, a strong foundation is needed in order for sustainable growth over time. A great way to foster that communal spirit is to support organizations that assist people in one’s area.

Real “Small Business to Business”

Dayspring Farms
Nathan Brett and his family of Dayspring Farms in Danielsville have a refreshing Grisette named for the farm and sell their wares at the Farmer’s Market held and Creature Comforts Brewing Co. parking lot Spring-Fall.

Creature Comforts is one Georgia brewery that takes its place as part of its home community very seriously.  One way they do this is to have the Community Farmer’s Market set up in the parking lot of the brewery during “Farmer’s Market Season”.  One of the farms that brings its wares to the Market is Dayspring Farms  in nearby Danielsville.  The team gave a “nod” to a Belgian style of beer that was brewed to be served to miners as they worked called Grisette.   The style of beer uses wheat as one of the ingredients in the recipe bill, and to make it even more of a true  beer of it’s community, the brewers used wheat from Dayspring, which they used as the name for the beer.  As fall turns to winter, there just aren’t as many fresh farm products to bring to a farmer’s market, but the team at Creature Comforts wanted to continue to support its community, and that is the idea behind the “Get Comfortable” program.   

Have a Georgia Beer and “Get Comfortable”

With all the trappings of a small college town, not many would expect that the Athens-Clarke County municipal area has one of the highest poverty rates in the entire United States. Even as the rate has decreased in other parts of the country and state, it continues to rise in Athens.

In recognizing this, the leaders at the brewery saw something that would fit into the company’s overriding culture.  “Creature Comforts Brewery was founded on six core pillars, one of them being ‘community’ ”, said Katie Beauchamp, Human Resources and Community Manager. “As a business in Athens, we have a responsibility to give back to the community that has given so much to us. It has been really exciting to see other local companies get involved with ‘Get Comfortable’ to help raise awareness and to fight the hunger, poverty, and homelessness that is right here in our home town.”  

In October, to launch its new beer Automatic, Creature worked with Amplify My Community to put on a concert at the historic Georgia Theatre that benefited a children’s school program in Athens. Special events is only one way the brewery uses the program.  During this time of year, every Wednesday is a “Get Comfortable” Community day, where guests are invited to help make household and shelter items for families and individuals in need.  The brewers even created a special beer and have special “Get Comfortable IPA” souvenir glasses for the Wednesday tour.  Get even more details on the web page made especially for the program, here.

Creature Comforts Get Comfortable
Some of the good folks from Creature Comforts join in with brewery guests to make blankets for the Athens Area Homeless Shelter in December.

One of the reasons that I really enjoy supporting brewers in Georgia is that it helps a small business, but it also helps individuals and organizations right here in our own state.  The folks that work, create, and live in these communities are really the ones that see their areas every day.  Who better to make the decision on where to give back?  Everyone likes a so-called “win/win” situation.  I think when I go to a nationwide acclaimed brewery, have a great beer, and know that some of my money will go right back where it’s needed around me, I can add two or three more “wins” to equation.  Doing good tastes delicious.

This is a guest post courtesy of our friend @georgiaontap, follow him on Twitter for more Georgia beer news, info, and discussions.  Thanks!

Creature Comforts Get Comfortable

https://beerguysradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Creature-Comforts-Thumb.jpghttps://beerguysradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Creature-Comforts-Thumb-150x150.jpgTim DennisFeaturesNewsAthens,Cherry Street,Creature Comforts,Dayspring Farms,Get Comfortable,Sweetwater,Twain'sCreature Comforts Brewing Wants Beer Lovers to “Get Comfortable” While Helping Others Craft Beer=Community One of the things that has always drawn me to drinking local and regional craft beer has been a sense of community that the brewers know is an important part of their success.  Sure, there are also other things...Cold beer, hot conversations, stupid jokes.