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Wild Heaven Electric Avenue, the 8th Bulleit collab
Wild Heaven Electric Avenue, the latest in the brewery’s ongoing collaboration with Bulleit Whiskey debuts this week.
Munichwine. You don’t see that style in the beer often- if at all. This is a first in 16 years for Beer Street Journal. The idea is pretty simple- think barleywine with mainly German Munich malts.
The 8th Collaboration.
Electric Avenue marks the 8th collaboration with Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, with the first release being 95 Shilling, dating back to one of the worst years in human history, 2020. There are two components to each collab – the brewer and the distillery. In Wild Heaven’s case, each of these unique releases have been the brainchild of head brewer Josh Franks. Franks excels at digging out the right beer style to compliment what barrels Bulleit will send down to Georgia.
Fresh, just emptied “wet” barrels head 437 miles south to Wild Heaven, (also one of the beer collaborations) to be filled with what Franks and co-founder Eric Johnson concocted. Having had 7 of these beers thus far, the fresh barrels make all the difference in the end result.
“Bulleit-vardier”
The Wild Heaven team were on a trip to the Bulleit Distillery last year, drinking Boulevardier cocktails (a bourbon-swapped take on the Negroni) where the idea of a cocktail-inspired “Bulleit-vardier” came to mind. The challenge? Making the herbal and bitter notes of the cocktail work in this barrel-aged beer. That’s where the additions of Gentian root, rubarb root and Angelica come in.
“The question had become what style would work well for the cocktail idea and I had really liked the idea of a Munichwine, I’m a big fan of Munich malt. But some of that Munich and aromatic malt profile doesn’t feel dissimilar to red vermouth so I ran with it,” says Franks.
Tonight we find out the result at a special Bulleit & Beer media preview at Wild Heaven’s new Toco Hills location.
Wild Heaven Electric Avenue debuts this week in 12-ounce cans and draft for a limited time.
Style: Munichwine (w/ Gentian Root, Rhubarb, Angelica. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 12oz cans, Draft.
Debut: Mid-March, 2025
9.6% ABV
“Yacht Water” a tequila seltzer collab with Lil Yachty debuts
Yacht Water, a new line of tequila seltzers created with Lil Yachty and Kevin “Coach K’ Lee debuts.
Sneaky Pete Spirits, the spirits spin-off from Atlanta’s Monday Night Brewing is releasing a new line of additive-free tequila seltzers known as Yacht Water – a collaboration with Grammy-nominated recording artist Lil Yachty, and music executive Kevin “Coach K” Lee.
Ranch Water
Ranch Water is a tequila-based cocktail that doesn’t have a single origin story, other than coming from West Texas in the mid-1900s. The story is fairly simple. Texas is hot as hell, and ranchers would mix tequila (as they are near Mexico) with lime and sparkling water. As the modern cocktail culture has grown, Ranch Water started gaining popularity outside the Lonestar State.
Yacht Water – “No Additives.”
According to Sneaky Spirits, while many canned cocktails state they include natural and artificial flavors, Yacht Water is natural all the way through. “Each can features a mixture of real reposado tequila, real key lime juice, the addition of either fresh orange juice or fresh jalapeños, ultra-purified sparkling water, and a touch of sea salt, resulting in a taste that is perfectly balanced, crisp, and refreshing,” per the company’s press release.
Yacht Water is available in three flavors at launch – Key Lime, Jalapeno, and Sunrise (with orange juice, lime, reposado tequila, and sea salt.) Each 12-ounce can is 5.8% alcohol by volume, hitting retailers in Georgia and Tennessee at the time of this story.
Style: Canned Cocktail (Tequila)
Availability: 12oz Cans
Debut: Late- February 2025
5.8% ABV
Images: Pedro Marashi | Southern Exposure Media Group
SweetWater celebrates 28 years [PICS]
SweetWater celebrated their 28th Anniversary on February 22nd, with live music, food plenty of beer.
For 28 years, SweetWater has been brewing in Atlanta – and a lot has changed since the early days. Having been to almost every birthday party the brewery has thrown for the last 18 years, the obvious changes are that Tilray owns the brewery now, that Shock Top is brewed at SweetWater, and soon, Terrapin Beer (at least Hopsecutioner) will be made on Ottley Drive for the first time. Two breweries that were once friendly competition are now one after Tilray acquired Terrapin from Miller last year. The stacks of Shock Top, once owned by brewing giant Budweiser was also a weird sight.
FLASHBACK: SWEETWATER 15TH ANNIVERSARY PICS
The 28th Anniversary party featured music headliners Break Science and STS9, as well as serving as the unofficial/official launch party for the new Dive Beer Lager.
SweetWater has grown and changed over the years, but one thing remains unchanged – they still know how to throw a party. Next up is SweetWater 420 Fest in April.
Check out the party below.
Three Taverns Ponce Brew Terminal opens this fall
Three Taverns Ponce Brew Terminal opens at Ponce City Market in Fall 2025.
Three Taverns Craft Brewery will open its third location later this year in the mixed-use development known as Ponce City Market. This will be the first brewery in the market.
Ponce Brew Terminal will be located on the ground floor of Signal House, which are private residences that provide “frictionless living” attached to Ponce City.
Three Taverns’ new “Brew Terminal” is touted as a brewery, distillery, and taproom that will feature food from DAS BBQ. Gentle Works will design the space, incorporating large garage doors that will open the taproom to the outdoors. Outdoor seating will overlook Atlanta’s Beltline.
For years now, one of Three Taverns’ most popular beers is A Night on Ponce (de Leon Avenue), a well-known street in Atlanta. This fall, the brewery will have a home on it.
Below is a throwback video of the Three Taverns launch party, which was shot at their launch party on an extremely hot day in August 2013.
Red Hare Brewing silently closes last location
Marietta, Georgia-based Red Hare Brewing seems to have quietly closed their last remaining sometime after the start of 2025.
Red Hare Brewing was founded in 2011 on Delk Road in Marietta, Georgia. In 2018, it opened a second location in Shallotte, North Carolina. In 2020, Red Hare announced they would take over the Hemingway’s Bar and Grill building on Marietta Square in the downtown area over the coming months.
The North Carolina facility shuttered in 2022 after four years.
Just about a year ago, in March 2024, founder Bobby Thomas announced the brewery would close the original Delk Road location due to costs and inflation and move production to a smaller location in the future.
The Marietta Square location remained open through at least New Year’s Eve going into 2025.
It seems that the Marietta Square location has also closed without any announcement. Google has marked this location permanently closed. Social media and Reddit discussions mention that the location hasn’t opened in weeks now, and the brewery website has been taken down.
Emails to the owner return as undeliverable.
Since the Delk Road closure, no official announcement has been made about a permanent closure or a new production facility.
Currently, Red Hare Brewing has no open facilities.
Founders to debut “Devil Spiked” RTD line in March
Founders Brewing has announced they will launch a new line of Ready to Drink hard beverages called Devil Spiked in March 2025.
Founders Devil Spiked, a series of RTD hard drinks in various flavors, is coming in March. According to a 2024 study by International Wine and Spirits Record, the RTD category is up 2% across the largest global markets, including Canada, the US, Mexico, and Brazil.
Devil Spiked launches with four flavors:
Devil Spiked Hard Ginger Beer with Lime – 10%, blend of spicy ginger and fresh lime. 6-packs, March.
Devil Spiked Hard Lemonade—10% ABV. A blend of sweetness and tart lemon. Six packs, 19.2oz Cans, Draft.
Devil Spiked Fruit Punch (Variety Pack Exclusive)—10% ABV. It is a sweet blend of strawberry, pineapple, and orange, plus cherry tartness. Available in the Variety Pack only.
Devil Spiked Blood Orange Soda (Variety Pack Exclusive) – 10% ABV. “Huge dose of vibrant, tangy blood orange. Balanced with a touch of sweetness and a slightly sour finish.” Variety Pack only.
Founders Devil Spiked RTD line ships to all of Founders Brewing’s markets starting March 2025.
Style: Hard Beverage
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Varied.
Debut: March, 2025
10% ABV
Tilray acquires Terrapin Beer, Hop Valley, Atwater, & Revolver from Molson Coors
Tilray Brands has acquired Terrapin Beer Company, Atwater Brewery, Revolver Brewing, Hop Valley Brewing Company from 98 Coors, officially announced today.
Tilray Brands is expanding their beer and beverage portfolio again by acquiring four breweries from Molson Coors, including Terrapin Beer Company, Atwater Brewery, Revolver Brewing, and Hop Valley Brewing. This deal comes exactly a year after Tilray bought Shocktop, Breckenridge Brewing, 10 Barrel Brewing, and Blue Point Brewing among others from Anheuser-Busch.
Most notably with this deal, SweetWater Brewery and Terrapin Beer Company – both Georgia companies, will be owned by the same owner for the first time.
Financial details of the deal were not immediately disclosed.