Start with the Avondale Brewing Company. As one of the
newest breweries in the area, Avondale is eager to live
up to the hype. Their building, located just east of down-
town Birmingham, may not seem like much, but over 100
years of Alabama history is richly embedded within its
walls. The building that was once a saloon, pharmacy, a
bank, and even a brothel, now houses Avondale’s open
fermentation tanks, along with rows and stacks of their
original kegs.
Avondale was opened by Coby and Hunter Lake, two
brothers with an extraordinary vision to create a brewery
that catered to the history and folklore of the local area.
Once they purchased the building, they brought on Craig
Shaw, the brewmaster that made all the “magic” happen.
Today, an expert team takes charge in everyday brewing
techniques to provide patrons with the best craft beer
money can buy.
The Avondale Brewing Company is not just a place that
brews the good stuff, though. It’s also a pretty cool place
to hang out. From the ghost stories to the live concerts
and many events, Avondale brings its customers some-
thing to look forward to every week. Concerts include all
genres, and events vary by season, so be sure to check
out www.avondalebrewing.com for tickets, pricing, and
more information.
The southern region isn’t well known for its craft beer
scene, but that hasn’t stopped the south from flourishing
in the industry. Generally, we think of Florida as being one
of the only, if not the “one and only” state that produces
brews in the south, but Alabama has recently been push-
ing ahead in the race. Birmingham, the biggest city by
population in Alabama, now has tons of microbreweries
and craft beer taverns popping up all over town. With
Birmingham statistically being the fastest-growing city in
the entire nation to drink craft beer by volume, it’s no sur-
prise that these breweries are becoming popular stop-
ins for travelers. Go see what’s brewing in Birmingham,
and visit one of these top southern taprooms.
34 | Summer 2017 | Food Traveler
“
Avondale was
opened by Coby
and Hunter
Lake, two
brothers with an
extraordinary
vision to create
a brewery that
catered
to the history
and folklore of
the local area.
“
Beer in
Birmingham,
Alabama
To schedule a tour of the brewery, go to Avondale’s web-
site at least 48 hours in advance. All tours are guided by
volunteers, and will cost about $15 per person. The tours
come along with a “swag set,” as well as a full pint of beer.
Tours are roughly about an hour long, and each tour can
accommodate up to ten people. While you’re checking
out the brewery, you may want to request that your tour
pint be filled with one of the brewery’s most recom-
mended and highly-acclaimed concoctions, the Spring
Street Saison. At 7.2% ABV, Spring Street Saison has a
golden-honey flavor with fruit bitters undertones. The fruit
reminds us of the tropics, and yet the brew itself aids the
sensation of being on the front porch of a quiet farm-
house. As Avondale says, “one sip and you will fall in
love.”