Hippin Hops Brewery Baby Mama Drama IPA. Photo credit- Mia Yakel.
By Yvonne Zusel
New location to increase production
Hippin Hops, the first Black-owned brick-and-mortar brewery in Georgia, is expanding yet again, with a third location set to open this Friday in Stone Mountain.
Located at 5644 Memorial Drive, the 11,000-square-foot building will double as a production facility for Hippin Hops’ East Atlanta location that opened in April 2021 and one in East Lake, which opened earlier this year.
Husband and wife owners Clarence and Donnica Boston, who also own several bars in North Carolina, initially intended to use the Stone Mountain facility as a funeral home, the line of business they first started out in, “but we realized we enjoyed making beer more than going to funerals,” Clarence Boston said.
The exterior of Hippin Hops in Stone Mountain.
The new building will increase Hippin Hops’ production capability to 4,000 barrels a year, which means Boston will be on his way to achieving one of his long-standing goals of having his beers available for purchase in all 50 states. In the meantime, he’s focused on getting beer to stores in Georgia, with plans to start canning by the end of October.
The small production lines in East Atlanta and East Lake will continue to serve as pilot systems for newer beers, and East Lake will still operate as a distillery.
While beer will be the primary focus of the Stone Mountain facility, the spot will also feature the biggest food menu of the three locations, with popular dishes taken from the menus of the other two locations as well as some new soul food items. Chef Tanya Chavis of catering company Pretti Plates will oversee the kitchen.
The space, which will be able to seat about 300 guests, will feature a large bar, high-top, picnic tables and standard table seating and vintage video games like Ms. Pac Man and Mortal Kombat inside, with games and seating on an outdoor patio.
Hippin Hops Brewery owners Clarence Boston and Donnica Boston. Mia Yakel for the AJC
The aesthetic at the Stone Mountain space is a mix between the traditional design of the East Atlanta location and the more modern vibe of East Lake, Boston said.
The new brewery, which will offer 10 beers on tap, will start out brewing four of Hippin Hops’ core beers for distribution, including Baby Mama Drama and So Peachy.
The interior of Hippin Hops in Stone Mountain.
The Bostons, who are planning to open a Hippin Hops location in Charlotte, North Carolina in the coming months, will also host Blacktoberfest, one of the country’s biggest Black beer festivals, Oct. 15 in Stone Mountain.
Tickets will include samples of more than 40 different collaboration beers, all made in partnership with breweries and Black chefs, influencers and organizations. Pairings include chef Scotley Innes of Continent Atlanta with Treehorn Cider; Indigo Brewing Project with Halfway Crooks; and Atlanta Beer Gang with Pontoon Brewing Co. Information about the festival can be found at blacktober-fest.com.
5644 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain. 404-228-1067, hippinhopsbrewery.com.
Scroll down to see the full food menu for Hippin Hops’ Stone Mountain location:
The food menu for the Hippin Hops location in Stone Mountain.
Read the original story on AJC.com.
