Mike Branam was something of a home-brewing guru when he and Paul Bushell met 18 years ago. They lived in the same subdivision, and he guided Bushell and some other friends on their own home-brew journeys.
“A buddy of mine started Monkey Wrench Brewing in Suwanee and I stepped in to do the brewing long enough to get him open,” said Branam, who has been home brewing for more than 25 years. “That gave me a flavor of going from home brewing to professional brewing.”
Branam and Bushell opened their own Meander Brewing Co. in Buford last November.
The building previously was home to an auto parts store, electrical supply business and storage space, and Bushell said the owner wasn’t looking to rent, but he got on board after the pair explained their vision for the brewery.
“Buford is known for its historic main street and restaurants,” Branam said. “Moreno Street here is kind of an extension of the entertainment district. We’re hoping to have more festivals and music and art, and we have live music here.”
The partners bought a seven-barrel system from MDL Premium Brewing, with five fermenters and eight serving tanks.
The brewery space is 3,200 square feet and can seat about 115 people inside and another 40 outside. “We wanted the design and vibe to coincide with the brewery name,” Bushell said. “Some of our motif elicits an outdoors feel, with our Meander mural, wormy maple back bar wall, live-edge long bar and wall decor.”
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Meander currently has the capacity for 20 brews on tap, and they consist of beers Branam and Bushell made during their home-brew years as well as some new ones.
A current favorite is Dog Tired Kolsch, “because people want something that’s light,” Bushell said. Other popular brews include Capstone IPA and the West Coast-style Enduro IPA. The seasonal Foxhound brown ale and the light Wily Wolf cream ale also have been top sellers.
There are plans to add a barley wine and imperial stout to the offerings soon.
For food, Meander linked up with nearby Italian Pie in Buford. Customers can place orders for pizza, pasta, wings and subs, which typically are delivered to the brewery within 20 minutes.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Although Meander can seem cramped at times, Branam thinks it’s the right size. ”A taproom in a walkable area is the sweet spot,” he said. “The ones that are having problems are too big and not walkable.”
Ideally, he said, they’d like to get some of their beers on tap around town, “but there’s the challenge of getting with a distributor. And we do want to get a canning line, to have beers to go for people. Right now, we fill growlers.”
I wondered whether there was a story behind the name Meander, and there was. Branam had to redo the koi pond in his backyard. When Bushell asked if it was leaking, Branham replied that it didn’t “meander enough.”
”It became this big joke,” Branam said. “Paul and I tried hundreds of brewery names, and they were all taken. And then, one day, Paul said we should call it Meander. I thought he was joking, but he wasn’t.”
110 E. Moreno St., Buford. 678-765-8133, meanderbrewingco.com
Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter
Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on X and @ajcdining on Instagram.
About the Author
