Blue Ridge, GA Breweries: Hours, Dogs, Food & a Cider Stop

Blue Ridge has three breweries of its own, with two more taprooms just over the Tennessee line and a hard cider tasting room at the orchard. Here's what each one lists on its own site: hours, food, dogs and kids, and what you can take home.

#Blue Ridge breweries at a glance

Hours change for holidays and events, so check before you go. Copperhill Brewery says "Please Call for Train and/or Holiday Hours" (Copperhill Brewery), and Grumpy Old Men notes "Major holidays and private events may affect these hours" (Grumpy Old Men FAQ).

#Which breweries are in Blue Ridge?

The Blue Ridge Mountains Chamber's breweries guide covers three in Blue Ridge and two in Copperhill. In Blue Ridge itself:

#Grumpy Old Men Brewing

The Chamber puts Grumpy Old Men "South of Downtown" and says it "began selling their brews in 2013" (Chamber). Its own site calls it "Beer Born in Blue Ridge, GA" and advertises "as many 25 original brews on tap" (Grumpy Old Men).

From its FAQ:

• Kids and dogs: "We welcome dogs and kids in our taproom." Animals must stay on a leash.
• Food: "Bring food or grab some of our assorted snacks offered in the taproom." Scrappy's Snackshack on the patio "will be closed for January and February."
• Flights: a flight of four beers you pick from the menu.
• To go: 64 oz. growlers and 32 oz. crowlers, plus six packs, for off-site drinking.
• Seating: "We do not take reservations. All seating is seat-yourself." Big groups should arrive earlier in the day.

Its homepage lists "karaoke Thursdays / Live music Fridays / Singo Sundays" (Grumpy Old Men).

#Angry Hops Brewing

Angry Hops is on East Main Street downtown. Its site lists 13 beers and a seltzer on tap, from a 4.5% North GA Lager to the 8.1% Bestial Devastation, each at $7.50. A few things it spells out:

• Food: "We offer pre-packaged snacks, such as chips and pretzels, but we do not have kitchen service." Outside food is allowed, and food truck schedules go on its Facebook page.
• Dogs: "Yes, we allow well-behaved dogs on a leash, in both our indoor and outdoor areas."
• Events: Angry Hops Bingo every Tuesday, 5 to 6 PM.

#Tipping Point Brewing Co.

The Chamber calls Tipping Point Blue Ridge's newest brewery, on the second floor of Trackside Station across from the city park (Chamber). Its menu lists more than a dozen beers plus a seltzer, from a 4% Trackside Lager to a 9.2% Belgian golden strong, at $7.50 a pint, and says the lineup changes often. It has "Small snacks available to Purchase" and "Outside Food Welcome!" Non-drinkers get options too: root beer, hop water, sodas, and juice. Its site doesn't state a dog or kid policy, so call 706-946-2765 if that matters for your group.

#Is it worth going to the Copperhill breweries?

It's an option if you want more stops. Copperhill, Tennessee, is about 19 minutes north of downtown Blue Ridge by car, according to routing with no traffic. The Chamber says Buck Bald is "Just across the road and down a bit from Copperhill Brewery."

Copperhill Brewery calls itself "A women-owned craft brewery and distillery," and its taproom "sits just off the TN-GA state line" (Copperhill Brewery). It has a food truck at the taproom, WattsUp! Rollin' Grub. You can "Fill a growler, pick up a six-pack." Its site lists Jeopardy and cornhole on Tuesdays at 6 PM, and line dancing on Mondays (open dance 6:30, lessons 7:00).

Buck Bald Brewing is in an old service station downtown ("look for the ESSO sign!") and is open noon to 8 PM daily (Buck Bald location). It doesn't serve food but welcomes outside food, has snacks, and fills 64 oz growlers. A food truck, BigHead's Grub, joins the Copperhill taproom "on the last Saturday of each month" (Buck Bald FAQ). It says "We're family-friendly and dog-friendly (leashed, well behaved dogs are welcome on our patio)" (Buck Bald).

The scenic train's 4-hour ride includes a layover in McCaysville and Copperhill. See our railway guide for how that works, and our McCaysville and Copperhill day trip guide for the rest of the twin towns.

#Is there a cidery in Blue Ridge?

Yes. Mercier Orchards says it's "the only apple orchard in Georgia to grow, press, ferment, and can our very own hard cider" (Mercier). Its tasting room needs no reservation and pours ciders like Mountain Apple, Just Peachy, and Sneaky Jack, along with apple, blackberry, and strawberry fruit wines. A wine flight is $15. Bring an ID, and note that alcohol "can only be purchased after 12:30 pm on Sundays" under Georgia law. For the rest of the farm, see our Mercier Orchards guide, and for vineyards like Bear Claw and Kerith House, see our wineries near Blue Ridge guide.

#Tips for a brewery afternoon in Blue Ridge

• Go earlier than you think. Every brewery above lists closing times of 6 to 8 PM. For later plans, see things to do in Blue Ridge at night.
• Sort out food. Copperhill Brewery has a food truck at its taproom. Angry Hops, Tipping Point, and Buck Bald welcome outside food, and Grumpy Old Men says to "Bring food." Angry Hops posts food truck schedules on its Facebook page.
• Pick a driver, especially for the Copperhill leg. All of these serve alcohol, so check age rules before bringing anyone under 21.
• Rainy day? Breweries are one of the indoor ideas in our rainy-day guide.

#Where to stay for a Blue Ridge brewery weekend

The Black Ember is a modern A-frame about 10 minutes from downtown Blue Ridge. A growler goes well with a night at the cabin: there's a propane grill, an outdoor dining deck with string lights, a wood fire pit with Adirondack chairs, a private hot tub, and a cedar barrel sauna. It sleeps up to 5, with no parties or events, no pets, and no smoking. The sauna and hot tub get hot, so skip them after drinking. Coming up from Atlanta? See our mountain cabin near Atlanta page.