Vote for Reformation Brewery in the Best of Cherokee Awards! 🎉

Exciting news! The Cherokee Tribune’s Best of Cherokee voting is live, and we’re honored to be nominated in three categories:

Best Coffee
Best Craft Beer 🍻
Best Distillery 🥃

This is a huge moment for us, and we couldn’t have done it without our amazing community—you! ❤️


How to Vote 🗳️

Voting is easy and only takes a few seconds! Show your support for Reformation Brewery and help us bring home the win! Links below:

👉 Best of Craft Beer Selection (click to vote)

👉 Best of Local Brewery/Distillery (click to vote)

👉 Best of Local Coffee (click to vote)

👉 All categories (click to vote)


A Special Shoutout to Alma Coffee ☕

Our coffee journey wouldn’t be the same without Alma Coffee! They’ve been an incredible partner, providing the freshest, ethically sourced beans that help us craft some of your favorite coffee-inspired brews. If you love our coffee, you’ve got them to thank! 🙌

Thank you for being part of our journey. Let’s make it official—go vote, and let’s celebrate together soon! 🍻✨

As the winter chill settles in, there’s nothing better than slowing down and savoring the comfort of rich, hearty flavors. At Reformation Brewery, we believe that good food and great beer bring people together, creating moments worth celebrating. This season, we’re embracing the coziness of winter with slow-cooked favorites like beef stew, perfectly paired with our Belgian Dubbel, Cadence. Its notes of caramel, fig, and dark fruit add depth to every bite and sip. Ready to bring warmth to your table?

We reached out to Atlanta-based, James Beard-nominated writer Stephanie Grant to share her take on cozy winter cooking with craft beer—keep reading to discover how she crafted a rich, comforting beef stew made with our Cadence Belgian Dubbel.

I like to find joy in all aspects of life. I love the slowness of winter after the bustle of the holidays. Spring encourages us to come back outside and enjoy how nature comes alive around us. In summer, though the heat and humidity can be unbearable, it’s easier to tolerate when there’s an abundance of peaches and tomatoes at the farmers’ market. While I can find joy in each of the seasons, I have a favorite: winter. I get giddy when the winds of winter arrive, bringing a beautiful chill with them. It feels like everyone breathes a sigh of relief after enduring the dog days of summer.

Even though I miss the long summer days where the sun shone brightly until 8 PM, I love the cozy nights of winter. When the sun starts to slip away before I’ve even finished cooking dinner, I know it’s time to dive into my bag of winter favorites. Everything seems better in the winter, especially the food.

Just as summer’s sweltering weather demands fresh, bright, and refreshing flavors, the chill of winter calls for something rich, cozy, and warm. Winter food is hearty and comforting, embracing the soul, which is exactly what you want when the chill creeps into the air. Roasted, caramelized, and braised foods of winter encourage us to go deep and get cozy. The dishes get richer and simmer longer, perhaps because the nights are cold and long.

Once the temperature drops, it’s time to crank up the oven and pull out the Dutch oven and sheet pans for some delicious fun. By September, I’m roasting every vegetable that comes my way—brussels sprouts, radishes, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, butternut squash, and more.

Like my sheet pan, my Dutch oven rarely gets a break. I’ve been craving chili since July, but am trying to hold off on making it until the high of the day dips down to at least 60 degrees. But my Dutch oven has already been put to work braising pork shoulders and chicken thighs until they’re tender and flavorful. But nothing beats beef stew for me. This simple and versatile dish is a must-have every winter, whether I use classic chuck roast or go for rich and decadent short ribs.

Sometimes I crave Kalbi Jjim, a Korean beef stew with deep flavors, while other times, I want classic American beef stew, so straightforward I can make it with my eyes closed. And of course, I’ve made the French classic, beef bourguignon several times. As someone who enjoys vegetarian dishes just as much as meaty ones, I’ve even made mushroom bourguignon.

This year, I’m excited to try All-American Beef Stew by J. Kenji López-Alt, a culinary genius known for bridging the gap between science and food. I love how he examines every ingredient and technique to achieve the optimal results.

What makes this recipe special is how it intensifies the umami with the addition of tomato paste, anchovies, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. This combination enriches the dish, making it richer and more satisfying. The addition of gelatin creates a silky texture that makes the stew a joy to eat. Usually, I serve my beef stew with creamy potatoes or grits, but for the first time, I served toasted bread with my stew. The silky sauce in this recipe deserves to be soaked up with a piece of toasty, buttered bread.

While I usually adjust recipes to suit my taste preferences, I followed Kenji López-Alt’s recipe to the letter, except for swapping out the wine for Reformation Brewing’s Cadence. Cadence is a dry, easy-drinking Belgian Dubbel with deep fruit aromas, hints of caramel, figs, and Belgian candi sugar.

Originating from Belgium, Dubbels are dark brown ales with strong flavors of dark fruits like raisins, prunes, and dates. They pair well with espresso, soft cheeses, rich sauces, vegetable soups, or root vegetables. With beef stew, Dubbels complement the rich broth created from simmering vegetables and seared beef. The sweetness in the Dubbel contrasts beautifully with the rich, savory, and umami flavors of the stew. This winter, I encourage you to cook up your favorite beef stew or mushroom bourguignon recipe and pair it with Cadence.


Stephanie, a James Beard-nominated writer based in Atlanta, has been immersed in the beer industry since 2018. Her writing has graced the pages of publications such as CraftBeer.com, Good Beer Hunting, and the New Brewer. In 2023, she founded The Share Community, an online platform dedicated to fostering support among Black and Brown women and non-binary individuals pursuing careers in craft beer. Stephanie also provides content strategy and creation services to companies in the food and beverage space, serving both B2B and B2C audiences.



Watch John from Westside Pizza Share His Thoughts on Reformation Brewery’s Oktoberfest!

In this special testimonial, John from Westside Pizza in Smyrna dives into what makes our seasonal Oktoberfest release a standout choice for the fall season. From its rich, malty flavor to its perfect pairing with your favorite pizza, John gives us the inside scoop on why this brew deserves a spot in your fall lineup.

Join us as we celebrate the season with one of our most beloved brews. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more behind-the-scenes content and brewery updates!

Cheers to Oktoberfest and great company!


Transcript:

Hey, I’m John Miller, the general manager here at West Side Pizzeria and Bar. We’ve been around since, believe it or not, 2004. We’re now located at the West Side Village Shopping Center off Marietta Boulevard, and we’re approaching our 20th year serving craft beer.

We always want to support the local guys, and we probably have some of the best pizza you’ll find in Atlanta.

I’ve worked for the company for a long time, which has given me the opportunity to try a lot of different beers and meet a lot of great people.

One of those great beers is definitely Reformation’s Oktoberfest. This is my favorite time of the year for beers, especially craft beers, because breweries always put out their best versions of classic styles. Märzen styles are definitely my number one favorite, and Reformation puts out the best Oktoberfest every year. I feel privileged and lucky to try all different styles from various breweries—imports, crafts, local—and to have them at my bar and at home.

It’s perfect out of the can and perfect on tap. I love having it as an option and introducing it to others. I encourage you to try other Oktoberfests, but if you want a standout choice, Reformation’s Oktoberfest is the best option.

They make other great beers and have excellent locations, but this is the one I always go to. It has the perfect amount of maltiness and drinkability. People like to throw around the term “session beer,” and this is truly a perfect session Oktoberfest.

It’s a beer you can enjoy one after another, with a good, toasty, hoppy mouthfeel. It’s my favorite time of year.

We’re headed to Yonah Mountain with the next release in our Base Camp Series! A Hazy IPA series with rotating hops, this beer is made in collaboration with Visit Woodstock GA to encourage you to explore North Georgia destinations with us!

Coming in at 6% ABV, this version highlights Elani and El Dorado hops for big citrus notes and nice tropical undertones with notes of pineapple, guava, white peach, lime, and orange zest. Grab a beer, make some friends, & let’s explore Yonah Mountain this season!

About the destination:

“With incredible views, steep drop-offs, and a moderately challenging but ultra-scenic climb to the summit, the Yonah Mountain Trail delivers one of North Georgia’s best and most popular hikes. Yonah rises from the foothills of Georgia’s southern Appalachian Mountains, jutting skyward from the rolling landscape between Cleveland and Helen. The mountain’s asymmetrical, iconic shape and massive, exposed rock outcrops near the summit lend to its popularity with hikers and climbers.”

– Atlanta Trails

#northgeorgiamade #setbeerfree #reformationoutside #yonahmountain

This Friday, May 17, 2024, our Reformation Lemon Shandy releases – on tap and in 6-packs at all three taprooms (Canton, Woodstock, and Smyrna).

This fresh Lemon Shandy is your go-to companion for warmer months ahead. Poolside, lakeside, or simply chasing the Summer sun – this mix of light lager & fresh lemon pairs well with all your warm-weather adventures. 4.4% ABV. Available from May through August wherever Reformation beer is sold.

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