Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative - Cumming Georgia

You can find Cherry Street Brewing in Cumming (and yeah I can hear you snicker) Georgia at 5813 S Vickery St, Cumming, GA 30040. Having spent some time there, I can say that there's currently not much to see in the area. Parking is plentiful out front, to the side (it's on a corner, sort of) or down the other areas in front of shops but you may have to walk a bit, as this brewery is very popular.

I first came across Cherry Street having sampled a Chief Sawnee's Coconut Porter many years ago - I really didn't know anything about the brewery but knew right away that this porter was special and would frequently claim it to be the best beer brewed locally, at least at the time. Since then are are many, many contenders but as of around 2015 this was still true - I think of it as the start of the "real" craft brew scene in Atlanta (and yes I know of several that have been around much longer, but in thinking about relatively small batches being made for keg distribution only Cherry Street was (unconfirmed) probably still in that Nano-to-Craft transition category. I next saw the same beer with one other at a Beer Festival (don't remember which one) being poured from a tapped job box (I still have the stickers they were handing out) and then it started showing up at the various bars I frequently visited.

The first time I visited the brewery, I decided to drive up from my then job near 400 and perimeter - I think it took about 45 minutes with some traffic. Two things I remember: 1. ) Driving into the middle of nowhere - really, you come off 400 and go through big expanses of nothing then finally hit a few elementary schools before coming to Vickery St (which leads you into the shopping center - I kept thinking that I was lost or that Maps was directing me wrong or something. 2.) The taproom was closed - this was pretty early and they had limited days/hours. Luckily I was able to go to Tanner's next door and enjoy a couple of flights (The Tanner's own both the Brewery and Pub). I found out later that this was the same Tanner's that used to be closer in as a rotisserie chicken place - from what I remember, I've visited one of those locations back in the day and liked the chicken quite a bit.

In any case, the taproom is something special, with a space that runs into a long room and a bar to the left. There's a newly opened (at least for me) area to the right full of barrels and extra seating plus a decent patio for drinking and watching the the locals shop. There's a well trained and knowledgeable crew pouring beers and providing advise on what to drink next. There's a clipboard available with 25 or so things on draft with a bottle list and maybe a guest tap or two. The beers here are extremely tasty, have great variety and a bit of experimentation - overall I can't think of one that I didn't at least find palatable, with most being exceptional. According to Untapped, I've had 25 different beers from this brewery so I won't bother to list them all - you'll need to come by and sample them yourself. You'll be glad you did - just make sure you have time to do a couple of flights and grab a bite next door before leaving - oh even better, have a designated driver - it really is in the middle of nowhere.

(also published on Yelp)
 

Norman's Landing - Cumming Georgia - Peachtree Pky and Brannon Rd

You can find Norman's Landing at 365 Peachtree Pkwy, Cumming, GA 30041 near Brannon Rd right off of Exit 13 from 400. This is the last bastion of decent eating in this rather restaurant desolate area (and yes, I know that there's tons of building going on so that description won't last for long). The restaurant is on the left as you head East from 400.

I've eaten at Norman's Landing several times and have always had good food and service. This is an interesting restaurant with all the feel of a restaurant you would typically see along a lake or seaside bay, only without the expansive patio view or smell of briny water. The interior is all exposed wood and rafters with water-sport artifacts on the walls or hanging from the ceiling. While it's a bit kitchy, that's quite OK as the food more than makes up for it.

I can see that this is a popular spot for locals - plenty of people at the bar enjoy libations even if this last time I visited (a sleepy, Sunday night) there were few at the dining room tables. I can imagine myself enjoying a beer or specialty cocktail here before dining, or even just hanging out and talking about fishing. I do miss the coastal bars I frequented while living closer to coastlines - this is about as good as it gets without actually being on water.

The menu has several items that looked interesting and has a simple approach - you can basically get just about any of the fresh catch broiled, fried or grilled (with some exceptions). You can also get steaks and chicken if you're along-for-the-ride and don't really like seafood. There's an assortment of appetizers and plenty of sides so you're certain to find something to satisfy you - I come here with some very picky eaters and haven't heard any complaints, which is rare indeed.

The previous times that I've dined here I had salads or something with few or no carbs, as I was doing more of an Adkins thing. This time I went for a seafood combination with scallops, shrimp and fish, all fried, with collard greens and sweet potato fries on the side.

Also at our table, was a crab-stuffed flounder accompanied by beets. I'm not a huge fan of beets, but the entree was quite good - the lemony piccata-like sauce included capers and was just dandy to enhance the flavors inside.

In all, the combination of ambiance, the great service and the good food put me in a reminiscent mood for the sea. Funny how that works - maybe it'll do the same for you?

-- John

(shorter version of this review also posted to Yelp)