Last weekend a friend in-the-know let me in on one of Atlanta’s delicious secrets.  The Porter Beer Bar in Little Five Points has to be the most atmospheric beer-focused establishment I’ve seen this side of the Atlantic.  Having lived a few years in Germany and traveled to the champagne caves in France, the beer cellar at the Porter Beer Bar presents a treasure trove for aficionados of brew.

As we walked into the bar, our hostess Kaytee led us through narrow corridors all the way to the cellar.  Opening the glass-paned door, we walked down the stairs to a veritable beer library, the wall gleaming with bottles from throughout the U.S. and Europe including vintage beer.  The dimly featured long hand-crafted tables and wrought iron Art Nouveau-style chandeliers as well as murals on the walls and exposed brick, all of which created an atmosphere of authenticity:

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In addition to beer, the Porter serves wine, cocktails, and a wide selection of whiskies. It’s not only about the drinks, either; the menus on the table show some of the culinary delicacies to choose from, and include a suggestion of the best partner-in-brew for each dish:

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Being particularly hungry that day yet not daring enough for the Lamb Tongue Snooters, I went with the Smothered-n-Covered, a foodie’s version of the classic a la Waffle House, which was, as suggested, perfectly paired with the deep, dark, chocolate-y Baird Dark Sky Imperial Stout:

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Satiated by the libations and victuals the Porter had to offer, and impressed by the unique new experience there,  we took off to see what Oakhurst Porchfest was all about, another Atlanta “first” for me.

Set in the Decatur neighborhood of Oakhurst, this is the second year in the row for the Porchfest, in which the front porches of houses throughout the community are transformed into music venues for acts of all kinds.  The first group we saw, however, was not on a porch but in a parking lot.  They were Tray Dahl and the Jugtime Ragband, a 1920s-style hot jazz act putting out some most danceable good-time fare this side of the Mississippi.  Tray Dahl and her band certainly had the crowd dancin’ and for a moment we felt as though we’d been magically transported to NOLA.  Here they are singing “Down by the Riverside,” originally written by a Civil War soldier:

Continuing in the New Orleans vein, we also experienced the Wasted Potential Brass Band (ain’t that a great name) playing a variety of grooves:

We also saw heard some gentler sounds as a nice change of pace:

Last but not least, the Black Sheep Ensemble staged a fantastical performance against the best backdrop:

Just some more examples of all the great and unusual things you can experience in Atlanta.

Thank you for reading,

E.M.