Led Zeppelin’s "Tangerine" reverberates around the taproom. Peter Trapani takes measurements on the brew deck. Chad Martin cleans fermenters. Meanwhile, director of operations Mark Crouch and I zest Florida’s finest. It’s a day full of laughs, South Park references and, later on, some baseball.
As a MillerCoors sales rep, I regularly visit accounts, but my work isn't usually this literally hands-on—not that I'm complaining. I spent two days working in the Terrapin Brewlab, which is housed inside of the Atlanta Braves new stadium about a half hour north of the city proper. Martin and Trapani work side by side creating recipes, hosing tanks, scrubbing floors, and making great beer. And walking through the inner workings of the stadium, these guys are getting their steps in.
With the brewery portion spanning three condensed floors, the five-barrel system sees some beers completely unique from the Athens brewery 70 miles east. With a Vienna Lager and an English IPA on deck while we brew today’s Belgian Witbier with tangelo orange zest, every week is different. That's why Martin and Trapani enjoy it so much.
