Creature Comforts Brewing: From Pints to Proof
Creature Comforts offers a lot more than an ice-cold Tropicalia on a summer afternoon: it has built its identity around fostering connection and giving back, starting with a people-first company ethos that considers everything from its environmental impact to how they can support the needs of their community. The company seeks to bridge gaps and create meaningful impact through programs like literacy initiatives in local schools and striving for zero-waste sustainability. Through making great craft beer and spirits and good works in the community, Creature Comforts is helping people reconnect with each other and their local areas.
Join our host James Lewis as he sits down with co-founder and CEO Adam Beauchamp at the newest location, Cura, to walk us through how Creature Comforts became the Athens, Georgia, stronghold it is today.
Adam’s Georgia Roots
Adam grew up in Gwinnett County, Georgia, and carried with him both Southern roots and an insatiable curiosity for science. After earning dual degrees in genetics and ecology at the University of Georgia, he pursued a PhD in molecular biology at Emory. Yet while his research explored aging and stem cells, he found himself drawn to the energy of people working at Atlanta’s Sweetwater Brewing, where he frequently went with his wife when they first started dating.
That decision to leave academia and pursue brewing was about finding a new outlet for curiosity and connection. Beer could bring people together, and he could use his foundation in the lab to do good work in the world. Adam then started just showing up, working unpaid for a while, until someone gave him the chance he needed to get in the door.
The Heart of Athens: Building Creature Comforts
After seven years at Sweetwater, Adam connected with David Stein, who was interested in starting a brewery. Together they gathered investors, secured a building in downtown Athens, and opened their doors in 2014. But the vision stretched beyond producing great beer. Creature Comforts was designed to be a place where people gather, share experiences, and feel part of something larger than themselves.
Demand surged, and within five years the brewery expanded into South Carolina and Tennessee. To keep up, they built the Southern Mill facility, a state-of-the-art $8 million project. The effort left the team exhausted, but it cemented a core value: Just Be for People. Growth would be measured not just in barrels, but in balance, culture, and care for employees.
“Sip ‘Em, Dawgs”
Creature Comforts has become a cornerstone of Athens culture, even earning the distinction of being the official craft beer partner of UGA Athletics. Game days at the taproom and Tropicalia inside Sanford Stadium may be what fans notice first, but the brewery also collaborated with the university on research projects, student internships, and local events.
This partnership reflects a larger ethos: beer as a bridge. By aligning with institutions that shape community life, Creature Comforts reinforces that it exists to help create shared experiences that matter.
Impact Efforts and Award-Winning Beer
Creature Comforts has also earned national recognition for the quality of its beer. The brewery is ranked #31 among U.S. craft breweries and has taken home some of the industry’s highest honors. Its flagship lager, Classic City Lager, has twice won gold at the Great American Beer Festival for Best American Pilsner, a rare achievement that underscores its commitment to craft and consistency. Tropicalia remains a fan favorite and the top seller inside Sanford Stadium, while the brewery’s overall portfolio has collected medals from both the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup. These accolades highlight the company culture, both in the world but also in their craft.
A Force for Good
In 2022, Creature Comforts added the phrase “to be a force for good in the world” to its mission. That commitment comes to life through two hallmark initiatives:
Get Comfortable Program – Focused on addressing the greatest needs of the community as identified by experts. Today, that means targeting third grade literacy in Clarke County, funding interventions that aim to raise reading levels from 20% to 60%. This effort earned national recognition when the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation named it Best Impact Program at the Citizens Awards.
Brew for One Program – Designed to balance meaning with impact, this initiative directs proceeds from special beers to individuals or families facing challenges. From scholarships to wildfire relief, each story-driven release channels support to where it’s most deeply felt.
These initiatives add value to the people of Athens and unite them around causes they can believe in, creating a sense of belonging, strength, and positivity through shared experiences and stories.
Sustainability as Responsibility
Impact at Creature Comforts isn’t limited to philanthropy. Sustainability has become a defining part of the company’s operations. Investments in state-of-the-art equipment, a dedicated sustainability manager, and a shift to 100% renewable electricity have allowed the brewery to cut its carbon footprint per barrel in half. Both production facilities now hold zero-waste certification, diverting 99.9% of materials away from landfills.
By treating environmental responsibility as essential rather than optional, Creature Comforts again demonstrates that brewing can be a platform for stewardship.
Cura and Beyond
The company’s purpose also inspired its expansion into distilling. With the launch of Cura, a new experimental cocktail bar attached to the Athens brewery, Creature Comforts invites guests into a space where curiosity and community meet. Vodka, bourbon, rum, and gin creations reflect the same attention to craft as the beer lineup, but in a new format designed to bring people together over shared experiences.
Cura’s experimental approach of testing recipes, gathering feedback, and refining flavors mirrors the company’s broader philosophy: stay curious, stay connected, and always look for ways to engage. With every pint, partnership, and program, Creature Comforts proves that beer can be more than a drink. It can be a catalyst for connection, a tool for impact, and a force for good.
Listen to this full conversation with Adam Beauchamp on Retire Southern and explore Creature Comforts’ story at retiresouthern.com.