In August, Carrieann and Jon Schneider opened their small, sustainable Sideways Farm and Brewery on a 10-acre farm in Etowah. The venue has a “seasonality focus,” meaning that, at any given time, the Schneiders harvest what’s growing in their half-acre garden to flavor their brews. (This includes fresh fruit, herbs, vegetables, and a wide variety of edible flowers, used in both their beer and bouquets.) The farm includes 60 hop plants, as well, and after they’ve dried up for the season, the Schneiders’ four sheep eat what’s left. In the winter, the beer will include ingredients like local chocolate, coffee, and hickory syrup. With this endeavor, the Schneiders are working to return beer to its agricultural roots; for example, they cultivate yarrow, used historically as a bittering agent. Each of their ten personally designed beers contain natural brewer’s yeast and wildflower honey, which have probiotics and other health benefits and give the beer a more complex taste.
Photos by Rachel Pressley
Sideways Farm & Brewery is open Fridays from 4-8pm and Saturdays from 12-8pm. 62 Eade Road, Etowah. Visit their Instagram: @sidewaysfarmandbrewery. 828-595-4001.
