Georgia Beer Company Tapped as One of Georgia’s Small Business ROCK STARS
May 26, 2026
What began as a weekend hobby and some big dreams among friends has grown into a standout small-business success story for J. Ryce Martin and Chris Jones, co-founders of the Georgia Beer Company.
Valdosta’s hometown brewery and a catalyst for downtown revitalization, the Georgia Beer Company was recently named one of the 2026 Small Business ROCK STARS by the Georgia Department of Economic Development. The recognition places the company among only five small businesses statewide honored for their economic impact, community investment, and entrepreneurial spirit.
The award also highlights the power of partnership and vision, including support from the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority, City of Valdosta, Downtown Development Authority, and the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center, located at Valdosta State University.
Years before the first pint was poured, the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority helped make the project possible by purchasing the Valdosta Water Works building. The historic property, located in the downtown district, sat vacant for decades before being transformed into one of the region’s first breweries and taprooms, specializing in seasonal ales, stouts, and IPAs.
“When the development authority stepped in with a facility that they were going to renovate and offered a lease-to-own deal, it really pushed the project forward,” said Martin. “People started seeing that this was really going to happen. This wasn’t just two guys in a garage making beer.”
After several years of planning — and more than a few setbacks along the way — the dream became a reality on February 4, 2019, when Georgia Beer Company opened a microbrewery and taproom in Valdosta.
“We opened as the local brewery trend was really taking off,” Martin said. “At the time, the closest brewery was in Tallahassee, but craft breweries were already becoming popular across the region.”
Georgia Beer Company started with three beers, including the award-winning Destress Express, which won a gold medal at the U.S. Open Beer Championship and remains a fan favorite. Today, the brewery has more than 200 recipes, including those sourced with local ingredients like blueberries.
Martin said the community quickly embraced the taproom, and the company was beginning to expand its retail distribution when the COVID-19 pandemic “put a weird spin” on sales.
“With COVID restrictions, our taproom sales diminished,” Martin said. “People could call in an order, drive up, and we would bring beer to their car. We thought we would do curbside service and try to wait it out.”
But as more people stayed home, demand shifted quickly to retail.
“Grocery stores, including Publix, started calling because people were quarantining and buying beer to take home,” he said. “Within a week, we were cranking out beer as fast as we could.”
That shift allowed the company to keep employees working and continue paying the bills until the taproom could fully reopen.
As a tourism draw for Valdosta, the Georgia Beer Company attracts visitors seeking locally brewed craft beer. On any given day, the brewery’s parking lot reflects that reach, with a mix of local and out-of-town license plates from travelers making Georgia Beer part of their travel experience.
While the taproom has helped introduce more people to Valdosta, Martin credits the regulars with helping Georgia Beer Company earn its Small Business ROCK STAR status.
Many local customers are members of the Georgia Beer Coalition, which offers perks such as the first taste of new beers before they are officially launched, larger glasses in the taproom, and special events throughout the year. The brewery even names a Coalition Member of the Year, reflecting the strong customer loyalty and community connection that continue to fuel its success.
Martin said he is especially proud to have a part in creating a small business in the community where he grew up, graduated from Lowndes High School, and earned two degrees from Valdosta State University.
Entrepreneurship also runs deep in his family. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all owned businesses in the construction industry. While his path led him to craft beer rather than construction, he said he is proud to continue that family legacy of building something of his own.
“I think we’ve been able to create something unique here, and we’re still creating — that’s the best part,” he said. “Having the community support us the way it has is amazing.”
For Martin, the Georgia Beer Company is more than a business. “I have the best job. I love what I do, and I wouldn’t want to do anything else, anyplace else.”