Recently, I got the chance to try Athens newest brewery, Akademia, and I was very pleased with my experience.

Akademia Brewing Company opened up on the west side of the Classic City in October 2017. It is Athens's first "brewpub" meaning that it not only is a brewery but also has a full service restaurant as well.

Co Founders Matt Casey and Morgan Wireman chose the name Akademia because it was the location for the Academy of Plato in the year 385 BC. According to their website, "like the Academy of Plato, the University of Georgia was the birthplace of American higher education. And much like the city with which it shares a name."

Sticking true to the Classic City roots, Akademia's logo even features Greek-inspired architecture and is spelled in Greek letters.

Their menu is food inspired by countries that are known for their beer, and it's specialized to match the brewpub feeling. From my personal experience I enjoyed the prime rib sandwich and the buffalo chicken flatbread the most. I also got to give their wings a try, and i was not disappointed.

Their beer menu was very large and catered to nearly everyone in my group. The beer I liked the best was their "Hoprodite" which is a juicy IPA that tastes like had hints of grapefruit and orange in it. Another beer I liked was the "Noctua". It's an Imperial Stout that has a 10% ABV and was an enjoyable beer to drink throughout dinner.

Another part I enjoyed about Akademia was the space it provided. When you walk you are greeted nicely by a hostess, and can be taken to a table to dine in or you can go right to the full service bar to drink. They also have a liquor drink menu, which is unique because no other Athens brewery serves cocktails.

Overall, I would give my experience a perfect score of ten. The service was excellent, the food was enjoyable and it was the best time I have ever had at a brewery. The brewpub concept seems to be working because it seems like people are catching on to this hidden gem in Athens.