Watches and Beers: Jekyll Brewing

It’s that time of year where the days start to shorten, and you wake up to crisp temperatures and changing colors. That also means that some of our favorite breweries are rotating in their fall brews. So, we went and visited our friends at Jekyll Brewing to take a look at what’s on tap, and, of course, we brought some watches along for the ride. But first, let’s take a look at Jekyll.

 

Jekyll Brewing is a craft brewer in Alpharetta, Georgia and the first in the city. They are an award-winning brewer with a huge taproom and a bevy of year-round, seasonal and limited edition beers. They take pride in their roots and the history of Georgia brewing, serving as the inspiration for their name.  Jekyll Island, a small island off the coast of Georgia, was the home of the first brewery in the deep south.  From the large, distressed wooden logo in the taproom to the number 44 (the number of gallons of beer given to a colonist when they arrived in Georgia) on the taps, and even the name, Jekyll Brewing pays homage to the past, while looking forward as a leader in brewing.

 

Now, the beers:

 

Hop Dang Diggity

One of Jekyll’s signature beers, and available year-round, Hop Dang Diggity is an IPA that has nodes of Georgia pine, but with a malt foundation. Its two-tone green packaging with silver lightning bolts reminds us of the lush woods, with a southern storm moving in. We paired this with the Rolex Milgauss, a substantial watch, built to withstand a magnetic field of 1000 gauss. The lightning bolts on the can and the dial complement each other nicely, and the signature green crystal on the Milgauss rounds it all out.

 

 Seven Bridges

Seven Bridges is a German-style Oktoberfest Lager. It is pretty much a perfect beer year-round but is definitely best for cool fall nights on the porch or at a tailgate with friends. Seven Bridges is a full-bodied malt brew with just a hint of spice. It has a rich amber tone that evokes the color of changing leaves. And, it’s a silver medalist from the Great American Beer Festival. We paired this German brew with a German watch – Nomos Club Aqua Automat Datum. Its clean white dial and orange accents make it an ideal watch for every day. Plus, on a soft brown leather strap, it makes the Nomos and the Oktoberfest a flawless pair.

 

Convergent Haze

Jekyll Brewing’s Convergent Haze is a kettle sour IPA. With citrus notes, it makes us want to hold on to the last little bit of sun and summer weather. However, its sour candy-like taste makes us nostalgic for trick-or-treating at Halloween.  The bright orange color doesn’t hurt either.  We paired it with an OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean. This watch’s bright orange bezel, leather strap, and accents are just as playful as the beer.

 

Flightless Fowl

Flightless Fowl is a Juicy IPA. It’s a bit exotic utilizing hops sourced from Australia and New Zealand to give it a strong burst of flavor under its creamy texture. There is also a hint of passionfruit and grape to give it a little something extra. On the can sits a kiwi, a flightless bird native to New Zealand. We paired Flightless Fowl with a pilot’s watch from Bell & Ross – the Aviation Pro Titanium Chronograph. This watch’s square case is distinct, just like the beer, and the colors reflect the can nicely. Plus, it a great watch whether you are in flight or grounded like the kiwi.

 

 

Big Creek

With one of the largest waterways in the south (the Chattahoochee river), there are no shortage of smaller creeks in Georgia. So, Jekyll created Big Creek to honor the creek that meanders near their office. It’s a kolsch-style beer that is not quite a lager and not quite an ale. True to the roots of Kolsch beers, Big creek has a straw-yellow hue and is a great choice for those fall days where the afternoons are still warm. The packaging is a bright and fun, perfect for the OMEGA Seamaster Olympic Edition. Its wave dial and open hands mirror the lines on the can while the different colors on the bezel go well with the jolly fish. This is one dive watch that holds up to both creeks and oceans alike.

 

Not into Beer?

 

Jekyll Brewing aren’t just masters at the art of fermenting hops. They also have their own coffee roast from their Jekyll Coffee Lab. This Colombian roast has flavors of chocolate, cherry, and caramel. It’s a smooth coffee that’s a great breakfast brew. For us, the watch choice was clear. The Tudor Pelagos with a blue bezel and dial is the ultimate Monday morning office watch. Like the coffee – it’s a pick-me-up after the weekend and helps tackle the week in style.

 

Watches, like beer, are more complicated than they seem. They each have distinct characteristics to celebrate and can bring people together. So, we want to thank our friends at Jekyll Brewing for having us at their taproom to talk beers and watches. Cheers!