ATLANTA (WJBF) — As soccer fans from around the world descend on Atlanta this summer, one local brewery is giving them a taste of Europe without ever leaving Georgia.
Monday Night Brewing has partnered with breweries in Spain and the Czech Republic to create two limited-edition beers inspired by international brewing traditions ahead of FIFA World Cup festivities.
The collaborations came after brewery leaders traveled to Barcelona and Prague, where they worked alongside brewers at Garage Beer and Dva Kohouti to develop unique recipes designed to celebrate both soccer culture and craft beer.
“We weren’t sure what to expect with the World Cup,” said Joel Iverson, co-founder of Monday Night Brewing. “Having it here in Atlanta has created an extra level of energy around the city and around the whole world coming here to Atlanta.”
One of the beers draws inspiration from Spain’s iconic paella dish, featuring ingredients including saffron, smoked paprika, rice and Spanish orange juice. The second beer is a Czech-style lager brewed with traditional Czech malts.
“It sounds crazier than it tastes delicious,” Iverson said. “One is for the easy drinker and the other will challenge your palate because you’ve never had a beer with saffron in it.”
The brewery has also launched a “Summer of Soccer” series of watch parties, screening every World Cup match and offering food and beverage pairings inspired by the nine countries scheduled to play matches in Atlanta this summer.
During major matches, especially those involving Team USA, brewery officials say crowds have packed the venue.
Bartender Madleline Thomas said the World Cup atmosphere has attracted both dedicated soccer supporters and newcomers to the sport.
“We have a lot of people that are soccer fans here, and then people that actually just want to come and watch because Atlanta has the FIFA World Cup,” Thomas said. “It’s bringing people together.”
Beyond creating a unique fan experience, the brewery says the World Cup has also provided a boost to business as visitors and locals gather to watch matches.
The limited-edition beers are available at Monday Night Brewing and at select restaurants and retailers across metro Atlanta.
Monday Night Brewing plans to continue hosting its Summer of Soccer watch parties through mid-July.