Darien, Georgia
End of the Line
June 2026
The Tabby House Brewing Company in Darien, Georgia bills itself as the state’s “oldest” brewery. However, there’s a caveat concerning that title. While there are breweries that predate it in the Peach State, the building it is locate in easily is the oldest structure housing such an operation.
Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
Located at 111 Broad Street overlooking the waterfront in the historic former seaport, the Adam Strain Building dates from 1815 and was one of only two structures to survive the burning of the town during the Civil War by the Union’s 54th Massachusetts Infantry made famous by the 1990 movie “Glory.” As the brewery’s name implies, the walls of the Strain building are composed of the lime, sand, ash and oyster shell mixture called tabby.
The building gained its name from being associated with prominent 19th century Darien business man Adam Strain but the building was in use prior to that period. Over the years it was used as a cotton warehouse, ships chandlery, pharmacy and once housed a mercantile operation. In 2008 the Georgia Trust placed the building on its Places in Peril list. Then, in 2020, Marion and Milan Savic purchased the building and spent 4 1/2 years reinforcing walls, restoring its interior and then opened the brewery, which also includes a number of museum displays connected with its early history.
Photo by Polly Dean.
Today the Tabby House features both a downstairs bar and grill, along with an additional bar and event area in the upper floor. Their seven beers mostly have names associated with the early Scottish settlers of Darien, the soldiers of nearby 1720-era Fort King George or even the sea serpent Altamahaha that Muscogee Creek Indian legend says lurks in the waters of the Altamaha River. Those brews are The Double Darien, an imperial IPA; The Altie, an amber red ale; The Celtic Cross, a dry Irish stout; The Hessie, a German Hefeweizen; The Highlander, a Scottish ale; The King’s Brew, an English porter; and The Lighthouse Lager, a light lager.
Photo by Polly Dean.
The bar also provides a full range of cocktails and wines.
Any of those can be paired with the hand-held and other offerings from the brewery’s kitchen. That menu features a half dozen sandwich varieties, along with flatbread choices. Or you may opt for Grazing Boards with cheese, meat lovers, pretzel or more choices.
Whether you choose to enjoy a meal or just a beverage, the air condition interior or open patio overlooking the Darien River provide great settings for experiencing Georgia’s “oldest” brewery!
