We interviewed co-owner and brewmaster Michael Branam, who gave us the inside scoop on Meander’s start, evolution, and impact in Buford’s community.
By Francesca Augello / Photos by Alexis Dunston and courtesy Meander Brewing Co.
Meander Brewing Co. began with two friends wanting to take their home-brewing skills
to the next level. Owners and master brewers Michael Branam and Paul Bushell have created their ultimate dream: owning and operating a brewery that serves delicious beer and makes everyone feel right at home. Meander Brewing welcomed its first customer in November of 2024, and recently held its grand opening this past March. Since then, downtown Buford has welcomed it with open arms.
How did you get involved in the craft beer industry? I started home brewing 31 years ago. A guy I knew who was a home brewer got me started… he gave me some Belgian Triples and that was pretty much all it took; I was hooked on home brewing after that. Then I brewed at Monkey Wrench for about eight months, and I talked to a number of brewers and brewmasters from Creature Comforts, Monday Night, Cherry Street, etc., and realized continuing this endeavor on a grander scale wouldn’t be as tough as I’d thought it would be. Paul and I met about 18 years ago. The story goes that he crashed a family party, drank one of my IPAs, and couldn’t look back. I eventually taught him how to brew, and that turned into us doing an annual collaborative beer, a barleywine, and that eventually made us want to open our own brewery together.
Why downtown Buford? We were looking for a place that was in a walkable area. We looked in Decatur, Suwanee, Lawrenceville, and Duluth, but it never worked out — mainly because there wasn’t anything available in those cities. Buford piqued our interest, but they didn’t even have the laws that allowed breweries at the time that we 
were looking into it. We couldn’t find a place in Buford either until we saw our current space on Google Maps, went to the city to inquire about changing ordinances to allow breweries, and then got in touch with the owner of this building. Eventually she let us lease it, which was a relief because it was exactly what we’d been looking for. During our search we’d noticed a lot of breweries that were going under were all settled in more industrial areas, so we wanted a location where there was easy access to food, a downtown area, and — of course — us.
What’s the story behind the name Meander Brewing? It’s actually an interesting story. Paul and I were trying to come up with names for the brewery, but we struggled with copyright. I think we came up with anywhere between 300 and 400 names, but they were all trademarked. Rewind to about four years ago, my wife and I completely tore up and rebuilt a koi pond in our backyard. Paul and my son-in-law would repeatedly ask me what was wrong with the pond, and my response was that “it looked fake, unnatural, and didn’t meander enough.” So it became this big joke any time I did a project my son-in-law and Paul would ask me if whatever I was fixing “meandered.” One day Paul and I were having a beer next to the koi pond and he suggested we call the brewery “meander”… of course
I thought he was joking, but when we looked it up it was available. What was once a running inside joke became the name of our business.
What has the community support been like? It’s been awesome. We have a lot of people who live locally that have become regulars here, especially people who work for the city. The support’s been great, but the problem is hearing “we didn’t even know you were here” and they live right around the corner. Once people know we exist, though, they become returning customers.
What sets Meander Brewing apart from other Georgia breweries? Paul and I both came up from home brewing, so we were always trying to make the best beer we could for our friends and families. When we started this business, our goal was to produce an environment that was more laid-back and casual; we wanted our customers to feel less like they were visiting a warehouse, and more like they were hanging out in their friend’s basement.
What is your favorite beer in the taproom? That’s tough. It would be between the Lemon Drop Hazy IPA and the Dog-Tired Kölsch. If it’s hot outside and I want a refreshing beer, I’ll go with the Kölsch, but if I’m craving a more intense hoppy flavor, I’ll go with the Lemon Drop. Overall, though, the Kölsch is probably the most popular. The Dreamsicle Seltzer has been a hit here, too, that we didn’t expect, but people love it.
If you could recommend one of your beers that’s perfect for summer, what would it be and why? Two come to mind: the Dog- Tired Kölsch and the Wit’s End Belgian Wit. The Kölsch — and I mean this in the best way possible — is more akin to a “lawnmower beer” in that you’d drink it when you want a refreshing, light beverage that hits the spot. On the other hand, the Wit is still light but has a more citrus-forward and hazy taste. Playing around with its multitude of flavors has been as fun for us brewers as it’s been for our customers; it’s definitely a fan favorite around here.
Are you currently hosting any events in the taproom? Yes, we host trivia on 
Wednesdays, and we usually have a musical artist every week or so — usually Fridays or Saturdays. We have Kevn Kinny of Drivn N Cryin who’ll be playing here May 9th. That’s a ticketed show, and you can access those through our website, MeanderBrewingCo.com. Paul’s wife also arranged Meandering Minds Book Club that meets here once a month.
Tell us a bit about your brewing team. Right now it’s just Paul and I. We essentially run this whole business on top of working our day jobs — this includes the front-of-house operations as well as doing all of the brewing. We also did the majority of the construction with help from our wives; all of the woodworking, bar tables, and tap handles were built by Paul and I, and our wives helped design the bathrooms and with other creative elements.
For more information on Meander Brewing Co., visit MeanderBrewingCo.com
Meander Brewing Co. 110 E. Moreno St., Buford, GA 30518
