First City Brewery is ready to pour in Savannah’s Thomas Square neighborhood, and honestly, it feels like exactly the kind of place this stretch of town has been waiting for.

The new brewery is located in the building formerly occupied by Sweet Patricia’s Italian Bakery, which a lot of people in the neighborhood will remember well. Now, instead of pastries and Italian sweets, the space is home to seven beers, a small neighborhood taproom, and a couple who clearly wanted to build something Savannah could use more of: a casual, community-minded place to grab a beer and hang out.

The owners are E.J. McLean and Lindsay Birch-McLean, who moved to Savannah in May of 2024 and pretty quickly noticed something that a lot of us have said out loud over the years. Lindsay had lived here before, she knew the turf. She knew they’d consider settling here.

“I think what we noticed is just, for the amount of patrons, there are very few breweries here,” E.J. said. “We wanted to change the game a little bit.”

They are not wrong. For a city that likes to enjoy itself, Savannah has never been overflowing with neighborhood breweries. Charleston has them seemingly every other block. Savannah? Not so much. That is part of what made First City Brewery feel like an opportunity.

The idea began picking up steam after a trip to Michigan, where they visited one of Lindsay’s dad’s favorite breweries. It had the indoor space, the outdoor hangout area, entertainment, fire pits, picnic tables and that easy neighborhood energy that makes people want to stay awhile.

“This is it,” E.J. said of the inspiration. “And we need that here.”

Now, First City Brewery is not trying to be a massive beer hall right out of the gate. The Thomas Square space is about 1,380 square feet with 48 seats and a capacity of 60. It is cozy, but it is a start, and that is kind of the point.

The beer is made on site, but their process is a little different from what you might expect at a traditional brewery. E.J. is quick to point out he is not a brewmaster with 20 years of experience. Originally, the plan was to contract brew and bring beer in, but they quickly learned that would not work under Georgia law. So they pivoted.

First City is using a system that allows them to help shape the recipes while the early part of the brewing process — the hot side, the mash, the front-end work — is handled elsewhere. From there, the ingredients arrive according to their recipe and formula. They mix, ferment, carbonate and serve the beer right there in the building.

“We have input into the recipes,” E.J. said. “We mix, ferment, carbonate, distribute.”

Right now, they have seven beers available, with room to grow to as many as 12 taps. There is also a non-alcoholic option on tap. As beers are ready, they are kegged on site and poured directly from the cooler system behind the bar.

The purists will undoubtedly turn their noses up at some of these beers and give you 11.4 reasons why they don’t measure up to more ‘traditional’ breweries, and that’s fine. I very much enjoyed 3 of the 6 I sampled. Someone else may pick a different three. Amazing how that works, huh? I think the neighborhood is going to enjoy this. There are 4 televisions in the space, ball games will be a plenty.

There is no full kitchen, but they are doing something fun on Fridays and Saturdays. The first 100 beers ordered will come with a Savannah-style pincho, a small bite inspired by the way bars in San Sebastián serve a little something with your drink. Savannah Scone Company is helping on Fridays with sweet and savory bites, while Hey Honey Boards and Balloons will handle Saturdays.

Guests, however, are welcome to bring food in or have it delivered, which is always a smart move for a neighborhood brewery. Eventually, they would like to partner with nearby restaurants on QR-code ordering.

There is also a Mug Club, with monthly events, beer tastings, food, extra ounces in each pour, personalized mugs and merch discounts. More importantly, members will help guide what First City brews next.

“We want our community to come and hang out with us, have some beers, have some laughs and have a good time,” E.J. said.

They are especially thankful to the Thomas Square Neighborhood Association for helping them get open. In a neighborhood that keeps adding more reasons to walk, eat and drink locally, First City Brewery feels like a natural fit.

First City Brewing is located at 1722 Habersham Street (at 34th). Directly across the street from Cotton and Rye. They are planning to be open until 10pm during the week. Friday and Saturdays until 11pm.

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