Terrapin Beer Company was born when two brewers met while working together at a microbrewery in Atlanta. Looking around at what other breweries in the SE were doing, Spike and John felt they could make a contribution. Realizing that anyone could make just another pale ale, brown ale or stout, Spike and John set their sights on crafting beers unlike any that were currently available in the SE. Terrapin introduced its first beer, the Rye Pale Ale in April of 2002. Six months later while only available on draft in Athens, Terrapin’s sole offering won the American Pale Ale Gold Medal at the 2002 Great American Beer Festival. Only six months old, Terrapin had arrived in style!