Anthony had a decade in craft beverage behind him and nowhere to put it. The where came from Bob Budd—an investor in the brewery where Anthony worked, his boss, and a man who’d already built and sold businesses of his own. In 2015, Bob brought him to LaGrange to meet the people running it.

That room is the reason any of this happened. Those community leaders offered something rarer than money—people willing to back an idea. Anthony offered proof: a craft beer festival in the historic downtown, to find out whether the appetite was really there.

The turnout was staggering. The festival drew thousands to this small Georgia town and just like that, a craft beer scene was born in LaGrange.

Wild Leap took shape the following year. 2016 was the year of real planning and real fundraising—and the year Anthony called the best brewer he knew. He and Chris Elliott had been friends twenty years by then, roommates in college and best men at each other’s weddings, so the answer was never really in doubt. Chris started brewing in his garage—an actual garage—and those first batches became Chance and Local Gold.

Now knowing LaGrange was where they needed to be, the search for the perfect location was underway. Anthony recalled seeing an old building he’d pointed out while in LaGrange on business. “That would make a really cool spot for a brewery,” he commented when laying eyes on the Westbrook Service & Tire Co. building, a historic property on the edge of downtown that was in need of some love.

After revisiting the site, Anthony had his heart set and his mind made up. This was the spot.

Wild Leap collaborated with locals and community champions to begin restoration on the 59 year-old building while preserving its story, charm and character. From the taproom’s 7-foot-tall exposed steel trusses and revealed brick to the glass-walled brewhouse and old signage in the decor, the finished blend of antique and trendy would later earn Wild Leap an award for Excellence in Rehabilitation on behalf of The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.

In addition to spectacular indoor areas, Wild Leap adjoins an expansive outdoor area where, not surprisingly, many large-scale events have been held. Known for their love of music, Wild Leap has hosted countless live performances along with New Year’s Eve parties and numerous food festivals.

From the word go, Wild Leap’s mission was to create balanced and approachable craft beverages. This is great in theory, but without the right team, this would only be a pipe dream.

An expert in capturing mouthwatering flavors through inventive brewing techniques, Chris Elliott’s approach to craft beer was pivotal in bringing the Wild Leap dream to life. Elliott’s inquisitive nature, progressive ideas and love for experimenting is why he’s called the Wild Leap mad scientist (and our Chief Brewing Officer, when he’s behaving!)

In early 2017, Wild Leap began concocting their first core beers: Local Gold Blonde Ale and Chance IPA. Local Gold, a tribute to the locals of LaGrange, is a light and approachable hybrid style purposefully designed to ease domestic beer drinkers into craft beer. Chance IPA is an ode to the chance the owners took to follow their dreams with Wild Leap. They hope it inspires others to do the same.

Most fans associate the Wild Leap brand with a stoic illustration of an American buffalo. So, where does the buffalo come into play? Normally found in herds, the lone buffalo represents the one who broke away from the pack to forge their own path. Native Americans hold buffalo and bison in high regard as symbols of indomitable spirit; a soul strong enough to face challenges with power to move forward. The bison teaches us that if you want something, you must be “all in.” Fittingly, the buffalo represents a manifesting of goals and service to the community—the essence of the Wild Leap story.

With the beer flowing, Wild Leap was ready for the next step in their journey to create balanced and flavorful craft beverages. Wild Leap Vodka hits the scene and handcrafted cocktails debut in the taproom.

Rather than sporting the familiar buffalo, Wild Leap Vodka features a profile image of a bear, setting it apart from Wild Leap craft beer. The bear represents strength, confidence and a determination to overcome all hurdles. It bears with it (pun intended) the Wild Leap mindset, to find the courage to take chances—in your career or your personal life.

As COVID-19 shuddered businesses across the globe, Wild Leap temporarily closed its taproom in March 2020 in response to growing concerns of public safety. But you know what they say, you can’t keep a good man down. Wild Leap deftly shifted craft beer and handcrafted cocktails to a successful curbside pick-up model. Fans flocked to LaGrange to stay stocked up on their Wild Leap pandemic essentials.

For those unable to make the trek for curbside cocktails, the team reformulated some of these cocktail favorites to increase shelf stability, and began offering them in markets throughout Georgia. Strawberry Mango and Creamsicle Mojito Ready-To-Drink craft cocktails were the first flavors launched and Wild Leap Vodka fans were over the moon (and no longer parched).