fˈaʊndɚz dʒˈɑːn kˈɑːkɹən, ɐ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti θɹˈiː jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv dʒˈɔːɹdʒə ɡɹˈædʒuːət, ænd bɹˈaɪən "spˈaɪk" bʌkˈaʊski ɐ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks ɐmˈɛɹɪkən bɹˈuːɚz ɡˈɪld kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə ɡɹˈædʒuːət mˈɛt ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt wˌaɪl wˈɜːkɪŋ æɾ ɐtlˈæntə bɹˈuːɪŋ kˈʌmpəni.
Founders John Cochran, a 1993 University of Georgia graduate, and Brian "Spike" Buckowski a 1996 American Brewers Guild (California) graduate - met in 1998 while working at Atlanta Brewing Company.