Ronald Smith

I grew up on a farm in an isolated rural area of middle Tennessee. I spent most of my free time out in nature, shooting firearms in competition, or watching Star Wars for the umpteenth time. I attended Tennessee Tech University, earning my Bachelor's Degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. I’ll admit to being an awful student until my junior year, when I finally learned studying techniques that worked for me. I went on to attend Jacksonville State University - Jacksonville, Alabama - where I gained my Master’s Degree in Biology. I stayed on at JSU as an Adjunct Professor for several years before starting a career as an environmental consultant to the US Army and Army Reserve and ultimately living in Atlanta.

All through my life I’ve been v

I grew up on a farm in an isolated rural area of middle Tennessee. I spent most of my free time out in nature, shooting firearms in competition, or watching Star Wars for the umpteenth time. I attended Tennessee Tech University, earning my Bachelor's Degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. I’ll admit to being an awful student until my junior year, when I finally learned studying techniques that worked for me. I went on to attend Jacksonville State University - Jacksonville, Alabama - where I gained my Master’s Degree in Biology. I stayed on at JSU as an Adjunct Professor for several years before starting a career as an environmental consultant to the US Army and Army Reserve and ultimately living in Atlanta.

All through my life I’ve been visually and detail oriented; drawing or photographing wildlife, aircraft, spacecraft, or landscapes, labeling the features, and writing a personal synopsis about each subject. The process evolved into my own research technique as a student and environmental professional. Some of these research projects have become incomplete stories and uncompiled notes.

Atlanta Beer gave me a chance to complete a fascinating and fun project along with Ms. Mary Boyle. Mary has been a kindred spirit for over a decade and it was fantastic to write this book with her. History has always been a subject I have enjoyed and beer (process, history, and industry) has been a fascination for two decades. For a year (2012-2013) we researched, compiled, and wrote the story of beer and brewing in Atlanta as it progressed from colonial Georgia to the modern craft beer boom.