As I have said before, I have been a sales rep for more than 25 years now, driving an average of 50,000 miles a year throughout the southeast. I know more good BBQ joints, fried chicken places, meat-n-threes, and hamburger spots than people would believe. But then again — I’m a chubby guy who loves to eat, so it comes with the territory.

The other day a few of my kids, my wife and I were coming from visiting friends over at The Purification Heritage Center in Sharon, Ga. and were heading to meet a customer of mine in Winterville. While driving down the Atlanta Highway, we came to the quaint little town of Crawford.

Not much is happening in Crawford, but wouldn’t you know it, there’s a new BBQ joint there! Now, I don’t know when this place opened. It’s been probably 20 years since I have been through that way, so it might have been there for 15 years, but it didn’t look like it. I looked in the review and asked the gaggle of kids and my wife if they wanted BBQ for lunch. The answer was a resounding yes! So, in we go. 

G Brand BBQ occupies the old Chevy dealership building in beautiful downtown Crawford. You can’t miss it. The smell wafting out of the back of smoked chicken, pork and brisket helps you know God is nearby and loves you.

Now, my usual guide to whether a BBQ place is worth it or not is the chicken. If you can cook a good chicken quarter or half, then the rest of the stuff is probably pretty dadgum good.

The friendly waitress greets us with a smile and individual bags of Lays potato chips. I ordered a half chicken with slaw and stew. Two of us got BBQ sandwiches and my wife got a side of truly awesome potato salad. My son got ribs and two servings of stew. He destroyed the stew and managed to make a good showing with the ribs! The tasty half chicken was a well-seasoned and well-smoked. The ribs were pull-off-the-bone tender and delicious and had a great flavor to them. The BBQ sandwich was the perfect example of northeast Georgia chopped BBQ. If you are from here, you know what I mean. It didn’t disappear and it is a flavor explosion.

To top it off, they serve their BBQ plates with slices of white bread! The perfect side.

G Brand has a six-pack carrier full of sauces and they are all worth the try, but the Tennessee Vinegar has got to be my favorite. I tried them all, so I can speak with assurance.

The coolest part is this, though. While paying I met the owner, Mr. Fred Gretsch. Now, if that name sounds familiar, there’s a reason.

He’s the son of the man who created Gretsch instruments. You know, the drums The Rolling Stones played, the guitars Phil Collins, ZZ Top and Bono play. Those instruments.

So, after some stories, some memories, and a lot of laughter, Mr. Fred and I said goodbye. Not only did I find a good BBQ spot in a small out of the way town, but I made a new friend. You never know who you will meet if you stop and listen to folks. 

Now, on Friday nights Mr. Fred told me they serve steaks! From his farm, too. You can bet in the next couple of weeks my wife and I will point my truck to the northeast and make that hour drive over for a steak and some more stories. Y’all go see him and tell him I said hello.

—Outdoors columnist James Pressley can be reached at pressleyoutdoors@gmail.com.