Saturday, April 4:
Metropolitan Park, Jacksonville
12pm-7pm
Live music featuring The Corbitt Brothers Band, Tishamingo, and headliner act O.A.R.; food trucks; and beer in cans from the likes of Samuel Adams, New Belgium, Oskar Blues, Miller, Sierra Nevada and Veterans United. And, your ticket price includes a ticket to the season-opener of the Jacksonville Armada.
How 'bout them cans?
Brewmaster's Invitational Beer Festival
Exploration Tower, Port Canaveral
12pm-4:30pm (VIP early entry)
Open Bar til 8pm
They're calling it the "Big Beer Festival," and take a look at what they've got going on. Food, food pairings, music, art. And....beer... a lot of it, from some names you know and love from Florida and more. Three stages of music. I can't make it this year, but this is definitely on my calendar for next year.
Cajun Cafe on the Bayou
Festival of Florida Beer
Cajun Cafe on the Bayou, Pinellas Park
2-6pm
100+ Florida craft beers, Cajun plate and other food. Featuring Dunedin Doggie Rescue Fundraiser. Sounds like a spicy good time.
Saturday, April 11:
Presented by Dixie Grill and Bar
Palm Beach Zoo, West Palm Beach
5:30-9pm (VIP early entry)
Some pretty awesome Florida breweries will be represented along with regional and national favorites. Food vendors on site, live music, premium beers for VIPs. Drink some great beer, have a good time, and support the zoo.
A wild time, for sure!
Saturday, April 18:
Hogtown Craft Beer Festival
Tioga Town Center, Gainesville
12-5pm
Alright, alright. I've been there the past two years, and I've already got tix for this one. All the beers you'd expect, and more. This is one fun fest. Brewers are grouped in "pods." The fest is held at a new location this year. Food will be available from local restaurants and caterers. Look out for that drone that flies around, too. Check out the website for videos and drone footage from prior fests. And, if you look at two years ago, you'll see yours truly in a video (shameless).
This is a fest that you don't want to miss. And, if you're coming in from out of town and get there early or want something to do afterward (stay overnight), make sure you visit one of those local breweries there (who knows, you might even have a Wild Night or meet a Siren). You got that, right?
Panama City Beach Beer Festival at Fishale Taphouse and Grill
Fishale Taphouse and Grill,
Panama City Beach
1-4pm
It's the second year for this one (OK to call it "Second Annual"). Another salivating brewery list. Proceeds go to Toys for Kids. Over 200 beers. VIPs get early access, light hors d'oeuvres, and access to a private beer tasting. Sounds like a real party at the beach!
Saturday, April 25:
Second Annual Elvis Day at the Brewpub
Tomoka Brewing Company, Port Orange
12pm-???
You've probably heard of Tomoka's Elvis PB Banana Sandwich Brown Ale, a peanut buttery tastebud treat that the brewers release on occasion. (What? If you haven't, take a look at my prior blog post; and yes, I finally was able to taste this delicious brew recently!!) So, now it gets bigger, and they are taking an entire day to celebrate "Elvis" beer. But, here's a mouthful: Get ready for tapping of The King Imperial Elvis PB Banana Sandwich Brown Ale, at high noon, and then on tap all day. But, there's more: tapping at 3pm is Vanilla Bean Bourbon Aged The King. And, what ... a Chocolate Elvis, too? Elvis is in the house at 4pm, followed by a costume contest at 6pm. So, hey, all you Hound Dogs, get your pelvises and those Blue Suede Shoes over to Tomoka Brewing!
Homebrew and BBQ to Benefit Jeannie's Kidney Fund at Pine Street Pub
Pine Street Pub, Inverness
4-8pm
Several local Crystal River area Florida breweries and local homebrew clubs will be featured at this fundraiser for Jeannie, who is battling renal disease. Over 50 craft beers (including Heady Topper?), BBQ available for purchase, music, raffles. A beery fun time to help out someone in need. Check out the website and FB page for more.
Tree Fest 2015 Presented by Solar Impact and SwampHead Brewery
SwampHead Brewery, Gainesville
1-9pm
Drink some delicious SwampHead beer (and I do mean delicious!) to raise money to plant some trees! In this new partnership, our friends at SwampHead have joined forces with Solar Impact to help the environment and do something good around Earth Day! Money will be raised to plant trees with the Alachua Conservation Trust. So get this: you buy ONE SwampHead beer, and that will result in the planting of FIVE trees! Is that a no-brainer or what? It's a family-friendly afternoon (from 1-4pm, and then the event continues til 9pm). Food trucks will be on site, and family-friendly activities are planned. Money raised from the event will go to the planting of the trees (one-year old longleaf pines) at Little Orange Creek Preserve in Hawthorne, FL. Feeling more generous? Give 'em a $1 for another tree, or buy some food for another tree! The goal is to plant at least 5,000 trees from the money raised at TreeFest. SwampHead is the first solar-powered brewery in Florida (I can't wait to see it!), and TreeFest seems like a natural fit. For more info, you can also take a look at treefestfl.com.
And, mark your calendars for a few local events in St. Augustine:
April 8: Chouffe Gnome Night at Stogies Cigar Bar, 36 Charlotte St., 6-9pm
Not sure if the Gnome will be there, but there will be Chouffe beers on tap for a special night.
April 15: St. Augustine Home Brewers Club Meeting at BT's Grill and Beer Garden, 223 W. King St., 7:30pm til????
It's the best Wednesday of the month....the third Wednesday! It was a lively meeting last month, and there's always entertaining beer talk and more. Whether you're a homebrewer, you're interested in homebrewing, or you just want to hang out and find out more, this is where you want to be on the third Wednesday! Find out about group brews, competitions, events, and, well, we drink some beer, too. See ya there! (And, yeah, this just happens to be Tax Day, just sayin....you might need some friendly types and beer).
April 15: New Belgium Brewing Night at J.P. Henley's (Pub), 10 Marine St., 6:30pm
Check out a selection of New Belgium Brewing beers, plus pint-glass give-aways.
April 21: New Belgium Brewing Beer Dinner at Barley Republic Irish Pub, 48 Spanish St.
No further information was available as of this writing, but check out "The Barley's" webpage, http://www.barleyrepublicph.com/index.html and its Facebook page for more info about time and menu.
April 30: Bold City Brigade St. Augustine Chapter Draft Day Party at Candlelight South, 1 Anastasia Blvd.
I'm including this one, because this is a bunch of Jaguars fans who love to party (that could mean we like to drink some beer). Are you a Jaguars fan? Are you looking for a group to hang out with during games? Do you like beer? You did read that last question, right? Come out to this party and get some info on how to join the group. Visit Bold City Brigade's main website, or take a look at the St. Augustine Chapter's Facebook page (Bold City Brigade St. Augustine). Also, this is a very active Twitter group, and we like recording beer in Untappd, too.
OK, I think that's it for now. And, remember that I'm always looking for info on beer-related events. I go through a number of sources to compile these events, but if you know of or are holding an event, let me know! Really, it's easy as 1-2-3: (1) Get at me in person when I'm out and about (I might be crazy, but I'm pretty nice, even a bit funny when I've had a beer or two); (2) Send me an email at brewnymph@comcast. net; or (3) Go to my website, www.brewnymph.com and send me a message from there (you can look at my other posts, too, you know you wanna!)
Cheers, and Hoppy Spring!