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FORBIDDEN ROOT BREWERY (CHICAGO) BEGINS DISTRIBUTION IN FLORIDA

Chicago, IL:  Look for beers from Forbidden Root Brewery, Chicago's first botanic brewery, to sprout up around Florida in mid-January. 






In November 2016, Forbidden Root announced that it had partnered with Cavalier Distributing to bring the brewery's nature-inspired beers to the Sunshine State in 2017, following initial distribution of the beers in Illinois and Ohio in late 2016.  According to Carolyn Graham, North Florida District Sales Manager for Cavalier, Forbidden Root will introduce its beers through a tour of the state, with the "East Coast" tour starting on Monday, January 9, in Miami.  Forbidden Root Sales Manager Lincoln Anderson will meet with the area distributing teams prior to launch events where the public can sample the botanic beers.  Forbidden Root will hold tastings in Palm Beach/Broward on January 10, then move through Orlando on January 11, before visiting Jacksonville on Thursday, January 12.  For those in the Jacksonville market, the brews will be available at Coastal Wine Market & Tasting Room at the Nocatee Town Center in Ponte Vedra, beginning at 6pm on January 12.

Forbidden Root, which opened its brewery and restaurant in Chicago in February 2016, is unique in several ways.  As a "Benefit Corporation," it donates 100% of profits from its non-consumable merchandise to charity. The current beneficiary is Chicago's Green City Market. In addition, the brewery dedicates one of its on-site taps as the "Love Handle," which features a beer from a partner brewery, through which $2 from each glass of beer sold is donated to a charitable cause selected by both breweries. The "Love Handle" partner breweries have included Smuttynose Brewing, Three Floyds Brewing, Right Bee Cider, Firestone Walker  Brewing, and Half Acre Brewery. 

The brewery's core beers include fresh botanicals, resulting in creative flavors which complement the four main ingredients of beer. Sublime Ginger, a creamy wheat beer with botanicals and lime juice (3.8 ABV), is a "refreshing breeze Key West Style." Money on My Rind, is a "laid-back" Witbier with juniper berries, grapefruit and grains of paradise (5 ABV). The WPA (Wildflower Pale Ale; 5.6 ABV) is inspired by the Works Progress Administration of the 1930's (you history buffs will recognize that), and features marigold, elderflower and sweet osmanthus flowers.  Forbidden Root's beer lineup also includes a Belgian Dubbel, an Old Ale with cherry stems and almonds, and a chocolate stout.

Forbidden Root's namesake beverage, a hard root beer, was the inspiration for the brewery, as its founder, Robert Finkel, set out to create a "true-brewed root beer." The idea morphed into brewing beers with botanical ingredients. 

As the brewery likes to point out, "we didn't invent botanic beer, we simply embraced it."

Forbidden Root beers will be available on draft and at retail at locations across Florida. 


Welcome Forbidden Root to Florida!

Cheers,

Linda Johnson
Certified Cicerone®