making HEADlines:

HURRICANE IRMA HEADS TO FLORIDA; BREWERIES PROVIDE WATER;
BEER EVENTS RESCHEDULED; FILL YOUR GROWLERS WITH WATER!

There's actually a story here (see below):

UPDATE: 9/9/2017: Just about everything is closed, businesses are boarded up, there's no traffic -- it's spooky, really -- and just about the entire state is under a Hurricane Warning. Hope you have everything you need to ride out the storm and the power outage to follow. Here in North Florida/St. Augustine/Jax, we are expected to see the worst of things Sunday night into Monday. See you Tuesday..... 

UDPATE: 9/9/2017, 8AM: Areas north of Daytona Beach are in a Hurricane Watch; track makes westerly shift. Prepare for wind and power outages! 

UPDATE: 9/8/2017, 2PM: JACKSONVILLE BEACH (modified status): Jax Beach is under mandatory evacuation as of  11:30 am today; curfew in effect from 10pm-6am Saturday 9/9 til further notice; beach closes at 10 am Saturday 9/9; sale of alcohol terminates at 6pm Saturday 9/9 til further notice. http://www.jacksonvillebeach.org/news/hurricane-irma-faqs

NOTE: MANY BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED OR CLOSING SOMETIME ON SATURDAY. Let's face it, if you're not evacuating, you're not gonna drive very far from your home today or tomorrow. You can't get anywhere anyway, especially if you're looking at 95 North anywhere south of Jax (or beyond, for that matter). If you're looking for a local neighborhood brewery or business to grab a beer or purchase beer to-go, CALL 'EM first for hours/closings! 

UPDATE: 9/8/2017: ST. JOHNS COUNTY: City of St. Augustine is under evacuation as of Saturday morning, 9/9 (city proper and coastal/water zones): see www.sjcemergencymanagement.org. JACKSONVILLE is also under evacuation in Zones A/B: see www.coj.net. JACKSONVILLE BEACH: see above: http://www.jacksonvillebeach.org/   ... For all: Schools and state offices are closed. Businesses are closed or closing thru Saturday on short notice (call them to be sure). This is from the heart: PLEASE get your remaining supplies today or at least by Saturday.

UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 7, 1pm: INTUITION ALE WORKS IN JAX HAS A TRUCKLOAD OF SAND -- BRING BAGS AND FILL 'EM UP; ALSO 20% OFF GROWLERS TO TAKE THE STRESS OFF. 

TELL IRMA TO GO SHOVEL IT!

HURRICANE IRMA HEADS TO FLORIDA; BREWERIES PROVIDE WATER;
BEER EVENTS RESCHEDULED; FILL YOUR GROWLERS WITH WATER!

It's a name that will go in the history books. Irma: an uninvited guest making her way towards Florida, giving a new (and maybe, more serious) meaning to the term "hurricane party."  And, of course, the moniker "Irmageddon" has been swirling on social media. 

Looking to stock up on dry, canned, and packaged foods to weather out the storm and expected power outages, many people across the state are finding little or no supplies of bottled drinking water. 

If you're a beer geek, one solution is already in your cabinet. Got growlers? Fill those with drinking water! If you live in an area that has good quality drinking water from your kitchen faucet, get your growlers, fill them up, and you'll have plenty of drinking water when you need it. 

Cases of empty gallon growlers donated by this writer
in Jacksonville on September 6

If your home does not have drinkable tap water, and you are in need of a water supply, chances are that your local brewery may be able to help you out. After all, the main ingredient in beer is water, and breweries usually have some of the best water around. 

Stories are circulating throughout Florida about breweries offering to fill water containers free of charge. Also, many breweries are filling their own tanks with water to provide to the community. From north to south and east to west, Florida breweries are lending a hand.  

Around the Jacksonville area, several local breweries and craft beer businesses have offered to fill water containers or offer cans of water to those in need:

Wicked Barley Brewing Company, 4100 Baymeadows Rd., Jax, will fill containers with water (up to a total of 20 gallons) through Friday, September. 8, at its brewery during the hours of 10am-2pm.

Green Room Brewing, 228 Third St. North, Jax Beach, will also fill bottles or other containers with water.

Veterans United Craft Brewery, 8999 Western Way, Jax, offered 50 free filled quart cans (“Crowlers”) of water on September 6; following that, the filled cans will be available for $2 each.  Update 9/7, 3pm: The brewery has announced that it is also filling water containers for free up to 10 gallons per person. 

Beer:30 San Marco, 1543 San Marco Blvd., a craft beer retail shop and tap room, offered 50 free quart cans (“Crowlers”) of water on September 6.

Irma Affecting Beer Events on September 9

Irma is threatening the entire state, and that mysterious "cone" is not yet providing any pinpoint details on where the eye will strike. With landfall expected in South Florida around Friday and Saturday, and a path looking more like a trip up the state's eastern coast, a number of beer events scheduled for Saturday, September 9 have been postponed or rescheduled. 

Around Jacksonville, the 4th Anniversary Party at Aardwolf Brewing has been postponed until further notice. The Bruval Craft Beer and Music Fest at the Seawalk Pavilion in Jax Beach has been rescheduled to Saturday, November 18. 

Long Weekend Ahead

This isn't the type of "long weekend" that anyone wants. Glad when the weekend will be over? You don't hear that too often!

Sure, the hurricane jokes and silly videos will surface over the weekend (of course, it's already started). This writer will likely try to find some type of lighthearted take on things, and shoot video of coolers stocked with beer (it worked last year when Matthew rolled through).  And, that raises another thing to add to your list of things to do: stock up on your beer supply! 

Cheers to the Florida breweries for helping out in a time of need.

Cheers to getting through the weekend in Florida (that's not on the postcard).  There's likely to be an "Irmageddon" beer soon......

Linda Johnson,

Certified Cicerone®