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| For Patriots Lager, from SOF Brewing (photo: Linda Johnson/BrewNymph) |
Kris Hasenauer: US Army Officer, National Guard and Special Forces Group member. Kyle Harth: Army Paratrooper, Green Beret. Brian McDowell: National Guard, deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. And now, the trio wants to show others the "camaraderie of Special Operations Forces" and give their brothers and sisters a "place to drop their ruck and relax." Realizing that many have "paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we can pursue our passions," SOF Brewing has partnered with the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. It's no wonder that the brewery's motto is "Freedom Doesn't Brew Itself!"
While the founders of SOF Brewing may have found a formidable foe in Covid-19, they found a way to start the process of "brewing awesome beer for awesome people," as their mission statement continues. With the help of award-winning brewery 26° Brewing Company in Pompano Beach, where SOF Brewing's first beer, For Patriots Lager, is currently brewed, the Tallahassee startup has recently begun canning and distributing the lager. As of July 20, For Patriots Lager is available throughout the 22-county North Central Florida territory of Cone Distributing.
"We're excited to partner with a brewery like SOF Brewing who is focused on delivering quality beer and giving back to the military and local communities," said Douglas Cone, President and CEO of Team Cone in a press release. "SOF Brewing's For Patriots Lager has a great story and salutes the men and women of the armed forces and the everyday heroes in our communities."
SOF Brewing CEO Kris Hasenauer stated that the young brewery partnered with Cone because of its "close-knit team and family corporate culture." Another factor, he explained, was Cone's "work ethic and 'take care of each other' mentality," which align with the brewery founders' military and special operations backgrounds.
For Patriots Lager is a 4.6% ABV, 30 IBU American Lager. A first-hand tasting revealed a beer which pours a light golden color, with an appropriate carbonation, for an enjoyable, pleasant drinking experience. This lager exhibited no fruity or off-flavors. The taste is malty, bready, with a slight sweetness, together with a medium body. Although it is light, it has substance. The lager is repeatable and certain to be a "go-to" beer at any time of the year or to accompany any type of dish. It gets a thumbs-up!
In addition to the new distribution area, the beer is available at SOF Brewing's brewery for to-go sales only for the time being.
SOF Brewing is located at 603 W. Gaines St., Tallahassee. (Yes, you will recognize this location as the former GrassLands Brewing.) Its current hours for to-go sales are Tuesday-Saturday, 2-7pm. According to the SOF Brewing website, its IPA, Night Stalker, is in the works.
Cone Distributing, with facilities in Ocala and Tallahassee, sells beer from 40 suppliers throughout 22 counties in North Central Florida.
Thanks to Team Cone and SOF Brewing for the chance to taste the beer! This will be another reason to make a future visit to Tallahassee!
Til next time,
Linda
Linda Johnson
Certified Cicerone®
Certified Cicerone®
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