Sun, Suds & Charity: Rocky Water Brew Fest, Melbourne 2018

High above Eau Gallie Blvd.

October 24, 2018: Under sunshine and blue skies, the 5th Annual Rocky Water Brew Fest brought together 37 small Florida craft breweries and homebrewers for an afternoon of sipping suds for the benefit of the Eau Gallie Rotary Club charities on Saturday, October 20, 2018. 

Once again, Highland Avenue at the intersection of Eau Gallie Blvd. in the Eau Gallie Arts District of Melbourne traded vehicles for beer tents. With only 1600 allotted tickets, Fest Chair Tom Richards confirmed that there was "method to the madness," so that the ratio of guests to brewers results in a great experience for attendees.  Last year, tickets sold out at the gate on fest day, and this year, online tickets sold out a day ahead, as announced on social media (what's that about "I told you so?").  The beerfest, originally conceived around six years ago by organizers, took on a vision by Intracoastal Brewing Company head brewer Donald Atwell as an event designed to showcase the state's smaller breweries. 

Partner brewery Intracoastal Brewing, itself located in the Eau Gallie Arts District about a block away from the Eau Gallie Square fest venue, kicked things off with a brewers' party on Friday night, which was open to the public. For those anywhere within a few blocks, there was no mistaking where this party was! The event featured food trucks, music, special beer releases, and a bunch of brewers roaming around Intra's new brewhouse, the beer garden, and original tap room. "Those guys at Intra are wonderful," said Fest Chair Richards. With Intra committing its staff to the fest and pre-party every year, Richards included a special shout-out to Maggie Williams, one of Intra's managers, who was instrumental in making things run seamlessly. 

Slingin' in the Rain .... It Poured at Rocky Water Brew Fest!

The drive south on I-95 from St. Augustine on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 20 was a bit ominous: dark skies, rainy interludes, a peek of sun providing some glimmer of optimism, followed by generally gray cloud cover. I had this marked on the calendar for a while, and it was a definite go:  the first Rocky Water Brew Fest in Melbourne. (Do we say "first annual"?)