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. 

Gator Tales: St. Augustine Alligator Farm Croctoberfest was a Walk in the Park

Local lager from Dog Rose Brewing, St. Augustine,
at St. Augustine Alligator Farm's first Croctoberfest

October 3, 2018: Celebrating 125 years as a beloved tourist and educational attraction, the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park hosted its first beerfest on Friday night, September 28, 2018. The inaugural Croctoberfest brought out both four-legged and two-legged creatures, and even some who moved around in other ways. A cozy and intimate brew-at-the-zoo beer-and-food event, Croctoberfest took place throughout the park, as guests roamed through various habitats sipping beer, listening to music, engaging and watching the zoo inhabitants, and chatting with conservation organizations. "We believe the event was a great success .. with over $12,000 raised for the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group and Malayan Gharials," recapped Trevor Mia, of the park's Education Department, after the event. 

The fest was unique in that a number of local conservation organizations were set up alongside Florida brewery and local food vendors. The tree-lined backdrop provided a beautiful evening setting, and the zoo residents also provided entertainment. 

Educational activities began before the doors opened, as zoo staff introduced two gharials to attendees outside the event entrance. 

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Hosts Inaugural Croctoberfest Beer and Food Event, Sept. 28

[Ed. Note, 10/3/2018: see the recap with photos on the homepage!]

September 24, 2018: The St. Augustine Alligator Farm always provides guests with an exciting visit, with resident reptiles and exotic animal species roaming the grounds. For those who time it right, there's also the chance to view feedings. All in all, it's a pretty wild time, with educational overtones.  The Alligator Farm adds a new level of animal behavior, with its first "Croctoberfest," on Friday evening, September 28, 6-9pm. This "brew-at-the-zoo" event brings beer, food, and spirits together for the season of Oktoberfest and Fall with a catchy name and some crafty inhabitants. 

The concept began over a year ago during a staff meeting, says Trevor Mia, of the Zoo Education Department, with "Croctoberfest" being a logical name for this time of year. "We wanted to host a social event where the proceeds go towards a great use and cause." Croctoberfest is a partnership with Riverbanks Zoo of Columbia, South Carolina, and the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group to help support the Malayan Gharial conservation (if you don't know what that is, you can find out at Croctoberfest). Part of the proceeds are also designed to jump start youth engagement in conservation programs in St Augustine. Participating conservation organizations include: IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group, Riverbanks Zoo, Crocodilian Conservation Center of Florida, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Audubon Society, The Rattlesnake Conservancy, GTM Research Reserve, Lubee Bat Conservancy, and Whitney Lab for Marine Bioscience.

"At the end of the night, we hope that guests will have an appreciation for what their local conservation organizations are doing in their own backyard," Trevor adds. 

making HEADlines: Florida Breweries Earn Medals at 2018 Great American Beer Festival

making HEADlines:

FLORIDA BREWERIES EARN MEDALS AT 2018 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL

Denver CO, September 22, 2018: The first day of Fall saw six Florida breweries notch medals at the 32nd edition of the Great American Beer Festival, held September 20-22 in Denver. With 2,404 breweries and 8,496 entries from around the world in this year's competition, the pre-eminent annual beer competition awarded medals in 102 beer categories, covering 167 beer styles.  This year's category with the highest number of entries was the Juicy or Hazy IPA, with 391 entries. While the American-Style IPA category historically notches the highest number of entries, it was second this year (311), just behind the haze-craze IPAs (391).  Three breweries: 10 Barrel Brewing (Bend OR), Alesong Brewing and Blending (Eugene OR), and  Lewis & Clark Brewing (Helena MT) tied for the most number of medals at three each. 

According to the Brewers Association, over 800 breweries participated in the 2018 GABF at the Colorado Convention Center, which spanned over 584,000 square feet. Over 4,000 beers were served to more than 62,000 attendees, and the mega-event was staffed with over 4,000 volunteers. 

Six Florida breweries brought home the hardware of Gold, Silver or Bronze medals. Congratulations to the following:

Escape Brewing, Trinity: Silver: Goofy Footed, American Style Wheat Beer
Walking Tree Brewery, Vero Beach: Silver: Barnacled Manatee, Barleywine Style Ale
Cigar City Brewing, Tampa: Gold: Maduro Brown Ale, Brown Porter
Copperpoint Brewing, Boynton Beach: Gold: Coco for Coxness, Chocolate Beer
First Magintude Brewing, Gainesville: Gold: Drift, English Mild Ale
Big Top Brewing, Sarasota: Bronze: Hawaiian Lion Tosated Coconut Coffee Porter,
Field Beer
Cigar City Brewing, Tampa: Silver: Guayabera,  International Style Pale Ale

Congratulations to these Florida breweries, and to all of the medal winners! 

A complete list of the medal winners can be found here. 

The 2019 GABF takes place in Denver October 3-5, 2019. For a  personal look at this site's visit to the 2015 GABF, take a look here. 

Cheers!

Linda Johnson, Certified Cicerone®
www.brewnymph.com

Update: Hopping Into Jax: Reve Brewing Opens September 22

Eric and Vanessa Luman, owners of Reve Brewing,
at a collaboration release at Southern Swells in August
(photo: Linda Joh
nson)

UPDATE: 11/9/2018: Hey, this site finally made a visit to Reve Brewing following its opening on September 22. ... See photos at end of this article ... (and, yeah, put it on your "to-do" list!)

September 19, 2018: Last December, word of another brewery entering the Jacksonville area circulated around town - this time with familiar faces behind the scenes. Local craft beer enthusiasts already know Eric Luman, co-owner of Green Room Brewing in Jax Beach, who has partnered with wife Vanessa to bring Reve Brewing to 1237 Mayport Rd. in Atlantic Beach. With the new spot having been in the works for over a year, the area's newest brewery will open the doors on September 22, at 2pm. 

Leading up to the opening day, Eric visited several area breweries, including Aardwolf Brewing and Southern Swells Brewing, and co-brewed several "collab" beers. The collaboration with Aardwolf is a dry hopped Brett Pale Ale with lemon and orange peel. An earlier collaboration with Southern Swells produced "Reved Up," an imperial stout with Bold Bean La Loma Coffee, vanilla beans and cinnamon. Southern Swells hosted a release party for "Reved Up" in early August, and from the comments, attendees wholeheartedly approved! 

"Reved Up" Imperial Stout at release party in August at Southern Swells
(photo: Linda Johnson)

Starting With a Clean Slate: Tabula Rasa Brewing, Jacksonville, Scripting a Future

Getting ready to write its future: Tabula Rasa Brewing

Sept. 11, 2018:  When a father and son have a collective thirty years of homebrewing experience between them, it might be accurate to say that they love beer. It's a family affair at Tabula Rasa Brewing, the newest brewery to open in Jacksonville, Florida, as the Peterson family is scripting its future and looking forward to sharing what they love to do with the community. 

The brewery welcomes the public with a Grand Opening on Friday, September 14 at 4pm. Situated along McCoy's Creek in what's known as the "Railyard District," the venue is housed in the former Mixon Art Studios. A large greenspace to the side and rear of the property provides a serene setting in an industrial area. 

Entrance along the greenspace at McCoy's Creek, Jacksonville

Lip-smackin' Sips and Bites at Annual Blues, Brews & BBQ Held at Historic Florida Theatre, Jax

The Florida Theatre's Blues, Brews & BBQ,
presented by Publix Super Markets Charities

August 27, 2018: An entertainment venue such as The Florida Theatre usually evokes thoughts of "sights and sounds." On Thursday, August 23, attendees at the annual Blues, Brews and BBQ fest, held at the historic downtown Jacksonville landmark, could also add the sensory perception of "tastes" to the repertoire, as this event featured lip-smackin' sips and bites from local breweries and restaurants. From the bales of hay at the check-in doors to the red-checkered tablecloths and aromas of barbecue throughout, the theatre was transformed into a tasty night of food, craft beer, and music.  

The pictures pretty much tell the story, so let's get to it! While the photos are unable to convey the taste delights that undoubtedly made tongues and taste buds happy, this site cannot be responsible for any hunger pains or thirst that might result ... 

Just Chillin' at Bolts Brew Fest, Tampa

Ice carving at Bolts Brew Fest 2018

August 22, 2018: Some things just go together. Beer and Sports. Thunder and Lightning. Tampa and Beer. Tampa and the Bolts. Even with Heat and Humidity, Tampa and Hockey go together. So much so, that from the minute one steps into Tampa, there's an unmistakable feeling of a magnetic display of affection between the Tampa Bay Lightning, its fans, and the city. Seems like just about everyone in this "city by the bay" is a Bolts fan. On August 17, 2018, the Lightning and its home ice, Amalie Arena, hosted the second annual Bolts Brew Fest, which featured over 50 breweries and an array of activities for fans of beer and Bolts alike. Talk about "chilling out!"

First, let's get a little personal: my first trip to Amalie Arena was in 2015, when I attended two Stanley Cup Finals games between the Chicago Black Hawks and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Hey, I'm a Midwest transplant from the Chicago area and grew up a Hawks fan. During that season, though, something happened: I found myself rooting for the Lightning to get there! Could that really happen: a magical Stanley Cup Final in Florida? Yeah, it did. The Tampa fans were awesome, and the venue and team provided an amazing fan experience. 

Photo-op!

Outside, around the Arena and in Thunder Alley, there are larger-than-life images of Lightning players and statues that allow for plenty of photo ops for locals and visitors. It's all fun and hockey. There's simply no way one can't get caught up in all of the excitement surrounding this team. 

Fast forward to Bolts Brew Fest 2018. 

Yulee Gets a Brewery: Hello, SJ Brewing!

Welcome! The first brewery in Yulee, Florida: SJ Brewing Co.
(photo: Linda Johnson)

August 13, 2018: With the influx of new breweries dotting the landscape across the country, it's no surprise that several new area breweries are coming on board in various locations around the North Florida/Jacksonville metro area during the last few months of 2018. One of them opened its tap room on Saturday, August 4 (this site visited the new digs on opening day). Say Hello to SJ Brewing Company, the first brewery to open in Yulee -- for those of you who don't know, that's in Nassau County, just north of Jacksonville. 

Although the tap room is currently serving guest beers from local and regional breweries on its twelve taps, look for house beers to start flowing soon. The bar also offers wines and sodas. The venue offers indoor and outdoor seating. Inside, the tap room features a bar on one side, plenty of space to move around, and ample seating at individual tables and chairs. Guests can watch two TVs or play an assortment of table and board games. The brewhouse sits in the back, on the other side of a half wall. Outside is a deck with umbrellas for enjoying beer in the sunshine and breezes. 

Artwork on the tap room wall features the labels of the new brewery’s upcoming five core beers: Yulee Pale Ale, Bunny Brown Ale, I Gose With You, Stop Jonesing IPA, and Battle Plan Imperial Stout. 

making HEADlines: 6th Annual Florida Tap Invitational On Tap for November

making HEADlines:

PROOF BREWING CO. HOSTS 6th ANNUAL FLORIDA TAP INVITATIONAL,
NOVEMBER 2-3, 2018; TICKETS ON SALE AUGUST 1

ED. NOTE, 10/16/2018: A PORTION OF PROCEEDS FROM THIS BEERFEST WILL BENEFIT VOLUNTEER FLORIDA, TO ASSIST IN EFFORTS TO RESPOND TO THOSE AFFECTED BY HURRICANE MICHAEL

ED. NOTE: 10/30/2018: THE TAP LIST HAS BEEN RELEASED. EACH BREWERY WITH TWO RARE, UNUSUAL, OR ONE-OFF BEERS, PLUS A CADRE OF PROOF BREWING BEERS.

July 31, 2018, Tallahassee, FL:  

Beers of all different colors, flavor profiles and styles will again flow in Tallahassee at the 6th Annual Florida Tap Invitational craft beer fest hosted by Proof Brewing Co.  The annual fest takes place over Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, on tap this year for November 2-3.

The event itself may be as unique as the beers that the craft beer enthusiasts will find pouring from the taps on Saturday afternoon.  Over 40 Florida breweries are invited to attend the beerfest, and there's a catch: the beers (over 100 of them) are one-offs, rare, or maybe so mysterious such that they've never been seen outside of the individual tap rooms. Brewers and brewery reps will be on hand to discuss the beers and the flavors (how did you come up with that?).  From the pucker of the sours to roastiness of the imperial stouts to the bitterness of the hop-forward IPAs to the nuances of various ingredients, craft beer aficionados will find delight in their glasses, while palates are pleased. 

Go Take A Hike: Tampa Bay Ale Trail Second Season Starts July 14

July 11, 2018:  Maybe you live in the Tampa area and are already familiar with the ever-ascending number of craft breweries calling the metro area home. Maybe you live in another part of Florida, or even outside of the Sunshine State, and make a visit across I-4 or I-75 now and then to catch some sun or suds.  

So, go ahead and take a hike if you're in, around or heading to Tampa, because this is one trail that will keep you moving along! Season Two of the Tampa Bay Ale Trail ("TBAT") begins Saturday, July 14, and it's even bigger this year! Launched in 2017, the incentive passport program "encourages locals and visitors alike to visit our region's craft breweries and enjoy their great beer," said TBAT founder Mike Dyer in a statement. This year, almost 70 breweries from Sarasota to Brooksville on the north-south to Lakeland on the east are participating in the TBAT, making it one of the largest ale trails in the country. In its inaugural year, over 2000 program "hikers" (as they are affectionately called) set out on the trail, with over 100 having visited all 47 Season One locations. An impressive 500 hikers visited at least seven breweries. One exuberant enthusiast visited all 47 breweries within one month, added Dyer. "That's dedication to local craft beer."

making HEADlines: Florida Breweries Medal at US Open Beer Championship

making HEADlines: Florida Breweries Medal at Annual US Open Beer Championship

July 9, 2018, Oxford OH:

The Annual US Open Beer Championship winners have been announced. Over 6300 entries in over 110 categories were entered in this year's competition, which includes beers from around the world brewed  by professional brewers and award-winning homebrewers.  

Congratulations to all, and especially to a number of Florida breweries who earned  Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.

The Top Ten included a couple of Florida breweries which have somewhat regularly received accolades in various competitions:
4. Cigar City Brewing
9. Motorworks Brewing


The Most Creative Beer Name included "Weapon of Mash Destruction," by Main & Six Brewing, coming in at No. 4.

Singin' the Blues, Brews and BBQ at Florida Theatre, Jacksonville, August 23

July 6, 2018: Get your summer checklist ready, Jacksonville! Local Barbecue. Local Beer. Local Music. Check! The Florida Theatre hosts its annual Blues, Brews and BBQ summer party on Thursday, August 23. 

One of the tastiest events to headline around the city, you'll be singin' the Blues, Brews and BBQ upstairs and downstairs at the historic theatre with the body-swaying sounds of blues music on the stage, while your taste buds delight in the revelry provided by the tantalizing barbecue, complemented by an assortment of craft beer.

View from upstairs, at 2017 Blues, Brews and BBQ
(photo: Linda Johnson)

Presented by Publix Supermarket Charities, a number of local favorites will once again serve unlimited samples of barbecue and beers, while the sounds of live continuous music by The Snacks Blues Band and Beale Street fill the air.

Keep going .... (photo: Linda Johnson)

"There is a natural alliance between the Florida Theatre, one of our city's premier arts institutions, and the best craft professionals working in our city's culinary arts' community," said Numa Saisselin, Florida Theatre President. "For $50, you get all the local craft beer you can drink and all the local BBQ you can eat, plus four hours of continuous live Blues music by two of our city's best Blues bands ... and it all benefits the historic, nonprofit Florida Theatre."

making HEADlines: Indiana Brewery Sun King Brewing Launches in Florida with Jacksonville Events

making HEADlines:

SUN KING BREWING LAUNCHES IN FLORIDA; LAUNCH EVENTS BEGIN MID-JULY IN JACKSONVILLE

July 2, 2018, 

Jacksonville, FL:  


Indianapolis brewery Sun King Brewing Company is bringing its beers to the Florida market beginning this month through distribution with Cavalier Distributing.



According to Carolyn Lowrey Graham, Florida Sales Development Manager for Cavalier Distributing, the brewery's core beers will start hitting the Florida market this week. A series of launch events is scheduled for the week of July 16 around Jacksonville, which is the first Florida area to host events welcoming the brewery to the Sunshine state. 

Sun King Brewing was founded in 2009, and it began canning its beers in 2010. It has earned multiple medals at major beer competitions, including Great American Beer Festival (GABF) and the World Beer Cup, from 2011 through 2017.

Its core beer lineup includes: Sunlight Cream Ale (Gold Medal Winner at 2015 GABF; Silver Medalist at 2010 World Beer Cup); Wee-Mac Scottish Style Ale; Osiris Pale Ale; SKB IPA; and Pachanga Mexican Style Lager (which was available at Engine 15 Brewing, Jax Beach, for Cinco de Mayo). 

The Jacksonville-area launch events include:

July 17: Alewife Craft Beer Bottle Shop and Tasting Room, Five Points, Jax, 6-8pm;

July 18: Engine 15 Brewing, Jax Beach, 4-7pm (Weekly Pint Night)
July 18: Really Good Beer Stop, Jax Beach, 7-9pm;

July 19: V Pizza Tap Garden, Mandarin, 6-9pm;
July 19: V Pizza Tap Garden, Fleming Island, 6-9pm;

July 20: Beer:30 San Marco, Jax 5-7pm.

Look for a few specialty/seasonal kegs to also be on tap during the launch events, added Carolyn Graham. 

Welcome Sun King Brewing to Florida!

On a personal note, this writer is no stranger to Sun King beers (and, yes, I'm originally from Indiana). The inaugural taste of the flagship Sunlight Cream Ale came at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival in Denver, where the beer won a Gold Medal. The beers have also regularly found their way into suitcases on Indiana trips, most recently last month.  Sun King Brewing also attended the 2018 Hunahpu's Day Beer Festival in Tampa in March, where this writer's last beer of the day was Sun King Brewing's SKB IPA. 



Enjoying some Sun King Brewing beer with the Indiana crew ... at Beer Bloggers and Writers Conference, Tampa, 2016: 

Cheers to another great addition to the craft beer market in Florida!

Cheers,

Linda Johnson,
Certified Cicerone®

www.brewnymph.com

Making HEADlines: New Jax Brewery Legacy Ale Works Moves Through Re-Zoning Approval

making HEADlines:

JACKSONVILLE BREWERY-IN-PLANNING LEGACY ALE WORKS MOVES THROUGH RE-ZONING APPROVAL

June 28, 2018, Jacksonville, FL:

Further to social media posts earlier this week, Jacksonville brewery-in-planning Legacy Ale Works announced today via formal statement that it obtained re-zoning approval from the City Council by a  15-0 vote this past Tuesday evening. 

In early March, the new brewery announced that after months of searching, it had signed a lease at 14965 Old St. Augustine Rd., Suite 129, Jacksonville. The space is located at the corner of US 1 and Old St. Augustine Rd. in the Bartram Park area. 

Liz and Matt Jacobs at
Hogtown Craft Beer Fest, April 2018
(photo by Legacy Ale Works)

Now that the zoning process is behind them, brewery owners Matt and Liz Jacobs will begin construction on the 3300sf space that will be home to the brewery and tap room. "We are excited about the next steps in our journey," said Liz Jacobs. "Our equipment has been delivered, and our plans will be ready to submit to the city for review and approval sometime next week."

Legacy Ale Works intends to bring its "easy drinking" beers to its new tap room on the south end of Jacksonville, just north of the St. Johns County/Duval County line. While "selecting this location was very important to us," said owner Matt Jacobs, he added that the new brewery aims "to serve an area of Jacksonville that does not currently have many craft beer options. The response we have received from the community so far has been very encouraging."

Legacy Ale Works at Riverside Craft Beer Fest,
February 2018 (photo: Linda Johnson)

Matt and Liz Jacobs have offered samples of the house-brewed beers at appearances around the Jacksonville area, beginning last summer at Beer:30 San Marco. They also poured their beers at Jacksonville PorchFest last November, at Riverside Craft Beer Fest in February, and twice at Hogtown Craft Beer Fest in Gainesville last year and earlier this year. 

Legacy Ale Works will appear at Brewz Bartram Park, 14866 Old St. Augustine Rd., on Saturday, June 30, at 2pm, where they will pour  samples of their beers and meet and greet the public. This time, in addition to talking about their beer, they will now be able to discuss their new location and construction plans.

With their 3.5-barrel brewhouse, the new brewery will offer a wide variety of beer, from light lagers and pilsners, to hoppy IPAs, porters, and stouts, in order to "appeal to all different tastes and preferences." In addition to beer, the tap room will also serve wine and non-alcoholic craft sodas for non-beer drinkers. 

Legacy Ale Works plans an early Fall 2018 opening, with an estimated 8-12 week construction timeframe. 

Congratulations to Legacy Ale Works, and stay tuned for more progress updates throughout the summer!

Cheers,

Linda Johnson

Certified Cicerone®

www.brewnymph.com

Making HEADlines: Florida Breweries Notch Can Can Awards

making HEADlines:

FLORIDA BREWERIES MOTORWORKS BREWING AND DUE SOUTH BREWING NOTCH MEDALS IN ANNUAL CAN CAN AWARDS

June 20, 2018:  The Annual Can Can Awards, a competition for canned craft beers, have been announced. Over 350 beers were submitted for the two-day blind taste-test judging in Atlanta, Georgia.  The BJCP-sanctioned competition awarded medals in 36 categories. To earn medals, a beer must have received between 30-50 judging points. Based on the point system, some categories only awarded a Gold Medal. 

Congratulations to the following Florida breweries: 

Motorworks Brewing (Bradenton)
GOLD: V Twin Lager, Marzen/Oktoberfest
BRONZE: Bizarre Gardening Accident, American Style Sour Ale

Due South Brewing (Boynton Beach)
SILVER: Mexican Standoff, Herb & Spice Beer

A full list of the medalists can be found HERE.

Cheers,

Linda Johnson,
Certified Cicerone®
www.brewnymph.com

Ruby Beach Brewing Coasts Into Jax Beach

Ruby Beach Brewing opens in Jax Beach
over Memorial Day Weekend
 (photo: Linda Johnson)

May 30, 2018: Ruby Beach Brewing quietly opened over the Memorial Day weekend. The most recent addition to the Jacksonville area's craft beer scene announced its opening on Saturday, May 26 through its Facebook page. 

Set in the former Zeta location, Ruby Beach Brewing underwent a re-branding and a physical renovation during the first half of 2018. Word of the closing of Zeta and re-branding to the new concept surfaced in a January 8 press release by Owner Mark Vandeloo, in which he expressed a renewed focus on craft beer. 

Cheers to Craft Beer: American Craft Beer Week, May 14-20

May 14, 2018: With over 6,300 breweries in the U.S. (98% of which are "small and independent craft breweries"), you're sure to find a beer to raise for a toast to American Craft Beer Week!

2018 marks the 13th year for the annual week-long celebration of craft breweries as defined by the Brewers Association. From breweries and tap rooms to craft beer bars and restaurants to bottle shops, it's a nationwide party to recognize the creativity, passion, and collaboration that represents the craft beer spirit, not to mention the tastes that we love! 

making HEADlines: Florida Breweries Notch Medals at 2018 World Beer Cup

making HEADlines:

Seven Florida breweries earn medals at 2018 World Beer Cup Awards

May 3, 2018, Nashville, TN:  The Brewers Association held its annual Craft Brewers Conference, billed as the "Largest Craft Industry Gathering," this week in Nashville, Tennessee. On the final night of the conference, 302 award winners claimed honors in the the bi-annual World Beer Cup Awards.  The numbers: a panel of 295 judges from 33 countries tasted their way through more than 8,000 beer entries (8,234 actually) from 66 countries in determining medalists in 101 categories of beer styles.  


Seven Florida breweries earned medals at the 2018 World Beer Cup! Congratulations to the following: 






Category 8: Chili Beer (57 Entries):
Motorworks Brewing, Bradenton, Silver Medal: Chocolate Datil Pepper Imperial Stout

Category 10:  Chocolate Beer (77 Entries):
Fort Myers Brewing, Fort Myers,  Silver Medal: Somebody Else's Dream Stout

Category 31: Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer (117 Entries):
Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin, Silver Medal: Ritual Madness

Category 43: Vienna-Style Lager (98 Entries):
Concrete Beach Brewery, Miami, Bronze Medal: Havana Lager

Category 60: French & Belgian-Style Saison (87 Entries):
The Tank Brewing, Miami, Gold Medal: La Finca Miami

Category 66: Belgian-Style Dubbel or Belgian-Style Quad (78 Entries):
7Venth Sun Brewery, Dunedin, Bronze Medal: Belgian Quad

Category 90: Golden or Bronze Ale (121 Entries):
First Magnitude Brewing, Gainesville, Silver Medal: Vega

Not too surprisingly, the IPA category saw the most entries with 377, followed by 196 entries in both the Imperial IPA and Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer categories.  The United States took the most awards (242), while Belgium had the highest winning percentage with 10%, according to a Brewers Association statement. 

Developed by the Brewers Association in 1996 to "celebrate the art and science of brewing," the World Beer Cup competition is held every two years, and has been called "The Olympics of Beer Competitions," in view of its international nature. 

A list of 2018 World Beer Cup medalists can be found here. 

Congratulations to all!

Cheers!

Linda Johnson,
Certified Cicerone®
www.brewnymph.com

All's Fair at Hogtown Craft Beer Fest 2018, Gainesville

April 26, 2018:  It had: over 100 breweries, six homebrew clubs, 47 special tappings, nine pods, food trucks, music under the pavilion, plenty of on-site parking ... even rain and sunshine. The 7th Annual Hogtown Craft Beer Fest presented by the Hogtown Brewers on April 21 pretty much had it all at the Alachua County Fairgrounds, a new fest venue this year. 

This was my sixth trek to Hogtown, and the beertrip once again included more than a beerfest -- it's a Gainesville weekend!