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. 

Heck Yeah, Haze and Barrels: Southern Swells Brewing, Jax Beach, Turns One, January 27

January 24, 2018:  Southern Swells Brewing in Jacksonville Beach rolls into its First Anniversary on Saturday, January 27 at noon, with six new beers in can and bottle releases brewed especially for the occasion. While they brew a variety of different beer styles, co-founders Corey Adams and Jay Varney have stormed onto the Jax craft beer landscape with their hazy New England-style beers and unusual beer names.

Word of the new brewery surfaced via social media in April 2016, taking the local area by surprise. The following January, the brewery opened with guest taps while the house beers were still in the works. Almost a year to the day of the initial brewery announcement, eight house beers made their way onto the taps. "We were just hoping to put out a few good beers to start," said Corey in an interview. "It's been incredible that it's been a year."

Livin' the Dream: Reve Brewing Hopping Into Jax Craft Beer Market

UPDATE, September 16, 2018: Reve Brewing has announced its Opening Day is: September 22, 2018, at 2pm!

December 13, 2017:
The greater Jacksonville area will see a new brewery hop into the area in the Spring of 2018. Eric Luman, co-owner of Green Room Brewing in Jax Beach, and his wife Vanessa will open Reve Brewing at 1237 Mayport Rd. in Atlantic Beach. 

In an interview with this site, Eric explained that although he and Vanessa had "tinkered with the idea for some time," plans have been in the works for about three months. The new brewery and tap room will occupy a former laundromat space in a nine-unit strip mall. Demolition of the 1200-square foot brewery venue began about two months ago, and build-out is expected to get underway by the end of December. 

making HEADlines: Southern Swells Brewing

making HEADlines:

SOUTHERN SWELLS BREWING HOLDS FIRST BOTTLE RELEASE ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1: "AWKWARD MORNING" NEW ENGLAND STYLE TRIPLE IPA

 Jacksonville Beach, FL:   Just about eight months after opening, Southern Swells Brewing Co. is making waves with its first bottle release. At noon on Sunday, October 1, the Jax Beach brewery will release its "Awkward Morning" New England-Style Triple IPA in bottles and on draft in its tap room. Bombers of the beer will be on sale for $20 each, with a two-bottle limit. The supply is limited, with approximately 200 bottles available.

To accommodate local craft beer enthusiasts accustomed to waiting for bottle releases via "bottle shares," where they bring and share bottles of beer as the clock counts down to the official release time, Southern Swells will open its tap room at 10am to provide early-birds with indoor seating and additional beers on tap until the release at noon. 

Engine 15 Brewing Seventh Anniversary: Annual Chupacabra Three Ways

Last week, Engine 15 Brewing Co. hosted a Vertical Tasting of its annual Imperial Chupacabra Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout, an event which leads into its Seventh Anniversary party and bottle release on Saturday, July 1 at its Jacksonville Beach brewpub. Masters of Ceremonies and Brewery Co-owners Luch Scremin and Sean Bielman imparted some humorous anecdotes much to the delight of the event attendees (picture bourbon barrels so fresh that they contained "charcoal black liquid" in 2014). The pre-anniversary event featured tastings of Chupacabra from 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, along with this year's 2017 versions (yes, that last one is plural). 

making HEADlines:

June 20, 2017: ENGINE 15 BREWING CO. SETS STAGE FOR SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY WITH VERTICAL TASTING OF ANNUAL IMPERIAL CHUPACABRA, JUNE 22

Green Room Brewing Barrels Into Sixth Anniversary

With its laid-back beach and surfing vibe and named after one of surfing's most sought-after wave actions, Green Room Brewing in Jacksonville Beach is heading into its Sixth Anniversary on Saturday, June 17 with a quiet intensity. Much like being in the barrel of a wave for surfers, the brewery on Third Street will be the place to be when it releases its annual Secret Spot Imperial Stout aged in Dominican rum barrels for the special occasion. Festivities will begin at noon on Saturday, with limited bottles of the annual anniversary beer available for purchase. 

Prepare Now for Jax Beach Weekend Forecast (April 8): Green Room Brewing, Southern Swells Brewing to Make Direct Hit With New Releases

Hey, Jacksonville Beach, prepare now because there's definitely something big brewing at the beach, as two local breweries are ready to make waves with new beer releases over the weekend! Be prepared: drink plenty of water, make sure you have plenty of food.... and ....enjoy!

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February 14, 2017: GREEN ROOM BREWING SHOWING THE LOVE ON VALENTINE'S DAY WITH ANNUAL "BOX OF CHOCOLATES" BEERS

Southern Swells Brewing Makes Landfall in Jax Beach

The newest brewery to hit the Jacksonville craft beer scene has made landfall in Jax Beach. Word of the brewery-in-planning surfaced last April, after permits were already in place. The co-owners immediately began renovations on a space formerly occupied by a dance hall/restaurant/martini bar, and the transformation began to take shape over the course of 2016. 

The End is Near: Engine 15 Brewing to Unleash the Dark Side of "Stoutageddon"

[Ed. Note: 12/26/2016: Engine 15 published the final tap list for this event on 12/26/2016. Get it here.] 

The end is near. 

Coinciding with the end of the year comes a tap takeover that may be a first. 

If names like "Imperial Chupacabra," "Hunahpu's," "Marshal Zhukov," and "Ten Fidy" send your sensory perceptions into a state of euphoria, then this event is certainly one for you. 

Engine 15 Brewing Company will host "Stoutageddon" at its Jacksonville Beach brewpub on December 29, starting at 6pm. As the name implies, the event highlights the "stout" beer style, and all things "stout," from "regular" (is there such a thing?) Stout to Russian Imperial Stout (higher ABV), to barrel-aged Stout (aged in bourbon/ whiskey barrels).  What makes the event unique is that mostly stouts -- and only beers from three breweries -- will flow from the 50 taps in the brewpub bar, giving new meaning to "takeover." 

Making HEADlines: 


QUETZALCOATL RETURNS TO GREEN ROOM BREWING DECEMBER 17

A Whale of an Oktoberfest: Green Room Brewing, Jax Beach

It'll be a Whale of an OKTOBERFEST at GREEN ROOM BREWING on Saturday, October 1,

as the brewery hosts its annual Oktoberfest celebration, along with its bottle release of SAVE THE WHALE Imperial Stout. You'll be able to celebrate the Gemütlichkeit of OKTOBERFEST, along with helping out the migratory right whales. That sounds like a reason to party!

Twice the Oompah at Engine 15 Brewing Oktoberfest

Did I really end up with three
beers at Engine 15 Oktoberfest?

OKTOBERFEST is in full swing! The 183rd official Oktoberfest in Munich has been going strong for over a week now, with 5 days to go. Can you imagine all that German beer flowing in Bavaria? If you didn't get a ticket to Germany, no need to fret -- Thanks to Oktoberfest celebrations happening around Florida, we have plenty of Gemütlichkeit (and beer) to go around the Sunshine State, too. If you haven't seen my earlier Oktoberfest post, don't wait any longer, or you'll miss out (and we wouldn't want that to happen)! The upcoming weekend features a number of Oktoberfest celebrations around the state, so get those dirndls and lederhosen out of your closet and mach schnell to the nearest place you hear the Oompah music. 

Engine 15 Brewing Company: Enjoy the Ride!

When co-owners Luch Scremin and Sean Bielman opened Engine 15 Brewing Company six years ago in Jacksonville Beach, I wonder if they had any idea about the ride they would take: from homebrewing on a one-barrel system, to opening a brewpub in a shopping center on Beach Blvd. with a 5-barrel brewhouse system, to acquiring a warehouse production facility with a 20-barrel system and an outdoor beer garden, to a mead and cider operation. The brewery celebrated its Sixth Anniversary this past week (July 2), and it's clear that this Engine is on the move!

Catch the Wave: Green Room Brewing in Jax Beach

Five years ago: After moving to North Florida from the Midwest (five years ago this past April), I began reading about Green Room Brewing, a new microbrewery opening in Jacksonville Beach. Not too surprisingly, this sounded like a pretty cool place! It ended up being the first craft brewery in the area that I visited, and, five years later, I'm drawn to the surf-and-beach-inspired tap room and some of the most creative beers you will find anywhere.

The Round-up: A Round at TPC Sawgrass, and Have a Round in Jax Beach Afterwards! Round 1: The Players Championship®

It's now a tradition in the month of May. Last year, 191,000 people attended.  It's the busiest week of the year at Jacksonville International Airport.  Over 400 businesses take part through corporate hospitality and tickets. It reaches one billion total households via broadcast in 226 countries. It generates significant funds for charities: in 2015, over $8.1M raised for over 300 local organizations. The tournament record is 264 (-24) by Greg Norman in 1994.*  

Two words, that's all you need: THE PLAYERS®. 

Southern Swells Brewing Rollin' In at Jax Beach

[Ed Notes: 1/20/2017: Southern Swells announces the Grand Opening of its new Tap Room on 1/28/2017 at noon. 

11/6/2016: Southern Swells Brewing will hold its second preview Tasting at Beer:30 San Marco (Jax) on Saturday, 11/12, from 12-3pm. It is looking for a late November opening. It held its first Tasting Night on 9/22/2016 at Really Good Beer Stop, Jax Beach. I am thrilled to have been the first writer anywhere to break the story on this new brewery. Here's the original post from April 2016.]

Engine 15 Brewing Company to Introduce Engine 15 Ciders and Meads

The big macro guys aren't the only ones making some news and shaking things up in the brewery world in the latter days of 2015.  

Big, breaking news from ENGINE 15 BREWING COMPANY in Jacksonville Beach hit social media last night in a short statement asking if anyone is ready for something new in 2016, accompanied by a new logo:

You Really Can Take it with You ... at Really Good Beer Stop in Jax Beach

Have you ever visited a bar or restaurant where you found a beer that you had been waiting to try, and, after your tastebuds were deliriously happy from that pour in the pint glass, you then wished that you could take some of that draft beer back home with you? (in an appropriate sealed container, of course).  What if there were a  place where you could not only get "really good" craft beer "to-go," but you could also try it before you buy it?