SOF Brewing: On A Mission

For Patriots Lager, from SOF Brewing
(photo: Linda Johnson/BrewNymph)

July 29, 2020: With a Mission Statement that begins with "We came here to kick ass and make beer ...", one might expect some "force" behind this new Tallahassee brewery. One look at the biographies of the three guys behind SOF Brewing Company gives special meaning to the word.  

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®

Run. Golf. Beer.™
Escapades, Brews and Running Shoes™

Exploring Florida

www.brewnymph.com

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6th Annual Florida Tap Invitational All-Florida Beerfest at Proof Brewing, Tallahassee: Circle It for 2019

Yes, a purple beer: Black Currant Aronia Evil Kiss Berliner
from Proof Brewing Co. (photo: Linda Johnson)

November 6, 2018: Just picture it: Blue skies and light breezes, comfortable temperatures hovering around 70°, a glass in your hand, and ... over 40 Florida breweries from all parts of the state assembled in one place for an afternoon of beer of all colors and styles. An island? Beachside? How about Tallahassee! It was an awesome day at the 6th Annual all-Florida beer event Florida Tap Invitational hosted by Proof Brewing Co. on the afternoon of Saturday, November 3. 

With folks at last year's event
trying to beat the late September heat, the 2018 beerfest was moved to November to take advantage of cooler temperatures, said Bryan Smith, Sales & Events Director for Proof Brewing. Scheduling this event also takes the Florida State football schedule into consideration, meaning that only a certain number of weekends are available. As it turned out, the weather was incredible, which made for a perfect beerfest afternoon. 

VIP ticketholders waiting at the entry gate before noon

making HEADlines: Proof Brewing, Tallahassee, Relocating

making HEADlines:

PROOF BREWING, TALLAHASSEE, ANNOUNCES RELOCATION AND EXPANSION PLANS

March 19, 2018:  Tallahassee brewery Proof Brewing Co. today announced its plans to expand its operations and relocate to a larger facility in downtown Tallahassee, which will allow for a 30,000 barrel production capability -- with room for additional expansion. 

According to a statement released today, Proof Brewing will begin renovations this month at the 34,000sf former Coca-Cola Bottling Company building at 1320 South Monroe St. When all said and done, the new brewery will include an expanded tasting room, retail store, private event space, kitchen and beer garden.  On the brewhouse side of things, the move means efficiency upgrades, a quality control lab and additional fermentation capacity, increasing the possible production to 30,000 barrels. 

The Proof is in the Beerfest: Florida Tap Invitational Held at Proof Brewing, Tallahassee

October 4, 2017: 
Tallahassee brewery Proof Brewing Co. hosted its 5th Annual Florida Tap Invitational beerfest, on September 29-30, with a Kickoff Party on Friday night at Madison Social in the city's College Town entertainment district, followed by an all-Florida beerfest at the brewery on Saturday afternoon. 

The unique beerfest featured 47 Florida breweries. The catch? The beers were rare, limited release, or tap room-only brews, with some having been tapped for the first time anywhere at this fest. Brewers highlighted creativity in beers that many have not tasted before, and the craft beer-lovin' crowd sampled beers in many different styles, flavors, and colors. 

making HEADlines: Proof Brewing

making HEADlines:

PROOF BREWING CO. HOSTS 5th ANNUAL FLORIDA TAP INVITATIONAL,
SEPTEMBER 29/30

Tallahassee, FL:  Craft beer aficionados constantly thirst for new beers to add to their never-ending lists of unique beers and ongoing quests to find elusive, limited, rare, and maybe never-seen-before, brews. On the other side, brewers continue to develop new recipes and creatively combine ingredients as they produce different types and styles of beers. In what may be a dream scenario for both, the 5th Annual Florida Tap Invitational, hosted by Proof Brewing Co., returns on September 29 and 30. 

Capital Idea! DayTrip to GrassLands Brewing Company's Grand(er) Opening

Sure, it's the State Capital, and home to Florida State University. And, the way things are looking, Tallahassee just may be taking form to be another beer destination in Florida.