making HEADlines: HalfwayThere to TBBW, August 25

making HEADlines:

TAMPA BEERFEST, AUGUST 25, CELEBRATES "HALFWAY THERE" TO TAMPA BAY BEER WEEK

[Ed. Note, 8/22: Fest is SOLD OUT!]

 August 15, 2018, Tampa, FL:  Mention the "first week in March" to a Florida craft beer geek, and eyes might light up in anticipation of one of the biggest beer weeks anywhere: Tampa Bay Beer Week. With major beerfests being weekend bookends for a week full of daily tastings, get-togethers and dinners, the over 70-brewery Tampa area can celebrate beer on a grand scale (see the 2018 preview  and subsequent fest recaps on this site from March 2018). 

So, why not hold a beerfest at the "Halfway There" point to the 2019 TBBW? Why not, indeed! TBBW organizers are bringing back the annual event on Saturday, August 25, from 2-6pm at the recently renovated Armature Works Neighborhood Market on the banks of the Hillsborough River.  The fundraiser for TBBW gives attendees a chance to sample beers from over 58 local, national and international breweries, play arcade games by Lowry Parcade, and sip cold brew coffee samples from Commune + Co. Food is available in the Heights Public Market. 

Curious as to which breweries will be there? Take a look at the participating brewery list and plan accordingly! 

"Halfway There" tickets, $35 in advance/$50 at the door, include sampling and a commemorative fest tasting glass. Limited parking is available for $5, and the parking ticket may be used as a voucher for food purchase at the Heights Market. Out-of-towners can receive 15% off room rates at partner hotel Tampa Marriott Waterside, a short walk from Armature Works. 

The Halfway There fest is the major fundraiser for Tampa Bay Beer Week, which was established in 2012 and has hosted over 750 small- and large-scale events. Tampa Bay Beer Week, Inc. is a 501(c)(6) organization dedicated to advancing the Tampa area beer culture through education, events and marketing.  TBBW begins the first Saturday in March and runs over the course of eight days. And, 2019 will be here before you know it.

Cheers!

Linda Johnson,
Certified Cicerone®
www.brewnymph.com

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: Tampa Bay Brewing Co. Launches in Jax

making HEADlines:

TAMPA BAY BREWING CO. ANNOUNCES DISTRIBUTION IN JACKSONVILLE; LAUNCH EVENTS WEEK OF FEBRUARY 19

 February 16, 2018, Tampa, FL:  One of Florida's oldest independent craft breweries, Tampa Bay Brewing Company ("TBBC"), has announced expanded distribution plans as it heads into the greater Jacksonville market beginning the week of February 19. TBBC has partnered with Champion Brands to bring its beers to Northeast Florida, and introduction of the TBBC beers will take place at launch events around the area. 

TBBC was established in Tampa in 1995. Its original brewery and brewpub is located in the heart of Ybor City.  In 2015, TBBC opened a second production brewery and brewpub in Northwest Tampa, with a 30-barrel brewhouse and packaging line capable of producing nearly 20,000 barrels per year. It is on schedule to exceed 16,000 barrels in 2018. TBBC is a mainstay at beerfest events around the state. 

On-site photo at TBBC, Ybor City
(photo by Linda Johnson)

Its core brands, Reef Donkey American Pale Ale and Old Elephant Foot IPA, are available in draft and in cans in the Tampa area as well as other markets. These will now make their way into the on-premise and retail accounts throughout the Jacksonville market, along with seasonal releases, including Quat, a golden kumquat ale. TBBC earned a Bronze Medal at Great American Beer Festival in 2014 for its Reef Donkey Pale Ale, a citrus/tropical ale, which is named after a slang term for the amberjack fish. 


"We sold our first keg via distribution in November 2011," said David Doble, TBBC Managing Partner in a statement obtained by this site. "Since then, we have taken a steady, organically driven approach towards opening new markets throughout Florida." While TBBC saw "pent-up demand" for its products through Florida and even beyond, TBBC has been "careful not to rush, taking our time to find the right distribution partners, and most importantly, to ensure that the quality of our product and service we provide does not suffer at the hands of growth for growth's sake," Doble added. 

Members of the TBBC team, including David Doble, Head Brewer John Rankin and Director of Sales Nicole Calvin, will be in Jacksonville during the week of February 19 during the rollout events. 

On the partnership with Jacksonville-based Champion Brands, Doble expressed excitement to work with the distributor "due to the reputation, experience, and commitment to supporting independent craft breweries" that Champion brings. "They are continually innovating and have a culture that aligns with ours, casual but serious."

Launch events taking place around the Jacksonville area include:

February 19 at Beer:30 San Marco, 5pm; and Grape & Grain Exchange, 7pm;

February 20 at Mellow Mushroom Southside, 5pm; and 
Mellow Mushroom Jax Beach at 7pm

February 21 at Really Good Beer Stop, Jax Beach, at 6pm; and at an additional location to be announced. 

Welcome Tampa Bay Brewing to Jax!

Cheers!
Linda Johnson,
Certified Cicerone®
www.brewnymph.com

making HEADlines:

CIGAR CITY BREWING RELEASES MARSHAL ZHUKOV'S IMPERIAL STOUT AUGUST 1; ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE FOR "ORDER OF THE RED BANNER BEER DINNERS"