Hunahpu's Day 2018 Scores with Change of Venue and Layout

March 14, 2018: 
With Raymond James Stadium looming in the background, Cigar City Brewing hosted its 9th annual Hunahpu's Day® beerfest celebrating the release of its Hunahpu's® Imperial Stout in Tampa on Saturday, March 10, 2018. 

The change in venue this year at Parking Lots 5 and 7 on the stadium grounds also set itself up for an entirely new layout, providing six oversized beer tents, a food truck area with around 15 food trucks, large tented shaded areas with picnic tables, water bottle stations, a brewers' area, and a Jameson whiskey-tasting tent. The day might have been a bit cooler and cloudier than expected, but it didn't seem to make a difference to the few thousand beer geeks there to sample beers from around 175 breweries.  

Once again this year, admission to the sold-out fest was by pre-purchased wristband, which included allotments of Hunahpu's Imperial Stout in quantities of either 4, 8 or 12 bottles, available for pickup at Cigar City Brewing's brewery and tap room a short distance away on Spruce Street. 

Even before the fest started on Saturday, locals and visitors alike were in town for Tampa Bay Beer Week (see recaps on this site from FBG Fest and Best Florida Beer held the weekend before). A stop at Cigar City Brewing on Friday night revealed the new logo on the signage: 

All Florida Beer and Sunshine at Florida Brewers Guild FBG Fest, Tampa

March 8, 2018:  
The Sunshine State was just that on Saturday, March 3, as the Florida Brewers Guild hosted its annual celebration of Florida breweries and beer at its Craft Beer Festival ("FBG Fest") at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park along the river in downtown Tampa. It was all sun and smiles on the first official day of Tampa Bay Beer Week. 

The Park is no stranger to beer fests, and the FBG Fest has been held here year after year. It was a beautiful day along the river to drink Florida beer and meet Florida brewers!

All proceeds from the fest go back to the FBG, a nonprofit trade association dedicated to preserving the rights and interests of the state's craft brewers. The funds are used for lobbying efforts, educational outreach and programs, member events, and additional public events. With over 70 Florida breweries behind the tables pouring between 3-5 beers (or more) each, attendees had the opportunity to taste a number of beers from all across the state - and, yes, that can translate into a beertrip down the road! 

Best Florida Beer Medalists Announced at 2018 Brewer's Ball in Tampa!

March 5, 2018: The top beers in Florida, as determined by Best Florida Beer, were announced at the annual Brewer's Ball beerfest on Sunday, March 4, at Water Works Park in Tampa. 

Judges in the AHA and BJCP-sanctioned professional competition tasted and judged over 815 entries in 38 medal categories over the weekend of February 10-11. Although the finalists were notified, specific placements of Gold, Silver or Bronze medals were not known until names were read during the official ceremony. The Brewer's Ball featured only the medal-winning beers, with signs identifying the brewery, beer and category above each keg. Upon entering the fest, attendees received a booklet, which also listed each brewery and beer. Category announcements of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals were announced first, with Best of Show awards capping off a spectacular day in the park. The official list of winners, along with photos taken by this site during the fest and during the medals ceremony appear below! Congratulations to all!

Tampa Bay Beer Week is Marchin' In, March 3-11

March 2, 2018: Four words pretty much sum up this next week: Tampa Bay Beer Week. 

In what just might be a MOAB of its own, Tampa Bay Beer Week brings its mother of all beerweeks to the Tampa area March 3-11. Established in 2012, the ginormous week of events dedicated to growing the local craft beer community includes nine official days of virtually nonstop beer-centric events, including three epic beerfests! Looking for a beertrip? You found it.

Riverside Craft Beer Fest: Picture Perfect in Downtown Jacksonville

J'Ville on Jacksonville: Engine 15 Brewing J'Ville Lager with
Downtown Jacksonville in the background at Riverside Craft Beer Fest

With the downtown Jacksonville skyline looming in the background, the Fuller-Warren Bridge providing shade along the St. Johns River, and the amazing blue sky overhead, beers flowed on a picture-perfect day at the Riverside Arts Market for the Fifth Annual Riverside Craft Beer Festival, presented by Rotary Club of Riverside, on Saturday, February 24.* 


Planning for this year's fest began around 50 weeks ago, said Fest Chair Chris Croft in an earlier interview with this site. Once again, fest proceeds benefit Community Peds Care, a local pediatric hospice program. 

Reminder: Riverside Craft Beer Fest Brings Florida Beerfest Season to Jax: Two New Breweries Offer Sneak Peeks

2017 Riverside Craft Beer Fest
(photo by Linda Johnson)

February 22, 2018:  Last year Main & Six Brewing and Hyperion Brewing were the new kids on the river, being the up-and-coming Jax breweries at the time. Both opened during 2017, and this time around, they'll be pouring beer as operating breweries. On Saturday, Legacy Ale Works and Fishweir Brewing, with plans to open in 2018, take their places as breweries-in-the-works offering sneak peeks of their beers. 

It's the first major beerfest of the year in Jax. 
(Repost from January 10, 2018):

The 5th Annual Riverside Craft Beer Festival, presented by Rotary Club of Riverside (Jacksonville), is set for its return under the Fuller-Warren Bridge at Riverside Arts Market on February 24. 

With over 70 breweries participating, and more than 150 different craft beers flowing, attendees will find just about any type of beer. Just add in music and food trucks, along with a great charitable cause, and it's all fun on the river!

DeLand Craft Beer Fest: A Stroll Through Mainstreet USA

February 14, 2018  Under a blue sky, colorful brewery tents lined two downtown DeLand streets on Saturday, February 10, as the 9th Annual DeLand Craft Beer Fest was a walk through Mainstreet USA -- with beers in hand, of course! Each year, the Fest wraps up Volusia Beer Week, itself a local celebration of craft beer in Volusia County. 

DeLand, you ask? The city of DeLand, the county seat of Volusia County, is nestled between Daytona and Orlando, is home to a number of 19th century historic buildings, and is the site of Stetson University, Florida's oldest private college. From the east, the tree-bordered drive on US 92 (Intl Speedway) from I-95 takes you to the outskirts of downtown DeLand, which features a quaint main street lined with a variety of storefronts, businesses, and outdoor eating establishments. 

Game On! Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival was a Winner

January 31, 2018:  With baseball season right around the turn of the calendar page, and as spring training gets underway in South Florida, the 12th Annual Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival on Saturday, January 27, was a game-winner! 

Once again, the pavilion grounds of Roger Dean Stadium at the Town Center in the Abacoa community of Jupiter played host to the South Florida beerfest with over 50 breweries and more than 175 craft beers in the lineup.

Preceding the beerfest was the Ninth Annual Field of Beers brewery and chef food pairing event on Friday night, held inside the field. As in years past, tickets to Field of Beers sold out almost as fast as they went on sale in December (usually pretty close to immediately). The event was named the fourth best beer festival in the nation in a USA Today Readers' Choice poll in 2016. 

Due South Brewing Trench Day 2018: A Voyage Through Renovations and Dark Brews

Mariana Trench® Imperial Stout 2018

January 23, 2018: In the Western Pacific Ocean lies the deepest part of the world's oceans, the "Mariana Trench," reaching a depth of over 36,000 feet. Inspired by that depth and darkness, Due South Brewing Co. brews its Mariana Trench® Imperial Stout only once each year. And, what better way to celebrate the award-winning beer than by hosting an annual "Trench Day!" 

On Saturday, January 20, Due South Brewing released its 2018 version of the beer at its fourth annual Trench Day beerfest. Held onsite at the brewery, the beerfest is an "intimate" gathering of around 300. Not only does this beerfest take place indoors so that weather is not an issue, the limited number of tickets provides attendees with an enjoyable experience with plenty of options for seating, standing or moving around -- and, without long beer lines!

Shrimp & Suds Craft Beer Festival On Deck at Baseball Grounds in Jax, March 24

January 11, 2018: Leading off the 2018 season for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp is the second "Shrimp & Suds" Craft Beer Festival, at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, on Saturday, March 24, from 6-9pm. 

Before the Jumbo Shrimp throw the first pitch and swing for the fences at the home opener on Wednesday, April 11, adult fans can enjoy the ballpark atmosphere and unlimited samples of craft beer from a variety of breweries, including many local Jacksonville area breweries, at the "Shrimp & Suds" fest. Last year, the Jumbo Shrimp introduced the new team logo and ballpark food menu items with the first craft beer fest on the decks of the stadium, and the popular fest returns as an evening event this time around. 

Flowing on the River: Riverside Craft Beer Festival Returns to Jacksonville, February 24

2017 Riverside Craft Beer Fest
(photo by Linda Johnson)

[Ed. Note: 2/3/2018: Article has been edited to add new brewery-in-planning Fishweir Brewing below.]
January 10, 2018:  The 5th Annual Riverside Craft Beer Festival, presented by Rotary Club of Riverside (Jacksonville), is set for its return under the Fuller-Warren Bridge at Riverside Arts Market on February 24. 

With over 70 breweries participating, and more than 150 different craft beers flowing, attendees will find just about any type of beer. Just add in music and food trucks, along with a great charitable cause, and it's all fun on the river!

January Means Beerfest Season in Florida!

Hello, Florida Beerfest Season!
A view of this author's partial collection of beerfest glasses:
no cenosillicaphobia here (or is there?) 

January 4, 2018: 
The party hats, noisemakers, holiday decorations, and Santa, reindeer and elves have come and gone, and here we are with another New Year and another January. It might not mean flip flops and bare toes these days with the cold wave that's descended on the Sunshine State, but January does mean the start of a new Beerfest Season in Florida! Snap up those tickets, and hold on to your souvenir glasses, because there's a beerfest (or two) almost every weekend from now through April. If you're looking for a beertrip, tie in a beerfest and brewery visit, up your Untappd checkins, and try some new beers. And, yeah, get a room!

No Sun? No Rain! No Problem: Florida Brewers Guild Warmed It Up at Barrel-Aged, Sour & Cider Fest, Jax

December 14, 2017:
Holiday music on the radio while travelling north on I-95. Gray skies. A temperature reading of 48° at 1pm at Intuition Ale Works. Non-tropical breezes skirting over the river. Aromas from the coffee manufacturer a block away. Santa could have been lurking in these un-Florida-like holiday conditions. What's that about bourbon, whiskey, and staying warm? The Florida Brewers Guild hosted its third annual Barrel-Aged, Sour & Cider Fest in the backlot at Intuition Ale Works in Jacksonville on Saturday, December 9, under cloudy skies in a climate that could have evoked an image of a St. Bernard with a barrel. 

Rollin' Out the Barrel: Florida Brewers Guild Barrel-Aged, Sour & Cider Fest Rolls Into Intuition Ale Works

December 4, 2017:
When the Florida Brewers Guild rolls out the third edition of its annual Barrel-Aged, Sour & Cider Fest on Saturday, December 9 at Intuition Ale Works in Jacksonville, attendees can expect "more breweries, more beers" this year, according to Sean Nordquist, FBG Executive Director. The unique fest is set to host over 35 Florida breweries bringing the smooth tastes of barrel-aged beers along with the funk of sours, the tartness of Berliner Weisses and Goses, and the fruitiness of ciders. For those who savor the words "bourbon," "rye," and "whiskey" when describing barrels, and get thrown into a frenzy at the mention of "Brettanomyces" and "Lactobacillus," the fest is certain to tempt tastebuds!

Brew at the Zoo: A Wild Time in Jacksonville

November 14, 2017: 
The Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens hosted its 11th Annual Brew at the Zoo on Friday night, November 10. As the sun began to set after 5pm, families headed out of the gates after a day touring the zoo's habitat and animal exhibits. Near the same time, a different set of animals (who turned out to be some party animals) started making their way to the Zoo entrance for an evening of beer, spirits, food and music. 

Held each year in the fall, this is one fest that doesn't require much advertising. Tickets went on sale around September 5, and less than 24 hours later, the VIP tickets were sold out, according to JJ Vitale, Public Relations Manager. Ten days later, the general admission tickets were all sold. The 2016 Fest raised over $175,000, according to Brew at the Zoo sponsorship literature. Proceeds from the event benefit the care of the Zoo's 2000+ animals and 1000+ plant species. Each year, the Zoo hosts over 1 million visitors, and reaches over 100,000 local children through its educational programs, free admission and field trips. This is a large Fest, with over 2600 people attending in 2016. 

Rocky Water Brew Fest, Melbourne: A Rockin' Time

October 16, 2017: 
It was one rockin' time at the 4th Annual Rocky Water Brew Fest, presented by Eau Gallie Rotary, on Saturday, October 14 at Eau Gallie Square in Melbourne. The rain from Friday night and Saturday morning moved out, and it was smooth sailin' at the all-Florida beerfest in the Harbor City.

The fest highlights the smaller breweries in the state, with many brewers and owners on board to talk beer with the craft beer crowd. Tickets sold out around 2pm on fest day, shortly after the gates opened. Thirty-five breweries, including the local SAAZ homebrew club and a nearby brewery-in-planning (see below), lined both sides of the streets under tents at the corner of Highland Avenue and West Eau Gallie Boulevard. Among the breweries were four 2017 GABF medalists: Big Top Brewing, SixTen Brewing, LauderAle, and Walking Tree Brewery. I attended this fest the first two years, and after last year's sideline (courtesy of Matthew), I was excited to be back. What a way to spend an afternoon! A word of caution: lots of photos ahead!

making HEADlines: Rocky Water Brew Fest

making HEADlines: 

ROCKY WATER BREW FEST, MELBOURNE, FEATURES FLORIDA-ONLY BREWERIES, OCTOBER 14, 2017

Photo by Linda Johnson

Melbourne, FL:  The 4th Annual Rocky Water Brew Fest returns to Eau Gallie Square in the Eau Gallie Arts District in Melbourne on Saturday, October 14, 2017, from 1-5pm.  Presented by the Eau Gallie Rotary, the fest features over 30 Florida breweries. The Florida-only beerfest showcases the state's smaller breweries and gives attendees the opportunity to talk beer with the brewers and owners while sipping on local suds. 

Beer tents will line both sides of Highland Avenue at the intersection of West Eau Gallie Boulevard, and craft beer enthusiasts will enjoy samples of two to four beers at each brewery. Not only does the fest highlight smaller breweries, but the fest itself is intentionally kept on the smaller side, as far as attendance goes, to create a cozy and quality atmosphere for the patrons. "It's about quality, not quantity," says Rick Nemetz, Rocky Water Brew Fest Chair. Brewers bring their choice of beers, which usually include some favorites, as well as new beers that may not have previously left their tap rooms. 

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. 

Blues, Brews & BBQ at Florida Theatre, Jax: Eat, Drink, & Groove ... and Repeat!

It was tough to decide what to do first: get a craft beer from one of the local Jacksonville breweries or delve right into some saucy, lip-smackin' barbecue! Jacksonville's historic Florida Theatre hosted one tasty event last night at its annual Blues, Brews & BBQ fundraiser. The night featured seven local Jacksonville breweries and brewpubs, alongside six barbecue joints, with the sounds of smooth blues coming from the main stage. It was a night of sensory delight!

Located on the first floor were Engine 15 Brewing, Veterans United Craft Brewery, Intuition Ale Works, 4 Rivers Smokehouse, Mojo No. 4, and Gilbert's Social. Upstairs on the level two were Bold City Brewery, Wicked Barley Brewing, Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery, River City Brewing, The Bearded Pig, Butt Hutt, and Monroe's Smokehouse & BBQ. Music was provided by Smokestack and The Snacks Blues Band. 

(Caution: You might get hungry and thirsty .....)