Making HEADlines: Florida Breweries Earn RateBeer Best Awards

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January 30, 2018: FLORIDA BREWERIES  CYCLE BREWING, CIGAR CITY BREWING, AMONG TOP TEN "BEST BREWERS IN THE WORLD" AT RATEBEER BEST 2017; ADDITIONAL FLORIDA BREWERIES TAKE HONORS IN CATEGORIES

Santa Rosa, CA: RATE BEER, the well-known beer rating  site,  has released its annual "Rate Beer Best" Awards of 2017, after tallying millions of site reviews. Rate Beer began publishing lists of category winners last week. Additional category winners were announced on January 30, 2018, including the results of the "Top 100 Brewers in the World."

A number of  Florida breweries earned Rate Beer Best Awards for 2017, most notably two which ranked in the Top Ten of the Best 100 Brewers in the World category. Congratulations to the following Florida breweries and businesses:

making HEADlines: Walking Tree Brewery Expands Distribution to Jax Area

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WALKING TREE BREWERY, VERO BEACH, ANNOUNCES DISTRIBUTION TO METRO JACKSONVILLE AREA IN FEBRUARY

 January 26, 2018, 

Vero Beach, FL:  

Award-winning Florida brewery Walking Tree Brewery has announced that it will begin distribution in the greater Jacksonville area in February 2018. 

[Ed Note, 2/27/ 2018: The area Launch Events have been announced, beginning in St. Augustine on February 28, then in Jacksonville March 1, and Fernandina Beach March 2. See the "Tap This" page on this site for details.]

The brewery has partnered with Jacksonville-based Champion Brands to bring the Walking Tree Brewery beers to the markets of Duval, Nassau, Clay, Putnam, Baker and St. Johns counties. “Walking Tree has a reputation for making great beer that precedes their arrival to the Northeast Florida market.  We’re fortunate to partner with such an awesome group of people as we continue to grow craft beer in our area," said Earl Sutton, Champion Brands Off-Premise Craft Brands Manager in a statement released by the brewery.  "Between the shared values of our companies and the unique offerings for our market, we can’t wait to get these beers on tap around town.” 

Making HEADlines: Cigar City Brewing New Can Designs

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CIGAR CITY BREWING INTRODUCES NEW CAN DESIGNS FOR 2018

The old (top) and new (bottom) designs
(photo provided by Cigar City Brewing)

January 18, 2018, Tampa FL:  

On the heels of a new logo announced this past November, Cigar City Brewing has introduced a "refreshed look" for all of its packaging, including a new Jai Alai IPA 12-pack. In a statement released today, CCB Creative Manager Tiffany Cox explained that "[b]y refreshing, we were not looking to reinvent the wheel, but instead optimize it and make it work more efficiently. We had a lot of successful elements in the previous designs but lacked overall harmony. Our creative goal was to make these new designs feel like a natural evolution of their predecessor, for a look that definitively screams Cigar City Brewing."

Making HEADlines: Funky Buddha Brewery Updates

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FUNKY BUDDHA BREWERY RELEASES 2018 DISTRIBUTION SCHEDULE, ANNOUNCES NEW PRODUCT, PACKAGING, AND CANS

January 10, 2018, Oakland Park, FL:  Funky Buddha Brewery has announced a revamped distribution schedule for 2018, along with revealing new packaging and new beers to its lineup. 

Making HEADlines: Jacksonville Jaguars Serving Teal at Playoff Game

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JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS SERVING TEAL BEER AND TEAL FOOD AT PLAYOFF GAME SUNDAY, JANUARY 7


[Ed. Update, 1/7/2017: Yes, those really were "buns of teal": at the game on 1/7:

Sunday's Teal Beer at EverBank Field

(photo provided by Delaware North Sportservice)

January 4, 2018: The Jacksonville Jaguars and Delaware North Sportservice, the official EverBank Field food and beverage provider, have announced that teal beer and teal food will be on the menu at this Sunday's AFC Wild Card Playoff game between the Jaguars and the Buffalo Bills. 

In a statement obtained by this site, Donald Versace, Delaware North General Manager at EverBank Field said: "Jaguars fans are the best in the country. We wanted to bring something different to Jacksonville, something they’ve never seen before, to celebrate the team and the team’s colors. It’s a fun way to share in the excitement and thank them for the season!"

making HEADlines: Bog Brewing Bottle Release

making HEADlines:

BOG BREWING, ST. AUGUSTINE, SET FOR SECOND BOTTLE RELEASE DECEMBER 16

December 10, 2017

St. Augustine, FL: 

Seven days after making its inaugural beerfest appearance at the Florida Brewers Guild ("FBG") Barrel-Aged, Sour & Cider Fest, Bog Brewing Company is set for its second bottle release on December 16, at its tap room in St. Augustine. 


Bog Brewing will release its "Light in the Dark" Belgian Tripel, aged in bourbon barrels from St. Augustine Distillery. The brewery introduced its new barrel-aged beer at the FBG Fest in Jacksonville on December 9. In a statement, the brewery described the beer as having "a golden color and vibrant bourbon aromas, with a warming finish," at 9.9 ABV.  "I love the interaction of wood and beer, because it creates flavors and nuances that you can't get from a stainless steel tank," said Steve Mendoza, co-owner and head brewer. Aging the beer in St. Augustine Distillery's bourbon barrels is a "match made in heaven," and "it will only get better with age."

making HEADlines: Big Storm Brewing Acquires Tap Room

making HEADlines:

BIG STORM BREWING ANNOUNCES NEW TAP ROOM IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

December 4, 2017
Clearwater, FL: In a media release today, Big Storm Brewing Co. announced plans to open a new tap room in Cape Coral. The brewery, which operates breweries and tap rooms in Clearwater (Pinellas) and Odessa (Pasco), will open its newest tap room in the former Cape Coral Brewing location, at 839 Miramar St. by February 1, 2018.

making HEADlines: Goose Island and Black Friday

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BLACK FRIDAY MEANS BEER

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2017 variants
(photo from Goose Island Beer Co.)

November 21, 2017:
Jacksonville, FL: The day after Thanksgiving might mean different things to different people: maybe it's a day off of work, or a day to visit stores along with millions of others, or simply a day to recover and let the effects of the tryptophan continue doing its thing. 

For many beer enthusiasts, however, Black Friday means beer and beer releases. In particular, there's one beer release series that sends folks across the country into a frenzy each year: the Goose Island Beer Co. (Chicago) Bourbon County Brand Stout.  This year, the iconic barrel-aged Imperial Stout includes the original and five variants. The original Bourbon County Brand Stout is aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels. In addition, the 2017 variants are: Barleywine, Coffee (made with Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso), Northwoods (blueberry and almond), The Prop (bananas, cassia bark and roasted almonds), and Reserve (aged in 11-year-old Knob Creek barrels). 

making HEADlines: Cigar City Brewing Updates

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CIGAR CITY BREWING INTRODUCES NEW LOGO AND 2018 DISTRIBUTION CALENDAR

November 17, 2017, Tampa FL: 

Tampa brewery Cigar City Brewing announced its new logo today, along with its 2018 Distribution Calendar.

In a statement released today,  the brewery reported that its refreshed logo is the effort of "months of collaboration" with North Carolina agency The Brandit. The new identity program rolls out today, and is now displayed on CCB's website and social media platforms. 

The new logo will make its way through the marketplace in the coming weeks, and is identified on the brewery's latest bottle release, Café con Leche Sweet Stout. The new identity and branding is "one of the multiple exciting developments slated for Cigar City Brewing in the coming months," according to the statement. 

making HEADlines: Jax Beer Week

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JAX BEER WEEK 2017: NOVEMBER 4-11

Jax Beer Week kicks off November 4 at Jacksonville PorchFest. The Springfield music fest will also offer a beer garden, highlighting beer from local Jacksonville breweries. Over 20 different beers in a variety of styles will be available. Beer trucks will pour beer in Klutho Park, and the beer can be enjoyed while walking around the neighborhood listening to the music on front porches. 

The main beer list at PorchFest includes local favorites from Bold City Brewery, Engine 15 Brewing, Green Room Brewing, Aardwolf Brewing, Veterans United Craft Brewery, Intuition Ale Works, Pinglehead Brewing, Zeta Brewing, Wicked Barley Brewing and Atlantic Beach Brewing. Several beers by popular Florida breweries Cigar City Brewing and Funky Buddha Brewery will also be served. Additional beverage options include ciders from Engine 15 and Cigar City, and a variety of wines. Beer will be available from noon-9pm. Beer will be sold by ticket per individual cup, at $5 each. 

Collaboration Beer: Local Jacksonville area breweries, including Hyperion Brewing, Veterans United Craft Brewery, Atlantic Beach Brewing and Zeta Brewing, recently brewed a Jax Beer Week collaboration beer, the SouRed Society, at Intuition Ale Works. According to Intuition Head Brewer Andrew Cattell, the beer is a dry-hopped sour red ale, similar to last year's collaboration beer. The beer is expected to be available at PorchFest, and look for it around Jax.

In addition, Jacksonville brewery-in-planning Legacy Ale Works will offer complimentary samples (while supplies last) of two of its beers, a spiced red ale and a dunkelweizen, according to brewery co-owner Liz Jacobs. For a Q&A interview with Matt and Liz Jacobs before their first local tasting earlier this summer, click here. 

PorchFest Sponsors and donor Patrons will also enjoy a designated VIP seating area near the main stage. Between 5-6pm, the VIP tent will offer a complimentary VIP Happy Hour featuring hors d'oeuvres and beer tastings from local breweries-in-planning Legacy Ale Works and Strings Sports Brewery, along with Hyperion Brewing and Main & Six Brewing. 

PorchFest hosted a pre-party at Sweet Pete's Candy in Downtown Jax on Thursday evening, November 2, which featured beer samplings by Legacy Ale Works, Strings Sports Brewery, and Hyperion Brewing. 

With Matt and Liz from Legacy Ale Works:
Dunkelweizen and Spiced Red Ale in hands.
 

With Colby and Trevor from Strings Sports Brewery.
That could be a go-to Blonde Ale right there!

Sweet Stout with Troy of Hyperion Brewing. Sweet!

Also happening on Saturday, November 4: new brewery Main & Six Brewing Company officially opens its doors to the public with a Grand Opening celebration, beginning at noon. Check out the new brewery before you even get there, with a behind-the-scenes pre-opening early look, along with an interview of co-owner Dennis Espinosa.  The brewery held a soft opening on Friday night, November 3, to get ready for the huge opening day ahead:

Irmafest: Oktoberfest beer named after, well, you know.
A malty marzen with a nutty character.

Finished tap room: see the before photos.
Tables are all refinished now.
Note the hexagon floor -- see the pre-story!

We need a beer!

Big Jim California Common:
named after the local steam whistle.
Malty and hoppy at the same time.

Look for tappings, takeovers, and tastings all over Jacksonville and Jax Beach throughout the week. A calendar of events can be found on the "Tap This" page right here on brewnymph.com. 

On Sunday, November 5, join the crew from the up-and-coming Strings Sports Brewery at Hyperion Brewing, where both breweries will introduce their collaboration beer, a Sweet Potato Brown Ale. Also on Sunday, Alewife hosts its annual Jax Beer Week Bottle Share. 

And, going retro for a minute: there were two new beer releases on Friday, November 3: Atlantic Beach Brewing's first bottle release of its new Cafecito de Cuba; and Southern Swells Brewing's first can releases: Truth Juice DIPA, and In a Galaxy Really Really Close By IPA - check those out on the new video "Let's Get a Beer, Florida!"

That's just for starters, and there are even more events going on all week. Your weekly calendar just filled up!

Happy Jax Beer Week!  See you around Jax this week!

Cheers,

Linda Johnson,

Certified Cicerone®

© 2017 BrewNymph, LLC. All text and photos. All rights reserved. BrewNymph; Peace, Love, Pints; Where the Beer Meets the Beach, and Beer is my Trademark are federally-registered trademarks of BrewNymph, LLC; BeerSphere; Let’s Get a Beer, Florida; and I'm Fun; Deal With It! are trademarks of BrewNymph, LLC

making HEADlines: Atlantic Beach Brewing

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ATLANTIC BEACH BREWING FIRST BOTTLE RELEASE, NOVEMBER 3, A REAL EYE-OPENER

Atlantic Beach, FL:  Giving new meaning to "wake up and smell the coffee" is the first bottle release from Atlantic Beach Brewing Company, the Cafecito de Cuba, a bold, Cuban coffee-inspired Imperial Stout.  The beer will be available in 22-oz. bombers on November 3, beginning at 11am. 

According to Rory Malloy, the brewery's Operations Manager and Brewmaster, the beer was brewed with Cafe Bustelo® Supreme espresso coffee, cold brewed in the beer from the fermenter. The unique feature of Cafecito Cuban coffee is the sweet "crema" that floats over the strong coffee. Not to be confused with milk-based "cream," the crema is a foam made from sugar, briskly blended with coffee-- in this case, Demerara Sugar Crema (also known as espuma or espumita). All of that might be a mouthful, and Malloy describes the beer as having a "nice warmth," with notes of stonefruit, chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, and tobacco. Further, he says, although the crema is a large part of what makes the beer, it is not overly sweet, and it is backed by the substantial body and mouthfeel of the beer. The Imperial Stout clocks in at 10.8 ABV and 47.6 IBU. 

making HEADlines: Walking Tree Brewery

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WALKING TREE BREWERY, VERO BEACH, RELEASES BOTTLES OF TWO NEW BOURBON BARREL-AGED BEERS, OCTOBER 27



Vero Beach, FL:  Award-winning brewery Walking Tree Brewery releases bottles of its two latest beers from the brewery's  barrel-aged program on Friday, October 27, at 4pm, in the Vero Beach tap room.  



Walking Tree's Barnacled Manatee Barleywine is the reigning Best Beer in Florida, as named by the Best Florida Beer competition held in Tampa in March. For the brewery's First Anniversary this past July, the brewers  released a red wine-barrel aged version of the beer aged in French Oak red wine barrels for eight months. According to a statement from Daniel Rey, Operations Manager, another portion of the base beer was aged in bourbon barrels for eight months. Barnacled Manatee Barleywine is brewed once each year. 

making HEADlines: Bold City Brewery

making HEADlines:

BOLD CITY BREWERY, JACKSONVILLE, CELEBRATES 9th ANNIVERSARY, OCTOBER 21


Jacksonville, FL:  Jacksonville's first production craft brewery, Bold City Brewery, celebrates its 9th Anniversary with what promises to be another epic party at its Riverside location on Saturday, October 21, starting at 1pm. 

Bold City's annual anniversary bash might be well-known for its $2 pints, and that tradition will continue again this year, according to Kevin Miller, Sales Manager. Bold City fans can look forward to around 8-10 different Bold City beers on tap, including Barrel-Aged Duke's Brown Ale, Miller adds.


Much had been made over the summer about the travails of the brewery's encounter with the city Fire Marshal in July and subsequent renovation work required by the inspection. Miller confirms that work has been progressing, including the addition of several exit doors and accessible ramps. The good news for all concerned is that all three bars -- the tap room, inside brewery, and outside bar -- are expected to be up and running for the anniversary event. 

making HEADlines: Rocky Water Brew Fest

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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. 

making HEADlines: Florida Medalists at GABF

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FLORIDA BREWERIES EARN MEDALS AT 2017 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL

DENVER, CO:   The nation's premier beer festival and competition event, Great American Beer Festival (GABF), took place October 5-7, 2017 at the Colorado Convention Center. Each year, tens of thousands of beer enthusiasts attend the three-day festival to sample beers from across the country. This year, attendance was estimated at 60,000, according to figures released from the Brewers Association. More than 800 breweries served an estimated 3900 beers, and the event was staffed with over 4300 volunteers. 

making HEADlines: Southern Swells Brewing

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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. 

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. 

making HEADlines:

Hurricane Irma Updates

HURRICANE IRMA: September 10-11, 2017

Florida: Hurricane Irma made landfall in Cudjoe Key and again on Marco Island, Florida over the weekend. 

Photo by Linda Johnson

Our friends over at Islamorada Beer Company have set up a Gofundme site to help those in the lower Keys who were severely impacted by Irma. Please see www.gofundme.com/florida-keys-relief to donate. In addition, Islamorada Beer Company will be taking supplies to the lower Keys by boat and other means. If you are able to donate clothing, supplies and non-perishable food in person, please take those items to Islamorada Beer Company at 3200 St. Lucie Blvd., Fort Pierce FL 34946. Otherwise, you may ship items for donation to that address. Cheers to Islamorada Beer Company!

making HEADlines:

HURRICANE IRMA HEADS TO FLORIDA; BREWERIES PROVIDE WATER;
BEER EVENTS RESCHEDULED; FILL YOUR GROWLERS WITH WATER!

There's actually a story here (see below):

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JACKSONVILLE BREWERIES BOTTLENOSE BREWING AND INTUITION ALE WORKS BREW UP RASPBERRY TART COLLABORATION FOR RELEASE SEPT. 2

Jacksonville, FL: Warm weather, holiday weekend, and .... Raspberry Tart! They all go together. Thinking of things that go together, collaboration beers just may come to mind for many. In a collaborative spirit among locals, Jacksonville breweries Bottlenose Brewing and Intuition Ale Works recently teamed up and brewed up ... a special batch of beer, a Raspberry Tart. On Saturday, September 2, the "fruits" of their efforts will be pouring from the taps at Bottlenose Brewing, 9700 Deer Lake Ct., in the Tinseltown area of Jacksonville's Southside district, beginning at 11am.