Hope everyone is enjoying American Craft Beer Week by visiting and supporting your local craft brewers. And in Florida, we’ve got some dandy ones. In fact,
Ran into these guys last weekend in Cleveland at the International Beer Fest. Yay Cigar City!
Matador.com, the online arm of a travel writing media company, has named “Tampa Bay” one of the 20 Best Beer Towns in America.
We interrupt Beer Bites for an important public service announcement. The city is “Tampa.” Tampa Bay is a body of water. If you want to refer to the greater metropolitan region, please say “the Tampa Bay area.” Unless you call the city of San Francisco “San Francisco Bay,” in which case you’re beyond help. We now return to Beer Bites.
I’d Like a Beer, Honey
As part of its celebration of American Craft Beer Week, Dunedin Brewery is releasing its new Local Honey Ale today, made with 100 percent raw Florida honey. Sounds pretty sweet!
Help Those Who Help Others
The St. Petersburg World of Beer on Fourth Street is holding a fundraiser Sunday for the Suncoast Center Inc., a local nonprofit that helps a lot of people in a lot of ways. For a $20 donation, attendees will receive free Florida Avenue Ale drafts and food from Westshore Pizza. It starts at 3 p.m., and the bar will have the Tampa Bay Rays on the tubes. The fundraiser runs until 7, or whenever the Rays game ends.
A Look Behind the Curtain
Cold Storage Craft Brewery, the brewer of Florida Avenue Ales, will again open its doors to the public and allow a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of fermentation. Admission is $10, but that includes a pint glass and three tastings. All ages are welcome, but of course only those 21 and older can drink the beer.
Hollywood Nights
I’m not familiar with Hollywood Vine down in, where else, Hollywood Florida, but it’s holding a free craft beer tasting tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. The price certainly is right.
Jax Fest
The third annual Jacksonville Craft & Import Beer Festival will be tonight from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Arena. Organizers promise there will be more than 35 breweries pouring upwards of 200 beers, including some locally brewed.
Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em
Finally, I wrote about this earlier this week – and mentioned it in the guest column I did for Ticket Sarasota’s Beer Geek – but it looks so interesting that I’ll give it another shoutout. Backroom Cigar Corp. in Celebration is teaming with the Big River Grille and Brewing Works at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort for a beer and cigar pairing tonight beginning at 6 p.m. But not just any cigar. The HOPZ Craft Beer Cigar is infused with Centennial hops. Can’t wait to try it. I plan on being there, so if you attend be sure to say hi.
That’s it for this week’s Beer Bites.
Reminder: Please use our free interactive calendar to promote your upcoming craft beer events. The link’s at the top of this page.
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Enjoy the rest of your American Craft Beer Week. Until next time, Florida, remember: We are here! We are Beer!
