Beer in Florida

FROM THE ARCHIVES: (June 15, 2015) Clothing-optional beer festival can be enlightening

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Gerard Walen

The beer festival started at noon, but I arrived around 10:30 a.m. to get set up for my book signing.

I rolled up to the gated community’s guardhouse, got my name checked off the list, and proceeded to the vendor parking area.

The Florida sun beat down, and the familiar haze of mid-June humidity already had started to thicken. Which is probably why it only took about 30 seconds before I saw my first naked person.

The first beer festival last year at the clothing-optional Caliente International Resort & Spa in Pasco County proved such a success that they are doing it again this year on Saturday, June 20, from noon to 3:30 p.m.

Organized by “Chef Rob” Wilcox, the festivities will include unlimited samples of beer from local and national breweries, as well as food samples, and music from local blues musician Cat Valentine. Local breweries scheduled to pour include Cigar City Brewing, Big Storm Brewing Co., Tampa Bay Brewing Co. and Coppertail Brewing Co. Samples will flow from such national breweries as Oskar Blues, St. Arnold’s and Shipyard.

There will be a raffle of items donated by local businesses, and all proceeds will go to HPH Hospice.

Tickets for the public are $50 for general admission and $75 for VIP; Caliente member prices are $35 and $60. VIP admission includes a food selection provide by area restaurants, special beers and ciders, and wine. Call 813-996-3700 for tickets.

Eyes down here

If you clicked on this post to read about the beer, you can stop now. If you wanted to hear about naked people, read on. By the way, you will ONLY read about them. Unauthorized photographs are strictly forbidden. (The Safe-for-Work images here are courtesy of Caliente).

The festival had not been on my calendar last year, but my “Florida Breweries” book had just been released a couple of months before, and I was hustling to get the word out about it – and make some sales. During a conversation at a book signing, new-friend-at-the-time Lynn Waddell, author of the book “Fringe Florida,” mentioned that she was doing a signing at the Caliente Beer Festival the next weekend. Her book, a fun and eye-opening literary romp through the Sunshine State’s less-mainstream subcultures, devoted part of one chapter to Caliente, as well as some other clothing-optional resorts in Pasco County, which “boasts the largest nudist and clothing-optional community in North America,” according to VisitPasco.net.

(Her book’s subtitle is “Travels among Mud Boggers, Furries, Ufologists, Nudists, and Other Lovers of Unconventional Lifestyles).

Lynn asked if I would like to do a book-signing at the festival. I said I would. She made a call, and I was booked.

What I learned

For the purposes of this article, I’ll list some of the things I discovered via my personal experience at last year’s beer festival. You can learn more about clothing-optional resorts in general by reading the chapter in Lynn’s book, researching other resources, or visiting resort websites (usually not safe for work).

An open mind is essential: I had no idea what to expect. I knew of the concept of clothing-optional living, but other than a few teenage skinny-dipping episodes and walking around naked before and after showers in my own home, I had never participated and did not know how I would feel about it. I soon found out. For the first 10 minutes, it was weird. For another hour, it was a novelty. After that, I felt weird by being clothed.

Nudists are cool people: After the weirdness in my brain died down, I found that the unclothed were very welcoming, friendly and nonjudgmental people. Not everyone around the pools chose to go bare, and that seemed to be OK. Clothed and unclothed mingled and laughed as at any beer festival where no one was naked. The conversation and camaraderie amongst friends and strangers sort of reminded me of the social atmosphere of a brewery taproom.

Cliché 1, It’s all about sex: I didn’t see any public sex – maybe some “heavy snuggling” in the pool – but that’s it. In fact, the “unspoken rule” is addressed in the FAQ section of the Caliente website: “Overt sexual behavior or the appearance of such behavior is unacceptable at Caliente Resorts. Behavior ‘never needing an apology’ is the norm.” Is there sex going on? Of course – the place is a sprawling housing and resort development with thousands of year-round and seasonal residents. Get a room? They’ve got plenty. Just don’t expect to see it in public.

Cliché 2, All you’ll see are old, saggy bodies: As far as the physical attributes of the clientele, they ran the gamut from hard bodies to extremely soft bodies, and young to old, pretty much like at any crowded, upscale Florida resort. After a while, I hardly noticed, and probably even less so had it been a traditional resort. After all, you can’t stuff your body into a too-small swimsuit if you’re not wearing one.

Bad puns and jokes are inevitable: To this day, a brewery representative friend who attended and I greet each other with the universal waving-two-fingers-at-eye-level “I’m looking at you” symbol, and “Eyes up here!” And when I saw that Oskar Blues was sampling their “Old Chub” Scotch Ale … well, you get the idea. Just keep the jokes to yourself and your non-nudist friends. Or nudist friends who you know won’t be offended.

Privacy is important: Of course, you should be respectful of others’ privacy no matter where you are. But I did run into folks at the fest going au naturel whom I knew from the “clothed world,” and there were others I later encountered outside the resort whom I had met there. They know that mainstream U.S. society does not generally approve of their lifestyle. Some are OK with “outsiders” knowing; others are not. Until you know otherwise, assume the latter.

Finally, did I join in? Other than a brief and unobtrusive skinny dip into one of the five pools to cool off from the blistering heat, I stayed in my uniform of swim trunks and “Beer in Florida” work shirt for the duration of the festival. As the beer-related festivities wound down, Chef Rob announced that attendees were welcome to stick around and enjoy the resort as long as they wanted that day.

I loaded up my gear, packed it in my car, returned to the pool area, slipped off my clothes and for a couple of hours, I hung out.

See what I mean about the puns?

I’ll be signing books again at this year’s festival. Come by and say hi if you’re there. I promise to be clothed, at least until the festival is over. Lynn won’t make it this year, but she says there are copies of “Fringe Florida” available in the gift shop. If you’re in Central Florida on June 27, she’ll be signing copies at the Orlando Public Library’s LIBCON Author’s Fair.

Note to festivalgoers: Please bring cash or a standard credit card if you want to purchase a book ($20, tax included). Resort currency is in the form of a prepaid cash card, and I won’t be able to accept that. By the way, if anyone wonders how naked people carry around that sort of stuff, the gift shop sells some really cool branded baseball caps with zipper pockets inside.
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FATHER’S DAY FLORIDA BEER GIFT LIST

FLORIDA BREWERY MAP AND LIST

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Posted in Beer festivals, Events | Tagged bands, beer, beer and food, beer in florida, beer trips, beer week in tampa, brew pub, brewery, brewing, brewpub, caliente beer festival, caliente tampa, central florida, clothing optional beer festival, craft beer, craft beer in florida, craft brewer, craft brewing, festival, microbrewery, naked beer festival, naturalist, nudist beer festival, nudist resort, Pasco County, restaurants, Tampa, top beer in florida | 1 Comment

Beer in Florida’s Father’s Day Beer Gift list

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Gerard Walen

In years past, the beer consumed by the stereotypical father was usually a watery pilsner mass-produced by a brewery named after a mid-1800s German immigrant. No more. Now dads are as likely to be consuming an IPA, porter, saison, gose or other specialty ale crafted by a local brewery. And in Florida, it might have been brewed by one of the nearly 150 craft breweries right here in the Sunshine State.

Dad loves beer, and you love Dad. If he’s like most fathers, he’s not particularly mushy so you might share your feelings only once a year on the rapidly-approaching holiday. If you’re not the sentimental type either, you might just tell him with a gift.

With that in mind, here are some beery ideas for Pop’s special day. And to make it even sweeter, the people behind them are all based in Florida.

No more breakage

The B Cup – stackable and unbreakable.

I’ve been testing one of the new-to-the-market B-Cups for a few weeks now, and I’m sold. It’s a non-glass alternative to the oddly shaped IPA glasses being adopted by brewery taprooms across the country. But this isn’t the plastic tumbler or Solo cup so often resorted to in situations where glass isn’t allowed. The B Cups are made from a rigid, shatterproof, fully transparent, BPA-free plastic (think Gatorade bottle). These are perfect for Dad’s outings on the boat, the golf course, and the beach, and you’re not limited to pouring IPAs in it. Any good beer tastes great in it. One warning: As noted on the packaging, these are not dishwasher-safe. Fortunately, a quick rinse under running water is usually enough to clean them up for your next beer.

Founder: Joel Bigham of Tampa.
Cost: $15 per four-pack includes shipping.
Order here

Show his love of beer on his chest

If you’ve attended any recent beer festivals in the state, you might have seen the Hopcloth T-shirts for sale. You’ve certainly seen them adorning the bodies of attending beer geeks and geekettes. Some of the more popular are from the “Drink Beer From Here” series, which includes an outline of Florida – or any of the other 49 states and Washington, D.C. Other slogans include “Real Women Drink Craft Beer” and “craft beer. it’s not alcoholism, it’s a hobby.” I own a few of these, and can attest to their quality. The lightweight and durable material makes it perfect outerwear for the Florida summer.

Founder: Jeff Smith of Tampa.
Cost: $20, a buck or two more for larger sizes.
Order here

Chilled beer makes for a chill dad

Dad’s thirsty and you have beer, ice and a cooler. Unfortunately, the beer is warm and he doesn’t want to wait 20 minutes for the cooler and ice to do its magic – he’s thirsty NOW! Enter the SpinChill, a nifty little gadget that spins a can or bottle in the ice and cools it down in only minute or so. It’s hard to describe how it works, but it does. Check out this video to see it in action. The creators of this product developed several prototypes before finally making the one that went to market. I have had a SpinChill for about a year now, and there have been a few times where it really has come in handy.

Founders: Trevor Abbot and Ty Parker of Gainesville
Cost $29.99
Order here.

Read all about it

Time for a shameless plug. My first book, “Florida Breweriescame out in April 2014, and a lot of folks bought it for their fathers (or themselves) last year, but it’s still available if he missed out. It tells the stories of 66 Florida breweries, and there is a list in the back of 40-plus more that were not open by my publisher’s deadline. Granted, a few more breweries have opened since it came out, but the book also contains chapters on beer chains, beer in theme parks, beer festivals, and more. There’s non-beer-related information about each section of the state – places to stay or eat, things to see, historical spots, and so on. Not to mention everyone’s favorite – a glossary! The link to its Amazon page is below, but if you’re interested in receiving a signed and personalized copy, shoot an email to me at gerard@beerinflorida.com and I’ll give you the details. Also, if you see me around, I usually have a few copies for sale in my car’s trunk.

Author: Gerard Walen
Cost: Depends where you buy it. Retail price is $19.99.
Order here.

EVENTS

Gifts are great, but memories last a lifetime, or something like that. Here are a few craft-beer related events you can treat Pop to on his special day:

Praise the Lard: Father’s Day Eggs & Kegs: 11 a.m. at the Cigar City Brewing tasting room, Tampa. LOKO Cuisine serves its always-mouthwatering brunch the third Sunday of the month. In this case, it’s Father’s Day so they made it extra special with a self-serve four-course feast loaded with pork, bacon and more bacon. The brunch includes a pint, an equally priced snifter, or a cider. Details here.

Coppertail Crafts Day: Once you’ve filled your tummy, head just a few miles away to Coppertail Brewing Co. to help Dad build a terrarium. OK, this is really geared toward the younger kids and their dads, but everyone is welcome. Jamie O’Berry of O’Berry’s Succulents will guide the creation of the gardens in a glass, and a beer for Dad is included in the price of admission. Details here.

The return of an icon: Legendary Gainesville beer bar Stubbies and Steins shut its doors last year, but its spirit lives on, at least in the form of authentic German sausage. Gainesville’s Cymply Fresh Café will feature Stubbies’ signature tube dish along with tasty German brews in the café’s biergarten. And it’s a weekend-long event, so get your father into his lederhosen and bring him down Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. or Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. Details here.

Even if it’s not a Father’s Day-themed event, any local brewery taproom or craft-beer-focused bar or restaurant is bound to be a great place to bond with Pop over a great brew. Many of them have gift shops, or at least some merchandise behind the bar, so you can sneakily purchase him a gift while he’s off to the restroom recycling that last ale. Check out their websites, too: Often there is merchandise you can purchase online if you need to send him a present because he lives elsewhere.

And if like me, your dad is no longer with us on this mortal plane, there’s no better way to honor him that lifting a glass of locally produced craft beer to his memory. I know I will.

ADDENDUM

Rather than make this any longer, here’s an abbreviated list of some other Florida-based merchants who offer beer-oriented products.

Beer mustard – The Urban Canning Company (St. Petersburg)

Beer soap – St. Pete Soaps

Beer-making kits – Craft A Brew (Orlando)

Posters and T-shirts – Growler & Sons (DeLand)

Beer marshmallows – Wondermade Café (Sanford)

Cigar City Brewing wooden razor blade handles – Handmade in Tampa

Craft beer gift baskets – GiveThemBeer.com (Pinellas Park)

Disclosure: I get a very small percentage of sales of products sold through Amazon links. There is no other financial compensation from any of the companies mentioned. Regardless, all opinions are genuinely mine. Drink Local, Drink Florida.

FLORIDA BREWERY LIST AND MAP

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Posted in Craft beer in Florida, Florida Breweries book | Tagged beer, beer and food, beer in florida, brew pub, brewery, brewing, brewpub, central florida, Cigar City, craft beer, craft beer in florida, craft brewer, craft brewing, father's day, father's day beer gifts, father's day gifts, florida, florida beer events, florida beer gifts, Tampa, top beer in florida | 4 Comments

Funky Buddha announces a kitchen addition

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Gerard Walen

Funky Buddha Brewery has always integrated culinary influences into its beer recipes. Heck, it was their Maple Bacon Coffee Porter that first turned the eyes of the beer world on what was then a tiny brewery/coffeehouse in Boca Raton.

Now two years after expanding into its relatively massive production facility/taphouse in Oakland Park, Funky Buddha announces that it has come full circle and will open a locally driven kitchen in the space to help satiate the hunger of its customers.

Of course, Funky Buddha always has welcomed local food trucks to serve its customers, and a comment in the thread of a Facebook post announcing the news said, “We will certainly find ways to incorporate our favorite trucks, but we’re not exactly sure in what capacity yet. Stay tuned!”

We will!

By the way, the brewery is celebrating its second anniversary this Saturday with a massive street party. Details here.

Here’s the complete news release:

FUNKY BUDDHA BRINGS FOOD TO THE TAP ROOM: “CRAFT FOOD COUNTER & KITCHEN” COMING IN SEPTEMBER

OAKLAND PARK, FL – Funky Buddha is brewing up something special yet again – this time, in the kitchen. The brewery announces today its plans to build Craft Food Counter & Kitchen inside its Oakland Park tap room. This next step in Funky Buddha Brewery’s evolution will be a locally driven kitchen, combining gourmet-caliber plates with a fast-casual “counter” method of service that will fit right in to the tap room’s communal atmosphere.

“Funky Buddha has always been known for its culinary approach to beer, and now we’ll finally have a kitchen to match,” says KC Sentz, co-owner of Funky Buddha Brewery. “The ability to incorporate quality food and beer together will just complete the tap room experience for our customers.”

Craft Food Counter & Kitchen (CFC) will be helmed by Jeff Vincent, a South Carolina native and veteran head chef who most recently brought acclaim to the fantastic Beauty & the Feast inside the Atlantic Hotel on Fort Lauderdale beach. Vincent joined the Funky Buddha family in early April to produce the menu and oversee build out plans. His eclectic style draws on his low country roots, combining European technique learned from his early days apprenticing in the Iberian Peninsula with world-class kitchen experience at resorts such as Callaway Gardens and Highland Country Club in LaGrange, Georgia.

“Funky Buddha’s unique beers are an amazing source of inspiration,” says Vincent. “Getting to create dishes that will interact with these beers has got me anxious to fire up that kitchen and get cooking.”

Vincent’s menu will combine farm-to-table ethos with upscale street food. Everything will be made in house, utilizing local ingredients as well as the beers themselves. Pickled vegetables will be made using only fresh, seasonal produce. Sauces, soups, and even Bavarian-style soft pretzels will be made in house daily. The latter – a signature item at CFC – will utilize ingredients from every step in the brewing process: spent grains in the dough, real brewer’s yeast as a leavening agent, and finished beer in a variety of house-made dipping sauces including Doc Brown whole grain mustard, sriracha buttermilk dressing, and red ale cheese dip.

Traditional pub fare will all receive a twist courtesy of Vincent. The Mighty Tatanka burger will feature a blend of lean bison livened with bacon, smoked buffalo mozzarella, charred plum tomatoes, and sweet onion compote. Deviled eggs — a true Southern staple — will be set off with pancetta lardons and house-pickled okra. Sharable plates perfect for splitting over a few beers will also be a central focus. Dishes include wok-blistered shishito peppers with smoked peanuts and lime pearls, and beer-battered chicken and biscuit sliders with sawmill gravy. CFC at Funky Buddha Brewery will serve lunch, happy hour, and dinner daily.

The addition of Craft Food Counter & Kitchen will also allow the brewery to conduct beer dinners on site, pairing its brews with custom dishes turned out by Vincent. A full-service private room that seats 125 is being built concurrently and will host corporate events, receptions, and private functions with a full catering menu to match.

Construction on CFC is set to begin immediately with an estimated completion in September. This news comes as the brewery is set to host its Second Annual Anniversary Festival & Block Party on May 30th, which promises to be the largest craft beer event to date held in South Florida. For more details on the festival visit anniversary.funkybuddhabrewery.com.

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Posted in Beer news, Brewery | Tagged beer, beer and food, beer in florida, beer in south florida, beer travel, brewery, brewing, brewpub, craft beer, craft beer in florida, craft brewer, craft brewing, florida, florida beer, florida beer events, florida craft beer, funky buddha, microbrewery, south florida craft beer, top beer in florida | Leave a comment

Craft beer can frenzy keeps growing in Florida

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Gerard Walen

In 2012, Intuition Ale Works in Jacksonville became the first Florida craft brewery to put its product into cans. Tampa Bay Brewing Company, which had been in a friendly race with Intuition to be the first, placed second just a few days later with the release of its flagship Old Elephant Foot IPA in 16 oz. cans.

Cigar City Brewing came in third not long after.

Three years later, liquor stores with good access to the state’s breweries are creating entire end caps and store displays featuring dozens of different styles of craft beer canned in the Sunshine State.

Cans make sense for our outdoor-oriented culture because they are lighter to carry than bottles and allowed in many places that outlaw glass containers, not to mention being well-suited for preventing light from affecting the taste, and better for the environment by being more easily recycled.

The state’s canning revolution has cranked into full gear. Three of the state’s breweries have announced just in the past couple of days that they are putting their product into the aluminum containers.

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Posted in Craft beer in Florida | Tagged beer, beer in florida, brew pub, brewery, brewing, brewpub, central florida, Cigar City, craft beer, craft beer in florida, craft brewer, craft brewing, florida, florida beer events, florida craft beer, jacksonville, microbrewery, Tampa, top beer in florida | Leave a comment

Beer in Florida

FROM THE ARCHIVES: (June 15, 2015) Clothing-optional beer festival can be enlightening

Eyes down here

What I learned