Book launch scheduled for Florida Breweries

florida breweries bookTime for a big announcement.

The book release launch party for “Florida Breweries” has been set.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 3 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Copp Brewery & Winery in Crystal River. Copies will be available for purchase (likely $19.95 each) or if you’ve pre-ordered from Amazon.com and the book arrives in time, bring it along and I’ll be glad to personally autograph it for you.

Why Copp? Why not a larger, better-known Florida brewery?

A few reasons. I live in Crystal River, for one. Head brewer Fran Copp was the first person I interviewed for the book, shortly after they opened the brewery and not long after I moved to the area. Since then Fran and his wife, Donna (who makes the wine), and many of their regulars have become good friends, encouraging me and helping to keep me sane when the writing got too overwhelming. You can find me there most every Friday night when I’m in town, and maybe a time or two during the week.

Fran Copp and customer.

Fran Copp and customer.

Plus, he makes great beer. His brews won one silver and two bronze medals at the 2013 Best Florida Beer Championship, and his 1821 ESB won this year (color to be determined).

I hope to see you there. (I’ve heard there may be cupcakes).

The other confirmed book signing so far will be Thursday, April 17, also in Crystal River at Burkes of Ireland, another fine craft beer establishment that in the near future will be serving its own beers.

There are a couple of other appearances in early April that I’ve yet to fully confirm. But if you can’t make it to any of those, fear not. There will be others across the state, which you will hear about on the Facebook page, Twitter, on the Beer in Florida Events Calendar and on my Amazon Author Page. (You can learn more about the book there).

In addition, I will be doing “pop-up” signings when I make unplanned stops at beer establishments (you’d be surprised how often that happens). I’ll announce those on the Facebook page and Twitter as far in advance as possible.

If you’d like to schedule an appearance at your establishment or are a media outlet who would like to reach out, contact me directly at gerard@beerinflorida.com or call 941-544-3137.

By the way, though I’ve thanked many people by name in the book’s acknowledgements, I am so grateful for all of you who have offered support and encouragement along the way. You know who you are.

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Florida nearing milestone of 100 operating breweries

Beer in Florida logoI’ve heard more than a few people in the state’s beer scene estimating during presentations and conversations that “Florida will have 100 breweries by (fill in the blank).”

Very soon, perhaps in just a few months, that statement will be “Florida has 100 (plus) breweries.”

In updating the Florida Brewery Map and List on this site, I realized that there already more than 100 total breweries and brewpubs on it, but not all are open yet.

Here are the criteria I use to compile it.

  • The brewery or brewpub must produce beer on its premises. This means you will not find companies such as Native Brewing Company in Fort Lauderdale or Fantasy Brewmasters in Fort Myers that contract their beer at other breweries.
  • It does include breweries such as Grayton Beer Company in Santa Rosa Beach, which recently opened a new brewery and no longer contract brews, and Holy Mackerel Beers, which still contracts the bulk of its production, but opened The Mack House – Holy Mackerel Nano Brewery in Fort Lauderdale last year.
  • It includes two brewpubs – Karibrew in Fernandina Beach and Marco Island Brewery – whose brewing process is completed on site but started elsewhere.
  • It does not include BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse locations. Their beer is brewed out of state, but the chain is one of the brewing partners announced for BrewHub, the operation being built in Lakeland that will offer brewing and marketing services for other breweries. (BrewHub is on the map.)
  • To be included, a brewery or brewpub must have a physical address – it would be hard to map it otherwise – and if not yet open, it needs to have made solid steps such as ordering or installing equipment, and starting the regulatory process.
  • Other maps and lists out there are based on different criteria.  The Florida Brewers Guild maps only lists those breweries and brewpubs that are members. Others list breweries that haven’t made any steps toward opening other than filing as a business entity, sometimes years ago, with no progress since.

So, with that out of the way, here are the numbers (drum roll):

Breweries open and operating – 89

Breweries on the way – 27

TOTAL – 116

Of the “breweries on the way,” several are poised to open very soon –within weeks – and many of the others by the end of the year. Of course, speed bumps happen along the way at every new brewery, whether it’s unexpected regulatory issues or equipment taking longer to arrive than anticipated. But it’s almost guaranteed that the state will hit the 100-brewery mark sometime this year, perhaps even by the end of the summer.

View Florida Breweries in a larger map

The century mark is in sight.

Cheers to Florida-brewed beer!

Note:  I’ve found that there are usually one or two mistakes or omissions each time I update the map and list. Please leave a comment below if you are aware of any.

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Sea Dog/Shipyard production brewery in Clearwater moves toward a March opening

Sea Dog Brewing logoI just received an email from Dan Bolduc, the national events manager for Sea Dog and Shipyard Brewing Cos. who recently moved to Dunedin from Portland, Maine, to handle the events for Clearwater’s Sea Dog Brew Pub and the new production brewery being built there.

The concrete has been poured, and the brewing equipment has arrived. The 20-barrel system is the one previously used at the Shipyard Brewport in Orlando International Airport, which was the country’s first working brewpub housed in an airport. The brewery shut down in the late ‘90s, and the equipment was put into storage until now.

Bobby Baker, who has been in charge of the brewing on a small system at the pub, has been named brewmaster of the new operation. The brewery will produce beers from the Sea Dog and Shipyard Brewing Companies as well as special limited edition brews only available at the pub.

The new brewery is expected to open in March. The goal is to produce 40,000 barrels of beer annually, and Bolduc said there is room for expansion.

Also, Baker will head a beer dinner at the brew pub on Feb. 14, 2014, beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $40 for Mug Club members and $50 for others. Tax and gratuity are included. For tickets, call (727) 466-4916.

Sea Dog Brew Pub is at 26200 U.S. Highway 19 N. in Clearwater.

Note: A previous version of this story contained an incorrect number for the anticipated production capacity of the new system.


Win a Beer in Florida Bottle Opener

On CraftBeer.com: Collaboration on the FL-ORegon Trail

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Florida Brewers Guild Beer Fest moving to more spacious venue in 2014

FBG logoThe Florida Brewers Guild quietly leaked the information on its website that the annual Florida Brewers Guild Beer Fest, the official kickoff for Tampa Bay Beer Week, will move from Ybor City this year to Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park on the downtown Tampa waterfront, right behind the Tampa Bay Times Forum. It’s scheduled for Saturday, March 1, 2014, and the annual Brewers Ball, featuring the top beers from the Best Florida Beer Championship, on March 2 will also move there.

Mike Halker

Mike Halker

Mike Halker, president of the Florida Brewers Guild and president/head brewer of Due South Brewing Co. in Boynton Beach, graciously agreed to take time from a busy South Florida Beer Week for an email interview with Beer in Florida to discuss the changes. Here’s what he had to say.

Beer in Florida: Could you tell us about the new venue for the Florida Brewers Guild Fest and Brewers Ball?

Mike Halker: The new venue is at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park in Tampa.  It’s a great facility not far from our previous location in Ybor City.

BiF: Will there be anything new/changed from previous years, other than the venue?

MH: The biggest change will be the increase in space.  There’s more room for parking, more room for food trucks, more room for restrooms, and of course, more room for Florida brewers to serve the great beers they’re making.

BiF: What prompted the change?

Cigar City tent FBG fest 2012MH: The change was primarily due to the need for more space.  As you know, Florida’s number of breweries is growing steadily.  To accommodate this growth, we needed a larger venue.  Cotanchobee Park gives us room to expand.  It’s also nice to have the folks from the Brewers Ball join us.

BiF: How does this support the Florida Brewers Guild?

MH: It allows for more growth, therefore more attendees, therefore more revenues to assist us in our efforts in Tallahassee to further the cause of the Florida brewers.  It also makes everyone more comfortable and allows the brewers more opportunity to interact with the folks trying their beers.  Shorter lines at the restrooms should certainly be an improvement as well.

View Larger Map

BiF: The FBG held a new fest last year in South Florida. How did that go, and do you have any other new fests, events or initiatives planned for 2014?

MH: The festival in South Florida was a lot of fun.  We’re looking forward to another one this year.  The details will be coming soon but we’re looking into alternatives to the traditional festival and possibly doing something a bit more intimate.  We’ll know more in the spring.  Also, we’re planning a festival in Jacksonville to coincide with Jacksonville Beer Week.  I would look for that festival to be sometime in June or July.

BiF: What does the FBG offer its members, and if a brewery is not a member, why should it join?

MH: The Florida Brewers Guild exists to educate the public about Florida breweries, provide networking opportunities for Florida brewers, and promote free market access for Florida breweries.  Breweries in Florida join the Guild to protect our interests in Tallahassee and to have the opportunity to come together with other Florida brewers and participate in the camaraderie that makes our industry so great.  It’s a chance to be a part of a movement.  It’s fantastic.

Halker says tickets for the 2014 Florida Brewers Guild Beer Fest are scheduled to go on sale Feb. 5. Details will be released at FloridaBrewerGuild.org.

(UPDATE: Tickets are now available and can be purchased here.)

Collaboration  on the FL-ORegon Trail

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