Six Months with Bob Sylvester

Written by Jake Miller

Before I got to Saint Somewhere, I had worked for two other small breweries. Days were long; I was the only production employee for both. I liked that—I had built a life in each cellar and knew barrels better than friends. Grain bills and hopping rates had become my language. I loved what I did, but I was exhausted. I was also nurturing an unhealthy cynicism for the industry.

Craft beer, whatever that means, was quickly becoming a hoax. The rebels, fist shakers, river rats and outdoor enthusiasts I had known in my early 20s had been replaced with marketing demigods. Greed, ego and line lust seemed to be pushing out all sense of honesty and artisanship. The arms race for wild and spontaneous beer programs was well underway, and balance and nuance were quickly becoming casualties. Bottles of Beaujolais were cheaper than American sour beer and 4-packs of IPA. A dollar an ounce was commonplace. I was completely lost. I needed to look at things through less weary eyes. I needed to have a conversation with someone I could trust. That’s when I emailed Bob.

Credit: Blake Coleman

Bob doesn’t know I’ve been up for a full day when I land in Tampa. I get a text at the baggage claim: He’s outside waiting for me in a Mazda SUV. Within minutes, we pull into Cigar City—heard of this place? We have a couple of beers and move on to 7venth Sun. They’re having a bottle share. Justin Stange introduces himself and holds up a bottle of Prairie’s 4th Anniversary: Talk to me about this. I haven’t been at Prairie since the 3rd, I tell him. I don’t remember much else. 

Bob tells me I’ve got the next three days to myself. Explore the town, chill out, go to the beach, we’ll start on Monday. I walk to the sponge docks, nearly a dozen old wooden boats manned by old Greek men, thousands of sponges covering their decks and the sidewalk. It feels like it’s centuries ago. I order lamb orzo from a small place, and something labeled Greek light beer. The orzo is good, the beer is miserable.  

It’s 6:30 a.m. on a Tuesday—November 22. Florida pays no attention to the month. It’s 75 degrees, and the sun hasn’t even begun to show itself. We stack bags of Dingemans pilsner malt. Bob says the early start should give us good groundwater temperature for the transfer. We’re brewing a table beer. After a long boil on an old kettle, we get set up for the transfer. I can’t help but smile as we gather chairs, garden hoses and a couple of homebrew-sized heat exchangers. This is exactly what I needed. I ask Bob where his oxygen tank is. He thinks it’s broken—we’ll just let the wort fall from the top of the tank. Of course.  

I ask Bob if he wants me to CIP the fermenter. He nods yes. I strip the tank and soak all the parts in hot detergent water. I ask what’s in the detergent—equal parts OxiClean and TSP (trisodium phosphate)—and what made him decide to use it (It works, I wear flip-flops when I brew, and you can get it at a hardware store and a grocery store on your way to the brewery). Most of Bob’s processes have more to do with how old his brewery is than anything else. Yesterday, he was telling me how he used to have to mail in his labels for federal approval.

I’m putting the valves back on the tank when Bob tells me to hold on. He brings over a blowtorch and lights it up, running the flame over every port, crack and opening on the tank. I have never in my life seen or heard of anything like this, and I ask him about it. He shrugs and says there was a time a couple of years ago when he had eight batches in a row go bad—he had to dump every single one. He would pull up to the brewery the morning after a brew day and smell sulfur before he even opened the front door. He tells me he’d tried everything and didn’t know what else to do. He thought he was going to lose the business. Desperate for a fix, he decided to try hitting the tank with a blowtorch before running the wort in. He hasn’t smelled sulfur since.   

It’s Christmas. I haven’t been home for one in a while. Bob picks me up in a Mercury cop car, and we haven’t gotten five minutes down the road when we both agree that we don’t have enough beer. We become those people that we hate and pull into a Walgreens on Christmas Day. We walk out with a lot of Sierra Nevada. Gifts are exchanged, and we all eat until there’s nothing left. I meet Bob’s parents; they’ve been married more than 60 years. We all take turns wearing a virtual reality headset. Bob gives me a card with a $100 bill in it. The card has Saint Nick’s reindeer careening into a shithouse with a caption that reads I said the Schmidt house. 

We’re kegging our second beer today. It’s an easy-drinking saison with heaps of jasmine tea leaves. Taking a sample, I stand over it for several minutes and end up finishing the entire pour. It’s loaded with soft white nectarines, dried late-season grasses and the infant stages of Brettanomyces. What really gets me is the mouthfeel. There are subdued tannins, and it takes me a minute to realize there’s also an oak presence. Not the vanilla, coconut oak notes that brewers typically strive for, but just the aspects of aging that lend to a fuller body. I love this. I ask Bob if this always happens. Yep. I guess even marvels can become mundane after so many years.

Bob’s mom died last week. I can tell it’s been really hard on him. There’s a ton of family around, and I haven’t seen him for a few days. He’s good about sending me texts letting me know that he won’t be around. I put the last of my Fantôme bottles in the fridge. Nothing eases the pain of a parent’s death, but I know he’ll appreciate the gesture.  

We spend a lot of nights like this, pulling bottles of old saisons out of the fridge and talking shit. It’s incredibly healthy for me. I hope it is for Bob, too—basing a brand off of saison and never wavering feels a lot like living on an island. Everybody thinks you’re living the dream, but really you’re just isolated.

I read an article yesterday on spontaneous and wild fermentation. I show it to Bob; he shakes his head. We talk about how some of the people interviewed haven’t even produced the things they’re talking about. I ask him why he doesn’t get interviewed on wild fermentation. I can tell I’ve hit a soft spot. He talks about how he didn’t even get interviewed for an article written last year about packaging in green bottles. I know he’s not asking me to feel sorry for him, he’s simply wondering what the hell is going on.  

It’s Tampa Bay Beer Week: a time where people fly in from all over the country to drink DIPAs and adjunct stouts in 97-degree heat with 97 percent humidity. We take refuge in the few kölschs and saisons offered. Like the Great American Beer Festival, the highlights of the week are the events surrounding the main event. Brewers and owners from the most followed breweries in the country make the 45-minute trek out to Saint Somewhere. Bob has pulled a few strings and landed some esoteric Fantôme bottles, and Jeffrey Stuffings has earmarked some highly sought-after Jester King. We all share stories about the first time we had a Bob beer—there isn’t a person in the room who doesn’t think of him as a mentor, a legend or a close friend. We sell through four cases of Fantôme bottles, almost all the Jester King and several kegs of Saint Somewhere. Bob is beaming. 

Bob and I both drink a lot of XX Bitter. We order multiple cases at once, and I think we both know who is drinking most of it. We talk about it dogmatically: firm and deliberate bitterness that follows the whole taste profile, occasionally bending toward maltiness but never letting you forget it’s a Hallertau story. There are no words for how perfect this beer is. Like most brewers, we can’t help but want to try and brew something similar ourselves. We put together a straightforward grain bill and decide that we’re going to use Aramis instead of Mittelfruh. After a week, we take our first sample. It smells incredible. We take our second sample a week later. Before I even get the glass to my nose, I can smell the pedio. What the hell? We both swirl the glass continually in disbelief. We look fermenter to fermenter, making sure we’re even sampling the right tank—we haven’t had anything get this sour yet. Swirl. Drink. Swirl. Drink. It’s been a long time since I’ve been completely blindsided by the direction a beer has taken. I can tell this came out of nowhere for Bob, too. We both decide this is a cool open fermentation story, a lack of lab intervention in the cellar leading to a head-scratching result. We dry hop it a little later on and eventually package it. We throw the first keg on draft. It sells faster than any beer we’ve made so far.

My friend Nick Danger has been in town the past few days. Today is his last day, and we’re kegging a batch. As we set up, I ask Bob if he wants me to CIP the kettle before we transfer the finished beer into it. He says to just spray it out with water. I look over at Nick and smile. These little industry defiances will make any brewer’s heart swell.  

It’s my last week in Tarpon Springs. It’s bittersweet; I’m eager to get to work on my next project, but I know I’m going to miss Bob. He’s throwing me an Occupy party tomorrow. I’m hungover just thinking about it. I’m also incredibly honored to participate in one of Saint Somewhere’s most hallowed events. I’ve heard stories from several people about these nights, and all of them include blurry reminiscence of mash tun hot tubs, whippets, and infinite bottle counts. Honored and terrified. 

Credit: Blake Coleman

I’m given an Occupy Jake shirt by Bob Lorber, one of the many members of the Bob Squad. These guys are all at least 15 years older than I am, but there isn’t a chance I’ll keep up with them tonight. Bottles are opened in stages. Someone reaches into the crate of reserve bottles and is immediately informed that those bottles will be opened once the bottles on the table are finished. There is another table with a Crock-Pot full of hot dogs. I remember two hours ago thinking I would never touch those. I’ve already had two. A cake makes its way to the table. Bob gathers everyone around and gives a speech. He gets choked up at the end, and so do I. It’s hitting me hard that this will all be over in a few hours. Some friends and I scheme a last visit to Johnny’s, our local bar specializing in wings and Mexican lagers. I look over at Bob, and he’s got the water hose out, spraying off his feet over the floor drain and saying something about flip-flops. We walk across the street to the bar for a final order of wings and lagers. And just like so many other nights in Tarpon Springs, I struggle to remember the rest. 

Jake Miller has brewed at Prairie Artisan Ales in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Wolves and People Farmhouse Brewery in Newberg, Oregon. Along with Zach and Melissa French, he is a co-founder of Heirloom Rustic Ales, opening this fall in Tulsa. During the winter and spring of 2017, Miller spent six months as a brewer in residence under Bob Sylvester of Saint Somewhere Brewing Company in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

Edited by Molly Bullock

Our Favorite American Craft Beers of 2016

 Every year we get the chance to drink a lot of really great beers.  We don't assign them numbers or award points for rarity.  Some of those beers stick out to us.  This last year, these were those beers (in no particular order): 

1. Fonta Flora Brewing, Razzmatazz Vol.1:  In my opinion, Fonta Flora is one of the most exciting breweries in the country.  They experiment with local and foraged ingredients, brew killer hoppy beer, but most of all have a portfolio of wonderfully complex and bold flavored and balanced beer.  Razzmatazz Vol. 1 is a beautiful red raspberry wild ale, with an enormous berry bouquet and layer upon layer of raspberry and funk on the palette.  While we could have picked from almost any of the Fonta Flora beers we were lucky enough to have this last year, this one had us from the first smell in the glass.

2. Bissell Brothers Brewing, Lux: We're suckers for Rye. We're suckers for hops.  Marry the two and Lux is as close to perfect as you'll get.  While most people talk about Swish or Reciprocal when they bring up Bissell Brothers, but Lux was a stand out for us given the unique peppery character added by the rye.  Like you've come to expect from Bissell Brothers, huge tropical fruit, citrus, and pine will punch you in the face from the first sip to the last.  We popped the can and could smell the hops from 4 feet away!  We love Bissell Brothers beer and this one is our favorite.

3. Forest & Main Brewing, Paradisaea: This brewery, the people behind it, and the beer are all world class.  Paradisaea is a barrel aged saison with citrus and Mosaic hops.  It's a juicy, just sour enough, beautiful interpretation of the style and is a wonderful representation of what the brewery is capable of.  Part English pub and part barrel aged sour production brewery, F&M is creating some of the most inspiring beer in the country.  Fermenting their sour beers, like this one, on a local forged yeast and bacteria culture, they're able to create an experience unique to their brewery with each offering. Paradisaea is wonderful.  It's fun and playful and really got us thinking about all the subtle flavors we were picking up throughout our time with the beer.  We can't wait to see what's next from F&M.

4. Cellarmaker Brewing, Nelson: We visited the quaint brewery in November while in San Francisco, with our good friend Jesse Friedman (Almanac, founder).  He thought it was a must while in town - and he was absolutely right.  We loved the experience from start to finish.  The taproom is cozy and the beer is fantastic.  Nelson, which features Nelson Sauvin hops (as the name suggests), stood out as our favorite.  Nelson is just one of those juicy, hazy (not juicy because it's hazy), dry, and hop forward beers that has you going back for more.  It's aggressive but soft at the same time.  It's pungent and powerful but subtle and delicate all at the same time. Moral of the story, it's just damn good.

5. Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, Nightmare on Brett (Leopold Whiskey Barrels on Cherry): Chad Yakobsen, owner and founder of Crooked Stave is the authority on Brettanomyces fermentation.  He's able to coax unique and interesting character out of his yeast cultures that most breweries only dream of.  This understanding of fermentation also allows Crooked Stave to put out big bold beers like Nightmare on Brett (around 10% abv), which are sour, influenced by fruit, and fermented in whiskey barrels and make them seem delicate and almost wine like.   We love this beer because the dark appearance and whiskey aromatics give way to a complex acidic and fruity character on the palette.  It takes you by surprise and offers a truly unique experience with sour beer as most breweries only use neutral oak or wine barrels for their sour program.  The beer has so much going on but when poured into the glass everything works in harmony.  Nightmare on Brett is a present look to the future for sour beer and for that reason it had to be on our list. 

6. The Tank Brewing, La Finca: It's no surprise that we love saison.  The Tank, which opened earlier this year, decided to make La Finca ("the farm", in Spanish) saison a core year-round offering and we couldn't be happier about it.  It's dry, effervescent, peppery, citrusy, earthy, and incredibly refreshing.  It's brewed with a nod to the traditional saisons and the history of the style, but is modern in approach and choice of ingredient.  La Finca is brewed with an acute attention to detail and purpose that comes across as a mature "we've been doing this for years" offering.  We're excited about this beer and what's to come from this new Miami brewery. 

7. Civil Society Brewing, Fresh: Hops, hops, hops.  Civil Society just celebrated its 1 year anniversary and has already established itself as a hop head's dream in South Florida.  Fresh is the beer that, in our opinion, truly separates the brewery from the rest.  Head brewer, Karl Volstad, has been brewing the beer for years, each time fine tuning the approach to make it into what it has become.  An aggressively hopped, ripe tropical fruit forward,  aromatic, and refreshing IPA that gives you all the hops you could ask for without the astringent bitterness.  You can taste the time and effort the brewery has put in to the beer with every sip.  For even more hops, head to the brewery and try the Double Dry Hopped Fresh. 

8. Side Project Brewing, Derivation (Batch 5):  I know, I know.  Side Project has made its way on to the favorite beers list every year since we started.  What can I say?  Cory is a master at his craft.  This year, we got to spend some time together down in Florida drinking through several Side Project offerings and although all were world class, this batch of Derivation blew us away.  A huge imperial stout: coffee, vanilla, aged in rum barrels for over a year; yet, somehow it came across as soft and delicate.  We still haven't been able to wrap our heads around how such a powerful and flavorful beer could come off so nuanced, subtle, and graceful.  Big body, creamy mouthfeel, and dangerously drinkable.  It's a testament to what Side Project is capable of and quite simply one of the best beers we've ever had the opportunity to try.  

9. Firestone Walker Brewing, Pivo Pils: This beer may be as close to perfect as it gets.  Because it's a pilsner and because it's somewhat readily available it doesn't get all of the the attention in the beer nerd kingdom that it deserves.  But, it is phenomenal.  It is so technically sound, so flavorful, so refreshing, it's almost hard to believe.  Firestone Walker is an industry standard for quality and consistency and Pivo is steering the ship.  It's no surprise that Pivo took Gold at the Great American Beer Festival from 2013 to 2015.  That's blind tasting, by the way!  

10. Casey Brewing & Blending, Oak Theory:  Troy Casey is a superstar in the making, if not already one.  Ask most brewers who they're watching these days, and Casey Brewing is at the top of the list, and it's no surprise.  He's making beautiful funk forward mixed fermentation beers employing old school meets new school fermentation techniques and the results are often times breathtaking.  Funk reminiscent of your favorite cheesy lambic, jammy fruited sours, and just a masterful command over the beers.  Oak Theory is no non-sense Belgian inspired beer fermented in and aged in oak for over a year.  The result is a funky, dry, and incredibly complex beer.  It's one of those beers that really lets you experience the oak and Troy's ability to bring out unique flavors through fermentation.  It's a thing of beauty people!

Future of South Florida Craft Beer

Here in South Florida we tend to be late to the party on many things.  The one benefit of that is that by the time we arrive, we've had an opportunity to scope out what everyone's going to be wearing, get a feel for the kinds of things people will be doing there, and lastly we have the opportunity to take all of that intel, ignore it, and do whatever we were going to do anyways.  It's just the way things are down here.  We'll get to the party eventually but every single person at that party brings their own personality.  So while the craft beer scene has been pretty dismal considering the number of people down here versus the number of open breweries, the party just started.

There are plenty of things to be excited about these days.  Wynwood Brewing and MIA Beer are selling their beer in bottles and cans, Civil Society is working to master the art of hops, and slowly but surely, breweries are investing in oak programs - adding complexity and diversity to their offerings.  The number of breweries is growing and more are in planning, but three of those "in planning" stick out in our minds as breweries to watch for.  Those are: 3 Sons Brewing, Odd Breed Wild Ales, and the closest to opening, The Tank Brewing.  All three completely different interpretations of style and all three just as exciting as the next.  We all got together recently to sample some of the pilot batches the brweeries were working on, talk shop, and get a better feel for what was in store for South Florida.

3 Sons, led by Corey Artanis, has gained an incredible following for its big bold stouts.  After winning the best beer and people's choice at the 2015 Hunahpu's Day event, Corey solidified himself and his stouts as a force to be reckoned with.  Yet, his portfolio is broadening every day. Focusing on wild ales, Florida Weisses, and his juicy pale ales, 3 Sons will show the world they are not a one-trick pony.  The examples we tried were clean, fruity, and refreshing.  Big fruit, beautiful color and aroma, and bringing more to the table than "just fruit".  It's something that gets lost today - yes, people want to taste fruit, but that can't be everything.  Of course, Lumberjack, Morning Break, one of the beers that put 3 Sons on the map made an appearance as well.  A "Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Maple Coffee Stout" and a big sweet, roasty, aromatic, bomb of flavor after flavor, held up by a sturdy backbone and heavy mouthfeel.  Yet, for as big as this beer is, it's surprisingly drinkable.  Since meeting up with Corey to go through some new beers, 3 Sons took Best Brewery and Best Beer award for a second year in a row at Cigar City's Hunahpu's Day.  Impressive to say the least. 

Odd Breed will be South Florida's first wild ale only brewery - every beer fermented with wild yeast/bacteria and every beer seeing time in oak before packaging.   If you want more background info on this exciting upcoming brewery, head over to our conversation and beer review pages.  Matt Manthe, head brewer and co-founder, is producing some of the most beautiful wild and sour beers in country (yes, a bold statement), placing emphasis on balance and subtlety over any gimmick.  His beers are complex yet extremely approachable - fit for the nerdiest of beer drinkers or the casual consumer.  We had a few examples but a wild ale on peaches really stood out on this day as one we couldn't get enough of.  

The Tank Brewing is the furthest along of the three and is going to feature a beautiful saison as its flagship.  I'm biased to the style but this saison is just awesome.  The most recent batch, also the finalized recipe/process, is big on citrus, it's dry, effervescent, and finishes earthy and peppery.  It's a wonderful food beer or just a beer to enjoy on its own.  It's where it needs to be and we're looking forward to it being available year round.  The other beers in the portfolio are equally as exciting, like a brown that features tons of dark chocolate and roasted coffee notes but finishes delicately and dry.  Led by Matt Weintraub and Moh Saade, the Tank will feature some traditional European styles with a twist and plans to develop a barrel program early on.  

It's not easy to sit down on a cool sunny afternoon and drink through some of the most recent batches of beer being produced by these up and coming breweries but someone had to do it.  The day reaffirmed the party analogy above.  Each brewery, although sharing similar philosophy and approach, brought forward different styles and interpretations.  The beers being produced in South Florida currently having no bearing on what they will do.  It's refreshing to know that even when big national breweries are laying out road maps to successful portfolios, there will always be those down here that will break the mold and be themselves no matter what.  South Florida will continue to grow as a player on the national scale with these guys helping to solidify that growth every step of the way.  

Cheers,

Craft Commander

Our 2015 Favorite American Craft Beer List

If you've listened to or watched any interview on our site, you know how we feel about beer rating. The subjectivity of the product really makes any of these lists somewhat useless.  Nonetheless, we read them.  All of them.  We can't help it.  We know you can't either - so here's our 10 favorite beers that we had in 2015 in no particular order.  

1. Plan Bee Farm Brewery - Precious

This was just plain awesome.  So balanced, complex, and well, precious.  Evan is putting together some of the most beautiful beers in the country from his Hudson Valley farm and this one (although not released in 2015) may have been one of his best to date.  2016 will see more growth for Plan Bee which will hopefully make it easier for more people to try these wonderful creations.

2. The Rare Barrel - Forces Unseen

The Rare Barrel has quickly gained a reputation for their wonderful barrel aged sour beer program.  Forces Unseen is a seemingly straight-forward blend of golden sour beers - only, it's masterfully blended and really displays what the Rare Barrel can do.  No need to add fruit or any outside flavors, the oak, yeast, and malt backbone(s) are front and center and come together to really make this a special and versatile beer. 

3. Green Bench Brewing - Petit Provision

The definition of a table beer.  Low in alcohol, tart, and refreshing.  This wild ale aged in white wine barrels is soft and delicate but full of flavor and complexity.  It's ready for a day out at the beach or to be paired with a high-end meal at your favorite Michelin rated restaurant.  We love this beer and the fact that it's readily available at the brewery makes it even better. 

4. Trillium Brewing - Fort Point

Hop juice.  Trillium has really taken the Northeast by storm this year, releasing hit after hit and causing lines to form around the block for bottle releases.  Fort Point is the brewery's staple pale ale and really sets the tone for what you can expect in the rest of the brewery's offerings.  Huge aromatics, luscious and never-ending hop character with minimal bitterness.  Drink fresh and drink often.

5. Firestone Walker Barrelworks - Feral One

Firestone Walker is one of our favorite breweries in the entire world.  They release classic after classic.  Perfection at every level.  Feral One follows suit.  Although, really any Barrelworks offerings could have made this list, Feral One is something special.  A special blend of their best barrels, the team in Buellton has created a beautifully nuanced funky, sour, and complex ale displaying an array of fruit sitting on top of just the right amount of barrel character. 

6. Lagunitas - Born Yesterday Pale Ale

We love Lagunitas and their consistently clean IPA's and pale ales but this fresh hop pale ale just had a special something to it that really made it stand out of the crowd for us.  Big tropical fruit aroma and flavor is at the forefront of this seemingly drier than usual (for Lagunitas) base.  Every aspect of this beer is just fantastic and plays its role perfectly.  If only it was available all year.

7. M.I.A. Brewing - MegaMix

MegaMix is our favorite pale ale in South Florida.  Juicy and not overly bitter, you can really enjoy the hoppiness of the beer without killing your palate.  What started as a one time release, Mega Mix became so popular that the brewery intends to add it to their year-round offerings.  We're happy they are.

8. Fremont Brewing - Bourbon Barrel Abominable

By far the biggest beer on our list, "B-Bomb" as it's been nicknamed, is just one of those beers that exceeds all expectations.  Huge bold flavors, oak, bourbon, spice, roast, complement a wonderful aroma and mouth feel.  A phenomenal sipping beer that evolves as it warms.  Just an awesome beer to drink casually with friends or to enjoy alone and really get in to.  It's also a great beer to age so make sure to pick up a few to taste over time. 

9. Side Project Brewing - Pulling Nails

Side Project is changing the game with its beautiful wine-influenced and wine barrel aged wild and sour ales.  Pulling Nails, a blend of four different offerings, is tart and refreshing.  Green apple, white wine grape, lemon/citrus, all sit on side project's signature funk.  It's just awesome.  What did you expect?  Cory just can't miss.

10. Sierra Nevada - Hop Hunter

This one is a game changer.  A year-round release that tastes like a bottled yesterday fresh hop IPA always.  How?  Hop oil.  Leave it to Sierra Nevada, one of the best and most consistent breweries in the world to distil fresh hops on the farm and use the oils obtained from that process, in combination with whole cone hops, to bitter, give flavor to, and add a pungent hop aroma we've all come to love to this offering.  From a brewery that does everything at the highest level, this one is on its own level and is readily available for all to enjoy.  It doesn't get much better than that.

Craft Beer and Its Place in American Cuisine

America is seeing a rebirth of pre-prohibition, micro culture exhibitions by and through the local beers and spirits being produced by modern day artisans known as brewers. A back to basics approach. This, all while obliterating the idea of simplicity of what is generally associated with the word "traditional".  Alongside the artists, chefs, local bakers, and cheesemakers, brewers are finding ways to express the history of their region, the cultural identity of the people who influence them, and their locale's "terroir" through beer.  Playing on traditional European styles and techniques, ultimately making them bigger, at times more aggressive, and in turn - inherently "American".  After all, nothing is ever big enough for us Americans anyways.  Still, some of the world's most nuanced and food-ready beers are coming out of America these days.  Through the use of local ingredients, local yeast strains, grains, hops, and fruits, the American craft brewer is touching on the essence of the make-up of his or her hometown.  It's a thing of beauty, people.  

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Jeffrey Stuffings (far left) Founder of Jester King.  Photo Credit: Jester King Brewery

The ability to understand purpose, time, and place, when putting your nose in a glass, enjoying the view of the liquid in the glass, and finally being overcome by the attack on your palate when it hits your tongue is only becoming more common.  Brewers are not only taking more time with their products but they're showing more restraint (when needed) to ensure the ever important quality of balance.  It's this balance that will continue to elevate the product so many in America are starting to love, appreciate, and enjoy.  What good is an IPA that rips the enamel off of your teeth if it destroys your palate and leaves you unable to enjoy that dinner you paid $50 for?!  The focus on balance and food is becoming more important to the craft brewer and will continue to be a driving force in ensuring the craft beer rebirth is here to stay.  I believe it's craft beer's availability in fine dining restaurants and its ability to be paired more easily with more kinds of foods that will truly bring craft to the forefront and keep it there.  Restaurants will be forced to adapt.  Cicerones will join sommeliers in the ranks at these restaurants and hold positions of respect and prestige. 

Craft beer is a natural fit on the American table.  Don't get me wrong, I love wine.  I love it alone and I love it with food.  It just has its shortcomings at the dinner table - shortcomings that craft beer is ready to and more than capable of filing.  Jeff Stuffings, founder of Jester King Brewery believes "it makes sense for beer to be at the dinner table because, in many ways, it's an extension of cooking.  Brewers strive for balance and depth of flavor through ingredients and technique, much like a chef.  In fact, several of Jester King's beers are inspired riffs on various dishes we've enjoyed.  Through process and ingredients, beer can have all the complexity and pairing potential of wine, despite the fact that grapes naturally have more complexity than grains."  Beer is a blank canvas.  It's subject to more experimentation than wine, more diversity than wine, and in the end can be made to pair with anything.  Yeast, fermentation temperature, hops, grains, oak, all in different proportions make beer the best beverage for the American diner.  Yet, most still don't see it this way.  Soon, they will.  

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Cory King, Founder and Brewer at Side Project Brewing.  Photo courtesy of Tim Bottchen and Side Project Brewing.

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Jester King Detritivore. A wild ale fermented with wild yeast and bacteria native to the Texas hill country and collected by Jester King.  Fermented on second use cherries (first use of the cherries was on a beer called Montmorency vs. Balaton). 

Cory King, founder and brewmaster at Side Project Brewing and "director of oak" at Perennial Artisan Ales, says he feels "fortunate when the discussion of beer/food vs. wine/food pairings comes up. For beer, there are no restrictions, in the ingredients we can use in the beer and to the diversity of flavors we can develop.  With this, a beer can often hit on notes in a dish that a wine may not be able to achieve.  Moving forward, I believe that many more high end restaurants and more prolific chefs will be adding beer to their pairing repertoires in order to best showcase flavors and pairing to their guests."  And that's just it.  It's not that having craft beer accessible in more lower price-point restaurants is not helping the cause, because it is.  The more that people have the ability to understand the complexity of this diverse product only helps improve its status in the market.  The point is the level of respect for craftsmanship that has accompanied wine for decades has kept it in the forefront of the conversation when talking about food and, in turn, has allowed wine to maintain prominence and grow is its admiration at the fine dining establishments of the world.  This is the stability that craft beer needs.  Brewers like Cory and Jeff are helping it get there.  The day of drinking beer at a tailgate party only need to be days of the past. 

But what about terroir?  What about wine's ability to speak to a time and place?  Its ability to be compatible with other foods associated with a certain region? Craft beer has that covered.  Breweries like Jester King, Side Project, and Plan Bee Farm Brewery are achieving the same level of complexity and character through local and house yeast strains.  Breweries like Cantillon have been doing it for decades.  "It has been suggested that terroir or sense of place in wine comes in large part from the particular microorganisms living on the skins of the grapes in various geographic locales. This is equally as valid for wild or spontaneously fermented beer from different regions.  The microbes unique to a specific location create complexity and a sense of place in beer during fermentation, just as in wine.  Therefore, I believe it's fair to say that wild beer in particular stands up to the complexity of wine when it comes to food pairings," says Jeff.  And it's true.  Put your nose in a glass of his beer and there's just something there, a distinct characteristic that lets you know "this is Jester King." 

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Eileen Andrade, Founder and Chef, Finka Table & Tap.

The signs that this transformation is occurring are out there.  NOMA, considered the world's best restaurant by many, partnered with Mikkeller in 2012 to feature world class, creative beers along side it's world class cuisine.  And call it what you will, but Estrella Damm's Inedit, created with the genius of Ferran Adria,  for the purpose of serving at the table alongside food like what was served at El Bulli, was something that certainly helped move this idea of beer and food forward.  

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Giorgio Rapicavoli, founder/chef at Eating House Miami and winner of Food Network's Chopped.

I'm not suggesting that beer drinkers need to start drinking with their pinkies out just for beer to survive what many who don't get the upsurge of craft beer call a fad.  The point is, that craft beer is more suited than anything else right now to be served alongside the most variety of tastes and textures.  Better with cheese.  Better with spice. It's the stigma that needs to be broken down.  The idea that American beers are bland.  The idea that craft beer is nothing more than a way for adults to start up a new collection until the next "cool thing" comes around.  It's creating an appreciation for complexity and experimentation with the understanding that the foie gras you just had to order would go great with an imperial stout or maybe even an earthy, yeast driven farmhouse ale.  Eileen Andrade, chef and owner of Finka Table & Tap in Miami, thinks "beer is an incredibly versatile drink.  It pairs so nicely with so many different kinds of foods.  Our restaurant serves food with Caribbean and Asian influence and the craft beers that we order go so well with the heavily seasoned and spiced foods. I like pairing foods with a drink that is similar to the flavor profile of the dish and craft beer is making it easier for us to do that." The possibilities are endless.  Giorgio Rapicavoli, founder and chef at Eating House in Miami, says "beer plays an integral part of the beverage program at Eating House.  In my opinion beer's diversity in flavor and intensity play off our foods better than wine."  Craft beer must continue to work it's way up the chain into these restaurants.  Restaurants that know how to play off the nuances and subtleties of beer and provide their patrons with an enhanced experience.  

At the end of the day, money rules.  The craft beer drinker must demand these beers at the restaurants.  Change the traditional wine-only thought process.  That day will come - you just need to do your part.

Cheers,

Craft Commander

Swamp Head Brewery Bringing Florida's Wetlands to the World

It seemed like just yesterday I graduated from the University of Florida, leaving Gainesville, the sleepy little town just about 110 miles north of Orlando behind.  It was always a college town and will always be a college town.  Dirty bars with cheap beer (sometimes a penny for a pitcher) and typical student food like pizza by the slice was the expectation.  Sometimes it was more welcomed than anything else you could've offered.  Yet, just a few years later, something happened.  A revolution of sorts.  Gainesville has been undergoing an evolution in its food and beer culture and Swamp Head finds itself at the forefront of the cause.  Founded in 2008, Swamp Head sought out not only to be Gainesville's brewery, but instead, as their motto "Inherently Floridian" suggests, Florida's.  

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Originally, the brewery sat in a commercial warehouse park, tucked away in a back corner. Unassuming, small, and charming.  Soon, too small.  For as industrial and dry as the brewery's surrounding were, an etched and painted piece of cypress bearing the brewery's logo let you know where you were.  Inside, copper kettles and fermentation vessels gave a rustic, cozy old Florida feel to the brewery.  Cars lined the parking lot and streets leading to the little oasis of hand-crafted and bold flavored beers being offered by the young brewery. Most impressive was the incredible number of college students on college budgets leaving behind the aforementioned typical college town bars and paying two or three times what they had been paying for beer previously to enjoy Swamp Head's offerings.  The following grew.  People around the State began travelling to Gainesville to get their hands on limited releases or six-packs of the popular flagships, like Stumpknocker Pale Ale - a flavorful, resinous, and wonderfully balanced pale ale.  People in Gainesville started to understand the interplay between high-quality beer and the modern food being served now in Gainesville.  Soon, people around the country began to take note.

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So here we are, a mere five years later and Swamp Head has moved into a new brewery three times the size of the prior brewery - complete with a proper canning line and something most breweries don't have, a lab.  A stand alone brewery complete with two large yellow silos welcoming you at the entrance.  Even more, Swamp Head made the new tap room as Inherently Floridian as the beer and art work on the labels suggests. 

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The new brewery sits on a large plot of land and next to a retention pond and a forest that Swamp Head has donated to preservation.  Almost as if on cue, a hawk swooped down from a tree and grabbed one of the bluegill that live in the pond just to let us know the space is and would remain natural.  The wood inside the tap room is repurposed and reclaimed wood from farms.  The bar top is a gorgeous display of cross cut cypress, the tree that symbolizes Swamp Head.  As we talked about the growth of the brewery, the great beers they produce, and what's next for Swamp Head, the sun filled the tap room through the large panoramic windows that enclose it.  All in all, everything points back to nature.  Just as they planned.

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The brewery had just released its latest batch of 10-10-10 an aggressively hopped Imperial IPA so big that it previously won gold as a barleywine.  10 different hop additions, 10 percent abv, and 110 IBUs.  Beautiful color, massive hop character, and a sturdy malt backbone to give balance to this monster of a beer.  But Swamp Head doesn't rely on the big limited releases to grow it's brand - a devotion to a quality core lineup of beers has allowed the brewery's growth to continue and will ultimately allow for the brewery to expand the reach of its distribution.  Other popular and limited offerings include Catherine's Passion, a big and roasty Russian Imperial Stout featuring locally roasted organic fair trade coffee and cacao nibs and the recently released Eternal, the brewery's first beer in the Forever Florida series.  Eternal, a crisp blonde ale, once again displays Swamp Head's commitment to the Florida ecosystem and was a collaboration with the Florida Springs Institute, a private non-profit corporation which educates the public about the issues facing Florida's springs and aquifer and develops management methods intended to protect and recover the springs.  Swamp Head is donating a portion of the proceeds from Eternal to help the Institute in this cause.

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Eventually, Swamp Head will reach its way across Florida.  Hopefully this means more great beer and more education on the issues that face Florida's fragile ecosystem.  Hopefully it means turning more drinkers of cheap, mass produced beer into craft fanatics.  Swamp Head is only five years old, but they're already a great ambassador for the craft beer community in our State and for my favorite small town.  It's a good time to be a Florida Gator.

Cheers,

Craft Commander

The Fight for Craft Beer

For many people it’s tough to imagine that craft beer is under attack again. Yet, it is. What craft beer represents is more than “just beer.” At its core, craft beer is what our American, and surely Floridian, economy should proudly represent. What do I mean by that? Craft breweries are largely family-owned and -operated businesses that operate responsibly within the legal framework of our State, promote the local businesses and restaurants in our cities, increase and invite a new form of tourism to Florida (which thrives on tourism, in case you didn’t know), hire local, use local ingredients, and have helped push the cultural identity of our generation. People are demanding quality local products, craft beer is providing them responsibly, so what’s the issue?

Unfortunately, large corporations (i.e., “big beer” and distribution companies) with financial muscle seek to influence the legislative process to deflate the boom of craft beer in a round-about way in the legislature. Here is where the issue grows beyond beer and into principle. Today, the Florida legislature has a choice, legislatively kill a growing artisan and largely family-run industry that is benefitting the State, or stand for the entrepreneurial spirit that our country and State were founded on and level the playing field in the beer industry. Good news is that the legislature is starting to see this for what it really is — an attack on small business and the free-market.

Earlier this month, The Miami Young Republicans hosted a Craft Beer Summit — which brought together two local brewery owners, Luis Brignoni, of Wynwood Brewing, and Eddie Leon, of M.I.A. Brewing; Gabriel Llanes, a representative of Americans for Prosperity; and Mitch Rubin, executive director of the ever-so-powerful Florida Beer Wholesalers Association (FBWA) — to debate the current legislative slugfest. We heard opening remarks from Representative Erik Fresen as well. Sparing you the minutia, the conversation, which I moderated, focused on the growler issue and the three-tier system. In a small victory for craft brewers, Rubin said that the FBWA had no intention of fighting against the 64-ounce growler bill. A growler is a vessel used by consumers to buy beer straight from a brewery for at-home consumption. Currently, 32-ounce and 128-ounce growlers are legal in Florida; 64-ounce growlers are not. It seems that everyone is on the same page, and this restriction likely won’t survive 2015. Bad news, the growler issue has been held as leverage by big beer and FBWA in an effort to gain ground on the issues surrounding the three-tier system.

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Representative Erik Fresen addressed the Miami Young Republican's Craft Beer Summit Attendees

At a very rudimentary level, the three-tier system is a system in which a brewery is required to use a distributor to get its beer to market at restaurants and stores. Why? Prohibition concerns; none of which apply today. However, breweries currently can sell their beer directly to consumers on-site at their breweries and still abide by this three-tier system. While the FBWA said it has “no issue” with growlers or breweries selling their own beer in their taprooms – the FBWA does have an issue with them doing so without selling it to a distributor and buying it back first.

Yes, you read that right. Under the FBWA’s interpretation of the three-tier system, breweries would be required to sell their product to a distributor and buy that same product back just to sell it to consumers at their brewery. Why? FBWA says because it’s a “vice” product. The irony is that wine has never been subject to the same system, even at a generally much higher alcohol content. What’s the significance of this proposed application? The policy would destroy small and new craft breweries. Taproom sales are integral to the success of these breweries. As Brignoni described, 20% of total sales are through the taproom, which in turn amounts to almost 50% of most breweries’ income. Hence, no taprooms, no craft breweries. Game over. What’s the benefit to consumers of this proposition? Absolutely none.

We’re watching a modern day David-and-Goliath battle for ground in a market that remains dominated by big beer. Still, craft beer is starting to throw some punches and is gaining ground on the valuable market share held almost exclusively by big beer. Even today, craft beer only holds about 10% of the market, depending on your source. Still, this is what scares big beer. This is what scares distributors. This is all about money. With each point of market share lost, so too go millions. So instead of evolving or meeting the demands of the consumer – they’re taking to the legislature. This is about as un-American as it gets.

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From Left: Eddie Leon (MIA Brewing); Mitch Rubin (FBWA); Luis Brignoni (Wynwood Brewing)

What’s sad is that Goliath had support in our legislature during the 2014 session. Even among Republicans who pride themselves on championing the growth of Florida’s business environment, lowering regulation to support growth of our industries, and promoting innovation and creativity in business, Goliath remarkably found supporters. This year however, the tide seems to be turning. Led by Sen. Jack Latvala and Rep. Dana Young, among others, craft beer is finding its voice in Florida politics, an idea that was once foreign to the industry; yet, as they learned in 2014, would be crucial to its survival. Representative Erik Fresen made powerful remarks at the summit in support of the craft beer industry. It was refreshing to see him truly understand the issue. As Rep. Fresen made clear, he and many others in the legislature are becoming educated on the issue and would never vote for legislation intended to monopolize an industry and stifle growth in a responsible and growing sector of our State’s economy.

While the fight is far from over, craft beer, or its message, seem to be gaining traction in Tallahassee. This is a good thing. If not for craft beer, for small business in general.

Cheers,

Craft Commander

Published in The New Tropic (February 18, 2015).  

http://thenewtropic.com/opinion-craft-beer/

Looking Forward to 2015 - Florida and Beyond

So here it is.  This year is shaping up to be a great year for craft beer, especially here in South Florida and it's just under way.  These are some of our home town breweries to look forward to and some other breweries that we're excited about across the country.  Leave us a comment with the breweries you're looking forward to.

 SOUTH FLORIDA

1. M.I.A. Brewing Co.:  After almost 2 years of construction and permitting and more construction and more permitting, M.I.A. Brewing is finally opening it's doors.   There's a lot to look forward to too. Brewmaster, Mike Demetrus, says what he looks forward to most is "brewing both classic and modern interpretations of styles from around the globe sparing no cost, cutting no corners, and reproducing with clean and consistent results."  Early releases like the M.I.A. IPA, one of our favorite IPA's around, is just that: 5 hard to find hops, lots of them, but not lacking in balance - a really nice and clean interpretation of the style.  With 52 taps in the taproom, you'll be sure to find something you'll love. Look for new releases weekly in the taproom.

2. Wild Oak Artisan Ales:  Ok, so Wild Oak technically isn't a "brewery" yet as they don't the state licensing or space required to hold the official title, but all indications point to this changing in 2015.  Led by Chris McElveen and head brewer Matt Manthe, Wild Oak is creating some of the most complex and delicately balanced beers around.  This, all while every beer is fermented with wild yeast (brettanomyces) and sees oak at some point in fermentation.  Take Farmacology for example, a brettanomyces fermented sour ale with Florida honey and Florida kumquats - an incredibly complex and balanced beer while coming in at around 12% abv.  Chris is looking forward to 2015 as a big year for the duo as they've "got another year of experience with [their] beers, a clearer picture of the market, and more drive than ever to be self-employed", says Chris.  We expect great things from these guys. 

3. J Wakefield Brewing Co.:  Mr. Florida-weisse himself is finally opening his doors in what may be the most anticipated opening to date in Florida.  What amazes us about JWB is the incredible amount excitement and anticipation surrounding the brewery and the exclusive members-only society that will likely see bottles of the rare, internet-forum destroying releases of JWB favorites like DFPF - Dragon Fruit Passion Fruit, a pink sour "Florida-weisse". The hype behind the brewery is not all a mystery, Jon has been pouring his sours and big barrel aged stouts and porters for fans at festivals and events like the famous Hunahpu's day at Cigar City to much praise.  A collaboration with Stone in 2014 doesn't hurt either.  Either way, JWB will bring a lot of attention to Miami craft beer.  We welcome it.

4. Biscayne Bay Brewing Co.:  Another newcomer to the Miami brewing scene in 2014, Biscayne Bay is shooting straight for the heart of Miami residents, drawing inspiration from local ingredients and landmarks to come up with names and flavor profiles.  Take the "La Colada" Porter for example.  A big bold porter that features "La Carreta" espresso.  For those who have never been to Miami, La Carreta is a staple Cuban restaurant chain in Miami, who's cafecito (espresso) draws locals and and tourists to their coffee windows.  Seriously, coffee windows.  Small windows where people gather to discuss politics, their annoying neighbors, and drink a coffee.  It'll be interesting to see what other inherently Miami themes find their way in to the beers Biscayne Bay is going to produce this year.

Nation-Wide

1. Plan Bee Farmhouse Brewery:  This is just one of those breweries that will stand out for being MORE than your average brewery.  Let's go through a short list of what I mean by that: every bottle of Plan Bee is sold by Evan Watson (owner/brewer) directly to the consumer (hand to hand exchange), Every yeast strain used by the brewery is a culture pulled from the property on which the brewery sits, and eventually most everything used in the beer will be grown on site.  Looking to 2015 - the brewery will move from a 1 bbl system in the Watsons' back yard to a 25 acre farm with a 3-story, 1820's barn which will house an 8 bbl system and plans for "things like farm school for children, brewers school for home brewers, concerts and music events, etc." are underway says Emily Watson, owner of the brewery.  Although the growth in production means more beer, what's amazing is that Plan Bee will continue its current method of sales - direct to consumer.  Pretty amazing.  All this talk about the brewery and nothing about the beer; which, by the way is fantastic.  Be on the lookout for Tree Beer in 2015, "a mahogany ale featuring organic Crown Maple syrup that has been aged in oak barrels" featuring the house yeast strain which gives it that signature "taste of the Hudson Valley."

2. Lord Hobo Brewing:  Our friend Vincent Tursi, formerly of Night Shift Brewing, has been tapped to lead the brewing at Lord Hobo which will focus its attention towards "delicate, juicy, hop-forward ales in cans", says Vince.  We're excited to get our hands on these beers.  Knowing what Vince is capable of - we're looking forward to what he'll do now with the ability to fine tune his hop forward ales with precision and dedication to flavor and balance.  They will likely be nothing short of spectacular.  Looking to the future, Vince says they'll do "barrel-aged stouts [and others] within year 1, then a sour program with foudres and coolship in year 2."  If the past is any indication of what the future holds, Vince will be producing some of the best and creative beers around and Lord Hobo will be on its way to setting fire to the forums. 

3. Side Project Brewing: These seems like an easy pick... Almost too easy.  It's no secret, we love Side Project.  Side Project's Blanc de Blancs took the number one spot on our top beers of 2014 and Cory King, Side Project's Captain, can seemingly do no wrong.  In 2015, Cory will make use of a larger amount of barrels to produce more beer under his private label.  What's more exciting is the continued reliance upon native yeast and local products (yes, I love this stuff) and Cory's emphasis on creating and maintaining Side Project's terroir.  Also, the opening of The Side Project Cellar will allow more people access to these incredibly rare and hard to find beers.  Balance, flavor, delicately blended beers will elevate the expectations on other breweries producing wild or barrel-aged sour beers.  

4. The Ale Apothecary:  Paul Arney, the solo force behind The Ale Apothecary is revered by many of his peers as one of the most talented and creative brewers around.  Developing barrel-aged beers made to age.  Complexity from date of bottling and flavors that only evolve over time.  I could ramble on and on about the unique techniques used to produce these beers but I just wouldn't do it justice. Visit www.thealeapothecary.com to watch a video that shows just how cool this brewery is.  Something spectacular is brewing in the mountains of Bend, Oregon. 

DC Brau and the Future of Craft Beer in the Nation's Capital

DC Brau is the leader in DC's craft beer scene.  Being the leader has its benefits.  No question.  But the road to becoming that leader is often the most difficult to travel.  Just ask Brandon Skall, one of DC Brau's two founders and our host for the afternoon.  Being DC's first production brewery since 1956 came with a price.  The rent every room in your house and sleep on the couch price.  The brew all day and sleep in the brewery to not waste time price. The affect every aspect of your life kind of price.  Being the leader is not easy.  Yet, it's the sacrifice associated with being the first that makes this place so special.  A sense of pride about every thing they do and every beer they produce.  If it weren't for the sacrifice this just wouldn't mean so much. 

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The process of creation.  The driving force.  Leaving a well paying job so he could rent every room in his house and sleep on the couch just to be able to pay the bills (didn't pay himself for 8 months) while he started the brewery with his business partner, Jeff Hancock, is a decision most would not have made - but in the end, it's the impact of that experience that drives Brandon and DC Brau today.  An experience that shines though the smile on Brandon's face when he walks us through the brewery.  Personally, I commend them.  That's sacrificing and following your passion.  Fortunately, just like in the story books, the story only seems to be getting happier after the inherent struggle of the protagonists.  DC Brau is doing well.  Very well. 

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It was 2007 when Brandon and Jeff met and decided they'd open DC Brau.  2009 when the two officially started the trek, and not until April 15, 2011, that the DC Brau opened its doors.  Only producing "The Public" their American Pale Ale, that to date, remains their most popular offering, for the entire first month they had their doors open and putting every single penny made on that beer back into the business.  Sleeping at the brewery to ensure enough beer was produced and with no staff - it was on Jeff and Brandon to do every task required of running a production brewery including brewing, marketing, and distribution.  Again, experiences that today allow the two to appreciate and enjoy every success and achievement received along the way.  

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Fast forward to 2015 and DC Brau is the leader of the craft beer market in DC.  80-85% of their distribution staying in D.C., with the remainder making its way to Maryland, Philly, Connecticut, and Virginia.  Yet, On the Wings of Armageddon, a massive double IPA, has put DC Brau on the map nationally.  The amazing part is that they can barely even produce enough beer to keep up with D.C.'s demand.  So like in the past, they find ways to make it work - brewing multiple times a day and re-investing into expansion of the brewery and fermentation capacity, all while maintaining focus on creating quality balanced beers.  As the brewery continues to expand, Brandon thinks that what the industry needs is advocacy in the legislative discussion.  This can not be understated.  Look at Florida for example: after almost getting crushed by the response to its own bill, craft beer is under attack yet again - the target: taprooms, the life blood of any craft brewery.  

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Interestingly, (I'm cynical but fascinated about the continued "camaraderie" in the industry); Brandon welcomes the birth of new breweries.  Clearly put: "the more people who are making beer, the more people want to drink beer" and with that trend, Dc Brau has only increased sales as new breweries open in the D.C. area.  One of those, Right Proper Brewery, is producing some fantastic beer and is worth a visit when in the area.

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Brandon, like us, loves what Right Proper is doing.  Hoppy beers, farmhouse beers, sour beer, and everything in between.  Consistency.  Flavor.  Dedication to exploration and quality.  Chris Percello, lead brewer at Right Proper, welcomed us wearing a worn shirt, beanie, and headphones.  He had just finished brewing for the day when we arrived.  The enthusiasm in his voice as he describes the latest creation or barrel obtained from local gin producer Green Hat is contagious.  It's like watching a kid in a candy store, only he's blessed to be doing what he loves for a living, and he seems to know it.  A gracious host and an incredibly talented brewer.  As we discussed what was next for the brewery, the talk of barrels and wild yeast played a primary role, while they would maintain some staple clean offerings.  Scott 5 for example, a hoppy, rustic farmhouse pale ale (6.5% ABV), which boasts Citra, Amarillo, and Chinook hops was a delicate approach to style, with notes of citrus, grapefruit, and peppercorn on the nose and followed by a funky, grassy, yet tropical fruit flavor that ended beautifully dry.  A must try if available.  

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Right Proper, still in its infancy as a brewery, is doing some really creative and great things.  Pushing the limits and finding balance with different yeast strains and hops in a way that many breweries with more years of experience couldn't and haven't.  It's great to see.  Most importantly, D.C. has taken note and the expansion is already in the works. Sure, it's a great thing for the brewery itself, but as a whole it's also a sign that things are on their way up - a sign of vitality in a market that only 5 years ago had nothing to speak of.   

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It's exciting to get into the breweries that will define the style associated with the area in the future.  A style that will likely be a combination of many characteristics - DC Brau already establishing itself as a juggernaut in the hoppy beer world while breweries like Right Proper will be shifting focus to barrels, a sour program, and unique creations with wild yeast cultures.  Just like the diversity in the people who live in the area, it's no surprise the beer being produced will find a way to remain intrinsically D.C., all while displaying the diversity that makes D.C. so great.  Whatever the D.C. identity becomes, it's apparent that it will be centered around quality and balance.  It's an exciting time in the Nation's Capital.

Our Top 10 American Craft Beers of 2014

We were very fortunate to have been able to try many phenomenal beers from all around the world, but a few seemed to continue to come up in conversation throughout the year.  Beers that we continuously compared to others of the same style, that we admired for technical perfection or a special and unique taste, that created a sense of pride for our local beer community, or just simply a great beer that just seemed to stand out.  So, naturally, as one does when they have these great experiences, we ranked our favorites.  Just for good measure, we threw in a wild card as number 11, a beer that could have been in any top 10 as far as we're concerned.  

As we sat to write out our list, we tried to include various styles and the beers within those styles that stood out; but, as you can see, 2014 was the year of the wild/sour farmhouse ale for us.  A style that is wide open to creativity and which saw brewers from around the country pushing the limits with house yeasts and bacteria cultures, and various fruits and oak barrel combinations.  A return to a time where beer was truly "wild" but now in controlled environments that allowed the brewers to push the envelope and come up with some amazing new beers with a sense of purpose and almost surgical precision.  We can't wait to see what 2015 has in store and want to thank everyone for their support this past year.  Here are our favorites of 2014:

WILD CARD; Green Bench Brewing Co. - For the Mad Ones Rye Sour Brown (St. Petersburg, FL):  We had this beer recently and it opened our eyes to Green Bench's very unique sour program.  Kettle souring allows this beer to remain clean and bright while the initial taste is heavily influenced by the cabernet sauvignon oak barrels.  This is complex beer that is approachable to an experienced beer drinker or beginner.  Wonderful all-around beer.

10. Wynwood Brewing - Pop's Porter (Miami, FL): Our very own Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal winner.  Roasty, silky smooth, viscous, and rounded off by a nice sweet finish.  A sturdy beer that features a great malt character and a straight-forward, calculated approach to the style. Plus, how can a list created in Miami not have it's city's very first GABF gold medal winner as part of it?

9. Half Acre Brewing Co. - Beer Hates Astronauts IPA (Chicago, IL): This beer found it's way to us from Chicago and was consumed almost immediately after canning.  The crack of the pop top lead to a massive aroma of dank, tropical fruits and all that Citra hop goodness.  The flavors that followed were as aggressive as the nose - tropical fruits (think melon, ripe mango, and guava) that were so in your face, the only thing we kept saying was "juicy"!  An outstanding IPA from one of our favorite pale ale and IPA producers.  We hope they make this again in 2015.

8. Stone Brewing Co. - Xocoveza Mocha Stout (San Diego, CA): While being from Florida may make me partial to our big roast spiced stout, in Hunahpu, Xocoveza was an amazing example of a spiced stout.  The combination of chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili-pepper, and coffee in a sweet stout worked beautifully as the sweetness really did a nice job of holding all the flavors together and balancing the light chili presence.  While this was released as part of Stone's collaboration series - we're hoping 2015 brings Xocoveza 2.0!

7. Beer'd Brewing Co. - Hobbit Juice Double IPA (Stonington, CT):  At 9.2% ABV, this Double IPA is a monster of a beer.  A beautifully balanced combination of hops and malt create a really enjoyable drinking experience that leaves you craving another glass (without realizing how big of a beer this really is).  The choice to use only Nelson Sauvin hops brings forward notes of sauvignon blanc and stone fruit while giving the hop bite you expect from a double IPA.  We had heard Beer'd produced amazing IPAs and can easily say that this one lived up to the hype.  

6. Cycle Brewing - Rare DOS (St. Petersburg, FL): Cycle is producing some of the world's best stouts.  Hands down.  Rare DOS, an imperial stout aged in oak whisky barrels, is no exception.  Huge whisky, oak barrel, and roast on the nose, followed by a big, silky, thick mouthfeel, and flavors of chocolate, vanilla, dark fruit, and whisky.  If you'd prefer rum over whisky, try Cycle's RareR DOS - we love it just the same but prefer the whisky notes in Rare.

5. Cigar City Brewing - Hunahpu Imperial Stout (Tampa, FL):  The king of Florida beer. People travelled from all over the world this last year to get their hands on their limit of this once-a-year release and raved about the quality of this year's batch.  Hunahpu is a jet black, motor oil looking beer that almost appears to ooze out of the bottle into your glass.  On the nose a beautiful array of vanilla, molasses, cinnamon and dark chocolate get the senses going and the tastes to come follow suit.  A heavy beer with a perfect melding of the ingredients make this an almost perfect imperial stout.  What would make it more perfect?  Get your hands on an apple brandy barrel-aged Huna! 

4. Wicked Weed Brewing - Black Angel Cherry Sour (Asheville, NC): Wicked Weed's flagship sour features over one pound of sweet and tart cherries per barrel of the sour black ale.  Aged in bourbon barrels, the bourbon hits your nose immediately followed by some funk and tart cherry.  Take a sip and the beer is like a cherry jam that has a pleasant sourness to it and is rounded off by whisky notes from the bourbon barrels that play a role in every aspect of your experience with the beer.  Just a great example from, in our opinion, one of the premier sour producers in the country.

3. Russian River Brewing - Supplication (Sonoma, CA):  Russian River's sour program is revered by any person in the U.S. producing sours today and this beer is a great example of why.  This is a sour brown ale aged for 12 months in pinot noir barrels with sour cherries, brettanomyces and souring bacteria.  A very sour beer that is balanced by a sturdy malt backbone all while achieving a delicateness that will blow you away.  The cherries play right into the flavors imparted by the Sonoma County pinot noir barrels, and the funk from the brettanomyces adds a layer of complexity that makes this beer world class.

2. Jester King Brewery - Atrial Rubicite (Austin, TX):  Jester King's first barrel aged sour beer to incorporate fruit was an instant success.  One of the most sought after beers in the world, Atrial is a visually appealing pink/red wild ale that comes in at 5.8% abv and features raspberries and Jester King's famous house blend of native hill country yeast.  A sense of terroir is created by Jester King's yeast and use of well water, which sets their beer apart from other raspberry sours we had this year.  The most important aspect of the beer was the balance achieved - everything just felt right.  We enjoyed lots of Jester King offerings this year, but Atrial held a special place in our hearts.

1. Side Project Brewing - Blanc de Blancs (Saint Louis, MO):  This is a game changing beer from a game changing brewery. Side Project is, in our opinion, the most exciting brewery in the country right now, which landed our favorite offering from them (that we've been able to get our hands on) at number 1 on our list. Like Jester King, Side Project is imparting a sense of terroir into their beers using house yeast cultures and as many local ingredients are are available for their beers.  Blanc de Blancs features chardonnel grapes which are prevalent throughout, playing on the tartness up front all while providing a residual sweetness that balanced the beer out.  The chardonnay oak barrels come through in the finish and reminded us of a delicate dry champagne - a funky barnyard champagne! The best part about this beer was the complexity on every level; beginning with the look of the beer, the nose on the beer, and ending in the taste.  Each sensory experience topped by the next.  Funky, crisp, sour, refreshing, fruity, and almost wine-like, we loved everything about this beer.  

Cheers,

Craft Commander

Chicago

"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts"

                                                            - Aristotle

Chicago.  The people, the food, the music, the architecture, and most importantly (for this site at least), the beer make up the wonderful whole that is Chicago. Driving through Chicago's many famous neighborhoods you're taken back to a time where buying local was everything, and people were proud about what was being produced by the people that lived next door.  Need proof? Count the Chicago flag tattoos, t-shirts, dog leashes, and car stickers and you're likely to come up with a number you've never counted to before.  Point is, this is a proud city - and rightfully so.  

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While we were eager to check out what Chicago proper had to offer, the trip began with a midday trip to the mecca which is Three Floyd's Brewing.  Zombie Dust, a flavor packed American pale ale hopped with only Citra (my favorite hop) fresh from the source was calling my name and so naturally, one was ordered and consumed immediately upon entering the brew pub.  The brew pub itself is an experience - heavy punk and metal scream from the sound system and a "we have awesome beer and we know it" attitude permeates.  That may be the only flaw, actually.  The beer though, that's fantastic.  As if you didn't already know. 

Then came the other beautifully crafted beers - War Mullet a double IPA that clocks in at 8.1% abv, and just like the description says, makes you want to grow a mullet and go to war; Space Station Middle Finger an American Pale Ale at 6% abv, that was dank, citrusy, and juicy at 50 IBU; Cool Breeze a smooth and refreshingly beautiful american lager; Backmasking, an awesome Oatmeal stout that clocks in at 6% abv but packs huge rich oatmeal, roasty, milk chocolate flavor.  And on, and on, and on.

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Point is, Three Floyd's has certainly earned it's reputation as one of the world's best breweries.  You can taste the artisanship that goes in to each beer - no matter what the style.  One beer that really impressed us was the Chevalier Bertrand du Guesclin, an american sour ale aged in wine barrels with blueberries.  Beautiful purple/dark blue hue, an earthy smell, and tartness prevail, all while being rounded out by the sweetness from the blueberries.  If you can find a bottle, get it.  I had been waiting for a long time to get here and the beer we had made the wait worth it.  If you're in Chicago, take the 40 minute drive down to Indiana and enjoy!  We even played limbo with a girl on crutches!  Now, even though that sounds funny - the funniest part is that while she made it through unscathed, her non-injured and able bodied friend somehow fell.  One too many Zombie Dusts.

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So after getting our fill of 3 Floyds, we headed back to Chicago to visit Half Acre Brewing Co.  These guys are brewing some of the best pale ale's and IPA's around.  Daisy Cutter, one of their core beers, is a balanced and aggressively hopped american pale ale that rivals any other around.  Bright, cloudy, huge citrus hop aroma create a balanced malt to hop attack on your palate.  Just drinking this all night would've made me happy, but we were lucky enough that on the day we were there Half Acre was releasing a collaboration with Three Floyd's called Anicca.  A big, in your face IPA that combines the best of what both breweries have to offer.  Of course, we had one... or two.  The highlight, even beyond the beer at Half Acre is the people.  Co-founder Maurizio Fiori greeted us with open arms and showed around his spot and the supporters were all having a great time inside.  

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A warehouse with rooms shooting off to either side, housing tanks and tanks and tanks, while separating the brewery store from the tap room.  Each fermentation vessel had a name  and character assigned to it (my favorite was Franklin).  This is where the magic happens.   They had just finished re-releasing Heyoka and the canning line still held some of the brightly colored cans.  We couldn't have asked for better timing.  

Inside the taproom a bustling crowd of craft beer fanatics had been drinking the Anicca and other great Half Acre offerings like the Pony Pilsner, Space IPA, Lager Town (Oktoberfest), Heyoka, and the Akari Shogun.  We joined the crowd and loved every second of it - meeting people from all over the midwest all united by one thing... craft beer.  

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 For other great breweries in Chicago, be sure to visit Revolution (try an Anti-Hero IPA), Goose Island, and Piece Brewery.  Still, Chicago is much more than beer.  It's about the food, the art, the architecture, the people and their sense of community and emphasis on supporting the local economy.  It's about small independent stores and restaurants, and it's about supporting that which is made with the hands of those in your area code.  Most importantly, it's about the sum of all those parts that come together in unison to create the great city which is Chicago.

Cheers!

Craft Commander

Brew F.I.U. and the future

We were recently invited to sample some beers being brewed at Brew F.I.U., a part of the hospitality program at Florida International University, focused on advancing beer brewing techniques and education in the craft of brewing beer.  We sat down with Matt Weintraub and Moh Saade to talk about experiments they've been performing with hops (like what readily available hops can be combined to create the smells and flavors associated with some harder to find and more expensive varietals) and yeast and I've got to tell you - I definitely learned a thing or two.  What's more, the two have been tasked with designing the beers for a future brewery here in Miami.  That's all I know, I swear.  

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Nelson Sauvin Pale Ale with English Yeast Strain

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Nelson Sauvin Pale Ale with American Ale Yeast

We started the night by sampling their single-hopped Nelson Sauvin Pale Ales.  Here's the deal - they fermented one half of the batch on an english yeast and the other on an American yeast.  The results were amazing; the same exact beers completely changed by the different yeasts.  I know it's supposed to be that way but it's really amazing to see it play out side by side on otherwise identical beers.  Each carried its own smells and tastes and highlighted different aspects of the other ingredients in the beer.  Really cool.

The English yeast pale ale, first served in a wine glass, smelled of white grape and a hint of stone fruit and showed minerally sauvignon blanc-like characteristics and slight graham cracker in the taste, with a nice dry finish.    On the other end of things, the American yeast (again, in a wine glass) brought forth a more dank, earthy smell (still got crushed grapes and stone fruit) and let the hops be a little more aggressive and fruity on the taste.  Both nice, but both completely different.  Still, in both, the Nelson showed itself through the grape and white wine characteristics on the nose and palate.  

The real mind blowing experience came when we served the same beers in an IPA glass.  Now, we got more of the hop-forward Pale Ale characteristics we're used to in our american pale ales.  Yes, we've all heard that the glassware matters, but how many of us actually believed that it would COMPLETELY change the flavor of the beer we were about to drink?  Try this at home with a pale ale of your choice and I'm sure you'll see what we're talking about.  

After this glassware experiment, I almost started doubting my prior beer reviews.  How much different would I have seen the same beer in an IPA glass versus a pint glass and which would I have liked better?  Here we were trying the same beer in different glassware and finding that we enjoyed different things more in each beer depending on the glass.  For example, although we enjoyed the English yeast more in a wine glass, we enjoyed the American yeast more when poured into an IPA glass.  While I still recommend the use of proper glassware, this little test gave me new view of what "proper glassware" means.  Sit and ponder that one.  

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Black IPA, 7% ABV

The fun didn't end at the pale ale though.  We also sampled an IPA that featured Cascade, Bravo, Sterling, and Horizon hops.  On the nose, ripe pineapple dominated with a hint of citrus following behind.  The taste was crisp with a light biscuity background and citrus hops that seem to stick to your tongue in a good way.  Not like a peel the enamel off your teeth way, but instead a more nuanced approach that allows you to taste the hops all while enjoying a nice bitterness.  Still some work to do - but a great base to build on.

One of the stars of the show was the Black IPA - hopped primarily with Chinook hops for the piney and resinous character prevalent in a west coast IPA.  Put your nose in the glass and prepare to be transferred to a pine forest.  Initially, the taste had a nice clean hop bite, followed by a light taste of molasses and lots of roastiness.  What was really nice about this particular beer was that as it warmed, the piney-ness continued to become more prevalent on the palate.  Plus, look at the color on that thing - beautifully jet black with a light brown foamy head.  This is a beer that Matt and Moh think will likely survive these test rounds without much modification and make its way to the future brewery.  

We rounded out the night with a really nice Belgian dubbel brewed with dark sugar with a beautiful banana, raisin and cinnamon bread nose and a hefe.  Both really nice.  While all the recipes were only test recipes, they showed tons of promise.  There was restraint where it needed to be and an attention to detail and desire to stay true to style while making sure they put their own stamp on it.  After all, Matt and Moh plan on taking their recipes with them when they become the leads in a brewery set to open just North of Miami International Airport next year.  

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These early recipes caught my attention not only because some could already be competitive in the market but more so because the goal of the duo is to create balanced and delicate food beers inspired by some of their favorite English styles and American breweries like Firestone Walker and Founders who are focused on balance and quality - not gimmicks.  In a sea of breweries trying to grab attention by being the most outrageous at all costs, it's good to know that the focus here is on consistent quality and crafting modern takes on traditional styles - making sure to pay homage to those who came before.  It's more likely than not that most of the beers we tasted won't see the tasting room or bottles but they served as a great indication of what Matt and Moh plan to brew.  If the test batches serve as an indication of what's to come, Miami can expect another quality brewery to open its doors to the public.  Hopefully sooner rather than later.

Mendez Fuel

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Yes, I'm talking about a gas station.  Yes, I'm talking about the gas station in a beer blog.  Yes, the gas station sells beer you can't find in most other stores and has 16 tap lines for growler fills.  Lastly, yes, they have a paleo section and make healthy and delicious juices, smoothies, sandwiches, and bowls for you to eat at their counter or take away.  Can you get over the fact that we're talking about a gas station yet?

This place really is something.  Its clean, organized, inviting, and most of all they carry some seriously good beer in bottles and on tap for growlers!  Run by Andrew Mendez, the Mendez Fuel beer section is shockingly good, considering they carry beers from Cantillon (for an hour at a time), Mikkeller, Cigar City Brewing, Prairie Ales, Pretty Things, and locals like Funky Buddha and Wynwood Brewing on tap - all in a, yes, that's right, a gas station.  What's best is that they have really reasonable prices and Andrew loves answering your questions about their selection and turning your attention to new things.

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The reasonable prices, access to breweries you normally don't see, and the ability to get special release beer in growlers has business going strong for the Mendez brothers.  Yet,  although of course he understands he has a business to build, and he is doing a good job of getting it to grow, Andrew isn't completely focused on the money.  He says what he likes best about the growth he's seen in the business is the new people he gets to meet and share his passion with and the ability to turn people on to new ideas and tastes they may never have tried before.  Usually when you hear somebody say that you think: "yea sure, I believe that...", but with Andrew for some reason you seem to believe it wholeheartedly.  It just makes you want to support them and help them push the craft beer scene in South Florida forward.  

Michael Mendez, older brother to Andrew and owner of Mendez Fuel, is more proud of the health food and juice options available at Mendez, and trust me after having a few different things, I have a feeling I'll be grabbing my lunches from Mendez Fuel more often.  Try the smoothies for a snack or meal replacement.  Grab a bowl or a sandwich if you're more hungry.  It's only fitting that they serve healthy food items alongside the beer.  Hey if you eat something healthy, you can drink one more beer, right?!  

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Here's the valuable nugget of this story: we need to support local businesses like Mendez Fuel, who are working hard to get us better quality products (especially when it comes to beer), hiring local, and investing in the local economy!  Go say hi to Andrew and let him know Craft Commander sent you!  You might even consider filling your car with gas while you're there.

Mendez fuel is located at: 3201 Coral Way, Miami, FL 

A Weekend in Tampa/St.Pete

We're no strangers to Tampa but every time we go we learn something new about the city and its culture and fall more in love with this seemingly sleepy "small" town.  Once referred to as "Florida's armpit", Tampa and the surrounding areas are a mecca for Floridians who are seeking the best that Florida has to offer in the way of beer.  Cigar City Brewing leads the way with other breweries like, Cycle, Rapp, Green Bench, 7venth Sun, Dunedin, and Barley Mow all producing unique, high quality beer.  If you live in Florida, visiting Tampa for a weekend (with a driver who doesn't drink) is highly recommended and actually, well, you just need to do it.  

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This trip started with a visit to Cigar City Brewing in preparation for our interview with Wayne Wambles their brewmaster later in the day.  We showed up before opening and were greeted by a line of people just waiting to get in... At 10:30 a.m.  A tour of the facilities brought me back to the first time we took a group tour, one of about 15 people looking at the then tiny brewery and thinking to ourselves, this thing is going to blow up.  Well, it did.  The original brew-house is still there but now they've expanded into a second building (Brewhouse #2) which resembling a missile silo to the right of the taproom entrance.  The massive fermenters fill the building and shine in the morning sun when the front door opens.  It's a beautiful thing.  

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The original Cigar City Brewing brewhouse and our friend Mr. Bob Lorber

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Brewhouse #2

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Walking through the fermenters I felt like what that annoying kid in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe must have felt like when he stepped into the closet and out into Narnia.  Except, instead of trees and snow, I found large metal cylinders filled with award winning beer.  Winning.  The best part about this place was the smell - the smell of HOPS.  Citrusy, wonderful, hops.  Everywhere.  I was politely asked to stop hugging the fermenters and led to the canning line.  

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We followed Billy Burnes (seen left with a Marshal Zhukov work shirt), our gracious host, to the canning/bottling line.   They've upgraded their canning line from a machine that would fill ~60 cans per minute to one that runs over 150 in the same amount of time.  It's an impressive thing.  Even more impressive is the walls of cans stacked up to the ceiling just waiting to be filled with beer, emptied into our glasses, and hopefully recycled and filled again.  While this part of the brewery is not currently part of the tour, it's supposed to become part of the tour likely after the renovations that are set to take place soon.  

We ended with a couple beers in the taproom, a single hop (experimental hop #527) IPA (very flowery and crisp) and a Horchata ale on nitro (think sweet, vanilla, cinnamon), as well as some samples, including their Peach American Sour Ale (incredibly refreshing, fruity, tart, sour, dank) and a really nice Dragon Fruit Lime Saison.  After filling a crowler with Hoppier than Helles (an incredibly crisp and hoppy lager) we had lunch at taco bus - a must visit - and were off to meet up with Wayne at 7venth Sun Brewing in Dunedin.  

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7venth Sun is a small brewery in Dunedin, Florida, (4.5 barrels) that offers tons of brett options, saisons, barrel aged beers, and really unique, hop forward IPA's.  It's a straight forward approach to beer - letting the ingredients shine, letting the yeast and barrels do their thing, but most of all, turning that into a dance between ingredients most breweries only wish they could achieve.  There's no over hopped IPA just for the sake of saying their beers are hoppy - it's about creating balance!  This is why we're such big fans.  They create balanced beer NOT gimmicks!  Best thing of all is that they are really nice people who all love beer and are knowledgeable in their offerings.  In fact, all bartenders are cicerone certified - think sommelier but beer - and will very readily and willingly answer any questions about the beer you're about to spend your hard earned money on.  The service you get here makes your experience with their product that much more enjoyable and sets 7venth Sun apart from many other breweries we've been to.  For example, a craft beer novice can walk into the taproom, ask questions and not feel judged by asking those "dumb questions" they've been looked at weird for asking at other breweries.  Instead, their questions will be met with an answer that actually helps you understand why what you are drinking is so special and why it tastes different than Corona or Bud Light.  We need this attitude to permeate into every taproom in the country if this craft beer revolution is going to continue to strengthen and turn into a part of our mainstream culture.  

The takeaway here is GO.  Go now and go often.  [For details on the interview with Wayne check out our conversations page.]

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7venth Sun's cozy tap room

From 7venth Sun we set our course to Cycle Brewing in downtown St. Pete.  This is one of my favorite breweries because of the quality of the beer they produce is just really damn good.  You can get the beer at Cycle in downtown St. Pete, where we went on this trip, or at the original location, Peg's Cantina in Gulfport (we really love the feel at Peg's).  I love their IPA's, their sours, their porters, and I especially love their roasty, sweet, chewy stouts (especially when they've sat in barrels).  This visit I was rewarded with the Berry Best, an incredibly balanced and just sour enough Berliner Weisse that was a really nice, rich, pink color.  The berries shine through up front and the sourness was just enough to put you on the verge of puckering - just right, and really refreshing.  Sitting in the modern taproom with modern art on the walls and just about everything made to resemble parts of a bicycle or made from bicycle parts, you feel like you are in a completely different world than 7venth Sun's tap room just 30 minutes away.  Not any better or worse, just different.  The beers here are top notch and worth the 35 minute drive from downtown Tampa to St. Pete.  Again, do yourself the favor and go. 

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We rounded out our day with our first visit to Green Bench Brewing.  The tap room is really nice and inviting and was PACKED!  We had a flight of beers and were happy with the offerings.  Two different stouts and two different IPA's - I know, I know... we really did our best there to get a feel for their wide array of beer styles...  The tap room screams vintage, woodsy, Americana, or an Abercrombie and Fitch bag from the early 2000's.  That's not a bad thing!  I've always loved the vintage outdoorsy feel and the Americana vibe.  Plus, their taproom really sets itself apart from other breweries'.  It's a great place to come in and have a few beers and you somehow forget you're sitting in a brewery even though you can see the brewhouse lit up through the massive glass windows just behind the bar.  Just a few minutes walk down the street from Cycle Brewing, make this part of your visit to St. Pete.

Here's the moral of the story, if you say you are a fan of great craft beer and you live in Florida, you need to go to Tampa/St. Pete, otherwise you don't actually like great craft beer.  That's an exaggeration but I think it drives the point home!  For you out-of-staters, Cigar City is in the Tampa airport for God's sake, what more of a welcoming invitation is needed to get yourself on a plane and into our beautiful home State for a weekend of brewery touring?  

(More pictures of our Tampa tour are in the "snapshots" section of the page)

THE MIGHTY MIAMI

"Good food and good beer always pair together."  Ryan Brooks, owner of The Mighty, a restaurant/bar just outside of Miami's historic Little Havana, is on to something.  This place isn't about frills, although it is really nice, modern, and clean, squeaky clean actually, and it's not about Ryan, who seemingly wanted nothing to do with our camera, it's about letting the food and the beer do the talking.  And it does.

Ryan's love of craft beer began when he drank a 21A IPA from 21st Amendment Brewery, a place he would eventually work at and continue to grow his passion.  He soon found himself running out to bars around the city after hours to get his hands on the latest Belgian import or newest release from one of San Francisco's various breweries.  For those who have never been to San Francisco, it is a place where you can eat at a different restaurant (a good restaurant) and find a good beer in a different restaurant every day of your life without hitting the same one twice.  It's a place that puts emphasis on what's on the plate or in the glass and not so much on whether the wall art is going to be considered trendy by Vogue magazine.  Most of all, it's place where anyone can get a great meal and a great beer without spending a fortune.  This is what Ryan wanted to bring to Miami.  We think he did.  We're happy he did.

Ryan's history and San Francisco influence is evident around the restaurant with this 21st Amendment artwork as an example.

This is a place that was created to be approachable.  From the chalk board wall to the pool table, the design screams "Come in!  Relax!  Try our sausages!"  The sausages, made from scratch, in house, are fantastic.  Everything from the "Chicken Gorgonzola Mango" to the "Sausage of the Sea" which holds salmon, octopus, sea scallops, and roasted peppers, is phenomenal.  Served with homemade sauces and their homemade mustard, which for mustard fans (weird to call yourself a "mustard fan") is a must have.  Most importantly, the sausages pair really well with the selection of beers that Ryan has.  Tonight I had Cigar City Brewing's Hornswoggled, a red ale aged with oak and vanilla and served on nitro, but take your pick there's plenty to choose from.

Pork sausage - sage, garlic, and fennel served over grilled onions and peppers.

But where The Mighty shines is its great list of saisons, sours, belgians, and other hard to find and very interesting beers.  Best of all is the knowledge of what they have and why they are selling it.  Ensuring that the Belgians and saisons stay on the menu because "they are great 'food beers'" is a concept that most restaurants don't understand but The Mighty embraces.  You come here to try something new and to learn something new about beer, and Ryan says that most of the customers come in to The Mighty with open minds and lots of questions.  Questions are good - questions mean that craft beer is only continuing to grow because it means that people are really starting to care.  More than a "I got the rarest bottle of beer and I'm not sharing" kind of care, but a similar appreciation of craft beer as to wine.  More like: understanding the processes that go into making the beer that you're about to drink and understanding the flavor profiles that will make your meal more pleasurable.  And Ryan credits local breweries like Wynwood Brewing and Funky Buddha for educating the consumer down here - of course, you can always find their beers on tap at The Mighty.

The Mighty opened its doors with a bit of blind faith.  Not knowing exactly what the Miami consumer would want to drink or whether this kind of place could survive in a market dominated by big chains and big beer.  Yet, only a couple months in and things are going well.  It's a sign that craft beer is garnering the attention it deserves at the table.  It's a sign that people are opening their noses, palates, and minds to new experiences with their food and beer.  

While we're still a far cry from the established beer and food culture that Ryan left behind in San Francisco, places like The Mighty are pushing our city in that direction.  Serving craft beer, sausages, and stiff drink, The Mighty is one place you should definitely stop by.

To get to The Mighty: 2224 Coral Way, Miami, FL 33145

Contact The Mighty:

www.themightymiami.com 

info@themightymiami.com

305-570-4311

What it's all about.

This weekend marked one more year on this earth for me.  While that statement seems to have lost its charm, I celebrated my birthday with family and friends around a BBQ, a brew kettle, and in some heavy Miami summer rain.  Throughout the day I was amazed to see the interest in craft and home-brewed beer.  By everyone.  Everyone had a story to tell about the first beer that impacted them, what their favorite style was, what their favorite brewery was, and where they were when their first craft beer hit their lips.  Ok, maybe not that last one, but the point is - people are getting into craft beer and what comprises the beer they love to drink.  This is a good thing.

Mendez Fuel on Coral Way and 32nd Avenue in Miami, FL is serving up fresh beer for takeaway in growlers.  We started the morning off with a Brooklyn Blast.

The morning started early as we set up to brew a heavily-hopped citrusy pale ale and got the coolers filled with craft beers from all around the country.  The particular pale ale being brewed featured citrus forward hops on a very simple grain bill, comprised only of 2-row and crystal malt for a crisp clean taste that would really let these fruity, citrusy hops shine. For those who care, the hops used were Citra, Centennial, and Cascade.  The smell of the steeping grain made us feel like we were walking around in a fresh baked loaf of bread as we sat around and talked about our favorite beers.  Sound good?  Give home-brewing a try - just be ready for the addiction to set in.  

Enough about the brewing, the takeaway here is the fact that everyone wanted to know more about this "mysterious" stuff and that everyone got along - beautifully.  I mean, a Cuban party without at least one minor skirmish?!  Yes, it's possible!  It's the magical thing about beer: people who get it, just get along.  Social status, profession, interests, favorite sports teams, even politics doesn't matter when you've got craft beer, it seems.  Now, you may be saying to yourself "he's getting cheesy here"; and you may be right, but prove me wrong.  These days the only people who don't get that craft beer not only promotes culture, arts, local economies, tourism, job creation, and all sorts of other good stuff seem to be sitting around Tallahassee trying to figure out ways to help their friends at big beer companies by drafting up senseless legislation against the family run craft breweries.  "Hey!  Those campaign signs aren't going to buy themselves!"  Oops.  I mean, it doesn't make any sense that a big beer juggernaut should have to adapt to the demand of the market around it - no, instead they should just call their friends in the Capital and just try to squash all those little boogers trying to make an honest living!

I digress.  I'll be the first to admit that i was skeptical about the ability of craft beer to take off in our city.  Let's face it, Miami doesn't necessarily have a history of demanding craft or local products.  Most of the beer sold here historically, I'd venture to say, was $10 bud light and Corona sold to tourists who spent their days getting drunk and burned to a bright, red crisp on the beach.  Yet, here we are with just one open production craft brewery in Wynwood Brewing Company (more on them in the future) and people are starved for more.  We're seeing the boom of artisan food and the buy local movement and the craft beer industry is coming right along with it. 

This weekend's revelation gave me high hopes with regards to the future of craft beer here in Miami and around the country.  It's more than just the beer, the growth of this industry symbolizes, in my opinion, the idea that our city (and our generation in general) wants to ensure that cultural and culinary aspects of our life are preserved and strengthened.  Beer is only one small part of that idea but it sure is helping to get things going in the right direction.  I can't wait to see where we're headed!

Cheers!,

Craft Commander

Drinking yours truly's home-brewed oatmeal, coffee, chocolate stout aged on bourbon soaked french oak.  

Beer! Food's Best Friend.

When you think about food and drink pairings, society has trained us to think that wine is what should be served at the table.  Yet, the more I travel the world, the more it becomes apparent that the idea that wine is the only table drink is somewhat of an oddity confined to us here in the States.  Beer is served alongside goulash and pork knee in Prague, mussels in Belgium, fresh conch salad in the Bahamas, and the list goes on.  All around the world people have embraced the idea of beer with food for decades.  Why? Because ultimately, it works better with food than wine!  There, I said it. 

The options are endless.  Countless styles multiplied by countless variations of those styles gives you the ability to find a beer that will suit any meal.  Plus, with the wide availability of hops and grain through homebrew stores and online outlets, if you can’t find what you’re after for a certain food item – you can always brew it yourself!  This is a good thing!  What wine pairs with spicy Indian food better than a hoppy IPA?  None.  Wine people – you know it’s true.  I enjoy wine.  A lot.  Still, beer is king when it comes to pairing.  Try Rapp Brewing’s Gose (Seminole, FL) with some fresh Blue Point oysters and tell me it doesn’t change your perception of what beer can do to food and vice-a-versa.  Dessert you ask?  Grab a piece of decadent chocolate cake and pair it with Cigar City’s Marshall Zhukov (Tampa, FL) and tell me a glass of wine would have paired better.  Point is, beer’s ability to pair with and enhance your food are superior to wine.  Period.

Rapp Brewing Co.'s - Gose.  2014  Best Beer Florida Competition Gold/Best of Show winner.  Visit www.rappbrewing.com for more information on this great Florida craft brewery.

Lucky for us, restaurant owners and chefs are starting to understand the importance of a varied menu of quality craft beers in their restaurants.  Even here in Miami, where the still infantile craft beer scene is only now beginning to crawl, restaurants are popping up around town focusing their entire menus on the way the food will play with the beers being offered.  But it’s not only these beer-centric restaurants that are taking note of the beauties of pairing beers with food.  High end restaurants which traditionally only offered wine or spirits have begun to open the door to the American craft beer too.  Restaurants like Route 9, OTC Miami, and Batch Gastropub are taking things one step further and hosting multi course beer dinners to show off just how good the pairings can be.

For a great read on food pairings with your favorite beer styles check out “The Brewmaster’s Table” by Garrett Oliver. 

Cheers!

Craft Commander