2011 The Year of Beer

Field of Beers Craft Beer and Food Pairing - Jupiter, FL

This is still one of the best beer events I have attended; this was my second time. The number of participants is limited; 16 stations each had a chef and brewer (or rep) there to talk about the beer and food. It was set up inside both dugouts and by home plate down on the field at Roger Dean Stadium just off the Abacoa Town Center. It was cool, after dark, but nothing like much of the country's frigid temps. It would be hard to hit all sixteen but here are a few highlights. Left Hand Polestar Pilsner paired with Chef Carlino's Lobster Mac and Cheese. Good match; the lighter taste of the lobster worked well with the lighter tastes of the pilsner. The taste of locally raised bottom round beef roasted in a pepper and coriander glaze went well with Big Bear's Imperial Stout. Bluepoint Brewing's RastafaRye Rye Ale was a good match with Marinated Gator tail in a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Cigar City Brewing had a new beer; White Oak Aged IPA. Their IPA is excellent to begin with; this mellowed it out a bit and it was great with the marinated roasted pig topped with "Rincon Heat" gourmet hot sauce. Joey, the owner, was there to talk about his beers; the cooks were great there too. For the complete menu click here. It was small enough to meet people both participants, brewery reps and cooks. There was ample time at each station; it is hard to keep moving so they all can be tried. The evening ended near the home plate area. Swamphead brewing had their Imperial Stout with Warm Chocolate Beignets which were a nice dessert and good warm finish to the event. Look for tickets in December if you want to go in 2012.

The 5th Annual Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival Jan. 29, 2011

The fifth annual festival theme was "Just Hoppy to be Here!" There were none of the lines to get in; I have found that if you arrive slightly late (1/2 hour) whatever lines were there are gone. I arrived on time and saw some short lines; what holds people up is the ID checking and ticket scanning. I forgot my ID and went for my wallet. By the time I returned the lines were clear. (5 - 10 minutes at the most.) Once inside I met several vendors from the night before; there was one table that was offering 'beercation cruises" from various locations. This is a cool idea. I had some cards about my Beer 101 class and was able to put a few around. I know this is far from Miami but you never know. Most of the vendors were ok with putting a few cards at their booth and I didn't have that many anyway. Terrapin was first; they had a beer I didn't know. One of the founders, John, was pouring as well. Right next door was Southern Tier, the newest out of state brewery to come to Florida. I have come to enjoy several of their beers. They had Unearthly Imperial IPA on tap which was welcome for my second beer. The silent disco was 'hopping' as usual and would through out the day. It was a clear day; not too hot but the sun could get hot. The new expanded area along the back of the event was mainly in the shade of several large oak trees. This area had some good vendors and I liked the shade. The Florida Beer set up was in the corner and became the party area later in the event. They are marketing all the beers they make for others as well as some they now brew for themselves. Swamp Ape is a 10% IPA that is very smooth drinking; the alcohol doesn't stand out like many with that percentage. The Funky Buddha, in Boca is now brewing. At 3:00 they released their Maple Bacon Porter; this was quite a mob scene as everyone knew about it and tried to get into the small area all at once. I did get to try it; very coffee dominated and not much bacon. Still a cool idea and I would like to try it sitting at their bar. These guys love beer! Down that back side were: Bluepoint Brewing, Seven Bridges , Bold City, Native, and Liberty Steakhouse. Brewzzi had several beers and malts all over the table. I asked where could I get some to show the class and the brewer said right here. He gave me samples of four different malts which I will put in bottles to pass around the class. Thank you Brewzzis. Tequesta Brewing was next door; I was able to try the smooth English IPA that I missed at the brewery. About this time I headed back over to try the Bacon Porter at Funky Buddah. I stepped away from the big crowd ending up by Florida Beer.This was the fun party area of the festival. I met new people and some in the industry. It was suggested that I might want to try and get certified as a beer Cicerone; not a bad idea. For details click on the link. My final area was the north side of the festival. It was late and some were out of beer. I enjoyed Stone, Saint Somewhere and finally, Victory. With any event this size every booth can't be visited; I was able to get to many favorites and some new places while talking to many new people all around the fest. Most liked the new GBL cards and thought the class was a cool idea. It was lots of fun; let's do it again next year! Website: Jupiterbrewfest

Shipyard Emporium - Winter Park, FL

My yearly trip to the 12 hours of Sebring was special this year. This was the 30th year I have been to the race. This year I talked my good beer drinking friends into camping out on Friday night. We haven't stayed over in years and sleeping on the ground is pretty much a thing of the past. This year we had another friend driving in a vintage race on Friday so that was another reason to come up early. Naturally good beer was in store. In addition to the regular 'drinking beer' we brought several special beers along. For the 30th celebration I brought 3 of the 4 Sierra Nevada 30th anniversary ales. These were very appropriate and much enjoyed. Thinking back to that first race in 1981 who would have thought about being there 30 years later drinking all the great beers now available. Back then it was Miller Lite or 3 Horses (Holland) Lager. Coors wasn't even available in Florida yet. Some of our Texas race buddies used to bring 20 cases and that was a big thing in 1981. The 2011 edition was great fun and celebrated with many beers and memories. This was as big a Friday night I have ever had in all the years there. So big that I didn't even open my usual breakfast beer at the 10:30 AM start of the race. That was tradition back then but I was younger and could get away with more. On race day (Saturday) we got perfect weather and walked all around the track looking at all the crazy campsites and partying wondering if this is what we looked like back in the day (It is!) All fun things come to an end so we headed to Orlando to check out the Shipyard Emporium. We met my brother and an old friend for beers and dinner for what became a reunion of sorts and was a great time. They serve several Shipyard beers all the time and have a few special beers available. The regular shipyard beers are brewed elsewhere; the local brewer makes special and seasonal beers. We asked about this and didn't really get an exact answer. I had the IPA and Double Thumper; the others had Blue Fin Stout. The food is unique here; Chili "soup", Emporium Pot Roast, Maine Clam Chowder and Pot Roast Flatbread to name a few items. This get - together was fun and we all were laughing so hard it almost hurt. It was a great place for us, loud, so we weren't noticed and good food and beer to make the evening complete. We will do it again! Update: Closed 2013.

Dunedin Brewing 3rd Annual IPA Festival

The theme for this year's festival was "The Saga Continues", and it did. This is usually one of the best festivals of the year for many reasons. The brewery is small, which limits the size of the crowd; everyone there loves IPAs and other bitter beers. It is a friendly crowd and everyone has a great time. The 'usual suspects' from Miami attended, and we had some Eli's BBQ just before we walked over to the brewery. Upon entrance we were given a glass made for the occasion. Yes, a real glass; not cheap plastic like many festivals. There was a continuous raffle of beer swag; many cool items were given away over the course of the evening. Usually the raffles are later in the event and KK has to yell out the numbers, post them and collect the valid tickets. This year a group of numbers was drawn every half hour and posted. We all bought tickets and left with a box of stuff! (None of it mine!) We then were able to go all around the festival to try the extensive menu of beers. The first area had local brewers' beers. There were some really good beers here - these guys and gals are brewing some great 'homebrews'. They had 'Hop Back in Black' a black IPA, Orange IPA, Dawn's IPA 7.6% ABV and WM2 # 2 an IPA at 7.9% ABV and 287 IBU. (I'm not sure how they come up with that number but the beer was quite tasty and very bitter.) Nearby, the Dunedin Doggie Rescue had some stuff set up by the raffle area. They do some great work with abandoned dogs and help socialize and find homes for many area dogs. The next day they would have thier monthly Dog Wash, a cool event in itself. Across the way was a trailer with taps on the side, featuring some 'national' brand IPAs. Stone, Bells, Terrapin, Cigar City and Dunedin's own IPA Chronical 2 Southwest Pacific, just released for this event. That was a good one as well as the others we all know. The rest of the menu was inside in various places. The main bar had many with a special Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale on cask. This was special and we were told to enjoy it as it would run out. (It did!) Throughout the festival, the band played inside, and snacks were laid out from time to time. This year there was extra food available outside but it went quickly. I met and had a great time with many people, both new and old friends. Many people enjoyed my work in promoting good beer and my Beer Drinker of the Year shirt. The night went by too fast; time flies when you're having fun...and we were. There was still something special left: Michael, the owner, had a special beer he brought back from Colorado. It was Odells Myrcenary Double IPA. This was a great surprise and much appreciated by everyone there. I especially enjoyed it, getting as many small sips I could. As they were running out, I went to the hotel to bring back a surprise of my own: New Belgium Ranger IPA, which I put out for some to enjoy. It wasn't advertised, but those who tried it let me know that they appreciated the chance to try it. (I brought it back from North Carolina and wish I had brought more with me!) Another great IPA fest and we all look forward to the next one. Update: Closed in 2013.

Dogfish Head Beer Dinner - The Local - Coral Gables, FL

The Local is a new Beer Bar / Gastro Pub in Coral Gables, FL. Since I live and work in the area I found them the first week they were open. That visit was their first Friday night happy hour. The beer list was a good one; they said that it was only the beginning. The food platters all looked good; the one we tried was excellent. Some of the items you might not think go with beer but everything worked with what I had. A month later they had their first beer dinner. The Dogfish Head Food and Beer Pairing event on Wednesday June 1st didn't disappoint. When I first came in for the event I saw that the regular beer list was much more extensive that that first visit. They have done well in a month. Tonight's beer list was all Dogfish Head Beers - Limited Release and all on draft. There were five beers for the event; 90 Minute IPA, Sah'tea, Hellhound on my Ale, Burton Baton and Black and Blue. Nick from the brewery was there to lead the event and tell us a bit about each beer. He had some good Dogfish stories and information about each beer. Chef Alex introduced each dish; explaining how it paired with the chosen beer. The first beer was Sah'Tea paired with smoked marlin with citrus, avocado, coriander topped with corn chips. This really went well together. Sip the beer then try a bite followed by the beer again. It's a great way to get the beer and food separately then together. The beers were served in large wine glasses to allow the smells to be enjoyed and augment the flavors. The next course paired Hellhound on my ale with rabbit brat. (Pictured to the left.) Hellhound is an IPA with lemon flavorings which went well with the spiciness of the brat. Burton Baton is a blend of strong ale and oak aged IPA. It was great with the BBQ nuts and boneless lamb rib. Dessert was the Black and Blue ale fermented with Blueberries and Blackberries, paired with three different house- made fudges each with a different topping. After the event, some Dogfish stash was available. World Wide Stout 2009 was there as well as 2007 from a local collector. Nick had brought some Chicha, an ancient Peruvian corn based brew. This beer was part of the Brewmasters series on Discovery channel last year. Part of the old recipe involved chewing the corn to speed up fermentation. The entire Dogfish staff ended up helping out on this to get the beer done on time. Nick had a growler with some in it; it has a cinnamon taste along with the corn tastes. Being in the growler for a day, it was fairly flat when poured. But I had tried the beer; another cool Dogfish Head adventure. Thanks to everyone involved; this was truly a team effort and it showed. Thanks also to those who brought the special beers; I enjoyed them and somehow ended up with the empty growler! Cheers! Website: The Local 150

The Brick Store Pub - Decatur, GA

In July I had a family reunion, of sorts, in Highlands, NC. I flew into Atlanta and got a rental car and made Brick Store my first stop. I have been here before, always at night. It's been called "the second best beer bar" by Beer Advocate and they know what they are talking about. My lunch stop didn't disappoint today either. It was a hot Thursday as I parked and walked to the pub. It's a cool old building that has 'character' unlike so many newer places. It was refreshing as I walked into the cool air and a half full pub. The place is totally different in the day mainly due to the large skylight that makes it brighter that any lighting could, alone. I sat at the bar and saw a great beer list. (It always is!) I decided on a Lagunitas Lucky 13 Imperial IPA, which I haven't seen on tap. It tasted great and has classic Laguntias west coast hops taste along with sweet citrus smell and tastes. A good starter beer while I waited on lunch. The bartender was great about letting me taste some of the other beers. There was a hand pumped version of Left Hand Sawtooth Ale that was light smooth and would go good with the hot weather outside. Several others were tried while I was eating and enjoying the place. I tweeted a short note that I was at this great place and minutes later I met Lee who is the guy in charge of social media for the pub. We spoke briefly; he asked if I was going to enter the Beer Drinker of the Year contest this year and I said I would. (I had the shirt from the contest on.) It also was good to see that the pub takes social media seriously and knows how to use it. Most places won't even see the mention much less use the various media for marketing. Good job there keep it up. There is a Belgian beer bar upstairs but I was only there for lunch and didn't want to over do it as I had a drive ahead of me. One day I will get to the upstairs; today just wasn't that day. As I got my roast beef sandwich I ordered the Smuttynose Doppelbock another beer I haven't seen. It was a reddish brown color and had some sweet smells as I drank it. It had malty tastes and the alcohol was evident. A good beer; I just haven't had too many dopplebocks so I don't know the style well. This one was good and I would hope that it makes it to Florida. It probably would age well; if I can find it I will put one away for a year or two. Good food and good beer; that's what it is all abut here. I finished my lunch and hit the road for a fun four days of hiking, enjoying great weather and having mini beer tastings for some family members I haven't seen for years. Everyone enjoyed the time and we would like to do it again. The Brick Store Pub was a good way to start that weekend of fun and good beer. Brick Store Website

Gritty McDuff's Brewpub - Portland, Maine

After walking around the port and the surrounding area the rain was still drizzling away. The historic area has many old buildings and most have been converted into restaurants and shops. As I came around the corner on Fore street I discovered Gritty's. I knew it was somewhere around but not exactly where. Since I found a brewpub I did the right thing and went inside to try their beer. Gritty's is the first brewpub in Maine, going back to 1988. The place has history all over the place. There are several different rooms and memorabilia on the walls. It's a perfect fit for the over one hundred year old building. When I entered the first room and bar was full. This is the main bar with all the mugs hung above. I got a picture of it and it is to the left here. I made my way around the the other side of the bar, in another room and found a spot to sit and enjoy some beer. On this side of the bar there are several openings in the wall that each sit about three people. When I sat down I met a regular who was there for his afternoon beer. He was from the British Isles but lives here now. He was in the mug club which has 21 oz ceramic mugs and other benefits. We talked about the local beers and Maine in general. I ordered the Halloween Ale which is a great autumn ale; it's a robust ESB that is malty with a nice hop finish. It is available at the pub and bottled so it can be found around Maine. The other beer I tried was the Red Claws Ale an amber ale; it has a light hop finish, is quite flavorful and is known as a session ale. There are several "trophys" up on high shelves that are made from aluminum foil and I wondered what they were all about. They were models of the superbowl and world series awards. I believe they are made each year and awarded to the winner of the bar's pool for each game. The details weren't clear; maybe you have to be there... I was enjoying Gritty's but noticed it was getting late. I wished my new friend well and headed out. As I left I found the 'brewtique' next door that sells Gritty wear and beer to go. This was great as I wanted to have some beers when I got to where I was going later. Here I was able to buy Gritty's 21st anniversary IPA and the Halloween ale. These were enjoyed immensely at a impromptu beer tasting before dinner. I enjoyed my visit to Gritty's and if you are ever in Portland it is a worthy stop. The atmosphere alone is great; to also have beer brewed there makes it even better. Website: Grittys.com

King Eiders Pub - Damariscotta, Maine

After my stay in Portland I headed north to Acadia National Park. I took the back way, US 1, and had a great day. I left Portland with some helpful tips about what to see and where to go. Up the road is a small fishing town of Damariscotta where King Eiders pub, a family favorite, was waiting. I arrived before they open so I looked around a bit. It was drizzling (!) so I walked around with an umbrella. At one time Damariscotta had a large ship building industry. This was when all ships were wooden and the masts were made from the tallest, largest trees around. These all came together in Damariscotta. The shipbuilding business is long gone but fishing and other sea faring businesses continue on. The local oysters are legendary and there is still a fishing fleet there. Soon, King Eiders was open. As I came in I received a friendly greeting and was asked where I would like to sit. I choose the small pub downstairs and had one of the best lunches I have ever had. The place was friendly and it was filling up. I had been told that they are small and reservations might be a good idea. They have an interesting selection of beer; some English, some American light and craft beer. I had discovered Baxter Brewing's "Stowaway IPA" several days ago; they had it on tap. This brewery cans all of their beer. A great Maine brewery; they are new and adding beers as they grow. I ordered a pint of the IPA and read the menu. First up was the local oysters; they were plump and succulent just perfect. These oysters are from the Damariscotta river where there is water constantly flowing over them. This keeps them clean and allows them ideal conditions for development. I decided on the seafood pot pie with fresh haddock, salmon and scallops in a creamy sauce for my lunch. This was another Maine original and really made the lunch and day. Since it was damp and cool outside this was filling and warm. I would not need any food for the rest of the drive and it gave me great energy to make and enjoy the rest of the drive. The pub is a friendly place; I met several people that come there from far away as well as several locals waiting for the Sunday ball games to start. I savored everything; slowly finished my beer and prepared to go. I could have stayed there all afternoon but still had places to go before I ended my day at Acadia National Park. This is one of those places that only comes along every now and then. I recommend that anyone reading this who goes up to the Mid Maine coast area find a way to drive though Damariscotta for a visit to King Eiders Pub. Website: KingEiders.com

Bar Harbor Brewing, Bar Harbor, Maine

After a cool cloudy start to my day of exploring all around Acadia National Park the sun showed up for a grand finish atop Cadillac Mountain. The sunset was like we see in the Florida Keys where the 'ball' sinks below the horizon only this went down behind distant mountains instead of the water. With the day over I headed over to Bar Harbor Brewing's tasting room, which I had seen on my earlier drives. The tasting room is right on the main road across form the town green. A good location and near everything that downtown Bar Harbor has to offer. The tasting room has all their regular beers available to taste and some specialty brews that are local only. There are four regular beers always available to taste and they open up special 22 oz bottles from the "Manly Men's Beer Club" series one at a time. All the beers are brewed at Atlantic Brewing which I visited the next day. (See below) The tasting room gives them an outlet in town where room for all the brewing equipment would be hard to find. The store is a friendly place with package and gift sales as you walk in and the tasting area to the left. There were several people at the tasting bar as I came in and we were treated to each beer with information about each. I enjoyed the Cadillac Mountain Stout the most. It is an American Stout with hints of cocoa and good roasted malts. It wasn't as 'thick' as some but drinks well and finishes with slight coffee aromas. The ABV at 6.7% wasn't evident and it is a creamy smooth stout. The Thunder Hole ale is an English Brown ale with interesting toffee tastes. The two lighter beers were good but not memorable. The big beer that was opened was the Manly Men Series' Pete Fen's Finest Ale. Named for a cranberry farmer born on Mt Desert Island in the 1800's, this dark ale has a tart cranberry taste and caramel notes. It was a surprise to find this beer; I haven't seen a cranberry beer before. The tartness and sweetness work together rand the 8.5 ABV is masked. It was the best and most interesting beer offered that day. I enjoyed the tasting and talked beer with several people while we tasted. As I left I got a shirt and a Manly Men Sea Smoke which is a Smoked English Barleywine, another new interesting beer to try back at the motel.

Jack Russell's Brewpub - Bar Harbor, Maine

A friend said to try Jack Russell's Brewpub and it was a good recommendation. As it turned out I had driven right by the place several times in my travels around Bar Harbor. It was only blocks from my motel! Another good beer find in Maine. I was ready for a good dinner and it was almost dark when I got there. It was a Tuesday night and not too busy in the restaurant / bar area. I have heard since that there is a outdoor bier garden; it was probably closed for the season. (This goes on in this area as the winters slow down quite a bit. My motel was closing in two weeks another restaurant was gone as of the next weekend.They all will reopen in the spring.) Jack's is open year 'round. I received good service and everything was up to expectations. As I entered there was a group at the bar and some at tables. I took a table by the front windows and got a sampler. The sampler has four house beers on it and each was a great Maine beer as I have been experiencing all along my trip. Most were classic english styles, Precipice Pale Ale, IPA, Best Brown and Irish Stout. I chose the IPA for my larger glass of beer. Meanwhile I enjoyed a five piece shrimp cocktail with zesty sauce. For dinner I had one of the better steaks I have had in a while. This is a steakhouse and there are many different types and cuts of steak available. I found a NY strip that was prime and all natural. (Whatever that means!) It truned out excellantly and I savoried every bite and the IPA worked well too. It was getting late and people were leaving. Many Bar Harbor restaurants close up on the early side this late into the season. I wasn't hurried but could see that things were finishing up. I did have a final choclate mousee which went well with my left over Stout sampler. Another great dinner in Maine, I would like to return, someday, to see the brewery and enjoy the outdoor garden.

Atlantic Brewing Company - Bar Harbor, Maine

On my second day in Bar harbor I awoke to a cloudy, rainy day. After a late breakfast; getting some advice on where locals get lobster, I drove to Bangor to tour the museum of Maine transportation. This was a good idea as the rain was steady the entire trip over and back. The museum was cool but that's a story for another time. As I drove back I decided to check out Atlantic Brewing Company which is on the west side of Bar Harbor. The street they are on intersects the main road and I turned down it. I was surprised to be in a residential neighborhood. I kept driving and wondered if it was the right road. The addresses were going the right way so I kept driving. This was a fairly wooded area; when it opened up a bit I saw the small building that is the brewery's office and gift shop. Upon turning in I saw that there are actually several different buildings; the others all big metal buildings. The 3:00 tour had just started and I joined it. We were in the second building which has most of the brewing equipment. This was a good tour and the girl who gave it knew Atlantic's brewing process well. We saw the Mash Tun, Brew Kettle and Fomenting tanks. Each step was explained and some malts and hops were passed around. I enjoy any brewery tour and this was no exception. Even though I teach and talk about beer and brewing there is always something to learn. This day it was about their yeast. Yeast can be reused many times and most breweries do that. So does Atlantic, but we were told that some yeast does have to be discarded. The yeast they discard is any used to make their Blueberry Ale as the berries spoil the yeast and it can't be used again. It can, however, be given to local farmers to recycle. It was a good tour; the rain let up so we could walk back to the gift shop / tasting area for the tour tasting. This is done for each tour and they are generous with the beers and there are about ten or more to try. We tried all the regular beers and several of the specialty beers .Someone mentioned that the brewery was 'grand fathered' into the neighborhood so there won't be any other commercial businesses in this area. I met a couple from Indiana during the tour and after in the BBQ joint that is part of the complex. The brewery is experimenting with an IPA and it was available at the bar. I sat and talked beer with the Indiana couple while enjoying the new IPA. This beer will probably be available on a regular basis next year after they finish testing it. It gets my ok; a good "East Coast IPA". Not super aggressive or bitter like some just a good drinkable beer. Atlantic is twenty years old and many of the original beers have a big following so they can't just change them to suit the tastes of today. This is what is great about having a brewery; you can always try new stuff and expand your line at your pace and most beer drinkers will enjoy your beers no matter when the recipe was created. If you are in the Bar Harbor area Atlantic Brewing should be on your to do list. An added bonus is the Knox Road BBQ. See AtlantciBrewing.come for more.