There is something to be said about the architecture of a brand new industrial park that seems to be absolutely perfect for a brewery.
Not that a giant box is somehow inherently good or bad for making beer, but the ability to bring in water lines, drainage, seating, and so forth, it’s just easier when you have a blank slate like the one that Hopsized Brewing received in Bonita Springs.
They opened just before Thanksgiving 2021, and in that time they have done a great job of brewing for and welcoming the community into their little slice of beer heaven.
I know for a fact they do a monthly Jeep meet up, since one of the people that organizes it is the wife of Joel Lounds, creator and host of the Florida Man News podcast. And (shocker!) when you listen to the Florida Beer Podcast interview with the husband and wife team that owns Hopsized Brewing, Ana Rodriguez de Vera and Darlyn Victor, Joel was the guest host.
While we will talk about a lot of great things on that episode, one thing I didn’t talk about was the beer. And there was plenty of beer to be had.
Munich Nights (Lager, 5.9% ABV) – Munich Nights is a beer when you just want a beer. It’s such an exemplary lager in terms of its basicness that it’s less a beer and more a template for how things like this need to be brewed. Bright yellow in color, with a very clean and crisp nose, this lager has light flavors of biscuit malt, two row, and maybe a floral hop if you’re really, really looking for it. That’s not really what this beer is about, though. This is a beer that is simple, easy, and very enjoyable.
StefoWeizen (Hefeweizen, 6.5% ABV) – I failed slightly in not asking who Steph is. She’s not on the brew team, that’s Anna. Regardless, StefoWeizen is a great indication for how classic Hopsized Brewing can go with some of their beers. If you’ve had the traditional German hefeweizen, you know what to expect. A light body with a massive circus peanut-style aroma, accompanied by wonderfully buoyant flavors of banana and spice. There’s a very effervescent mouthfeel, infinite brightness, and tons of flavor, with a lot of space to play with. It’s a very refreshing beer, and a style that just doesn’t get the play it deserves.
The Diary Of Haze – El Dorado (NEIPA, 7.2% ABV) – Okay, now we start really getting deep into the intense stuff. The Diary of Haze is Hopsized’s single hop exploration series, a trend that has become very popular in recent years. They had a few of these hop showcase beers on tap, but the one I was instantly drawn to was El Dorado, since I am a big fan of that hop and I love a lot of the things it can do. This beer did everything it needed to do, very clean and crisp, with a noticeable run of the melon flavors El Dorado is beloved for.
Does this mean that Bonita Springs is becoming the next craft beer city in Florida? That still remains to be seen, but I think the people at Hopsized would give it a good start for that discussion.
There’s still a lot of room for growth, but since Bonita is already home to three breweries, I wouldn’t be shocked if we were to see more coming in the future.
In the meantime, I’ve got some beers there as I took home with me, and it’ll be nice to open those up very soon.
Drink Florida Craft,
Dave
@floridabeerblog
floridabeerblog@gmail.com
Florida Beer Blog is a part of Florida Beer Media. Find us at FloridaBeerMedia.com.
Listen to the Florida Beer Podcast – Powered by Florida Beer Blog on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more!
If you’re looking for awesome beer glass or cigar gifts, make sure to head to GroovyGuyGifts.com!
Florida Beer Blog 