Reviews of beers from around Florida.
Color me just a little bit confused.
For being in North Miami Beach, I love the general theme Lost City Brewing, an outfit that has been on the festival circuit for years and recently opened their doors to visitors, cultivates. There’s something about that whole El Dorado/Indiana Jones/Legends of the Hidden Temple vibe that I absolutely love. Continue reading
I am desperately trying not to make any Gloria Estefan references in this article.
I guess it’s not entirely difficult seeing as Beat Culture has embraced and promoted Miami culture in much the way the Estefan family helped to popularize it a few decades ago. And while beer was not necessarily a part of that explosion from Dade County, breweries are making absolutely sure it’s going to be an integral part of what it is in the future. Continue reading
There are some flavors of Spyk’d that I’m really looking forward to (Mojito, I got my eyes on you). Then there are some that I wasn’t completely thrilled about, but maybe it’ll be something fun to try, or maybe use as a mixer.
Strawberry Lime Spyk’d (Hard Seltzer, 5% ABV) was the latter for me. But I’m glad I tried it and it will teach me to not read books by the cover. Continue reading
It’s late. I don’t care.
I am of a vocal minority that believes certain beers should not be encumbered by time of year just because that’s how it always has been. I also believe brewing a solid German beer is much more important then something you can release in limited edition $40 bottles online.
That’s why October is always my favorite time of year, because everybody gets their German out and the community is awash in lederhosen and Noble hops. It’s the time for festbiers and Marzens, beautifully crafted beers emphasizing malt and water quality over hops and adjuncts.
They’re the kinds of beers I look forward to every year, and one of the reasons I was so excited to get my hands on Prost (Festbier, 5.9% ABV) from The Tank in Miami.
Let’s pause here and get everybody’s laughter out of the way, but there’s quite a lot of good German beer styles coming from the Magic City and The Tank serves just one of many.
As a beer, it is simply beautiful, the kind of beer I would desperately love to be served by the liter in a fine German restaurant. It is beautifully golden and crystal clear, absolutely see through and lovely to behold. The aroma is like a wonderful cloud that envelops you when walking into a working brewhouse. You just get that warm malt aroma that washes over you, leaving a delicate sweetness of cereal grains.
The flavor is, in a word, correct. Everything I ever wanted and more. It’s big on sweet bread notes, with slight touches of honey, almond, lemon, and caramel. There’s a light mouthfeel, light body, and it’s an easy drinking beer that carries a lot of beauty in its simplicity.
As for why this cannot be around year-round, I will never know. But I kept one aside, that was my last, and unfortunately it will be until September before I can have it or its ilk again. So here’s a pint to waiting, may it come around ever so faster.
Drink Florida Craft,
Dave
@floridabeerblog
floridabeerblog@gmail.com
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Someday soon I shall lead a march right down Tennessee Street in Tallahassee, taking a right to the state capitol, and force a law through requiring breweries to make more amber ales.
There’s just something so beautiful in the simplicity of those, and it’s always nice to see people enjoying them. Heck, I was even on a press junket recently, and the person at the center of the event immediately and enthusiastically professed his love for amber ales, eschewing all things overly hoppy.
And just like that, a blast from the past is brought to vibrant life.
Today is the grand opening of Cerveceria La Tropical in Wynwood, the culmination of a journey that took Miami native Manny Portuondo over 20 years to realize.
Manny is the great-grandson of one of the men responsible for the creation of La Tropical, which at its height was Cuba’s best selling beer and the first craft beer produced on the island. Before the island’s Communist revolution, the brewery encompassed 100 acres, with a beautiful tropical garden, outdoor dance floor and event space, and more.
You can take the beer out of Florida, but you can’t take the Florida out of the beer.
Contract brewing is interesting. I completely understand it when it comes to building a brand or producing product in a volume that you can’t before, but I firmly believe that with contract brewing comes a touch of where it’s made that cannot be denied. And it’s non-Floridaness is why I originally dismissed Island Coastal Lager.
I’ve been to Riptide Brewing in Naples before. But it’s been a few years, and it’s actually better to state I’ve been to the location, but this is a whole new Riptide. 
