New Times Best Of... Winners

As it happens every year the New Times announces its Best Of... issue.  Every year I tend to disagree with a good portion of their choices.  I must admit that their are a few places on the list that I haven't been to so I may have to visit them and make an informed decision.  Take a look at the winners and let me know if you agree or disagree with New Times' choices.

New Times Best Of Miami Winners

Best Neighborhood Bar/North: Nite Cap Lounge
Best New Bar/South: Brickell Irish Pub
Best Campus Watering Hole: Wetlab
Best Dive Bar: Seven Seas
Best Pub Trivia: Trivial Tuesdays at Abraxas Lounge
Best Bar For A Bender: Cervezas
Best Happy Hour: Jada Coles
Best Bottled Beer Selection: The DRB
Best Draft Beer Selection: Yardhouse
Best Place To Drink German Beer: Royal Bavarian Schnitzel Haus
Best New Bar/North: Lou's Beer Garden
Best Hidden Bar: Buck15
Best Sports Bar: Burger & Beer Joint
Best Neighborhood Bar/West: Kaffe Krystal
Best Neighborhood Bar/Central: Bardot
Best Neighborhood Bar/Miami Beach: The Room
Best Neighborhood Bar/South: Black Point Ocean Grill
Best Activity While Intoxicated: Beer Snob MIA-Bicycle Pub Crawl
Best Trend: Beer Comes To Miami

New Times Best Of Broward/Palm Beach Winners

Best New Bar In Palm Beach County: The Lodge Beer & Grill
Best New Bar In Broward County: The Monterey Club
Best Beer: Double Diablo Amber Ale from Big Bear Brewing Company
Best Liquor Store: Cellars Wine & Spirits Warehouse
Best Place To Get Drunk: Bierbrunnen Beer Garden
Best Beer Selection: Brother Tuckers

World Cup at Abraxas

I know nothing about soccer.  I've heard of David Beckham and Pele and that is the extent of my soccer knowledge.  Every bar/lounge/restaurant/back alley seems to be having some sort of event around the World Cup, so I must be missing something.  At very few will you be able to enjoy great beer while watching the game.  Abraxas is helping to change that.  They will be open during all games of the World Cup.  That means if a game is on at 10am they will be open.  Not only are they going to be open to enjoy the games but they are also going to have great beer special during the games.  Lots of beers marked down for only $4.  All the fun starts tomorrow. 

Abraxas
407 Meridian Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 534-9005

American Craft Beer Week Events

American Craft Beer Week is finally here and there is a lot going on.  Please try to make it out to at least one event this week and show these establishments and retailers that carrying craft beer makes sense.  I'm going to try to hit up as many events as I can so hopefully we can grab a beer together somewhere this week.

MONDAY
ABRAXAS, South Beach- All week long Abraxas will have all American Craft Beers $1 off for 12oz bottles and $2 off for all large format bottles.  They will also have Stone Brewing's Cali-Belgique on tap for the week.

Abraxas
407 Meridian Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 534-9005


TUESDAY
COFFEE DISTRICT, Delray Beach- Meet the Founder/CEO of Harpoon Rich Doyle in person & taste Harpoon's new 100 Barrel Series #31, IPA, Summer Beer on tap. This is one day only special event as we are Celebrating the American Craft Beer Week. Win Harpoon Glasswares, T shirts & more.  $15 p/p. Beer & Raffles included.

Coffee District
325 Northeast 2nd Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33444-3876
(561) 455-0541

SMOKE' T, South Miami- Smoke T BBQ will be holding it's first beer tasting. $20 covers samples of 50+ American Craft Beers and Chef's choice appetizers from 7-9pm.  Matt from Shipyard plus Chris and Cesar from Fresh Beer will be in attendance to walk you through this fun and educational event.

Smoke T
1450 South Dixie Highway
Coral Gables, FL 33146
(305) 669-8338

CHEF ALLEN'S, Aventura- Chef Allen's will be hosting a Lobster and American Craft Beer dinner every Tuesday from 6-10pm.

Menu
Course One: Rock Shrimp Cesar Salad- Garlic Croutons, Romain Lettuce, Grana-padana Cheese
Paired with: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

Course Two: Steamed 1 1/2lb Maine Lobster- Chorizo, Corn On The Cob, Fingerling Potatoes
Paired with: Belfast Bay Brewing Lobster Ale

Course Three: Berry Crumble- Streusel Topping, Vanilla Ice Cream
Paired with: Seadog Blueberry Wheat Ale

Call for reservations.

Every Tuesday, May 18th - June 29th 6:00pm-10:00pm
Chef Allen's
19088 NE 29th Ave
Aventura, FL 33180
(305) 935-2900

BX BEER DEPOT, Lake Worth- BX Beer Depot will be focusing on a different American Craft Brewery all week long.  Tuesday they will be focusing on Avery Brewing and featuring their Maharaja Imperial IPA with tastings of their other beers as well.

BX Beer Depot
2964 2nd Avenue North
Lake Worth, FL 33461
(561) 965-9494

WEDNESDAY
STAGE 84, Davie- Stage 84 in Davie will be celebrating American Craft Beer Week with a chocolate and beer pairing.  It will feature four craft beers from Rogue, Southern Tier, Dogfish Limited Release and Holy Mackerel. $10 cover, begins at 9pm.

Stage 84
9118 W State Road 84
Davie, FL
(954) 474-5040

ABRAXAS, South Beach- Abraxas will be hosting an extra special beer tasting this week.  It will be a sampling of 12 great American Craft Beers for $15.

Beer lineup:
Victory Prima Pils (PA) - German Pilsner
Full Sail Session Black (OR) - Schwartzbier
Tommyknocker Butthead (CO) - Doppelbock
Sierra Nevada Rhymes Wit (CA) - Belgian Witbier (w/ mandarin)
Anderson Valley Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema (CA) - Cream Ale
Ommegang Hennepin (ME) - Belgian Style Saison
Great Divide Belgica (CO) - Belgian IPA
Terrapin Hopsecutioner (GA) - American IPA
Lagunitas Undercover Shutdown (CA) - American Strong Ale
Avery Maharaja (CO) - Imperial IPA
Oskar Blues Gordon (CO) - Imperial Red/IPA
Stone Russian Imperial Stout (CA) - Russian Imperial Stout

Abraxas
407 Meridian Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 534-9005

TABICA GRILL, Jupiter- Tabica Grill will be doing a Beer dinner in honor of Craft Beer Week. It starts at 7:30pm and is 5 courses. For reservations call Tabica Grill at (561) 747-0108.

MENU
1st Course:
The Bruey - Saison De Lente
Buttermilk Fried Smelts with Lemon Caper Butter

2nd Course
Dogfish Head - Red and White
Citrus Marinated grilled Quail
over Wilted Gem Lettuce with Raspberry Vinaigrette

3rd Course
Avery Brewing - Maharaja Imperial IPA
Grilled Wild Prawns
with Spicy Orange Marmalade and Jicama Slaw

4th Course
Oskar Blues - Old Chub
Slow Braised Venison Osso Buco
with Wild Mushroom Hunter Sauce
and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

5th Course
Southern Tier - Jah*va Imperial Coffee Stout
Twice Baked Organic Goat Cheese Souffle
with Espresso Reduction

Tabica Grill
901 West Indiantown Road
Jupiter, FL 33458-6811
(561) 747-0108

BX BEER DEPOT, Lake Worth- Today BX will be featuring the beers of Dogfish Head.  They will be tasting '08 and '09 World Wide Stouts until they run out and will have Aprihop on tap.

BX Beer Depot
2964 2nd Avenue North
Lake Worth, FL 33461
(561) 965-9494

THURSDAY
ARCHIE'S PIZZA, Key Biscayne- I will be hosting a beer tasting featuring 50+ American Craft Beers and free pizza from 7-9pm at Archie's Pizza for only $20.  I will be bringing some very rare stuff that you will not want to miss.

Archie's Pizza
600 Crandon Boulevard
Key Biscayne, FL 33149-2008
(305) 361-3141

WHOLE FOODS, Boca Raton- Matt from Shipyard will be hosting a free beer tasting from 3-5pm.

Whole Foods
1400 Glades Road #110
Boca Raton, FL 33431
(561) 447-0000

ALE HOUSE, Boca Raton- After Matt is done at Whole Foods you can follow him over to the Boca Ale House for a Shipyard Pint Night.  Buy your first glass of Shipyard or Seadog and you get to keep the glass.

CERVEZAS, South Miami- Cesar from Fresh Beer will be bringing his favorite beer, and #1 rate Imperial Stout, Cigar City's Hunahpu to Cervezas.  This is vary rare beer and I'm sure will be going fast.  They will also be christening their new draft system with a keg of Cigar City Jai Alai IPA.

Cervezas
5833 Sunset Drive
South Miami, FL 33143-5219
(305) 397-8125

BX BEER DEPOT, Lake Worth- Today BX will be featuring Southern Tier's Oak Aged Unearthly.  They also promise to have some other goodies as well.

BX Beer Depot
2964 2nd Avenue North
Lake Worth, FL 33461
(561) 965-9494

FRIDAY
TOTAL WINE, Boca Raton- If you missed him at Whole Foods you can catch Matt from Shipyard at Total Wine in Boca for a tasting of Shipyard and Sea Dog from 5-7pm.

Total Wine
5050 Town Center Circle
Boca Raton, FL 33486
(561) 391-1281


STAGE 84, Davie- If you missed the chocolate pairing, Stage 84 in Davie will also be hosting a cheese and beer tasting. The menu will feature 3 beers from Southern Tier each paired with its own artisan cheese. This will then be followed up by a debut of the Brew House chili made with Holy Mackerel Mack in Black. $4 BOWLS!!

Stage 84
9118 W State Road 84
Davie, FL
(954) 474-504

BX BEER DEPOT, Lake Worth- And why not end it with a brewery from Florida.  BX will have Cigar City's Hunahpu for their Friday Tiki Tasting.  You won't want to miss out on this.

BX Beer Depot
2964 2nd Avenue North
Lake Worth, FL 33461
(561) 965-9494

SATURDAY
ABRAXAS, South Beach- Abraxas will be wrapping up American Craft Beer Week with what could be one of the best beer events of the year. Starting at 1:00pm Abraxas will be the host of a meetup to allow for the sharing of great craft beer, a good time and knowledge.  $20 will cover corkage fees, pizza, water and some tastings of Abraxas own beers from their cellar. This is a great opportunity to meet other beer minded folks and turn some new people onto the beauty that is American Craft Beer.  So raid your beer cellars, bring your coolers and come out to taste and share some rare brews.

Abraxas
407 Meridian Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 534-9005

BX BEER DEPOT, Lake Worth- Rounding out the great week that BX will be hosting they are ending it with a beer dinner. You will need to RSVP by Thursday, May 20th to attend what will be a memorable dinner.

MENU
1st Course: Melon and Prosciutto Brouchettes served with Southern Tier Hopsun.

2nd Course: Andouille and Asiago Burgers with Sundried Tomato Mayo and Fennel Roasted Peppers. Served with Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale.

3rd Course: Spice Rubbed Chicken in Kumquat Lemongrass Sauce with a Sweet and Spicy Ginger Salad. Served with Cigar City Jai Alai.

4th Course: Coffee Gingercake with Hazelnut Poached Pears and Chocolate Whipped Cream. Served with Avery Salvation Golden Ale.
$44.00
(Covers 4 course meal and over $20.00 value of Beer)
Must RSVP by May 20th

BX Beer Depot
2964 2nd Avenue North
Lake Worth, FL 33461
(561) 965-9494

Lobster & Craft Beer Night at Chef Allen's

It always makes me happy when I see great chef's coming around to craft beer.  The James Beard Award winning Chef Allen Susser of Chef Allen's Restaurant in Aventura is the newest convert to the craft beer pairing menu.  Starting next Tuesday, May 18th, and continuing on every Tuesday until June 29th from 6-10pm you can indulge in this amazing lobster and beer paired menu.  This three course menu you can have with beer for $46 or without for $36 (but why would you want to go without beer!?)  I'll be attending the opening night to get American Craft Beer Week kicked off right.  Hope to see some of you there as well.

Menu
Course One: Rock Shrimp Cesar Salad- Garlic Croutons, Romain Lettuce, Grana-padana Cheese
Paired with: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

Course Two: Steamed 1 1/2lb Maine Lobster- Chorizo, Corn On The Cob, Fingerling Potatoes
Paired with: Belfast Bay Brewing Lobster Ale

Course Three: Berry Crumble- Streusel Topping, Vanilla Ice Cream
Paired with: Seadog Blueberry Wheat Ale

Call for reservations.


Every Tuesday, May 18th - June 29th 6:00pm-10:00pm
Chef Allen's
19088 NE 29th Ave
Aventura, FL 33180
(305) 935-2900

Barracuda Beer Tasting

This Thursday, May 12th, from 7-9pm I will be guest hosting the bi-weekly beer tasting at Barracuda's in Coconut Grove.  I'll have 50+ beers for you to try and wings for only $20.  I have a couple of goodies left over from the Anniversary Party that I'll be bringing along.  So, come on out and enjoy an early start to your weekend.

Thursday, May 12th 7:00pm-9:00pm
Barracuda
3035 Fuller St.
Coconut Grove, FL, 33133

Happy Anniversary To Us

So, we made it.  One year of doing this blog.  When I started doing the blog I did it because there wasn't much of a craft beer scene in South Florida.  Over this year we have seen an amazing growth in the amount of craft beer bars, restaurants carrying craft beer, and stores carrying a great selection of craft beer.  The amount of beers that are now available in South Florida is growing more and more each day with breweries starting to realize that South Florida is a place that they want their beers to be.  I have heard lots of talk about other great breweries coming to South Florida in the next year or so and also of more beer bars opening.  Peoples palettes are changing and once they try great craft beers there is no going back.   We can only hope that things just keep getting better and better.  

In the past year we have 16,176 unique visitors from every state in the U.S. and every continent.  It amazes me that that many people would have an interest in what is going on in the beer community in South Florida and what I have to say.  

I greatly appreciate the support that I have received over the past year from my family and friends  The one person that has been the biggest support is my wife.  Without her being there to support me and not mind that I sit in the office and write about beer all night I probably would have just given up on doing the blog long ago.  The amount of work that actually goes into just doing one post is something that unless you do a blog you won't understand.  Thanks so much for reading the blog all year and I hope you will continue to read it in the future.  

If you aren't doing anything tonight then I hope to see you at Abraxas for the Anniversary party.  You can get all the info by clicking here.

And the Special Keg for the Anniversary Party is...

CIGAR CITY'S HUMIDOR SERIES IPA!!!! That's right for the first time in South Florida you will be able to get this rare beer ON TAP! It was a gold medal winner at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival in the Wood and Barrel Aged Category. This is Cigar City's Jai Alia IPA aged in cedar and is simply amazing. If the lineup before wasn't enough this just brought it to another level. Here is what the Cigar City beer lineup is... so far:

ON TAP:

Jai Alia IPA

Patio Tool Irish Stout

Humidor Series IPA

BOTTLES:

Big Sound Scotch Ale

Hunahpu Imperial Stout

All of these beers have ratings of A- to A+ on Beer Advocate so you don't want to miss out on any of these. This could also possibly be the only time you will ever even get to try these beers. There will also be some great beer specials and giveaways that we are going to keep a secret so you will just have to show up to find out. I hope to see you all there to celebrate the One Year Anniversary of the South Florida Beer Blog.

Friday, May 7th 8:00pm

Abraxas

407 Meridian Ave

Miami Beach, FL

New Times' Brew At The Zoo- Beer Lineup

Miami New Times' Brew At The Zoo will be held this Saturday, May 1st at the Miami Metro Zoo. This is the first beer festival in Miami in many years and hopefully it won't be the last. The VIP tickets for the event are already sold out so if that is any indication the turnout should be be enough to make this a yearly occurrence. Tickets are still available so you can still make it and say you were there from the beginning. If you were wondering what you will be tasting at the festival a list has just been released and here it is:

Harpoon

Brooklyn Brewery

Blue Moon

Leinenkugel's

Sam Adams

Sierra Nevada

Drifter

Bud Light Golden Wheat

Woodchuck Draft Cider

Magic Hat

Monk In The Trunk

Holy Mackerel

Titanic Brewing

Gordon Biersch

Flying Dog

Zoo Brew

Land Shark

Florida Beer Co.

Narragansett

Magner's Cider

Becks

Polar

Hofbrau Beer

Grolsh

Estrella Damm

Kilsen Beer

Delicias de Mundo

Presidente

Cusquena

Aguila

Famosa

Peroni

Cristal

Corona

Modelo

Mike's Hard Lemonade

Sparks

Food will also be available for purchase. Oh, yeah, and also the fest isn't actually in the zoo so you won't be sharing a stiff one with the giraffes. You can get a site map and schedule here. Tickets are still available to purchase here for only $25 or you can buy them at the door for $35.

Saturday, May 1st 5:00pm-11:00pm

Miami Metro Zoo

12400 SW 152 Street
Miami, FL 33177

One Year Anniversary Party Announcement

Friday, May 7th, South Florida Beer Blog will be celebrating its One Year Anniversary at Abraxas in South Beach. It will be a special celebration full of surprises, giveaways, and rare treats. The night will also kick-off the Cigar City Brewery weekend at Abraxas. There will be taps of Jai Alia IPA, Patio Tools Dry Irish Stout, and possibly a surprise third. We'll also have bottles of Big Sound Scotch Ale and....wait for it....HUNAHPU Imperial Stout – rated #8 BEER IN THE WORLD!!!!! How's that for a rare treat? With your first purchase of Hanahpu you will get the Cigar City snifter glass it is served in for FREE, just make sure you tell them you're there to celebrate with South Florida Beer Blog. More info coming up so keep your eyes peeled. I hope to celebrate this momentous occasion with all of you so make sure to mark your calendar.

Friday, May 7th @ 8:00pm-?
Abraxas
407 Meridian Ave
Miami Beach, FL
(305)534-9005

Himmarshee Bar & Grille Beer Dinner

If you are familiar with Himmarshee Bar & Grille in Ft. Lauderdale you know that they have been doing wine dinners for a while. This Monday, April 26th at 6:30pm, they will be holding their first beer dinner. With the help of Whole Foods, Himmarshee has put together a very impressive four course beer dinner for the very low price of only $29 with tax and tip included. I will be there so be sure to come by and say hi.

Menu:
First Course: Crisp Masa Encrusted Chimay Cheese with cranberry-orange marmalade
Beer: Holy Mackerel

Second Course: Maple-Chipotle Braised Duroc Pork Belly, Forever Baked Beans & Applekraut
Beer: Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

Third Course: Surf N' Turf Gnocchi(braised shortrib, Maine Lobster, , oven dried tomato, pincholine olive)
Beer: Brooklyn Brewery Local 1

Dessert: Pineapple Upsidedown Cake with cream cheese ice cream
Beer: Dogfish Head Midas Touch

Call Himmarshee to make a reservation.

April 26th, 6:30pm
Himmarshee Bar & Grille
210 SW 2nd St.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
(954)524-1818

Earth Day Beer Specials

So here it is. I'm letting you all in on one of the great hidden gems in Miami. If you have been looking for a place that has a great view right on the water, inexpensive drinks, and a laid back atmosphere this is the place for you. UM's Wet Lab Bar at the RSMAS Campus on Key Biscayne is just that place. Located right next to the Miami Seaqarium it is not the most conventional bar but it could well be one of your new favorites. It is located on a college campus, it is only open Wednesday- Friday from 5:00pm-12:00am, and the prices are the cheapest craft beers I've seen. Craft beers on draft will only $3.25 and even top shelf liquor drinks will only cost you $4.25. You can't beat it! And since it is Earth Day and the campus is for the Marine and Atmospheric Sciences what better place to celebrate it. For Earth Day they are having one of the best specials I've heard in a while of 2 of Southern Tier's 422 Pale Wheat Ale for only $4.22. The Southern Tier 422's packaging is made from 80% recycled materials and is totally recyclable. Head on over and enjoy the great scenery and great priced beer and take in the beautiful views that we have here in South Florida. Happy Earth Day.

Wet Lab
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, FL 33149

Brooklyn Dark Matter and New Location for Burger & Beer Joint

Since I first posted my review of Burger & Beer Joint a few months back things have blown up for them. They are constantly one of the busiest restaurants/bars in Miami, they have been featured on the Miami edition of Man Vs. Food, been featured in tons of publications, and things aren't stopping for them either.

First off, they are one of the only locations in South Florida where you can pick up some of Brooklyn Breweries very rare Dark Matter. This is an American Brown Ale that is aged in Woodford Reserve barrels. The beer comes in at a 7.5% ABV but is still very drinkable. It pours a nice dark chocolate brown with not much of a head. The aroma gives me hints of caramel, vanilla, and some maple. The taste is similar with a bit of chocolate as well. For being aged in bourbon barrels I wasn't getting as much bourbon taste as I usually get from bourbon barrel aged beers. This is a good start for people not used to the style though. The mouthfeel is rather light for what I was expecting. Overall a great beer that is worth heading over to Burger & Beer Joint to try before this one time only brew is gone.

Second, Burger & Beer Joint is opening a new location in Brickell. They are opening in the former location of Blu's Pizza in Mark Brickell Village. The sports bar will be increased to about 2000 square feet with more outside seating for dinning. Look for it to open sometime this summer.

Burger & Beer Joint
1766 Bay Rd.
South Beach, FL
(305)627-EATS

Review: Sierra Nevada Rhymes Wit

I always love trying a new beer. It makes it even better when I get to try it with the person that was involved in brewing it. This past Friday at Abraxas I got to have one of those rare times I get to try the beer with the brewer. Diego, owner of Abraxas, was invited to Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp this past February to work with others that were invited to Beer Camp to brew what would become Rhymes Wit. Abraxas is one of the only bars in the country that you will be able to try this beer at. Rhymes Wit is a Belgian style Wit beer that is available on draft only. The beer has a nice tan hazy color to it with a small amount of puffy white head. Placing my nose into the cup I picked up the pleasant smell of citrus with a slight bit of pepper. The taste is is very similar to the aroma with the pepper moving a little infront of the citrus. The citrus is not quite as evident as you think it would be but is the perfect level for me. The nice light mouthfeel made this a very easy drinking beer. Rhymes Wit left me with a juicy after taste that made me want to come back for another sip. Overall, this was a great wit beer and for a first attempt brew an amazingly pleasant surprise. There is only a very limited amount of this beer available so make sure to head over to Abraxas sooner than later before it is gone. You won't be disappointed.

Top 50 Breweries for 2009

The Brewers Association announced yesterday the top 50 breweries based on beer sales volume. They have two lists, one for independent craft companies and one for all breweries. The highlighted breweries are the ones you can find in South Florida.

Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies

(Based on 2009 beer sales volume)
Rank Brewing Company City State
1 Boston Beer Co. Boston MA
2 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico CA
3 New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
4 Spoetzl Brewery Shiner TX (Shiner)
5 Pyramid Breweries Inc. Seattle WA
6 Deschutes Brewery Bend OR
7 Matt Brewing Co. Utica NY (Saranac)
8 Magic Hat Brewing Co. Burlington VT
9 Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City MO
10 Harpoon Brewery Boston MA
11 Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau AK
12 Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Galesburg MI
13 Kona Brewing Co. Kailua-Kona HI
14 Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River OR
15 Stone Brewing Co. Escondido CA
16 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton DE
17 The Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
18 Abita Brewing Co. Abita Springs LA
19 Summit Brewing Co. Saint Paul MN
20 Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco CA
21 Shipyard Brewery Portland ME
22 New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus WI
23 Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland OH
24 Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co. Newport OR
25 Long Trail Brewing Co. Bridgewater Corners VT
26 The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma CA
27 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose CA
28 SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta GA
29 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles CA
30 Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown PA
31 Flying Dog Brewing Co. Frederick MD
32 BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery Huntington Beach CA
33 Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
34 Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville CO
35 BridgePort Brewing Co. Portland OR
36 Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe Eureka CA
37 Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula MT
38 Stevens Point Brewing Co. Stevens Point WI
39 Mac and Jack’s Brewery Redmond WA
40 Karl Strauss Brewing Co. San Diego CA
41 The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. St. Louis MO
42 Blue Point Brewing Co. Patchogue NY
43 Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants Chattanooga TN
44 Oskar Blues Brewery Longmont CO
45 North Coast Brewing Co. Fort Bragg CA
46 Breckenridge Brewery Denver CO
47 Utah Brewers Cooperative Salt Lake City UT
48 Saint Arnold Brewing Co. Houston TX
49 Boulder Beer Co. Boulder CO
50 Bear Republic Brewing Co. Cloverdale CA

Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies

(Based on 2009 beer sales volume)
Rank Brewing Company City State
1 Anheuser-Busch InBev St. Louis MO
2 MillerCoors Brewing Co. Chicago IL
3 Pabst Brewing Co. Woodridge IL
4 D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc. Pottsville PA
5 Boston Beer Co. Boston MA
6 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico CA
7 New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
8 Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc. Portland OR (Kona and Red Hook) 9 Spoetzl Brewery (part of Gambrinus) Shiner TX
10 High Falls Brewing Co. Rochester NY
11 Minhas Craft Brewery Monroe WI
12 Pyramid Breweries (part of IBU) Seattle WA
13 Deschutes Brewery Bend OR
14 F.X. Matt Brewing Co. Utica NY (Saranac)
15 Magic Hat Brewing Co. (part of IBU) Burlington VT
16 Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City MO
17 Harpoon Brewery Boston MA
18 Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau AK
19 Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Galesburg MI
20 Goose Island Beer Co. Chicago IL
21 Kona Brewing Co. Kailua-Kona HI
22 Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River OR
23 Stone Brewing Co. Escondido CA
24 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton DE
25 Iron City Brewing Co. Pittsburgh PA
26 August Schell Brewing Co. New Ulm MN
27 The Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
28 Abita Brewing Co., L.L.C. Abita Springs LA
29 Summit Brewing Co. Saint Paul MN
30 Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco CA
31 Shipyard Brewing Co. Portland ME
32 New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus WI
33 Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland OH
34 Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co. Newport OR
35 Long Trail Brewing Co. Burlington VT
36 The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma CA
37 Mendocino Brewing Co. Ukiah CA
38 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose CA
39 SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta GA
40 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles CA
41 Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown PA
42 Flying Dog Brewing Co. Frederick MD
43 BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery Huntington Beach CA
44 Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
45 Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville CO
46 Straub Brewery Saint Marys PA
47 BridgePort Brewing Co. (part of Gambrinus) Portland OR
48 Lost Coast Brewery & Cafe Eureka CA
49 Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula MT
50 Stevens Point Brewery Co. Stevens Point WI

John Bull's Dogfish Head Dinner Postponed

The Dogfish Head Dinner scheduled for tonight at John Bull English Pub has been postponed till May 6th. They apologize for any inconveniences.

Abraxas Celebrates 3rd Anniversary with FREE BEER

That is correct. You did read the title correctly. Abraxas will be celebrating it's 3rd Anniversary this Friday night, April 16th, from 10:00pm-5:00am. The night will start out with Abraxas usual Friday night 2x1 happy hour from 5:00pm-10:00pm. When the clock strikes 10:00pm though the free beer starts flowing. The beer that Diego and the fine folks over at Abraxas will be serving isn't just any beer, but a very rare beer. They will be tapping a keg of their exclusive Sierra Nevada Rhymes Wit (Belgian style White Ale). Last February, Diego took part in the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp #20 and this beer is the result of their brewing efforts. This beer will only be available at the bars owned by the participants in the Beer Camp and at the Sierra Nevada Brewpub in Chico, CA. - that is a total of 10 bars in the entire country!

I can guarantee there will be a few other special beers being poured that night as well. This is an event that you don't want to miss.

Friday, April 16th
Abraxas
407 Meridian Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 534-9005

4/14 Sam Adams and Dogfish Head Beer Dinners

It looks like restaurants in South Florida are finally coming around to pairing beers and food. The flavor profiles in beer are so vast and can be paired with so many very interesting foods that beer dinners have been some of the best meals I've ever had.

There are two great restaurants hosting two great breweries beers on Wednesday, April 14th. Novecento, in Coral Gables, will be hosting the beers of Sam Adam and John Bull English Pub, in West Palm Beach, will be hosting the beers of Dogfish Head(ed. John Bull Dogfish Head Dinner postponed til May 6th). Both menus look amazing and you couldn't go wrong with either. Here is more info on both.

Novecento Sam Adams Beer Dinner
Menu:
Course 1: Seafood Ceviche- Shrimp, calamari, octopus, and fish marinated in lime juice, red onion, Peruvian yellow peppers , and yuca chips.
Paired with Samuel Adams Summer Ale

Course 2: Pizza Con Arugula Y Prosciutto- Pizza with arugula, mozzarella, and prosciutto crudo
Paired with Samuel Adams Pale Ale

Course 3: Beef Tenderloin Uncle Sam Style- Diced beef tenderloin marinated in Sam Adams Boston Lager, Dijon mustard served with caramelized onions and stuffed baby Croquets
Paired with Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Course 4: Linguine Putanesca- Linguine in a classic spicy red sauce with shrimps, Kalamata olives, and capers
Paired with Samuel Adams Boston Ale

Course 5: Dessert- Brownie with Vanilla-Cream Stout infused ice cream and chocolate ganache topped with Cherry Wheat infused cherries
Paired with Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat

$40 per person. Call to reserve your seat today.

April 14th 7:00pm
Novecento
121 Alhambra Plaza
Coral Gables, FL 33134
(305) 444-7701


John Bull Dogfish Head Dinner
Menu:
Course 1: Reception- Grilled Salmon Salad with House Pesto and Asian Pork with Mango Chutney
Paired with 60 Minute IPA

Course 2: Salad- Mixed Baby Field Greens with Candied Walnuts, Carrots, Anjou Pears, Shaved Red Onions, and Stilton Cheese served with a Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette and Grilled Foccacia
Paired with 90 Minute IPA

Course 3: Appetizer- Herb encrusted Lamb Chops with a Fig and Port Wine Reduction
Paired with Raison D'Etre

Course 4: Entree- Grilled Veal T-Bone Steak with a Red Onion Risotto Finished Crisped Applewood Smoked Bacon and Wilted Greens
Paired with Palo Santo Marron

Course 5: Dessert- Individual Flourless Chocolate Cake with Fresh Berries and a Mocha Creme
Paired with Indian Brown Ale

$50 per person. Call for reservations.

April 14th, 7:30pm(postponed til May 6th)
John Bull Irish Pub
801 Village Blvd
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
(561)697-2855

U.S. National Beer Day Today

Today is U.S. National Beer Day. Today is the day that Prohibition was repealed on April 7, 1933. Here is more info from Wikipedia on today.

"The beginning of the end of Prohibition in the United States occurred as a result of the Cullen-Harrison Act and its signing into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on March 23, 1933. Sales of beer in the U.S would become legal on April 7, 1933, provided that the state in question had enacted its own law allowing such sales. The beer had to have an alcohol content less than 3.2% (4% ABV), compared to the 0.5% limit of the Volstead Act, because 3.2% was considered too low to produce intoxication. People lined up outside breweries and taverns in order to legally buy beer for the first time in over 13 years. April 7 has been called "National Beer Day" and April 6 "New Beer's Eve."


Make sure to have one today...just because you can.

This Week's Beer Events

TUESDAY

Cervezas, South Miami- Beer Tasting at Cervezas in South Miami from 7:00pm-9:00pm. $20 gives you the opportunity to try all of the beers listed below (plus a few suprise beers, maybe some limited Cigar City Beers, provided by the beer czar, Cesar)

Dogfish 60min

Dogfish 90min

Dogfish Burton Baton

Avery The Reverend

Avery Hog Heaven

Victory Storm King

Victory Golden Monkey

Flying Dog Horn Dog

Flying Dog Raging Bitch

Dales Pale Ale

Magic Hat #9

A great Selection of 10 big beer's celebrating American Craft brews like no other! The other 5 beer's are as follows.

Krikak - German Lager

Peak Organic

Palma Loca

PBR

Zipher

E-mail cervezasmiami@hotmail.com to pre-order a ticket for the event.

Cervezas
5833 Sunset Drive
South Miami, FL 33143-5219
(305) 397-8125

WEDNESDAY

Abraxas, South Beach- Join the Abraxas staff along with the resident beer expert, Chris Montelius, from Fresh Beer, for their next bi-weekly BJCP Beer Style Tasting at Abraxas from 8:00pm-12:00am. The $15 price includes 12 3oz samplings and all of the featured beers will be available on special for the entire night. This is a great way for people to try something new and... maybe find a new favorite. As usual, they will supply Tasting/Rating sheets and water for those that are a bit more serious about the tasting experience.

Beer lineup:

Hacker-Pchorr Gold (Germany) - Munich Helles

Einbecker Pils (Germany) - German Pilsner

Shiner Black Lager (TX) - Schwartzbier

Avery White Rascal (CO) - Belgian Wit/White Ale

The Bruery Saison Rue (CA) - Belgian Saison (w/ rye)

Caracole Amber (Belgium) - Belgian Amber Ale

Peak Organic Espresso Amber (VT) - American Amber (w/ espresso)

Bell's Two Hearted Ale (MI) - American IPA

Dogfish Head Aprihop (DE) - American IPA (w/ apricot)

Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale (OR) - Whiskey Barrel Aged Maibock

Flying Dog Horn Dog (MD) - American Barleywine

North Coast Old Rasputin (CA) - Russian Imperial Stout

Abraxas

407 Meridian Avenue

Miami Beach, FL 33139

(305) 534-9005

THURSDAY

Total Wine, Boyton Beach- From 4:00pm-6:00pm, Matt from Shipyard will be pouring some tasty samples of Shipyard and Sea Dog beers. Stop by, drink some beer, say hello.

Total Wine

850 North Congress Avenue

Boynton Beach, FL 33426

(561) 731-5411

Barracuda Beer Tasting Tonight

If you are lucky enough to have tomorrow off for Good Friday here is a great way to get your long weekend started tonight. Barracuda in Coconut Grove will be having their biweekly beer tasting hosted by Fresh Beer's Chris Montelius. $20 will get you an unlimited tasting of 40+ beers along with some chicken wings to snack on. This is a great way to try a bunch of different beers you haven't had a chance to try before. And if you have been to any of these beer tastings before you know you are always in for a big surprise with some special hard to find beers thrown in. The fun starts at 7pm-9pm.

Thursday, April 1 7:00pm-9:00pm
Barracuda

3035 Fuller St
Miami, FL 33133

(305) 448-1144