This week — April 7, 2016— is National Beer Day. And craft beer is one one of the reasons I love Florida.
A good craft beer captures the heart and soul of a place. I love Florida’s heart and soul, so that must be why I love Florida’s craft breweries. The U.S. now has more craft breweries than ever before. We are currently at about 4,269 breweries as of the end of 2015, according to the Brewers Association. They’re becoming so integral to places that we featured them in the False Truth Mystery Serial. And there’s so much to tell you about these beers that we’re dividing this post into two parts. Here’s Part 1. Look for Part 2 on Thursday!
Here are 3 breweries that tell the story of Florida’s history, land, and culture, and what I consider to be the “Most Florida Beer” from each brewery:
1. Big Storm Brewery
If you’ve ever spent time in Florida in the summer, you know about the wild weather here. Sure, our winters are temperate, but the summers fluctuate between stifling heat and dramatic booming thunderstorms. Big Storm Brewing Company pays tribute to Florida’s predictably unpredictable climate.
Big Storm Brewery’s ‘Most Florida’ Beer: Palm Bender Pale Ale
“The Palmbender Pale Ale has a sweet citrus aroma and a mellow hop bitterness. The subtle warm spice is balanced by sweet caramel malt flavors.”
**Sounds like a great beer to pair with reading a mystery book, too!**
2. Funky Buddha Brewery
Funky Buddha Brewery is known for its intense and wacky flavors. With brews like Maple Bacon Coffee Porter, Big Guava Jelly Blonde Ale, and No Crusts (with peanut butter & jelly flavors), this brewery gives Walt Disney’s creativity a run for its money!
Funky Buddha Brewery’s ‘Most Florida’ Beer: Bob’s Backyard
“Legend goes Bob’s mango tree gave off the best fruit in South Florida. Lucky for us, Bob himself picked those mangos by hand and delivered them straight to our mash tun. Florida grown mangos add a flowery sweetness to this wheat ale, while habanero peppers offer just a hint of spicy balance.”
3. Swamp Head Brewery
Swamp Head Brewery is committed to being inherently Floridian. It uses natural and local flavors to create its beers, with a special emphasis on caring for Florida’s environment.
Swamp Head’s ‘Most Florida’ Beer: Saison Du Swamp
This beer is especially Floridian because it’s a pale ale with a special kind of yeast that actually prefers Florida’s hot and humid environment. The team at Swamp Head searched far and wide (all the way to Belgium!) to find a yeast that would embrace the Florida summer to create this pale ale.
Be sure to come back on Thursday and we’ll share the rest of our great Florida craft beers! (And tell you why we’re talking about craft beer!)
We need more emails like this. Keep ’em coming (emails and beers).