Fish Tacos - Dunedin Brewery

Full disclosure - when I plan a trip to the Tampa area, my first stop is always at Dunedin Brewery.  I dig the beers, the staff is always friendly, the ownership is great............  Notice I haven't even mentioned the fish tacos.  It is worth going to Dunedin Brewery without the tacos.  It is worth going to Dunedin Brewery if you are allergic to fish tacos, if you hate fish tacos, if you are morally opposed to off-shore fishing; it is still worth it to go to Dunedin Brewery.  Add these fish tacos, and you've moved from terra firma to Valhalla.  

This being said, I am beginning my Tampa-area leg of American Craft Beer Week at Dunedin Brewery enjoying some beers and eating the first of many trays of these particular pesce-ian delights.  

A little about the brewery.  It is located (surprisingly) in Dunedin and fills a spot on 937 Douglas Avenue and are Florida's oldest microbrewery.  They make a variety of American Styles but also lend toward a lot of European styles, which is an aspect of this brewery that continues to make me happy.  On a previous stop, they had taken one of their beers and dry-hopped each one with Nelson Sauvin hops and offered them both ways.  A great way to get to know the flavor profile of a particular hop variety and what it adds to a brew, and I appreciate them for doing these types of things.

The beers I am working on at this stop are a Nitro-Maibock and an IPA called American Classic.  The Maibock is also available on CO2 and on cask, so if you want to try a full realm of options it is open to you.  Delicious on Nitro, I can tell you that.  

Behind that was the American Classic IPA.  This thing was an enamel ripper!  GENEROUSLY hopped with Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook, this is a brew that you could give to a newbie as an example of what Americans do with hops.  Woman - WoooooooooooMAN (So I Married an Axe Murderer Reference).  The freshness of this brew is evident in the glass and I can think of a strong ten people who I'd live to have sitting beside me who would appreciate this beer.  

On to the tacos.  Deceptively simple (like golf).  The menu description of this brew is:  West Coast Fish - 3 hard shells with Mahi-Mahi, Shredded Cabbage, Diced Tomato, Creamy Lime Sauce.  

Simple, huh?  Add to this the price of $8.50 and I don't understand how I can resist being here every day.

To start, the shell on these are a hard corn shell as opposed to the soft flour shell.  The slaw is fresh cabbage so right off the muscle you've got two fairly crunchy numerators you're dealing with.  The denominator is a fresh grilled slice of mahi, a wonderful creamy lime sauce, and fresh diced tomato.  As it turns out, the sauce and the juices from the mahi help to soften the crunch and create a perfect, and I mean perfect, balance of textures.  Add to that, they offer my favorite sauce, Chalula, and you are winning Sheen style.  That's the secret to these little buggers.  The complementing of flavors is so perfect that you just cruise through them and do not realize you are.  Before you know it, you are finished and wanting more.      

You really can't lose at Duneding Brewery and I'm thrilled that I get to do business with these folks.  Don't pass up a chance to try their wares and on that note:  THEY ARE HOSTING AN IPA FESTIVAL ON SATURDAY,  JUNE 2! TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW ON THEIR WEBSITE.  Cheers!