Key West Brewfest - Part 2

Arriving at the Key West Brewfest, we were right on time.  And I mean right on time.  This is another way of me saying we could have been earlier and that would have been just fine.  The booth was all set up and the beer was iced down (a big THANK YOU to Brown Distributing for that), and we were ready to rack and roll.  We were pouring Hazed & Infused, Sweaty Betty, Mojo, and Kinda Blue.  We also took some Hoopla Pale Ale to cast upon the city and let them get a taste of it.  We had a few shirts and a ton of posters to give away, so we were all set.

For the first hour, we just had the VIP folks in so it was slow going.  This allowed us to leave two at the table while the other wandered around and got a few more beers in them that they may have not gotten to try yet.  An excellent situation as there are some breweries in that area that we don't get to see very often such as Tequesta and Funky Buddha.  I was very excited to have some brews from these guys as I have not made it to their individual outlets yet.  Additionally, there were some other breweries that were brand spanking new there and we got a sneak peak at them before they became widely available.  VERY cool.

I went first and made my rounds.  There was a great steel drum band playing and the weather was beautiful.  Really can't think of a more idyllic place at this time of year and I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for all of the people who made it possible for us to be there  (including Honda, who makes a fine automobile).

One of the glaring characteristics we all noticed about the crowd was that everyone was just having a great time.  As much as that sounds like a "well duh" statement, it is actually not that common.  These guys we just chillin'.  Even the bathroom mines were extremely courteous which usually doesn't happen.  I'm lovin' the vibes down here!  Never once did I feel overcrowded or rushed.  Very, very good event.

I was able to make my rounds and see some of my favorite buds to search out at events:  Wallace from Terrapin, Chuck from Dogfish, Rich from Brooklyn, James from Harpoon, et al.  I always look forward to seeing these guys.  It's as if we get a little piece of home away from home by our own company.  Very strange but very real.

The folks from Brown were awesome and helped us out huge.  By the time the event ended, we were all feeling pretty well and made plans to meet up later at a really great place called The Porch.

The Porch is a really nice spot sitting inside a large plantation style home located on Caroline Street just off Duval.  They carry a very nice selection of draft beer and wine.  A flight of stairs leads up to the "porch" itself and there is always a nice crowd outside enjoying the sights and sounds of Key West.  Inside, you'll find decor reminiscent of a darker side of Key West, somewhat of a Dia de Los Muertos Light.  With the noise from the street and the activity on the porch itself, we were drawn back outside after ordering some beers and sauntered onto the deck to look out on the streets below.  Very nice to be at a distance and with the commotion at once.  A great spot.

Once finishing the beer festival and beer at The Porch, we headed back to the hotel.  Again, an early night in bed for an attempt at an early morning to get started.

Sunday morning meant a refill at Fat Tuesday and a walk down to a place that Rip wanted to go back and see, The Smallest Bar in Key West.  The attraction - a giant fresh pineapple filled with rums and exotic juices finished with cut cored pineapple.  A meal on its own and a great opportunity to catch a buzz, never mind continuing the buss that Fat Tuesday's brought on.  The proprietor was a nice lady who made the concoction herself after chopping up the fruit and filling the pineapple with the spirit.  I myself had a simple pint glass with the same mix which was quite delicious.  A good stop to be sure.

At this point we needed some grub and had heard some good things about Amigos Tortilla Bar.  Naturally, fish tacos were a requirement so first task was to ensure that they had it on the menu.  Sho 'nuff and we go in to see what is going on.  they had Abita Root Beer on draft!  I love Abita Root Beer on draft.  Ordered one - they were out.  Damn!  Changed my order to a Modelo Especial - out.  Damn!  The waitress brings me a Dos Equis instead - on the house.  YES!!!  Great food and a great hot sauce to boot - Mexican Butt Blaster.

Rip had wanted to hit the water since we arrived and outside of a brief jump in the water at the beer festival, we hadn't had salt outside of that that was on our tortilla chips at Amigos.  Therefore, we looked for a boat to rent.  Something to get us out in the ocean and something we could use to jump into the deep blue for some time.  Sold out.  Labor Day Weekend, duh.  We shoulda planned this better.

Instead, we found they had a few seats left on a giant catamaran that offered all you can drink beer and sparkling wine.  Done.

The company was a massive one in Key West called Fury Water Adventures and they have all kinds of kiosks set up around town trying to sell you different stuff.  I'm not normally into this big corporate stuff, but we had little choice and the catamaran seemed fun enough.  The tickets were $37.  Pretty cheap so I wasn't expecting much considering that it included free beer.  The image in my head was one of an over-packed trip into the water with a bunch of sweaty, smelly tourists sitting elbow to elbow.  not an appealing idea.

When we got onto the boat, we walked up to the third level and found a few people sitting around, mostly in their early 20s taking in some sun and awaiting the captain's orders.  We took a seat on the ground and started taking some pictures.  When the captain finally came on to announce our instructions, he let us know that although we were on the third level and the booze was being poured on the first level, the staff would bring around pitchers of beer and bottles of wine to keep our glasses full.  "Yeah right" I thought to myself.  "We'll be lucky to see these guys once."

Once we got out onto the water, the first round of drinks came out and filled up our cups.  About halfway through, another round.  Then another.  Another.  These guys rocked!   And they were super friendly.  Nice, polite fellas who seemed to be enjoying spending time with all we smelly people.  The captain was super friendly and we sailed straight at the sun until it started to hit the horizon at which time we started back.  Great picture opps the entire time and I wish I had had a better camera.

For $37, Rachel pointed out we would have spent more than that at a bar having drinks.  This way, we got a cruise and really cool people.  I would highly suggest this trip if you head down to Key West.

After the boat, we were whipped.  Back to the room and the end of our trip.  A great few days and I feel very, very lucky to have been able to take part.  Thanks to everyone who made it happen and as always, Cheers!

Losing A Bet and Paying for It - In Dunedin

Sometimes you get to lose a bet and still be a winner.  This was the case when a month ago, my buddy (Steve Defran) and I made a weight-loss challenge.

The standards were pretty well cut.  The person who loses the most weight in a 30 day period wins the bet.  The loser drives the winner to Dunedin for fish tacos and all the beer you can drink.  A trip that we assume will cost the loser in the neighborhood of $300.  Not an easy pill to swallow, but my thoughts were that if I can lose 10 pounds, my buddy loses more, and I lose - hey we both won. And anyway, there are worse ways to lose than to have to go to Dunedin and eat my favorite fish tacos in Florida, right?

Throughout this challenge, myself and Defran did our best to support each other while chiding each other into letting the loser know they are in for it when the day of weigh-in came.  As it turns out, I lost the bet.  But I did lose 10 pounds in the process.  Fat boy Defran lost 18.

So when the day came to get our party on (a Saturday night as it turns out), we started out with some pretty special brew.


The beer that turned me into a beer lover was a 3 year old bottle of Ommegang Abbey Ale, or just plain old Ommegang as it was referred to at the time.  In homage to this experience, I try to keep a few cases of 3 year old Ommegang around at all times for special occasions.  This was such an occasion.  to make it even more fun, our driver is a big Bourbon barrel aged beer fan and I just happened to have a bottle of 2007 Goose Island Bourbon County Stout laying around.  For the guy who was about to put us in a car and transport us 2 miles southwest, a bottle of 12% beer seemed the perfect thing to calm his nerves.

Getting on the road, we set up all of the electronics, got the radio adjusted, and discussed our plan of attack.  The great thing about Dunedin is that you have Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin House of Beer, and 7eventh Sun Brewery all within walking distance of each other.  This way, you can have some of the best beer Florida has to offer without ever getting in your car.  This being the case, a good plan is necessary.  Whatever the plan turned out, fish tacos was priority 1.

Heading out after catching a small buzz, our path down I-4 was halted by a need to stop by a bar along the way.  A curious place on HWY 27 just off the interstate that I've wanted to stop at for some time.  A little Irish place behind the 7-11, I wasn't expecting too much but figured a nice drink halfway to Tampa is not a bad thing.

We park the car and walk into this very dark space with some televisions, a jukebox, full liquor, and some drafts on a wall. The bartender asked us what we wanted and we just asked for a couple of drafts, planning on having only 1 drink each.  When I reached down to grab my wallet, I realized I forgot it at home.  

Naturally, forgetting your wallet at home when you are supposed to be the host of a cross-state drinking binge is suspect.  I'll be the first to admit, it takes the air out of the ball when you say "you pay for everything and I will pay you back."  Kinda loses its luster to be the winner of a bet.  But we were where we were and given the distance we didn't want to drive back to DeLand.  I took a good ribbing for it, but being the buds we are, Defran agreed to pay and I'd pay him back with Tomo holding the receipts.  Sucks, but what are ya gonna do?

Back on the road, we had to fill up with gas and my favorite gas station is at exit 14 on I-4.  A great stop right before you get into the Tampa area, you can fill up the tank, take a whizzer, and grab a Slurpee.  In this case, we snagged some cheap road beers and some sodas to last us the rest of the night.

Back on the road and we ain't stoppin' til we hit Dunedin Brewery and a rendezvous with some fish fa fish fish tacos.

When we do arrive around 4:30 pm, the parking lot is packed and we have to go to an adjacent lot to park.

Walking into the Dunedin Brewery, my usual spots at the bar were full.  In fact, the whole place was full.  I am usually at the brewery on weekdays in the daytime so I'm a tad spoiled when it comes to my fish tacos and the bartenders who I've come to know.  We had to wait a bit for a seat, but someone came around to see if we wanted a beer.  Ooooooh yeah.

My first choice was the Vortex on the Bay IPA collaboration with Fort George Brewery out of Oregon.  Defran had the brown and Tomo went with the coffee stout.  Finally a spot at the bar opened and we were seated to start on some tacos.  Now here is where we ran into some problems.  As it turns out, my buddy Defran is not open to eating fish tacos.  Tells me he hates fish and hates tacos!  All this time talking about this trip and the sucker never mentioned that he wasn't gonna indulge in the deliciousness.

So we ordered two orders of fish tacos, some of the incredible cheese curds, and Defran ordered something I don't remember.  I've gushed about the tacos over the course of 2012 so I won;t bore you with the descriptors.  I WILL say, however, that I talked my closed minded buddy to at least give a try of a fish taco out of my plate.  He did, and he dug it.  Not.A.Shocker.

After another beer, The Rock Double IPA, we decided to go hit 7eventh Sun Brewery for a beer or two before hitting Dunedin HOB and getting back to Dunedin Brewery to finish off our night.

Stepping into the 7eventh Sun Brewery, the guys were shocked at how small the place was.  This is what I try to explain to people that they don't seem to get - you don't need a huge facility to produce some great beers and as a start-up, is a great way to hedge your bets on the possibility that your product didn't catch on.

As an avid lover of the beers from 7eventh Sun (I love Saisons and they always have some great ones), I was completely comfortable with Defran and Tomo ordering whatever they wanted and we could be confident that the product would be of top quality.  This is not always true of a place still in its infancy but at this place, not a worry.

So we each have a Saison (of different sorts) and get to chattin' about what a great time we had had so far.  Next thing I know, Tomo is talking to some folks near us and came over to introduce us.  Now, if there is one thing I know about Tomo, he has a knack for randomly meeting people.  One of the friendliest people I know, I can always count on him to strike up a conversation everywhere he goes.  Somehow, some way, the folks we ran into were some friends of his that just happened to be there!  Once again, you never know who Tomo will run in to.

After a few beers at 7eventh Sun, we decide to move the party to Dunedin HOB.  This is the point of the night where we started to go sideways.  You know when you can go out and very distinctly point out the moment where perhaps the night could have, or should have, ended?  This was that moment.  The voices got louder, the conversation got more "poetic", and the language devolved into a series of emotional arm-throwing and four letter words that we were able to release by only pronouncing two of the letters.  We were now becoming the guys who I dreaded seeing in my bar ownership days.

the House of Beers was packed!  The vibe was awesome and when we walked in I began salivating for a beer.  For me, I saw just what I wanted to see.  They had Boulder Brewing Flashback Brown on draft!  One for me please.  While we're at it, let's increase our chances of getting onto trouble and get one for Defran as well.

My buddy Rick, who owns the bar stopped by to say hello and to be honest, I personally don't remember leaving the bar.  I do distinctly remember enjoying myself for the few moments that I was cognizant and I always have a great time there.

So this is where it gets interesting.  The plan was to go back to Dunedin Brewery and have another round of fish tacos.  I can remember with great clarity, thinking to myself how much I am going to enjoy those things.  If I was not drooling, I was very close.  Starving, drunk, and looking forward to fish tacos - not a bad life.

We walk into Dunedin Brewery - first myself, then Tomo, and lastly Defran.  When Defran stumbles in, one of the bartenders looks right at him and says "He can't come in here."

Whaaaaaaaaaaat?  But I was dying for some of those delicious tacos that I only get once a month at best.  But I'm starving.  But I'm having a great time!  But we planned this trip so that we could have fish tacos, not so that we couldn't have fish tacos.

Still somewhat in my wits, I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of one of my favorite breweries, so we shuffled Defran out the door.  So now it is try to get us home - or so I think.  Luckily, we were parked across the street and had plenty of room to let El Boracho (Tomo's nickname for Defran) stumble about, accidentally bump into cars, and as it turns out, fall over an 18 inch wall.  (See pics)

After a profanity filled tirade that I caught on film (in editing now), assembled in the car.  Discussing how good those tacos could have been, Tomo and myself agreed that we were both starving and needed some grub.  Remembering that The Taco Bus on Hillsborough Avenue is open 24 hours a day, we agreed upon a spot.


For those not familiar with the Taco Bus, the one on Hillsborough is not in t he nicest of areas.  You're as likely to come across a prostitute as you are anyone else and I'm sure if we were looking to get high, good product couldn't have been too far away.  This being said, the atmosphere at the Taco Bus is awesome and once you're on property, the crowd is fun and amenable.  Moral of the story, as long as you're there, no worries.  Venture off - and you could probably find some trouble.

Tomo parked the car at the Taco Bus and got out of the car.  Defran was passed out in the back, so we figured we'd let the sleeping dog lie.  In an area such as this, perhaps better we don't let him out among the general public where he can get us beaten or worse.  The plan was to go up to the bus, order some food, come back to the car, wake Defran up, get some food in him, and get on the road.  Fairly simple as far as plans go.

Good news for me, Taco Bus has not only fish tacos, but tempeh tacos as well!  And the tacos are not just good - they are great.  As a side note, if you are in the area, it is definitely worth checking out (especially in the daytime).  There website can be found at http://www.taco-bus.com/#!.

While I  am waiting for the tacos, Tomo decides to go back to the car.  Wattya know - no Defran.  Disappeared.  Vamoosh.  In the wind.

At some point, El Boracho woke up and decided to take a walk down Hillsborough Avenue at 2:00 am on a Saturday night.  Not only was he walking, he was obviously drunk and obviously didn't fit in there with his Double Zero Drunky the Bear jersey that he wears way too much.  Well, I'm not leaving without those tacos.  I asked Tomo to watch Defran flounder down the road while I waited for the Taco Bus to finish preparing our meals.

A brilliant plan and one that could only come around while you are drinking.  We decided to get in the car, drive past him, sit in the car and eat, and just wait for Defran to ramble on down to us.  Instead of stopping and catching him, we'd just let him wander right into the car.

So sitting in the car, enjoying some 2:00 am snacks, the jester finally showed up, got in the car, fell back to sleep, and we finished our tacos in peace.  The drive home could not have been filled with more peace than this great night had provided. Cheers to El Boracho for winning the contest, cheers to Tomo for driving and babysitting us, and thanks to the wonderful bars we visited for your hospitality.  Cheers!

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!