Daytona Beer Festival and a Firkin

We were able to do a fundraiser for the Animal Rescue Konsortium coupled with a beer festival in Daytona, and got a firkin to boot.  I was really looking forward to this one!

Woefully, I met up with Josher at Davinci the night before for ONE since I wanted to meet up with Mr. Dan Reed to talk about an event we had coming up.  Given that Josher won't let you walk away from a bar without offering to buy you enough drinks to put an Irish dockworker under the table, I had a terrible headache that morning and really did not feel like drinking.  This sucked because I knew there would be a ton of great beer at this one and a lot of other reps to drink with.  Add to this, we had a second firkin from Lazy Magnolia and given how I felt about the first one, I really didn't want to miss out on this one.

So Renegade Rip came to pick me up at the house to carry out to Beach street for set-up around noon.  The event didn't start till 2:00, so I figured maybe I could heal a bit before the event started and get on some brew once we started pouring.

We got set up at the booth being accompanied by the staff at Davinci, whcih made me really happy.  Good folks and fun, and I figured I could sneak away and be part of the firkin getting tapped in the pumpkin patch that was being set up for the pumpkin beers.  By the way, that is an awesome idea setting up a pumpkin patch like that this time of year, an idea that should be stolen......

Once we got all set up, Mr. Rob Nelson came over because I told him we'd split off a Westvleteren since he wasn't feeling 100% the previous night for the Trappist Dinner and missed out on the Westies we were pouring.  May as well get some hair of the dog.  What a spoiled life we live to have some Westvleteren as hair of the dog - in plastic cups no less.


Either way, it cured my pounding head and I was now ready to slurp and burp.  It worked out well also because I was sharing a booth with Terrapin and Bell's and really wanted some Moo-Hoo and Hopslam.  So the first thing I did was pop open a bottle of Moo-Hoo.  Maybe not the best beer for the hot weather, but I haven't had one in a bit and I love this beer.  Of course, the Hopslam was to follow.  Aaaand then of coourse I split a Sweaty Betty and an Indian Summer with Rip afterward.  Feelin' pretty good at this point.

We get rolling and Vinnie calls me over to pop the firkin.  This firkin as described by the brewery, by the way was:

Southern Gold with pumpkin, brown sugar, nutmeg, and aged rum-infused vanilla bean.

CUMINAYAY-HAAAAAAH!

I get over to the pumpkin patch and we get the firkin all set up.  Without a rubber mallet, we had to use a hammer and wrap some towels around it.  Not too sure about it, but oh well.  I grabbed the hammer and hit the bung a few times, which was not budging.  After gathering some balls after getting heckled by the guys, I finally got a good whack on it and the faucet was in.  Of course, there was beer spraying everywhere, but collateral damage as far as I'm concerned.  Once the cask got aerated a little bit, we were finally ready to pour some out.  I look up and there appears to be an endless sea of cups stretched out at me for a taste.  

Holy Cow was this beer good. Everything that was in it shone through in perfect balance.  I really thought I had hit the mother lode with the fresh peach firkin we got from Lazy Magnolia last week, but man was this one close if not better.  Add to that, I had a ride home.

I was able to get a pitcher poured and walk it over to the booths to let the volunteers have some.  Twice I had to go back for refills before I even got to the booths because people stopped me for some.  Quite a compliment.  Once I did get to the booths, it didn't last long.  Back and forth, back and forth - and lovin' it.  This brew was definitely the hit of the event.  I myself found I couldn't get enough and was drinking it like water.  In fact, at one point I lost my pitcher and filled up a Diet Coke can with some of that goodness.  Unreal.

Top off all this good beer with an appearance from Daneaux of Mermaid Juice fame tapping some Dave-O IPA that he had made.  Long story on this brew and I will post about it later.

All-in-all a great day and a massive THANK YOU to Renegade Rip for being the driver.  Safety first and my day would have been a lot different if I had to rely on my own wheels to get me home.  Cheers!

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!

Daytona Cubs Beer Fest

This is the 4th Annual Daytona Cubs Beer Festival to be held at Jackie Robinson Stadium and the Renegades have been luck enough to be at all of them (in one way or another).  Always a great time and one that we look forward to.
This time around, we had the good folks from World of Beer helping out and had the talents of some of my SR Perrott buddies on hand.  Rip manned this fest and served up some delicious Boulder and Lazy Magnolia Beers.  To make it all the better, this event also acted as a fundraiser to help raise money for ARK, so we were even more excited to be there.

As with the rest of the beer festivals at this locale, the setting is some of the most beautiful we get to attend.  Sitting just on the outside of the inter-coastal waterway and within a beautiful minor league baseball stadium, I am looking for this to continue to become one of the biggest in the area.

As I stated before, the Renegades and the stadium go back a long way, even before the Renegades existed as a corporate entity.  Not that we weren't who we are, we just weren't official yet.

As another funny aside, the first year that we worked this event, we volunteered to pour Dogfish at this event and introduced Vinnie's boss to a bottle of 120.  Keeping in mind this was four years ago, 120 was less known and much rarer.  Needless to say, he dug it and I try to share one with him every time we work this event.  Nostalgia kinda works that way, ya know.

Well, another weekend down, 4 beer events over the weekend, and the Renegades are back to working out the details for the upcoming events.  Stay posted to see where we will be next.  Cheers!

As an addendum, we'd like to give a HUGE thanks to Clint Cure and the Daytona Cubs as they donated a very generous sum of money to the Animal Rescue Konsortium to help out the dogs that they care so much for.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH Clint, you guys are awesome.  Cheers to you!

Dunedin IPA Fest 2012

My drooling usually stops once I reach Dunedin Brewery.  Not only do I love their beer but (as well documented), I crave their fish tacos like a rat craves cheese.  This being the case, when the opportunity came to represent Boulder Beer's Mojo IPA and Mojo Risin' Double IPA at their IPA Festival, I jumped at the chance.

A shipping snafu kept us from having a brew that I was very excited to have at this festival:  a one-off Cranberry Apricot Mojo IPA that Mr. Jeff Brown had offered as a special brew specifically for this event.  As it turns out, as a consumer, this may not have been a bad thing because Dunedin Brewery had set up a list of IPAs the likes of which I had never seen.  Additionally, the mess-up will allow them to place the one-off at a later date when I can enjoy a pint without having to chose between 50 other IPAs that I will probably never see again.  Life is tough.


So as I have bragged and bragged about the amazing and irresistible fish tacos at Dunedin Brewery, the crew was getting hungrier and hungrier as the seconds ticked down.  Add to this, I had not eaten because I knew we would eventually sitting on four legs and a pad with corn, cabbage, and swimmers in front of us.

Orlando and Tampa traffic took care of that and knocked us an hour off of our anticipated arrival.  Kitchen closed.  NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!  Heartbreak.

However, we DID get early entrance into the event.  This was a good thing, as the event ended up being packed and the lines were unwavering.  And why not?  In addition to several variations of IPAs that Dunedin Brewery themselves whipped up, many other breweries offered up special one-offs for the event and the homebrewers association attended with many of their own.  

A basic list included the following:

Dunedin Brewery - IPA Chronicle 5: American Classic
Dunedin Brewery - The Rock Double IPA
Dunedin Brewery / Fort George Brewery - Vortex on the Bay
Dunedin Brewery - Black Cherry Double IPA
Dunedin Brewery - The Rock Down Under
Dunedin Brewery - HopNOM
Dunedin Brewery - Cask: The Rock
Dunedin Brewery - Cask: Nelson Sauvin IPA
Fort George Brewery - Vortex IPA
Stone - India Pale Ale
Stone -Ruination IPA
Stone - Double Dry-Hopped Sublimely Self-Rightous Ale (Simcoe)
Terrapin - Hopsecutioner IPA
Terrapin - Easy Rider
Terrapin - Side Project 16: Phlux Capacitor
Cigar City - Jai Alai IPA
Cigar City - Humidor IPA
Cigar City - Peach IPA
Swamphead - Big Nose IPA
Swamphead - Darkwater
Swamphead - 10-10-10 Imperial IPA
Seventh Sun - Oak-Aged Spring Overhead
Seventh Sun - Tangled up in Galaxy
Boulder Beer Company - Mojo IPA
Boulder Beer Company - Cranberry-Apricot Mojo IPA
Boulder Beer Company - Mojo Risin' DIPA
Bells - Two-Hearted
Green Room - Head High IPA
Tampa Bay Brewing Company - Old Elephant Foot IPA

A major winner here was the addition of the Vortex IPA, which was a collaboration between Fort George Brewery and the guys as Dunedin Brewery.  To make the idea even more spectacular, they not only had the beer from Fort George Brewing themselves, but they had the guys from Fort George come to brewery and brew the same recipe on site.  This way, you get to experience the subtle differences between the two.  Great idea and the brew was pretty awesome.  This was just the tip of the iceberg of the IPAs offered and I am extremely grateful that they allowed me to take part in it.

I attend dozens and dozens of festivals every year, and this one is one of my favorite.  Dunedin Brewery does it right.  Next year cannot come soon enough.  Cheers!

Jacksonville Craft and Import Beer Festival

On Friday, May 18th, the Renegades were in full force at a massive beer festival in Jacksonville.  To be exact, I believe the final numbers were in the realm of 4,500 people who attended this event at Veteran's Memorial Stadium.  Of all of the festivals that I worked last year, this was the second largest so I knew I'd have to rustle up some fellow Renegades, organize our volunteers, and prepare ourselves for the onslaught of beer lovers, home brewers, and journalists who have waited since last year to enjoy this festival once again.

Very exciting also, was that we were going to get to pour draft at this event and, although there are drawbacks to pouring draft at festivals, it is great to be able to show off a few brews that either are not available on draft or that simply shine when poured out of a keg.

Two of these are especially near and dear to my heart.  

The first is Lazy Magnolia Jefferson Stout.  This beer is not available in the bottle as the brewery does not have a pasteurizer and the lactose that is added to this brew apparently sours when in the bottle.  For this reason, we are not able to get the Jefferson Stout out as much as I would like and I was very excited to have it out for this large audience.  A little about the beer.  The brewery description is:

Jefferson Stout, Lazy Magnolia\'s original Sweet Potato Cream Stout, is Lazy Magnolia\'s version of the ideal Southern-Style Stout. Jefferson Stout is brewed with sweet potatoes and lactose (milk sugar). The sweet potatoes provide the background to an impressive taste with added notes of roasted chocolate, coffee and caramel flavors.


Every time I get a chance to sample this beer out, it goes over well.  This day was no different.  I'm hoping more distributors will be picking this great beer up soon and we can get it out in the market more.  

The second beer that I was monumentally excited to have on draft was the Sweaty Betty.  This Heffeweizen from Boulder Brewing is great out of the bottle.  On draft it takes on a whole new life.  The most beautiful beer I've ever seen in a glass, it appears in the sun what you would think white stained glass would look like.  Add to that, the massive banana and clove flavors that present themselves even larger out of a keg, and this beer is a no-lose.   


The festival itself lasts from 6pm-10pm and I'm usually afraid of evening festivals, simply because people will either want to use this as their night out and want to get tanked, or they figure that if they're gonna be out all night, this is going to be their alcohol consumption for the night and thereby want to hyper-consume.  Either way, I'm often leery of these events and do not look forward to driving home after.  As it turns out; the crowd, even at their massive size was extremely polite and enjoyable.  


As for myself, I wanted to take this opportunity to visit some friends of mine who work for other breweries and we get to run into each other on these journeys.  With Vinnie present and plenty of volunteers, it is nice to get out from behind the booth and mingle a bit.  It's also nice to get upstairs and enjoy some all-you-can-drink Orval from Mr. Rob Nelson of Merchant du Vin.  It ain't often that you can enjoy Orval with pricetag impunity so you have to take the opportunity when you can.    


This event is a very inexpensive $30 per head with an opportunity to get a VIP ticket for $45 which allows you to get in an hour early.  This is also a charity event to benefit The Southside Men's Business Club and the Jacksonville Chamber West Council.  


Definitely an event that I am looking forward to attending again next year, this event is one of my favorite of the year.  Cheers!