Kidney Fest 2016

Kidney Fest, a Homebrew & Craft Beer fundraiser to benefit Jeannie's Kidney Fund, will take place this Saturday (9/24) from 3-8pm at Marker 48 Brewing in Weeki Wachee, FL. This is the third charity beer fest in two years to contribute to Jeannie's Kidney Fund.

Tickets are $25 prior to the event ($30 at the door) and include unlimited samples of over 60 different homebrew & craft beers. To purchase tickets visit jeannieskidneyfund.com, or stop into Marker 48.

This year's festival includes a SMaSH (Single Malt, Single Hop) beer competition in which participating brewers will have their SMaSH concoctions judged by a panel of judges (of which I have the pleasure of being a part) and the winning beer will be awarded a hand-carved wooden trophy signifying their smashing success (see image below)!

The festival will also include raffle prizes, auctions, food trucks, and live music! 

All proceeds from this event will help with ongoing medical costs resulting from Jeannie's kidney transplant surgery.

Join in on the discussion and receive updates on the beers and special auction items by viewing the Facebook Event Page for Kidney Fest.

Kidney Fest Beer/Brewery List

Jeannie’s Kidney Fund Summary

Jeannie was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease aka Kidney Failure and was on daily dialysis for 9 hours a day, every day.

While waiting for a transplant donor, Jeannie's son,Eric, bravely signed up to donate his kidney to another family in exchange for one given to Jeannie. Thankfully, Jeannie received a successful transplant on March 4th, 2015!

This fund for Jeannie is established to help offset some of the expenses incurred with the transplant procedure and lifelong recovery.

Veterans United Craft Brewery Set to Open

Here's some exciting news for the craft beer scene in Jacksonville!

Veterans United Craft Brewery’s Founder and Brewmaster, Ron Gamble, has announced that the grand opening date for the taproom will be Friday, August 22nd, 2014. Veterans United is one of the newest microbreweries headquartered in Jacksonville, and the first packaging operation on the
Southside.

The opening of the taproom and brewery is a welcome addition to the burgeoning craft beer scene in Jacksonville. “We have already experienced a big surge of support from the community for what we are brewing and for our plans to reinvest our time and effort in local causes here. I really hope people will see our passion and excitement for both,” said Gamble.

Taproom festivities will be from 5pm until 10pm on Friday, and continue on Saturday from 1pm until 10pm. Dirty Birds Wings on the Fly and Driftwood BBQ food trucks will be on site Friday and Saturday evenings. Shawn Lightfoot and Arvid Smith will be the featured musicians. Tours of the premises begin at 1:00pm on Saturday, and will be available on the hour through 4:00pm. Branded
apparel and glassware are available for purchase at the bar.

About Veterans United Craft Brewery
Founded in 2013 by a diverse group of military veterans, Veterans United Craft Brewery is a microbrewery located in Jacksonville, Florida. At the helm is Ron Gamble, Brewmaster and former Naval Flight Officer, who is set on pouring his enthusiasm and dedication to the art of craft brewing into the creation of unique, flavorful beers. Pints, kegs, and growlers of flagship styles, Raging
Blonde Ale and HopBanshee India Pale Ale—as well as seasonal and special edition brews—may be found at the taproom located in the heart of the Baymeadows area, at 8999 Western Way #104, Jacksonville, Florida.

For more information about the brewery, please visit http://www.vubrew.com, or follow them on Facebook (/VUbrew) and Twitter (@VUbrew).