Five Must-Try Jacksonville Beers for Summer

Summer is around the corner, and that means you’re going to need local beers to keep your thirst quenched and palate satisfied. With eight distributing breweries in Jacksonville, there are plenty of beers to choose from. But the beers on this list stand above the rest in their ability to provide crisp refreshment without skimping on the flavor.

5) Buzzin Bee Honey Rye Wheat, Veterans United Craft Brewery.

Buzzin Bee is unfiltered and brewed with local honey which provides a balanced sweetness to counter the rye and wheat flavors. Hints of citrus fruits make this an enjoyable summer beer.
Notes: Honey, orange, and hints of rye.

4) I-10 IPA, Intuition Ale Works.

This highly drinkable IPA packs a hop-forward punch without being too aggressive for summer. Zesty citrus and resinous pine make this a flavorful IPA that’ll quench your thirst when you need it the most.
Notes:  Citrus, pine, grapefruit, and pineapple.

3) Big John’s Apricot Wheat Ale, Bold City Brewery

Light, drinkable, and refreshing, this is a gratifying beer that’ll please the palate. Complex layers of wheat, tart fruits, and sweet malts make this a refreshing companion to those sweltering summer months.
Notes: Wheat, biscuits, apricot, and apples.

2) Endless Summer Blonde Ale, Pinglehead Brewing Company.

Endless Summer laughs in the face of naysayers who believe Blonde Ales don’t have flavor. This beer starts with an inviting malt profile and finishes with a crisp, clean, and slightly dry finish.
Notes: Biscuity malt sweetness, honey, and an earthy-dry finish.

1) J’Ville Lager, Engine 15 Brewing Company.

Brewed to commemorate their anniversary, J’Ville is an American lager done right. It’s a clean and refreshing beer that will keep you comfortable during the dog days of summer.
Notes: pale malts, bready yeast, honey, and lemon zest.

From Left to Right: Carolyn Graham, Brian Little, Sean Bielman
celebrating the launch of Engine 15's J'Ville Lager

 

Jax Beer Society Launches in North Florida

Jacksonville, FL – Jax Beer Society, a nonprofit trade association committed to developing and preserving an active beer culture throughout Northeast Florida, launched earlier this year and made its debut at the Riverside Craft Beer Fest in late February.

“Our beer community has always been very supportive of each other. So, it was only natural that we come together to elevate Northeast Florida’s beer culture and make a focused effort on Jax Beer Week. The interest and support the community has shown for Jax Beer Society has already been overwhelming -- and we’ve only just begun,” said Kara Scremin, President of Jax Beer Society.

Jax Beer Society founding members are: Aardwolf Brewing Co., Bold City Brewery, Engine 15 Brewing Co., Green Room Brewing, Intuition Ale Works, PingleheadBrewing Company, Veterans United Craft Brewery, Zeta Brewing, BrownDistributing, Champion Brands and North Florida Sales.

Membership is open to brewers, wholesalers, associate members (e.g. retail outlets, brew pubs) and craft beer enthusiasts who are interested in working together to advance the emerging craft and specialty beer scene in Jacksonville and to promote regional events and festivals that support the industry.

Memberships can be purchased at www.JaxBeerSociety.com/members or by visiting the Jax Beer Society table at GastroFest on March 21st outside the Visit Jacksonville offices on Laura Street or the Cathedral Arts Project CAPtivators “Economic Hopportunity” brewers’ panel on March 26th at St. John’s Cathedral. Jax Beer Society will also be a creator at this year’s One Spark festival and will be hosted by Visit Jacksonville.

JBS Officially Launched at the Riverside Craft Beer Fest in February

The organization’s main focus will be the coordination of Jax Beer Week which will take place November 8th through 14th. Jax Beer Society will organize a number of events across the city that focus on promoting the area’s craft and specialty beer scene. Jax Beer Week will culminate in a two-day grand tasting event at Hemming Park in downtown Jacksonville on November 13th and 14th.

Follow Jax Beer Society on Twitter: @JaxBeerSociety

For more information, please visit www.JaxBeerSociety.com or contact Cari Sánchez-Potter at (904) 540-6390 or jaxbeersociety@gmail.com.

First Annual Beer:30 Homebrew Contest at GastroFest, Hosted by Beer Apostle!

Update (2/10/14): Registrations is closed. You may still submit a registration and enter the 'wait list' for the competition. In the event one of the current participants has to pullout of the competition, we will contact those on the wait list in the order they registered.

Registration is now open for the 2015 Homebrew Competition at GastroFest. The competition is open to the first 12 homebrewers who complete the registration (below). If you're interested in entering your beer, please review the Contest Rules and Regulations before submitting a registration. Cheers and Good Luck!

Homebrew Competition Rules and Regulations:

Who is Eligible to Enter?

The competition is open to the first 12 homebrewers who complete the registration form below. Once all spots are filled, any additional registrants will be notified that they have been placed on a wait-list. If more than one person helped brew the beer, everyone who assisted must be listed on your entry form. Team beers are acceptable, but the entrant must have been an active participant in the brewing process.  Only one entry is allowed per ticket holder.  Beers brewed in commercially licensed facilities are ineligible. The winning beer(s) will only receive one medal, even if there were more than one people who brewed the beer.

Entry Fees

Entry fee is complimentary.

Online Registration

Your entry MUST be registered via the form below no later than February 17, 2015. If you have any questions, please contact Brian at: Brian@thebeerapostle.com

Entry Requirements

Two bottles (22oz) of the same beer must be entered for the Judges Panel. Bottles must be labeled to include homebrewer's name, beer name, and beer style.

A minimum 2 gallons, maximum 5 gallons must be entered and available for sampling at GastroFest. Visitors will sample your beer and vote on the "People's Choice." for best homebrew.

Only beer, cider, or mead may be entered. No wine or liquor entries will be accepted.

The beer must be home brewed to enter.  No entries brewed at commercial facilities will be accepted.

You MUST be 21 to enter.

Event Schedule

• Competitors MUST be available to sample out their homebrew during BOTH hours listed below.
•  Hour #1: 2:45-3:45pm -- People's Choice Voting
•  Hour #2: 6:45-7:45pm -- People's Choice Voting; Judges Panel Critique

• (1) People's Choice Award and (1) Judges' Choice Award will be presented at 8:15pm.

Judging Information
There will be a panel of local "Beer Celebrities" to judge the entries. The Judges are:

• Brian Little, Beer Apostle
• Carolyn Graham, Brown Distributing
• Glen Wieger, Green Lion Festival
•  Kevin Burns, Beer:30
• Marc Wisdom, Jax Beer Guy
• Preben Olsen, Aardwolf Brewing Co.
• Regina Heffington, Silver Cow and Jax Brew Bitch
• Steve Halford, Pinglehead Brewing Co.  

Entries will be judged on aroma, appearance, taste, mouthfeel, and overall impression. The judges will taste, critique, and score the entries starting at 6:45pm at GastroFest. Winners of both the People's Choice and Judges' Choice will be presented at 8:15pm.




Register Now!

Jax Ale Trail - Explore Jacksonville's Craft Breweries

It’s Time to Hop On the Jax Ale Trail!

-Jacksonville’s Beer Scene Offers Plenty of Tasty Options-

In case you've missed the buzz, the folks at Visit Jacksonville have launched the Jax Ale Trail as a part of their package to promote tourism to the city. Anyone who has spent any time in Jacksonville knows that craft beer has become an integral part of the city's identity. I have been preaching it for a while now, but I believe that Jacksonville has quickly become the beer capital of Florida. The Jax Ale Trail confirms this notion; Jacksonville's beer scene stands toe-to-toe with any other city, and we've only begun to see the potential. With more breweries set to open in the coming months, this is a fun time for beer nerds and general tourists alike.

Below is the official press release for the Jax Ale Trail. Take a look, grab a passport, and start exploring Jacksonville's finest!

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- When your city has tons of award winning craft brews you want to make sure everyone, especially those visiting from out of town, gets a chance to enjoy all of them, that’s why on this December 4, Visit Jacksonville and Jacksonville’s craft breweries are unveiling the new Jax Ale Trail and the Jax Ale Trail Brewery Passport!

The Jax Ale Trail invites beer lovers on a self-guided tour of the seven craft breweries across the city of Jacksonville including Aardwolf Brewing Company, Bold City Brewery, Engine 15 Brewing Co., Green Room Brewing, Intuition Ale Works, Pinglehead Brewing Company, and Veterans United Craft Brewery, as well as local restaurants that brew their own beers and other beer attractions.

Visitors of the Jax Ale Trail will receive a Jax Ale Trail Brewery Passport, which can be stamped at each of the local craft breweries to receive cool free prizes.

All the information related to the Jax Ale Trail and the Jax Ale Trail Brewery Passport can be found online at www.JaxAleTrail.com  including maps to all the craft breweries, tours information, all activities on the trail, and the rules for receiving your free gifts after completing the passport.

“Craft beer is becoming a more and more popular reason to travel, and not many destinations are making it easy for visitors to find all the information for local breweries in one easy step like our passport and website do. We know that new visitors will be surprised by the quality, and quantity, of beer here in Jacksonville,” said Katie Mitura, Director of Marketing and Communications at Visit Jacksonville, the city’s official marketing organization.

The collaboration with the local craft breweries and attractions, the Jax Ale Trail Brewery Passport and the new Jax Ale Trail website, give Visit Jacksonville an opportunity to promote all of the beer related activities and breweries in the city while at the same time giving visitors a unique destination experience that can only be enjoyed in Jacksonville.

"We are very excited to participate in the Jax Ale Trail and proud to represent Jacksonville as a thriving craft beer destination. Cheers!” said Christina Bradford, Marketing Coordinator at the newest brewery in town, Veterans United Craft Brewery.  

Those who embark on the Ale Trail may come away with cool SWAG!

The Jax Ale Trail Brewery Passport is free, and can be picked up at any of the breweries as well as the Visit Jacksonville Visitor Centers in Downtown or at the Jacksonville Landing.  Get your passport stamped at four breweries to win a Jax Ale Trail beer koozie, and visit all seven breweries to win a koozie and a Jax Ale Trail T-shirt. Visit www.JaxAleTrail.com for more details.

Two local companies, Jax Brew Bus and Play Harder Tours, will be offering guided group tours of the seven breweries on the Jax Ale Trail Passport, with visits planned during the weekdays and weekends. Other activities on self-guided portion of the Jax Ale Trail include tours of the Budweiser Brewery, and samplings at local restaurants that brew their own beers like Ragtime in Neptune Beach, Zeta in Jacksonville Beach, Seven Bridges on the Southside and the River City Brewing Company in Downtown Jacksonville.

Farm to San Marco: A Five Course Dinner with Local Beer and Spirit Pairings

The San Marco Preservation Society is hosting a Farm to Table event in Jacksonville's historic San Marco neighborhood. This is a five course event accompanied by local beer from Aardwolf and Veterans United Craft Brewery. There will be cocktails from San Marco's own Grape and Grain Exchange. This promises to be a great evening with a good cause. Tickets are still available. Click here to purchase: http://smpsjax.com/

 

Here is a breakdown of the five course dinner:

First Course: A Smoked Chicken and Pumpkin Bisque with Madras Curry from Chef Chris Dickerson of Corner Taco, served in beautifully carved pumpkins provided by Conner's Amazing Acres and chicken provided by Black Hog Farms. Pairing with Grape & Grain.

Salad Course: Field of Dreams Microgreens Salad from Berry Good Farms paired with Sage Wit from Intuition Ale.

Third Course: Dig Foods will be serving a vegan charcuterie board to include house-made terrine and pates, house-pickled vegetables and Sunrawise artisan vegan cheese, paired with Scout Dog 44 Amber from Veterans United Craft Brewery. Optional on the table is Verde De'Vine Cilantro Tomatillo Sauce from Fresh Jax.

Main Course: Bistro AIX will be presenting a seared fish over polenta with a seafood bouillabaisse. Providers and farms include Fisherman's Dock, Greenway Farm, Traders Hill Farms and Producing Edibles. Paired with an Aardwolf brew.

Dessert: Bakery Ribault will be preparing a twist on the classic Napoleon. Paired with Grape and Grain which will be using Queen Bee Honey in the cocktail. 

Sourcing Suds: Veterans United Craft Brewery

'Sourcing Suds' is a monthly column I write for Buzz Magazine acknowledging a locally owned beer joint that's serving up locally brewed beer. The people and places pouring for us are what make the craft beer community what it is. Join me each month as I highlight some of the great places and beer found right here in Jacksonville!

Source: Veterans United Craft Brewery

There’s a new brewery in town! Veterans United Craft Brewery opened its doors in August with a huge celebration filled with music, food trucks, and, of course, plenty of beer! Since their opening, they have been making quite the wave around town. There are more than 30 locations where Jax beer lovers can find some VU brew, and that list is surely growing.

Founder and former Naval Flight Officer, Ron Gamble, was on hand during their grand opening night, and was even giving free tours to those who came out to support. Gamble's passion for brewing comes out in the tours. He was quick to share his story with the crowd of about 20. He mentioned how he had been home brewing since the late 90's and always wanted to open up his own brewery.

The facility is state-of-the-art and spacious. With room to grow, Gamble's brewing system was designed with the long-term in mind and his personal commitment to the success of the brewery is observable. Nothing about Veterans United seems rushed or ignored. The taproom is beautiful, the people are passionate, and the beer is enjoyable.

At the time of the grand opening, there were three different VU brews being served in the taproom and around the city. That number has already expanded with more set for release soon! In fact, Veterans United recently unveiled plans to release their Cup-O-Joe Oatmeal Espresso Stout, a signature beer that will be tapped in conjunction with the inaugural launch of their Mug Club.

Photo compliments of vubrew.com

The Mug Club launch will take place on September 20^th. For $60, patrons can take advantage of this special opportunity and enjoy benefits such as a personalized mug for the taproom with discounted beer pours, a founding edition t-shirt, and invitations to exclusive events from the brewery. For more information, go to www.vubrew.com/brewery.

Suds: Hopbanshee IPA

Hopbanshee is their flagship IPA and a beer that I found myself really enjoying during my visit. This is an approachable IPA and one that I expect will be a crowd-pleaser.  At only 66 IBUs, this can be considered a mild IPA by modern standards. Notes: Strong hop aroma, Citrus flavors balanced by a malt sweetness. Clean and refreshing finish. Mild and drinkable.

IPAs, for some, can be intimidating. Not Hopbanshee IPA. I have already told a few of my non-hop-loving-beer-drinkers that Hopbanshee is a beer they must try. They've agreed, and I will be sure to update once they sample it for themselves.

Veterans United Craft Brewery is a place you need to prioritize visiting. The taproom provides a welcoming environment, the beer is good, and the company is even better. If you see Ron there, be sure to approach him. You'll be glad you did, and you'll probably walk away with an understanding of the incredible passion he brings to this business. Oh, and be sure to tell him I sent ya!

Veterans United Craft Brewery is located at 8999 Western Way #104 Jacksonville, FL 32256. The taproom is open Wednesday-Sunday. Order a pint while you’re there or a growler to go! Be sure to connect with them on Facebook and Twitter. 

Thanks for reading the Beer Apostle and for supporting craft beer! Join in on the discussion by following me on Twitter and Facebook! Cheers!

Veterans United Craft Brewery Now Open

Veterans United Craft Brewery has a big weekend set to kickoff their grand opening! The festivities begin on Friday and continue Saturday. This is sure to be an exciting opening, as Veterans United has lined up live music, food trucks, and (of course) plenty of beer! Owner, Ron Gamble will be on hand along with the rest of his staff to talk beer, pour beer, and drink beer. This opening is a must-attend event, and I highly recommend you make it out either Friday or Saturday. Or both!

I was fortunate enough to gain a sneak peak of the taproom and brewery on Thursday evening. There were dozens of members from the local press, including some of my favorite beer writers and contributors from the Jacksonville area. In addition to sampling some of VU's brews, the highlight of my night was touring the facility and listening to Gamble share his passion and vision for the brewery. With 30+ accounts already signed up, Jacksonville locals should expect to see his beer flowing from taps as soon as this coming Monday.

The festivities begin at 5pm on Friday. Check out VU's Facebook page for more details on this weekend's celebration.

Below are some of the sights and happenings from Thursday's media preview of the brewery:

Scout Dog 44 Amber Ale was the first beer I tried. It's a malt-forward ale with notes of nuts, biscuit, caramel, and earthy hops.

After the amber, I moved on to the Raging Blonde. It's an easy-to-drink ale that's light in color but doesn't skimp on the flavor. Notes: Malt-forward, doughy, crisp finish with slight bitterness.

The last beer I tried was the Hop Banshee IPA. My favorite beer of the night, this is an approachable IPA and one that I think will become a crowd-pleaser. At only 66 IBUs, this can be considered a mild IPA by modern standards. Notes: Strong hop aroma, Citrus flavors balanced by a malt sweetness. Clean and refreshing finish. Mild and drinkable.

Here are the rest of my photos from the night. Spread the word and visit Veteran's United Craft Brewery this weekend. And share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Cheers!

Owner, Ron Gamble, takes members of the media on a tour of his brand new facility

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

Thanks for reading the Beer Apostle and for supporting craft beer! Join in on the discussion by following me on Twitter and Facebook! Cheers!