Off Tap.: April/May 2015 by ABC Fine Wine

APRIL/MAY 2015

WHAT’S BREWI NG P.2

GolfBe er Bre wing Co.

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Tou r Flo rida

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We Wan t Yo u!

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Pitmaster o f the Beer - BQ

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Your Session Starts Now

Off Tap. is a bimonthly publication of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits.

Email us at offtap@abcfws.com

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looking for isn’t available, ask us to order it for you!

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Meghan Guarino Editor

offtap@abcfws.com to be pointed in the right direction.

Allie Smallwood Contributing Editor

A Major Brew

Lorena Streeter

Contributing Editor

M EGH A N GU A R IN O

GolfBeer Brewing Co. “Scandinavia is a big beer territory,” Swedish-

“I wanted the beer to be flavorful and interesting

born, pro-golfer Freddie Jacobson explained of his

enough to make you want to come back.”

early interest in beer. “I grew up around beer and when I was 20 I started traveling—I got to travel

The other two brews follow suit with low ABVs and

to a lot of places, typical beer places, and got to

refreshing bodies. G-Mac’s Celtic Style Pale Ale

try beers.” He was talking, of course, about his

has the highest ABV of the three at 5% and shows

early days on the European Tour. But even before

notes of citrus, while Keegan Bradley’s New

Freddie’s professional golf career kicked-off, he had

England Style Lager brings a little color to the mix—

an interest in making beer himself. In the 90s, he

this amber lager is medium-bodied and complex

said, he and his best friend bought a brew kit. “We

while maintaining a nice, balanced flavor profile.

were better on the drinking side than the brewing,” he joked.

“I spent the last two years working [on the project],” Jacobson said of GolfBeer. “The key thing was to line

Little did Freddie know that he’d be brewing beer

up with the best people on both sides of the industry

years after his first foray into the hobby.

[to put together] a group that could produce a top product.” He further explained that the entire journey,

In the late fall of 2014, golfers Freddie Jacobson,

from the idea to concept to business implementation

Graeme McDowell and Keegan Bradley proudly

to visiting the brewing facility, has been a fun one,

introduced their latest achievement: three light,

though one of the bigger highlights was “finally

refreshing beers from a new Florida brewery,

getting to the point of sampling the beer for the

GolfBeer Brewing Co.

first time.”

The trio worked with Lakeland-based contract

Because each of the players worked with the

brewery Brew Hub—the facility is “unreal,” Jacobson

brewmaster individually, they were able to focus

said—to create three separate beers for the 19th

entirely on their beer only—and that made for a more

hole. “We knew we wanted to position the beers as

surprising sampling session once the brews were

more refreshing,” he explained, but they each worked

ready. “It was really exciting,” Jacobson said. They

with the brewmaster individually to determine the

wanted three different, refreshing beers, and that’s

flavor profile and style of their respective beers.

exactly what they got.

“I was first,” Jacobson said, then, laughing, “And I went in there and pushed [brewmaster] Dr. Paul

Initially offered on tap and in cans at select golf

against the wall and said, “you gotta brew me

clubhouses, GolfBeer is now distributed around

the perfect beer!”

the state by Gold Coast Beverage Distributors, J.J. Taylor, Florida Distributing and Champion Packaging

Freddie’s Scandinavian Style Blonde Ale

& Distribution; GolfBeer is available at ABC Fine

is a golden ale brewed with Crystal malts and

Wine & Spirits. To learn more about the players

European hops, with a refreshing, clean finish that

and the beer, visit GolfBeer.com.

ends “the same way it goes in,” Jacobson explained.

Keegan Bradley’s New England Style Lager

Freddie’s Scandinavian Style Blond Ale

G-Mac’s Celtic Style Pale Ale

Keegan’s New England Style Lager is an easy

At 4.5% alcohol by volume and 11 IBUs, Freddie’s

G-Mac’s Celtic Style Pale Ale is a crisp ale with a

drinking, amber lager with a medium-bodied flavor

is a classic golden-blonde ale that’s clear, crisp and

citrusy bite and just a hint of sweetness for that perfect

that delivers a well-balanced taste. At 4.5% alcohol

refreshing. Its blend of Crystal malts and European

balance of flavors. At 5.0% alcohol by volume and

by volume and 11 IBUs, it’s the drinkable craft beer

hops combine to make a full-flavored, drinkable craft

22 IBUs, G-Mac’s is drinkable, yet satisfying. And

that’s perfect after a round with friends or at the

beer that refreshes without weighing you down.

its floral hop flavor provides a snappy finish that’s

tailgate before the big game.

– Brewery Notes

perfect on the course or in the clubhouse.

– Brewery Notes

Tour Florida HEATHER ROGERS, BEER CONSULTAN T – TAM PA @ABCBEERHEATHERR

The Sunshine State has it all: beautiful beaches, awesome weather and great beer! With over 125 breweries and brew pubs throughout the state, Florida has more opening every day. Many of the breweries have something for everyone and boast a great atmosphere. You probably have a brewery in your neighborhood and didn’t even know it! Here are just 23 breweries to add to your beer bucket list—you can find beers from all of these Florida breweries (and more) at your local ABC. JACKSONVILLE Bold City Brewery Try before visiting: Killer Whale Cream Ale Intuition Ale Works Try before visiting: People’s Pale Ale

PENSACOLA Pensacola Bay Brewery Try before visiting: Sawgrass Wheat

JACKSONVILLE BEACH Engine 15 Brewing Company Try before visiting: Old Battle Axe IPA

ORLANDO Orlando Brewing Try before visiting: Right on Red

LAKELAND Two Henrys Brewing Company Try before visiting: The Gilded Age Golden Lager

ODESSA Big Storm Try before visiting: Wavemaker Amber Ale

CAPE CANAVERAL Florida Beer Company Try before visiting: Swamp Ape IPA

TAMPA Cigar City Brewing Company Try before visiting: Jai Alai Coppertail Brewing Company Try before visiting: Night Swim Porter 3 Palms Try before visiting: Zip Zag Berliner Weisse Tampa Bay Brewing Company Try before visiting: Rollin’ Dirty Irish Red

PLANT CITY Two Henrys Brewing Company Try before visiting: The Gilded Age Golden Lager

CLEARWATER Pair O’ Dice Brewing Co. Try before visiting: Hop Bet Red IPA LARGO Barley Mow Try before visiting: Quackalope ST. PETERSBURG Cycle Brewing Try before visiting: Fixie Session IPA 3 Daughters Brewing Try before visiting: St. Pete Beach Blonde Ale BRADENTON Motorworks Brewing Try before visiting: Indy IPA

BOYNTON BEACH Due South Brewing Co. Try before visiting: Category 5 Imperial IPA

SARASOTA

J Dub’s Brewing Company Try before visiting: Up Top IPA Big Top Brewing Company Try before visiting: Circus City IPA

denotes breweries whose beers are only offered on tap at our Brew Stop locations. Visit abcfws.com to find a Brew Stop nearest you.

OAKLAND PARK Funky Buddha Brewery Try before visiting: Hop Gun IPA

MIAMI Wynwood Brewing Company Try before visiting: Pop’s Porter

After seeing that list, you should be pretty thirsty… grab a designated driver and take a road trip! If driving is not your thing, check out a brew bus tour—a few cities throughout the state now have a local brew bus that will take you around town to different breweries and even allow you to enjoy beer on the way. Take a tour, see everything our wonderful state has to offer, and as always, enjoy responsibly! Not all products are available in all stores and tap listings rotate often and regularly. If the product you’re looking for isn’t available, ask us to order it for you!

WE WANT YOU! – To Drink Summer IPAs with Confidence MAKENZIE LADD, BEER CONSULTANT – SAR ASOTA @ ABCBEERM AKENZIE

Summer is for the wide exploration,

a food pairing. The most important thing

also good at complementing grilled and

the wonder, the wild outdoors—it’s

to remember when pairing summer-

roasted food because they share many

when the weather comes alive again

style, flavor-packed foods with IPAs is

of the same flavors.

and those of us cooped up inside

their ability to affect your palate when

make a mad dash for the beaches and

enjoyed with certain foods. If you’re

If you would rather have a beer with

rowdy backyard sports games. The

making heat-forward dishes like spicy

a more fruit-forward flavor profile, the

season entices us with rich, intense

bratwurst on the grill, onion-laden chili or

shandy might be the hybrid for you.

scents of the ocean, the flowers in full

jalapeno chip dip, you should be ready

Especially popular in summer because

bloom and the all-American weekend

for an intense kick of heat because

of their juicy appeal, shandies go

barbeque, where a hot grill and good

the hops have a tendency to increase

wonderfully with lighter fare like salads,

company come together to make those

the “fire” of dishes. Conversely, when

fruit salads and seafood. While many

warm nights not just a sensation, but

paired with fatty foods, hoppy beers are

beers are brewed with juice, the shandy

a memory. Our ability to put on a BBQ

your ally. Their bitterness cuts through

is a beer already brewed, then mixed

extravaganza becomes inherently tested

thick, heavy dishes like beef pot roast

with juice. Shandies are usually lower

by a wide range of meal choices and the

and lamb, allowing you to taste both the

in alcohol and heavily focused on the

summer and spring seasonal beers that

flavors of the dish and the flavors and

juices and any spices that are added

burst from the cocoon of winter’s dark

aromas of your beer. Terrapin’s Mosaic

after the brew. Reminiscent of the hops

beer styles.

Red Rye IPA, a beautifully aromatic

that give IPA a grapefruit flavor, Shiner’s

IPA, is made with 100% mosaic hops

Ruby Red Bird is a shandy made with

While there is an array of summer and

and is capable of adding this aromatic

Texas grapefruit and spiced with ginger.

spring seasonal styles—pale ales,

quality. Be careful if you’re chancing it

If the ginger is off-putting, Harpoon

earthy farmhouse styles, fruity ciders

with spicy foods, because not only does

UFO Big Squeeze Shandy leaves out

and sours—the biggest style you will

the Mosaic have hops that will intensify

the spicy ginger while still keeping with

see dominating the market today is the

the heat, but another ingredient, rye,

the grapefruit trend. Grapefruit shandies

ever-popular American IPA, a beer that

known for giving beer a kick.

are perfect alternatives for drinkers that

is just as intense as the ruckus and While there are a lot of hopheads out

while looking to add a punch of fruit to

style-cousins have been around forever,

there, there are just as many fans

their palate.

the American IPA is notorious for its

of dark beers. For those of you who

high bitterness and variety of citrus and

prefer these roasty, malty beers to

Worried about the complexity of the

herbal flavors. Ranging from mango

IPAs but still want a beer that is true to

“simple summer beer?” After this IPA

to grapefruit, pine to lemongrass, the

the season, the Durty Mud Season

and food pairing guide, you’ll impress

intrinsically important hops in an IPA

Hoppy Brown from Smuttynose is a

your neighbors, co-workers and friends

have the ability to impart a variety of

good compromise. It boasts the malty,

with a savvy, summer-fun BBQ and beer

different aromas and tastes. With so

nutty flavors of a typical brown ale while

that intensifies, complements or just has

many different hop-forward beers lining

surreptitiously adding hop aroma and

fun. Throwing a party, making dinner or

the shelves, there are a couple things

flavor for a “dark beer” that stays true

going out to eat can be a hectic battle,

to remember when choosing your

to its mouthfeel while taking a summer

but when it comes to your summer

get-together IPA.

stroll on the wild side. Having a malty

IPA beer choice, it shouldn’t be.

eat with spicy foods because when it

distinctly high-hop profile that explodes

comes to beer, sweetness helps to calm

with flavor on the palate. This intensity

heat while Durty’s slight hop has some

can be slightly tricky when deciding on

ability to highlight spice. Malty beers are

April/May 2015

backbone makes this a good beer to The IPA is fundamentally based on a

romp of summer. While IPAs and their

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want to stay with the bitter profile of IPAs

Pitmaster A L L IE SM ALLW OOD

of the

How can a human pay homage to the heavenly season of summer? With a BBQ of course! Here’s a fool-proof guide to BBQ party planning.

Th e

Prep Get to Know Your Grill

CHARCOAL VS. GAS AND HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR BEER SPREAD Grilled foods get their characteristic flavor from the drippings, not the gas or the charcoal. When the drippings hit the heat source below, the fats, sugars and proteins ignite into flame and smoke. That heat creates complex molecules that rise in the warm air to coat the food you’re grilling. So there isn’t a huge difference in taste between charcoal and gas. However, if you refuse to cook with anything other than charcoal, you might want to take note of a little compound called GUAIACOL. It’s an aromatic compound produced when heat is used to break down lignin, the resin that holds cellulose together to form wood. Its smoky, spicy and bacon-y aroma is what contributes to that charcoal grill flavor. If you’re using a charcoal grill, your food will be a bit bacon-y, and you’ll need to choose beers on the lighter side of the scale. They’ll cut the salt and fat so that your palate is balanced. Moderately dark beers, like porters, can be fantastic if paired with sweeter sauces or cured meats. If you’re using gas, feel free to run the gamut of beer flavors.

Q B r e e B

b u r G

Th e

You’ve got two options here, Pitmaster: pot-luck or traditional. Either way calls for a well-rounded menu. Choose your specific favorites from each category or assign categories to guests for a perfect pot-luck. • One fruit dish •T wo grilled meat entrées (add • Two types of chips vegetarian burgers/ • Two types of desserts options if needed) • Condiments • Two side salads • One vegetable dish

Each adult will consume about 8-10 oz. of meat for their main course (for reference, a store-bought hamburger patty is usually 6 oz.). Mixing and matching proteins is a sure-fire way to leave guests satiated. For salads, sides and munchies, roughly a ½ cup per person is a good place to start. For a group of 10, plan for about 6 cups of potato salad and 4 cups of baked beans to feed the crowd. Dessert is flexible. What do we say? It’s Florida. It’s sweltering. It’s a beer-themed BBQ. Serve beer-based milkshakes!

Orange Creamsicle INGREDIENTS: BLUE MOON BELGIAN WHEAT BEER - Cointreau - Orange juice - Vanilla ice cream (full-fat works best) DIRECTIONS: Throw in a blender and pour in a glass for guests!

s w e Br Th e

A successful BBQ calls for a varied spread of worthy beers. Hefeweizens bounce off tangy dips, sweet/citrusy coleslaw and seafood very well. For those guests who aren’t super keen on the bitter hops of an IPA, or if you’re serving fish, shrimp or lobster at your ‘que, a hefeweizen definitely needs to make an appearance. It echoes citrus flavors like a dream, but it also plays well with spice and heat due to notes of coriander and soothing banana. We recommend Funky Buddha’s Floridian or an unfiltered hefeweizen, such as Weihenstephaner. IPA is BBQ’s natural best friend. The piney, earthy construction of hopforward beers will simply dance when washing down some smokey BBQ. For the rib eye and butter-loving guests, you must pick up Southern Tier’s Right-O-Way IPA. The bitter crispness pierces through those succulent fatty BBQ flavors, making for a melodious mouthful. Porter might be a debatable addition to the perfect BBQ spread, but it really belongs because of its malty, roasted characteristics. Stone Smoked Porter is pulled pork’s soulmate. Dogfish Head’s Theobroma was practically brewed for BBQ chicken. The complexity of the cocoa nibs and peppers in the beer match wonderfully with the smokey spiciness of BBQ sauce.

Th e

n a l P

Whether your guest list has three people on it or 20, mapping out a week-ofexecution plan will yield barbecue victory. Assuming you’re hosting a Saturday celebration, here’s the official King-ofthe-Grill Checklist for the week before.

Monday (Inventory Day) -M ake sure your grill is clean (grease pan has been wiped, drip pan replaced, grates are smooth, etc.). - Do you need a new spatula, foil, aluminum pans, chimney starter, fire starter cubes, gas or charcoal?

Friday (The Day Before) - Make cold salads such as potato, egg, pasta or lettuce (leave dressing off lettuce, obviously). - Marinate chicken, beef or seafood and make hamburger patties.

Saturday (The Big Day) - In the morning, buy ice and stock coolers with beer, soda and plenty of water. - Slice and chop fresh vegetables and fruits. - Make dips about 3 hours before the party.

-C heck out what you need for groceries - Pre-heat grill and pass out drinks and make a list of ingredients for while guests arrive. what you’re responsible for cooking. Remember the little things like napkins and plasticware!

Wednesday (Mid-Week) - Shop for food, decorations and/ or hardware. -T ake yourself through the day of the BBQ to determine prep time and to have a better grip on the flow of the party. -M ake any homemade barbecue sauces, salsas, condiments or side dishes that can be made ahead; this means that the textures won’t coagulate, gel or get soggy.

Juicy Meat Tips: - Always preheat your grill so that it’s white hot to sear in flavors and juices. - Time food so that everything is ready at the same time. - ALWAYS rest your meat for 10-20 minutes before and after grilling.

8989 South Orange Ave. Orlando, Florida 32824

RecreationAle Your Session Starts Now R I CK SWARTZ, B EER CONSULTANT – VER O B E AC H @ ABC BEER RICK

RecreationAle is an American style session pale ale. Dry hopped with Galaxy, it has a nose of subdued citrus and passion fruit, along with some pine, ginger and grass notes. Pouring golden with a slight amber tint, RecreationAle has a pillow-y white head that leaves nice lacing on the glass. On the palate, there is decent bitterness that balances the malt nicely. The hop flavors are not as prominent on the palate as the aroma might suggest. However, in my opinion, this is often the case with “session” pale ales and IPAs and in no way subtracts from the quality of this brew. It is a great beer for a day on the boat, at the beach or to pack in and out on that upcoming camping trip.

Brewery Terrapin Beer Co. Athens, Georgia Hops

Bravo, Centennial, Zythos, Amarillo, Galaxy

Malts

2-Row Pale, Crystal 24, Victory

ABV

4.7%

IBUs