Brewer’s Ball 2018
On Sunday March 4th, brewers and employees along with others gathered at Tampa’s Water Works Park for a celebration of the awards ceremony for the Best Florida Beer annual competition. The Best Florida Beer Professional Championship is an AHA- and BJCP-sanctioned professional beer, mead, and cider competition sponsored by Best Florida Beer. This is the most prestigious professional beer competition in the state of Florida.
Brewers from all over the state submit their beer for consideration each year. There are bronze, silver and gold medals in 38 different categories as well as ten overall winners such as Best Brewery, Best Small Batch, etc.
First off, this was one of the most relaxed and well-run events I have encountered in a long time. Everything was incredibly smooth from getting in the gate to navigating the grounds. Staff seemed to be everywhere if you needed something and quickly faded into the crowd when you didn’t.
Next thing – if you love beer and especially if you love Florida beer this is THE event to be at. The actual judging for this event was several weeks ago. All of the winners were notified that they won. However, they did not know what they had won. Each brewer brings a hefty supply of their award-winning beer or beers. All of the award winners are set up in numerous tents, and attendees are invited to try any of them at their leisure.
Best Florida Beer does extensive work behind the scenes to set all this up. According to Best Florida Beer president Gemma Adel, their entire goal for this event is for the Brewers and their staff to simply relax and enjoy themselves without having to “work.” They want to see the attendees able to just mingle and talk to each other, to collaborate on ideas and new beers. To this point that’s why Gemma says they called this a Ball rather than a festival. It’s thrown FOR the Florida Brewers.
Walking through the grounds this is evident everywhere you look. As you would expect, the rows upon rows of kegs are where everyone gathers. Smiles were evident no matter where you looked. However, these are the people normally handing out the beers to everyone else at these types of events. Here everyone is trying what was by my count approximately 130 different beers. Most importantly though, every time I turned around I saw people from different breweries talking to each other. Laughing, sharing ideas, tips or coming up with new concepts. I have no doubt that more than a few new beers are going to come from people standing around the tents at this event. The freedom from not having to work a tap or spend all day describing their products gives the guests of the event license to do what they do best – find new ways to continue making Florida the best state in the country for beer.
I spoke with Jenna Perian of Flying Boat Brewery about this as well. She talked at length about how the Brew Industry is an incredibly collaborative business. She finds it to be one of the most supportive industries she has seen. Events like this where they can interact with different breweries she finds everyone to be less competitive with each other and more helpful than anything. The brewers push themselves and their industry out of personal desire rather than a desire to be “better” than the other brewers.
USF St. Pete also had a booth setup at the event. They are offering a 22-week+ internship certification program in Brewing Arts. This is an intense program designed for anyone who has an interest in brewing. It is targeted to everyone from enthusiasts and home brewers to those looking to launch a career in the industry. I spoke to two individuals who were currently going through the course, one just looking to learn more and possibly start a second career while the other knew he wanted to go into the industry and saw this as his foot in the door.
Live music was provided throughout the day. First up was Meg Shannon. The singer/songwriter from St. Petersburg was in fine form. She was playing a gorgeous D’Angelo hollow body acoustic-electric. With songs ranging from soulful ballads to stronger blues-inspired rockers, her music was the perfect soundtrack to the fantastic Florida spring day.
After her set, Jason Toft from Best Florida Beer came up to hand out the medals. As if to further demonstrate just how close-knit this industry is, each time a new award was announced the raucous cheers from the competing breweries were at least as loud as those from the actual winner. There were smiles and high fives for everyone. This is honestly the most genuinely happy group of businesses I’ve seen. Then again, they do make beer for a living. There may be a life lesson in that.
Once the medals were handed out, Have Gun, Will Travel came on stage to continue the music. Their lead singer was suffering from a lost voice, so many other band members jumped in to help out. This led to a fun, more laid-back set that involved a lot of joking around and offers of ‘Does anyone know how to sing a song? Want to come up and sing?’ That said, the music never suffered for it. Their set was full of energy, fun and their regular blend of rock, Americana and folksy blues that have made them a fan favorite around here for a long time.
Once Have Gun, Will Travel finished up it was time for the big awards. These are the Best In Show awards such as Best Small Brewery in Florida, Best Brewpub, Best Cider/Mead, and of course the big one – Best Beer In Florida. These awards validate the incredible amount of work these artisans put into their craft, and the joy for those who won was clearly evident. Everyone gathered in a large semicircle around the front of the stage at the park anxiously waiting as the announcer called the name of the winner of each of the ten categories. Again what struck me was how genuinely excited even those who did not win were for the winners. There was a great deal of high-fiving, back-slapping and general celebration by everyone for the winners. It was great to see just how much all these breweries root for each other, which speaks volumes about why Florida is becoming the epicenter for high-quality beer in this country.
Taking home the biggest prize – Best Beer In Florida – was Big Blue Brewing in Cape Coral for their Lightest Thing Ya Got (Cream Ale).
Find out more at the Best Florida Beer website including details on how many different submissions there were for each category and more. Link below the list of winners.
Individual Winners and Best In Show Awards
Category 1: Mead
o Bronze: Mad Beach Cider & Mead, Rum Barrel Pirate Booty
o Silver: Wicked Barley Cider & Mead, Wicked Barley Brazilian Mead
o Gold: Garagiste Meadery, Can’t You Hear The Thunder
Category 2: American Lager
o Bronze: Big Storm Brewing Co, Lightning 25 Lager
o Silver: Crooked Thumb Brewery, Harbor Lager
o Gold: Pensacola Bay Brewery, Pensacola Bays Amber Lager
Category 3: Cider & Perry
o Bronze: Green Bench Mead & Cider, I Am Brut
o Silver: Mad Beach Cider & Mead, Mad Beach Sour Green Apple Cider
o Gold: Cigar City Cider & Mead, Hard Cider
Category 4: Golden/Blonde Ale:
o Bronze: Walking Tree Brewery, Straw Hat
o Silver: Veterans United Craft Brewery, Raging Blonde Ale
o Gold: 81 Bay Brewing Company, Fort Brooke Blonde Ale
Category 5: Cream Ale
o Bronze: Mathews Brewing Company, Sweet Emotion
o Silver: Palm City Brewing, San Carlos Proper
o Gold: Big Blue Brewing, Lightest Thing Ya Got
Category 6: Pilsner
o Bronze: Red Cypress Brewery, Subdivisions
o Silver: Southern Brewing And Winemaking, Koenig Hans
o Gold: Coppertail Brewing Company, Independent Pilsner
Category 7: Marzen/Oktoberfest
o Bronze: Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company, Hollowtoberfest
o Silver: Flying Boat Brewing Company, Booker Lake Lager
o Gold: Motorworks Brewing, V-Twin
Category 8: German Ale
o Bronze: Fort Myers Brewing Company, Caloosahatchee Kolsch
o Bronze: Motorworks Brewing, Cruiser
o Silver: Mastry’s Brewing Company, Kite Surfer
o Gold: Veterans United Craft Brewery, Scout Dog 44
Category 9: Session Ale
o Bronze: Florida Avenue Brewing Company, Hourly Rate
o Silver: Seventh Sun Brewing Company, La Fete
o Gold: Brew Hub, Rome City
Category 10: European Lager
o Bronze: Proof Brewing Company, Proof Lager
o Silver: Six Ten Brewing, Mischievous Black
o Gold: Coppertail Brewing Company, Dunkel
Category 11: English Ale
o Bronze: Fat Point Brewing, Big Boca
o Silver: Ancient City Brewing Co., Drink It Down Brown (Pecan Nut Brown Ale)
o Gold: Copp Winery And Brewery, 1821 ESB
Category 12: Scottish/Irish Ale
o Bronze: Mad Beach Craft Brewing Company, # Amber Ale (Hashtag Amber Ale)
o Silver: Scotty’s Bierwerks, Irish Red Ale
o Gold: Arkane Aleworks, Yarmouth
Category 13: Pale Ale
o Bronze: Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Reef Donkey
o Silver: Islamorada Beer Company, Floridays
o Gold: Cigar City Brewing, Guayabera
Category 14: American Amber/Red/Brown Ale
o Bronze: Red Cypress Brewery, Born To Lose
o Silver: Pair O’ Dice Brewing Company, Hop Bet Red
o Gold: Main And Six Brewing Company, Handsworth Brown Ale
Category 15: Porter
o Bronze: Cueni Brewing Co, Monkey Skull Porter
o Silver: Ancient City Brewing Co, Castillo Coconut Porter
o Gold: Bootleggers Brewing Co, Chicago Typewriter Porter
Category 16: Sweet/Strong Stout
o Bronze: Fort Myers Brewing Company, Bubblin’ Crude
o Silver: Pinellas Ale Works, 1888
o Gold: Cigar City Brewing, Marshal Zhukov’s Imperial Stout
Category 17: India Pale Ale
o Bronze: Deep Brewing Company, REEFraction
o Silver: Red Cypress Brewery, Devil’s Chair
o Gold: Escape Brewing Company, The Other West Coast IPA
Category 18: Wheat/Rye Beer
o Bronze: The Good Liquid Brewing Company, Honey Rye IPA
o Silver: 3 Bridges Brewing, Wunderkind
o Gold: Darwin Brewing Company, Circa 1926
Category 19: Belgian/French Ale
o Bronze: Infinite Ale Works, Witfinite
o Silver: Mathews Brewing Company, White Goblin
o Gold: Infinite Ale Work, Infinite Trails
Category 20: Saison
o Bronze: The Tank Brewing Company, La Finca Miami
o Silver: Veterans United Craft Brewery, Farmers Little Helper
o Gold: The Hourglass Brewery, Saison du Sablier
Category 21: Dry Stouts
o Bronze: Southern Brewing And Winemaking, Oliver’s Gruel
o Silver: McGuires Irish Pub – Destin, McGuire’s Irish Stout
o Gold: Walking Tree Brewery, Babycakes
Category 22: Belgian Strong Ales
o Bronze: McGuire’s Irish Pub – Pensacola, Millenium Ale
o Silver: Barrel Of Monks Brewing, Three Fates
o Gold: Cueni Brewing Co, Belgian 3 Way
Category 23: Belgian Dark Strong Ales
o Bronze: Cueni Brewing Co, Drunken ‘MONK’ E
o Silver: 81 Bay Brewing Company, Borasch Belgian Dubbel
o Gold: Infinite Ale Works, West Floridian
Category 24: Strong Ale
o Bronze: Momentum Brewhouse, Twisted Cap
o Silver: Walking Tree Brewery, Barnacled Manatee
o Gold: Swamp Head Brewery, Peat Dunwoody
Category 25: Fruit Beer
o Bronze: Big Top Brewing, Big Life Tropical Lager
o Silver: Infinite Ale Works: Raspberry Witfinite
o Gold: Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Quat
Category 26: Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer
o Bronze: Coppertail Brewing Co, Slam Piece
o Silver: Momentum Brewhouse, Udderly Crazy
o Gold: Arkane Aleworks, Gimme Swelter
Category 27: Coffee/Chocolate Beer
o Bronze: Angry Chair Brewing, The Awakening
o Silver: Deep Brewing Company, Morning Boat
o Gold: Fort Myers Brewing Company, Chocolate Stout
Category 28: Wood Aged Beer
o Bronze: Brew Bus Brewing, Scorched Earth
o Silver: Motorworks Brewing, Thresher
o Gold: Brew Hub, Eskimo Brothers
Category 29: Experimental/Specialty Beer
o Bronze: Angry Chair Brewing, El Cucuy
o Silver: Hidden Springs Ale Works, Riot Juice
o Gold: The Hourglass Brewery, La Fee Dragee
Category 30: Traditional (Mixed Culture) Sour Ale
o Bronze: Dunderbrau @ Mr. Dunderbaks, Ned’s Red
o Silver: Cigar City Brewing, Guava Grove
o Gold: Wicked Barley Brewing Company, The Passionate Mango
Category 31: Wood/Barrel/Fruited Mixed Culture Sour Ale
o Bronze: Aardwolf Brewing Company, Animals And Passions
o Silver: Funky Buddha Brewery, Get Pitted
o Gold: Hidden Springs Ale Works, Oubliette (OOooo-blee-ette)
Category 32: Honey Beer
o Bronze: Sailfish Brewing Company, Don’t Poke The Bear
o Silver: Big Blue Brewing, Let It Bee Honey Brown
o Gold: Green Bench Brewing Company, Sauvage Miel (saw-vawge mee-el)
Category 33: Kettle Soured Ale
o Bronze: Big Top Brewing Company, Ringmaster Raspberry Berliner
o Silver: Fort Myers Brewing Company, Prickly Pear Gose
o Gold: Arkane Aleworks, Mezkin Blackbird
Category 34: Brett Beer
o Bronze: Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour And Brewery, Rosé
o Silver: Escape Brewing Company, Reveur
o Gold: MIA Brewing Company, Crimes Of Passion
Category 35: Smoked Beer
o Bronze: Rapp Brewing Company, Smoked Porter
o Silver: Sailfish Brewing Company, Riesenhai Rauchbier
o Gold: Amelia Island Brewing Company, Sm’kn M’rtha
Category 36: Dessert Stout
o Bronze: Proof Brewing Company, White Chocolate Cinnamon Coconut Creatures In The Dark
o Silver: Deep Brewing Company, Octopie
o Gold: Point Ybel Brewing Co, Cinnamon Toast Brunch
Category 37: New England IPA
o Bronze: Southern Swells Brewing Co, Imperial Karate In The Garage
o Silver: Proof Brewing Company, Tropical Uprising
o Gold: Red Cypress Brewery, Pillow Feathers
Category 38: Floridaweisse
o Bronze: Flying Boat Brewing, The Flight Of The Florida
o Silver: Florida Avenue Brewing Company, Never Too Late For Summer
o Gold: Florida Avenue Brewing Company, Florida Avenue Raspberry Berlinerweisse
Best In Show Awards:
Best Brewpub In Florida:
Big Blue Brewing, Cape Coral, FL
Best Cider/Mead In Florida
Can’t You Hear The Thunder, Garigiste Meadery, Tampa, FL
Best Small Brewery In Florida:
Arkane Aleworks, Largo, FL
Best Large Brewery In Florida:
Infinite Ale Works, Ocala, FL
Second Runner Up Best Small Batch Beer In Florida:
Yarmouth, Arkane Aleworks, Largo, FL
Runner Up Best Small Batch Beer In Florida:
The Passionate Mango, Wicked Barley Brewing Company, Jacksonville, FL
Best Small Batch Beer In Florida:
(Presented by Country Malt Group & Brewcraft USA)
Chocolate Stout, Fort Myers Brewing Company, Fort Myers, FL
Second Runner Up Best Beer In Florida
Guayabera, Cigar City Brewing, Tampa, FL
Runner Up Best Beer In Florida:
West Floridian, Infinite Ale Works, Ocala FL
Best Beer In Florida:
(presented by Brewer’s Supply Group)
Lightest Thing Ya Got, Big Blue Brewing, Cape Coral, FL
www.bestfloridabeer.org
