a craft beer is from a smaller brewery that produces beer that actually tastes good. stuff like cigar city brewing, dogfish head, etc.. chances are that if you get it in a bowing alley then it is not craft beer.
Cigar City is the main reason for my semi-regular treks to the Tampa area. So I suppose that is where I would go for a good craft beer. It really seems as though they can do no wrong, as far as producing quality beer. I really hope that I can continue to make semi-regular trips down I-4 to visit the CCB tasting room.
I do rather enjoy the barleywine meatloaf from Tampa Bay Brewing also. Nom nom....
Lord knows I won't drive that distance to visit the Yuengling tasting room. Last time I was there, August I believe, I showed the tour lady just how bad their beer can be. She was actually quite amazed.
Here's a fun little test you can do if you go on their tour too. Afterwards, ask for a sample of the lager, both from a bottle and from tap. Now take a sniff of each. The bottled beer is insanely skunky from being light struck...and this is from a bottle that has never even left their property. It tastes just as bad as it smells. The lager from tap is better in all aspects to what they pass off in their green bottles, which they admit is for marketing purposes. Such a shame that image is more important than a quality product. They seemingly take such pride in being the oldest American owned brewery, yet let their beer go bad before it even leaves the brewery. I'll never understand........................................
yeah I plan to visit the ccb as soon as I can this sounds like something i would really enjoy. and tampa bay brewing company is an amazing restaurant/beer place!!
I was actually thinking about joining this club. What do they do on a typical meeting?
great club. We are #1 in state competitions and have 2 of the 4 state master BJCP judges here.
we also have a nice brewathon campout in December.
at the meetings, we here some boring annoncements, sometimes guest speakers from places like dogfish head, sierra nevada, brewdog, then we all mill around, share our beers and try to find our way home.
what is your favorite tampa pub to get great craft beer?
i've only been once, but it struck me as a franchise/chain. okay if you have nothing better around.
dunderbaks has 50 taps and several hundred bottled beers. i like supporting local businessmen, especial those who pretty much shut down their normal operation once a month to host a brew club.
I was actually thinking about joining this club. What do they do on a typical meeting?
making your own beer theoretically saves you money. that's what you tell your wife/gf, anyway. although once you start doing all grains, and start shopping for the blichmann three tier system and walk in fermenter system, that idea pretty much goes to hell.
membership in the brew club is a worthwhile investment though. the $15 membership gets you a 10% discount at several local businesses. after 3 visits to BJs with inlaws, i pretty much ;made up for my membership fee several times over.
local brew supply shops like Southern Brewing in north tampa and Booth's in Brandon give discounts for brew supplies.
and if you enter a beer competition and win, the club pays your entry fees.
making your own beer theoretically saves you money. that's what you tell your wife/gf, anyway. although once you start doing all grains, and start shopping for the blichmann three tier system and walk in fermenter system, that idea pretty much goes to hell.
membership in the brew club is a worthwhile investment though. the $15 membership gets you a 10% discount at several local businesses. after 3 visits to BJs with inlaws, i pretty much ;made up for my membership fee several times over.
local brew supply shops like Southern Brewing in north tampa and Booth's in Brandon give discounts for brew supplies.
and if you enter a beer competition and win, the club pays your entry fees.
Best place is Oldsmar Taphouse. Food is just coldcuts, so you need to be a drinker to appreciate the place. Tony, the owner, is an extremely friendly guy (also a BJCP certified beer judge, so he knows his stuff). All craft beers. Good luck finding it.
BTW, not a very busy place. Not a party. Just a cool little retro craftbeer joint with very knowledgeable staff.
My votes definitely go to the Westchase World of Beer when I'm heading out after work and to Dunderbak's on BBD near USF when the wife and I want to go out, but parking is a royal PITA at Dunderbak's.
great club. We are #1 in state competitions and have 2 of the 4 state master BJCP judges here.
we also have a nice brewathon campout in December.
at the meetings, we here some boring annoncements, sometimes guest speakers from places like dogfish head, sierra nevada, brewdog, then we all mill around, share our beers and try to find our way home.
@sharpstick - when are the meetings? I've been meaning to join for months now.