[Serious Conversation]

I was in Tampa yesterday and Sarasota today. I had dinner at an Outback in Sarasota and stopped in a Publix in both places and found only Cigar City Brewing as a craft beer choice. I noticed plenty of old standbys from SC, GA, and even Highland Brewing in Asheville, NC on sale at Publix. Does FL have virtually no brewing scene?

[StarfishKey]

There are a number of startups in the Keys now. There was even a festival around it recently in the Upper Keys. I don't drink so I don't follow it much, but people who are into microbreweries and things are often into other things I'm into so I did notice that that seems to be a growing presence down here, from Key Largo to Key West. It makes sense, given that people in the Keys are known both for their drinking, and for their interest in doing their own thing and not following the crowd.

The only thing that has held some local brews back is figuring out what to do with the massive amount of spent hops apparently, because we are on islands where there is no room to dump waste, and I have seen people solving this on the local craigslist by giving them away to be used in compost and mulching on a large scale, like by towns. It's way cheaper than trucking it all the way out to the mainland in garbage trucks, which is not affordable for small labels and thus prevents them from producing at all in the Keys. So some are figuring out how to handle logistical problems like this now, and I guess that's why they're finally starting to grow down here.

Since I don't drink, I have no idea if any of them are good. But at least they're starting local businesses.

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by StarfishKey

There are a number of startups in the Keys now. There was even a festival around it recently in the Upper Keys. I don't drink so I don't follow it much, but people who are into microbreweries and things are often into other things I'm into so I did notice that that seems to be a growing presence down here, from Key Largo to Key West. It makes sense, given that people in the Keys are known both for their drinking, and for their interest in doing their own thing and not following the crowd.

The only thing that has held some local brews back is figuring out what to do with the massive amount of spent hops apparently, because we are on islands where there is no room to dump waste, and I have seen people solving this on the local craigslist by giving them away to be used in compost and mulching on a large scale, like by towns. It's way cheaper than trucking it all the way out to the mainland in garbage trucks, which is not affordable for small labels and thus prevents them from producing at all in the Keys. So some are figuring out how to handle logistical problems like this now, and I guess that's why they're finally starting to grow down here.

Since I don't drink, I have no idea if any of them are good. But at least they're starting local businesses.

That's imteresting as I've never heard of anyone brewing on small islands. Back in Indiana, the waste presumably goes to landfills and there would be plenty of space. I was just surprised that in an area with so many people, there was so little local beer.

[AES328]

This took .03 seconds to google. Just the local ones.

Tampa Bay Brewery List | Tampa Bay Brew News

I'm fond of Big Storm's offerings, myself.

[StarfishKey]

Originally Posted by Emigrations

That's imteresting as I've never heard of anyone brewing on small islands. Back in Indiana, the waste presumably goes to landfills and there would be plenty of space. I was just surprised that in an area with so many people, there was so little local beer.

Right, but consider how many people in Florida are transient and only live here half the year or a few months, how many are elderly, how many are working around the clock to be able to afford beach living, and how many came here to just get away from everything and are not really into doing anything creative at all. That leaves very little of the population to actually have the opportunity, motivation, and startup money to get involved in such an enterprise.

No offense, but in rather objective terms, people in Northern places like Indiana don't have much else to do other than make a social occasion out of making and trying different beers, which may be why it's more common there as a state - especially of course during the long winter months. I say that as someone originally from the North, not in a condescending way. People in FL, if not on retirement, may be too busy hanging out at the beach to think about something like that. And my personal impression is that Florida is a highly conformist state - HIGHLY. Outside of the Keys, going along and not standing out or doing anything new is really encouraged here. It's not exactly a hotbed of innovation, but more a state that lags behind and grudgingly accepts and adopts what other states have proved useful decades earlier. You can find that in examples of everything from public transportation options, to clothing styles, to energy sources, to social changes. I love many things about my state, but it is considered a brain drain state, and the innovators are not really here. They go elsewhere for better paying jobs, more diverse opportunities, and communities more open to going against the grain and trying something new.

Florida is also not a state known for culinary achievement really - this is where taste buds go to die in mildly seasoned seafood and fried foods. It's not where someone goes to taste something new and exciting. Most people who come here for vacation are not exactly looking for sophisticated. They're looking for an Olive Garden or a Friday's on their way to their family day at mini golf, or a visit at the grandparents' condo. Florida is the last place in the US to find a hipster community.

[StreetSmarts]

Asheville is the #1 beer city in the US. Starfishkey kind of hit the nail on the head for you. If you want hispter, Asheville is the place. FL aint got it.

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by ComSense

Asheville is the #1 beer city in the US. Starfishkey kind of hit the nail on the head for you. If you want hispter, Asheville is the place. FL aint got it.

Asheville has great beer - NC runs close to #1 of the states I've been to, perhaps behind ME, MI, and IN. Still, FL is much, much bigger than any of these states, and to have almost no local beer in a major supermarket was alarming.

[Fl1150]

Originally Posted by StarfishKey

Right, but consider how many people in Florida are transient and only live here half the year or a few months, how many are elderly, how many are working around the clock to be able to afford beach living, and how many came here to just get away from everything and are not really into doing anything creative at all. That leaves very little of the population to actually have the opportunity, motivation, and startup money to get involved in such an enterprise.

No offense, but in rather objective terms, people in Northern places like Indiana don't have much else to do other than make a social occasion out of making and trying different beers, which may be why it's more common there as a state - especially of course during the long winter months. I say that as someone originally from the North, not in a condescending way. People in FL, if not on retirement, may be too busy hanging out at the beach to think about something like that. And my personal impression is that Florida is a highly conformist state - HIGHLY. Outside of the Keys, going along and not standing out or doing anything new is really encouraged here. It's not exactly a hotbed of innovation, but more a state that lags behind and grudgingly accepts and adopts what other states have proved useful decades earlier. You can find that in examples of everything from public transportation options, to clothing styles, to energy sources, to social changes. I love many things about my state, but it is considered a brain drain state, and the innovators are not really here. They go elsewhere for better paying jobs, more diverse opportunities, and communities more open to going against the grain and trying something new.

Florida is also not a state known for culinary achievement really - this is where taste buds go to die in mildly seasoned seafood and fried foods. It's not where someone goes to taste something new and exciting. Most people who come here for vacation are not exactly looking for sophisticated. They're looking for an Olive Garden or a Friday's on their way to their family day at mini golf, or a visit at the grandparents' condo. Florida is the last place in the US to find a hipster community.

I can respect your opinion but I have no idea what your talking about too much generalizing to be considered factual.

[Zaba]

Frankly, I am totally glad that imbecilic, pretentous hipster dbag fest that is 'craft brews' is passing us right by.

[AES328]

Originally Posted by Zaba

Frankly, I am totally glad that imbecilic, pretentous hipster dbag fest that is 'craft brews' is passing us right by.

Two things:

1) It isn't
2) Hipsters drink PBR, which is about as far from a craft brew as is possible


I think it's hilarious that people actually get offended that folks might want something other than the mass-produced garbage that the big boys produce (I do enjoy Sam Adams, though). Now go drink your Keystone Light **** beer