For those who love the oldest known fermented drink, there is nothing like that first cold, foamy sip of good beer. It is common for wine lovers to spend time during their vacation sampling the local wine fare. It’s considered classy and cultured. Well, beer lovers on vacation can tour the South Florida area microbreweries with as much classy and cultured results.
The Basics
Microbreweries are small producers (less than 15,000 barrels a year) of beer. There are less than 2,000 microbreweries in the entire United States, and several exist in our little tip of the country. The growing community of beer connoisseurs keep these independent breweries in business. To be a beer connoisseur, familiarity with these beer terms is important:
-The basic ingredients of beer are water, malt, hops, and yeast.
-Ales are brewed with top-fermenting yeast. Originally from England, this type of beer is low in carbonation and served warm.
-A bock beer is a German-style beer with a strong alcoholic content.
-A lager comes from the German word “to store”. This type of beer has longer and cooler fermentation periods and are brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast giving it a distinctive strong taste.
-A pilsner is a type of lager beer, first made in Czechoslovakia in the late 13th century.
-A porter is a dark brown beer of English origin.
-A stout type of beer is a full-bodied, rich and sweet version of a porter.
-Malting is the term used for soaking the grain to begin germination and then drying it under controlled conditions in a kiln. The malt comes in a variety of flavors.
For those who get tired of the same name brand beers, unique beers await. Beers with robust taste and vibrant singular flavor are the norm at these microbreweries and they await you in South Florida. Try different beers to really get a sense of what’s out there. There are some real surprises hidden in these breweries, including beers that taste like coffee or chocolate or fruit.
Fort Lauderdale
Calling itself a nano brewery, the Mack House features its signature Holy Mackerel brews on tap, including a golden ale, a Belgian tripple-saison fusion and an imperial black ale, all stellar examples of what this small brand is capable of. Smaller batches of new concoctions, such as a chocolate oatmeal stout made with Ghirardelli morsels, are also tested out on the loyal clientele. On most nights, you can also enjoy open mic performers and there is a $1 off beers until 11 P.M.
This truly British cozy and simple pub hides its greatness in its brews and the select, authentic British dishes. Featuring a pub quiz night and a British marketplace next door, this would be a great stop to a self guided brewery tour.
Miami
Everyone’s favorite bar, decorated with wooden panels, stained glass, and monastery like atmosphere, is a favorite of local musicians, writers, artists and philosophers. Known for its Immaculate IPA, an unforgettable house amber beer, Father Theodore’s Stout, a deep black beer has a variety of flavors including chocolate, coffee, roasted toffee and anise flavors.
What is your favorite beer?
