10 year challenge? Local craft brewing wins!

by Matthew Crumbaker January 24, 2019

Social media was set ablaze recently with people participating in the #10YearChallenge.

The premise was to post a picture of yourself 10 years ago side-by-side with a recent one and show how have you aged.

A picture of the area’s craft beer scene 10 years ago might have shown craft beer bar Leon Pub, maybe 2008’s new spot Fermentation Lounge, or even mentioned the now-defunct Buckhead Brewery.

But overall? Tallahassee's craft beer scene was fairly barren. Fast-forward to early 2019, and it has drastically improved.

Tallahassee now claims five award-winning breweries inside the city limits, a brewing upstart in Fool’s Fire, Florida’s first growler fill station, one of Florida’s premier beer festivals — Florida Tap Invitational — and a consumer base that is increasingly knowledgeable about beer.

Who could’ve imagined all of this even five years ago?

That’s why we were excited when we heard about “Brews by the Bay” — the first craft beer event in Wakulla County history, slated for Feb. 2 in Panacea.

Event organizers Kathie Brown and Kinsey Miller have teamed up with Tri-Eagle Distributing to bring Wakulla something unique. Brews by the Bay will be hosted waterside at the scenic Woolley Park, and Brown and Miller are pulling out all the stops in their first foray with food trucks, fresh oysters, vendors, a packed lineup of live music, and of course, craft beer!

All the festivities will benefit the Florida Wild Mammal Association, a nonprofit organization with a stated goal of “the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife in the North Florida region of the panhandle.”

At the affordable price point of $25, tickets for this event are going quickly so be sure to snag yours today here, show up on Feb. 2, and snap plenty of pictures.

Because given what's happened on our craft beer scene over the last decade, we’re betting that 10 years from now this event looks bigger and better!

Inaugural Tallahassee Beer Festival this weekend

You’ve seen the billboards and social media blitz, and you've heard the radio ads — yes, the wait is finally over!

The inaugural Tallahassee

Be sure to swing by our TLH Beer Society table, say hey, grab a sticker, enter our raffle, re-hydrate with sodas and water, and vote for some of your festival favorites. We'll be awarding trophies for Best Brewery, Best Beer, Best Local Beer and Best Homebrewer.

Ology's next bottle release

Before you head out to the Tallahassee Beer Festival Saturday, swing by Ology Brewing for an 11 a.m. release of its next bottled American sour: Dynamic Fermentum: Peaches and Pomegranates. Fruity, beautiful and aged in barrels for 12 months, this mixed culture brew should have a nice tartness and mild funkiness.

GrassLands Brewing heads #ToTheGoal

On Wednesday, members of the Tallahassee Soccer Club announced its latest local sponsor, GrassLands Brewery, in a Facebook Live event featuring board members Chris Petley and Michael Bonfanti, GrassLands owner Gabe Grass and a member of the club’s organized supporters, “Olde Fields Battalion."

The partnership underscores the #LocalSupportingLocal vibe that is consistent throughout the #TLHBeer scene. Be sure to follow GrassLands’ and TLHSC's social media — there might just be a special beer in the works!

Deep going blonde?

This weekend, Deep taps a beer patrons haven’t seen since it first opened three years ago. Shore Dive — a Belgian blonde — pulls off that delicate balancing act between sweet and bitter, while clocking in at a robust 7.2 percent ABV.

Last week at Proof's old location

Proof should be announcing any day when the grand opening of its new location at 1320 S. Monroe will be. In the meantime, this is the final week the brewery's old location at Railroad Square will be open. Get by there before Friday at midnight, have one last nostalgic beer and get a picture in the beer garden before it closes forever.

Lake Tribe Brewing announces charity bottle share

Between live music events, brewery upgrades, brewing new beers, and most recently ramping up distribution of its canned beers, the group at Lake Tribe Brewing stays incredibly busy.

And now Lake Tribe and the Tallahassee Beer Society are teaming up for a bottle share — 3-7 p.m. Feb. 10.

The event will be at Lake Tribe, which is normally closed on Sundays, and will feature a live acoustic set from Casey Smith of the band South of Echo, as well as a food truck.

The suggested donation is $10, and all proceeds benefit the Tallahassee chapter of the Alzheimer's Project.

Georgia Beer Company on the brink

After much anticipation, Georgia Beer Company owners Chris Jones and J. Ryce Martin put together a Facebook live announcement last week dropping the official opening date for their Valdosta brewery, Georgia Beer Company.

The official opening of GBC will be 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4.

No, that is not a typo. The brewery at 109 S. Briggs St. in Valdosta is officially opening on a Monday, with initial hours 4-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 12:30-6 p.m. Sundays.

Some of its beers on tap for opening day include a blonde ale, a coffee milk stout featuring locally roasted beans, and a hoppy Tropical IPA.

We hope to see y’all there as we welcome our area's next craft brewery!

The TLH Beer Society is a group of avid craft beer lovers that was co-founded by Tallahassee native Matthew Crumbaker. Follow them on social media at Facebook.com/TLHBeerSociety or @TLHBeerSociety on Twitter and Instagram. Email them at tlhbeersociety@gmail.com.