Expansion and experimentation on the horizon at Ology Brewing Company

Big things come in small packages. Take a 500 mL bottle of Ology’s Dynamic Fermentum, for instance. Sure, it looks like a typical bottle. But it’s actually hours of labor, months of barrel aging, thousands of tiny chemical reactions — and one incredible beer with some huge flavors.

The brewers at Ology have made the most of small packages, and we’re not just talking bottles anymore. The brewery has been pumping out an impressive number of delicious and award-winning beers using very limited brewing space (less than 1,000 square feet) in their 6th Avenue brewery. Its beers so good, in fact, that Ology can now be found on taps and in bottles in five different states, and cities with thriving beer cultures — places like Denver, Colorado, Atlanta, Chicago and Greenville, South Carolina.

So how do you keep up with all this additional demand?

Expand! 

Ology recently announced the opening of a new production facility, adding 4,200 square feet of dedicated brewing space. Ology owner and head brewer Nick Walker said, “It’s almost hard to quantify the amount we’ll be able to produce. We’ve never had space that has allowed us to focus solely on brewing.”

The additional elbow room, coupled with some new brewery equipment, will ensure that the winner for “Best Brewery” at Cigar City’s prestigious Hunahpu’s Day earlier this year will be able to keep up with expanding demand. But co-owner Paul Woodward offers an additional perk. 

“This is really exciting when you consider what this means for beer fans," Woodward said. "Sure it means comfortably keeping supply in distribution, but it also frees time and space to  experiment and explore new beers, styles, and flavors – that’s a great thing!” 

We couldn’t agree more.

A man, a can, and GrassLands

A few months ago, GrassLands owner Gabe Grass let us drop the word that its debut line of cans since the brewery first opened in 2015 was coming.

And finally, the wait is over.

A first-time can release is special news, but GrassLands took things up another notch by releasing its To The Goal Citrus Session IPA – a beer brewed in collaboration with the Tallahassee Soccer Club. The citrus forward IPA, brewed with sweet orange peel, celebrates Tallahassee’s first semi-pro soccer club that began play May 4. Six-packs go on sale in the tasting room at noon Thursday so be sure to swing through and grab a case of Tallahassee history.

Deep diving into summer

"Sublime; adjective: Of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe." 

Well, consider us in awe as Deep Brewing’s Ryan LaPete has decided to can one of his favorites — a beer he’s brewed since his home brewing days: SUBlime Keylime.

Labeled a Florida Weiss (a fruited berliner), this beer hits many of the notes you’d look for in a warm-weather brew: crisp, flavorful and loaded with a tart citrus kick. Cans go on sale in the tasting room at 1 p.m. Friday. 

Catch the "Red-I" at Lake Tribe

We’ve been really excited about the #LocalSupportingLocal collaboration between Lake Tribe brewing and Fool’s Fire Brewing (operating out of Fermentation Lounge). There’s just something great when different Tallahassee talents combine on a project. 

That’s why we’re stoked to see Lake Tribe kick off #AmericanCraftBeerWeek with the return of its popular Red IPA collab featuring Tallahassee’s RedEye Coffee cold brew. The combining of tasty local cold brew with delicious citrus hop notes produces intense aromas that belie the smooth, balanced finish on this one.

This beer releases Thursday.

Proof seeing double

Proof will be releasing two of its Glass Emperor series.

A single bottle release featuring a Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout is news enough, but in celebration of American Craft Beer Week, Proof is dropping two BBA bottles of its Glass Emperor stout. The release begins at 11 a.m. Saturday and will feature BBA Glass Emperor and a BBA Coconut Macadamia version. Supplies are limited, and bottle limits will be determined at the door.

Proof also announced this week it's set to release its first-ever 16 oz. canned beer in the tasting room: a Double IPA called Quantum Foam that was brewed in collaboration with Finback Brewery in Glendale, New York. The release date of that beer will be 11 a.m. Friday, May 24.

Bottle share to benefit Hang Tough

Each charity bottle share we’ve been a part of has seen attendance, community support and donation totals grow — it’s a trend we’d like to keep going. 

So we're happy to announce that on Wednesday Proof will be hosting a bottle share, where your $20 donation will aid Tallahassee’s Hang Tough Foundation in its mission to offer resources, encouragement and community to families during their journeys with childhood illness and special needs.

Some food will be provided via donation by Proof's in-house restaurant, Proper Brew Pub at Proof, and Proof has also partnered with Lyft to provide discounted rides to and from the brewery using code "FLGUILD19." 

Come out, bring a bottle/can or two of craft brew, and enjoy a good time for a great cause.

More:A guide to craft beer bottle share etiquette | Around the Brew Bend

What the Elfin?

The Tallahassee Frosted Elfin Research Team, the Florida Museum and First Magnitude Brewing of Gainesville are teaming up for a fundraiser from 4-7 p.m. Saturday, May 25 at the Brass Tap on Gaines Street to help support imperiled Florida butterflies such as the Frosted Elfin. 

First Magnitude will release an exclusive brew in Tallahassee that day called Frosted Elfin New England-Style Session Pale Ale, highlighting the rare butterfly and made with yeast collected directly from the elfins’ wings. (No, we did not make that up.)

Cigar City invades Tally

We celebrated our 40th radio show on ESPN 97.9 last week by welcoming the two biggest guests we've ever had: Cigar City founder Joey Redner and chief operating officer Justin Clark — and they were in studio, in Tallahassee!

The interview was so entertaining and insightful, we broke it into two shows. Listen to Part 1, which aired last Saturday, here. And Part 2 airs at 9:30 a.m. Saturday on 97.9 FM.

The TLH Beer Society is a group of avid craft beer lovers co-founded by Matthew Crumbaker, who is also co-host of Saturday Morning Bottle Share on 97.9 ESPN radio. Follow TLH Beer Society at Facebook.com/TLHBeerSociety or @TLHBeerSociety on Twitter and Instagram. Email tlhbeersociety@gmail.com.


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