Hello all from FL

[Pangaia]

Been brewing for about a year now, still trying to hone my skills and develop an experienced pallete. Got a Mosaic-Citra-Galaxy IPA cold crashing before kegging, and a Saison with an OG of 1.043 that has stopped fermenting at 1.010, seems a little high with no crystal malt or anything. Anyway, I'm excited to meet all of you!

 

[dude3516]

Hello and welcome from another Fl homebrewer. Where ya located? Currently in Sanford myself, just north of Orlando.

 

[Pangaia]

Im in Gainesville, and I also go to Jacksonville a lot. Any breweries worth visiting in Orlando?

 

[dude3516]

The Orlando area is still fledgling. While there are some good breweries they are spread out at such a distance that a "beer trip" isn't really feasible. I like Hourglass in the Lockwood area, and I hear good things about Crooked Can in Winter Garden.

Currently in Sanford we have Wops Hops which is ok, and 2 more breweries openly soon called Inner Compass and Sanford Brewing Co.

 

[mmb]

How soon on the Sanford breweries? My inlaws winter in the area and I'm always on the lookout for breweries to try when we visit/kids get their mouse fix.

 

[Rhumbline]

Welcome from Daytona.

 

[Mexibilly]

What's up From east central Indiana.
RTFOWYBS.
1.010 is pretty attenuated. My extracts were in that range, but with the exception of 1, my all grain brews have been finishing in the high teens/low 20s.

 

[jcav]

Welcome! Do yourself a favor sometime and make the drive to Tampa and visit "Cigar City Brewing" totally worth the trip!

John

 

[Pangaia]

What's up From east central Indiana.
RTFOWYBS.
1.010 is pretty attenuated. My extracts were in that range, but with the exception of 1, my all grain brews have been finishing in the high teens/low 20s.

With only Pilsener, wheat, and 1 lb of Vienna? 75% is a little low I thought.
Also what does RTFOWYBS mean?


I'd love to visit Cigar City, Jai Alai is one of my favorite all time beers!

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome to the group, from CO

 

[Valk0001]

Welcome from Panama City Beach! You are centrally located to Proof Brewery in Tallahasse and Samp Head in Ocala. Both very decent small breweries! Cannot say enuff about Cigar City in Tampa which seems to be expanding each time I visit.

 

[dude3516]

How soon on the Sanford breweries? My inlaws winter in the area and I'm always on the lookout for breweries to try when we visit/kids get their mouse fix.

Sanford Brewing Co just had a sneak peak on Tues. This is actually the last 2 days of Sanford Beer Week so I think they're taking part in the tastings today as well. Hopefully Inner Compass isn't far behind.

 

[joe_four_strings]

Welcome from Orlando! If ever in Orlando, check out Orlando Brewing near downtown. Also, there's a new micro in Casselbery (like 15 minutes north of Orlando) called Bowigens Beer Company and they have very good brews.

 

[nebulous]

hello and welcome.
Being up in Gainesville you have a lot of breweries to choose from, with Swamp Head being my favorite. If you you like bike riding then First Magnitude is great since its right off the one trail up there.
Down in Orlando things are growing; Orlando Brewing is nice and its cool that they are organic but I feel their head brewer could be more adventurous. Cask and Lauder has good stuff I just don't go in there very often. The Crooked Can (also off a bike trail) is just starting off not having even been open a year but i like what they are doing and am looking forward to trying their Christmas release. Another bonus Crooked Can has is being located in a group of shops that include a butcher, baker, chocolatier, coffee roaster and a few other small venders so it makes the drive a little more worth it. Hourglass usually has something I like but I haven't been over there in a while. I went to the opening of Winter Park Brewing but was not impressed and haven't been back since.
So there are some breweries in Orlando it just depends on how much driving you want to do.
With this new one in Casselbery it looks like I know what I will be doing sometime soon. And I've been wanting to visit the homebrew store up in Sanford, so breweries to visit will definitely make the drive worth it and get the girlfriend to come along.

 

[QuadConPana]

Welcome! Do yourself a favor sometime and make the drive to Tampa and visit "Cigar City Brewing" totally worth the trip!

Actually, the whole area is a great place for a "brewcation". In addition to their brewery, Cigar City operates a very nice brewpub. They brew onsite and include beers not available at the brewery or in normal circulation. These are beers specifically designed to complement their chef inspired menu.

About 45 minutes south of Tampa, in Bradenton are Motorworks and Darwin. When I first made my stir plate, we were on a trip to St. Pete, and stopped into Motorworks. I asked the owner a question about building starters, and he said, "Hmmm. Good question. Let me get my biologist on the phone and you can ask him." So, I had a good 10 minute phone call about yeast health with the guy.

Chef Darwin, was named by the Peruvian Embassy as the #2 Peruvian chef in the US, and his brewpub was on a list of the top 15 brewpubs in the US by USA Today. Unfortunately, his beers were too good, so too many people coming in the restaurant only to drink put the restaurant out of business. But, now he has a taproom right across from the minor league ballpark.

If you decide to pop over to St. Pete, you have Cycle and Green Bench. I would recommend planning to be at Green Bench around meal time, because there is an amazing little Cuban/hippie sandwich carry out right across the street whose name escapes me now.

And, this is only a taste of the area. Downtown St. Pete is a great place to go drinking in the evening. Very diverse crowd. Even though there are plenty of hipsters, there's enough everybody else to minimize their impact.

Damn. Now, I need a Tampa/St. Pete trip.