After ten years working within the beer business and a lifetime of dwelling as a beer fanatic, it’s onerous for me to call a beerfest that’s actually distinctive. It’s much more tough to consider a beer fest that leaves such a long-lasting impression, one I mark on my calendar and look ahead to yearly. It’s even odder to discover a fest casually referred to as “my favourite” by so many patrons and brewers.
However each January, the Discipline of Beers / Jupiter Craft Brewers Pageant actually excites the South Florida beer consuming (and beer making) group. (Which has grow to be one of many hottest craft beer scenes within the nation). A two day competition thrown by Fran Andrewlevich, co-owner and brewmaster of Tequesta Brewing Co., Twisted Trunk Brewing Co., and Steamhorse Brewing Co and one of many Godfathers of the South Florida beer scene, this beer fest is definitely extra like two festivals in a single.
On Friday, Discipline of Beers units up camp inside Roger Dean Baseball Stadium whereas on Saturday Jupiter Craft Brewers Pageant lands outdoors the sector.
After 9 years merely having fun with myself an excessive amount of at this occasion, I lastly caught up with Andrewlevich to uncover the inspiration for the multi-event weekend.
“About fifteen years in the past I wished to create an expertise that elevated a meals and beer pairing,” he advised me, noting that the beerfest on Saturday truly got here first. “By that time I had carried out many beer dinners and pairings, however I wished to create a singular expertise that might put beer in the identical gentle as wine on the time. It was additionally essential to select the fitting individuals, when it got here to what breweries could be pouring, for the Friday night time occasion that might additionally improve the expertise for our patrons.”
Discipline of Desires and Beers
Every Friday earlier than the bigger beer fest on Saturday, Andrewlevich throws an occasion referred to as Discipline of Beers. The distinctive expertise lets followers pair one dish with one beer from only a choose variety of breweries. Every of whom vie for an opportunity to seize one among these coveted spots (there’s even a ready listing!).
In line with Phil Gillis, co-owner and brewer at Invasive Species, “Discipline of Beers is likely one of the most original fests with the meals pairing, intimacy, location, and camaraderie.”
Brewers and house owners present up huge time, making a particular expertise the place you may speak to the individuals that truly made the beer you’re consuming.
“It will be significant that we’re right here pouring,” says Kelsey Metropolis Brewing Co. Head Brewer John Hampp. “Drinkers on this space have good beer data and we wish to create a greater beer expertise for them.”
This isn’t a type of nights the place individuals chug beer. As a substitute they sip slowly by means of 3 oz pours out of their commemorative Glencairn Glass, attempting to get pleasure from as a lot distinctive beer as attainable.
And this isn’t a type of fests the place you wait in lengthy traces to strive a particular beer earlier than it kicks. With solely a restricted variety of individuals allowed to attend, you have got the prospect to return to a number of the cubicles for seconds (or thirds) of your favorites.
Yearly you may really feel that this occasion highlights the artistry behind the beer and enhances the superb meals paired alongside.
Discipline of Beers is at all times a particular night time for the South Florida beer group with tickets promoting out nearly instantly after happening sale.
And in 2023, Discipline of Beers didn’t disappoint.
An unusually chilly night time for Florida (though not for Discipline of Beers—it’s magically chilly on this night time yearly with no obvious clarification), we spent an ideal night strolling across the baseball area and all through the dugouts, consuming, consuming, and catching up with business associates.
Principally, doing what we love essentially the most: speaking to individuals about beer.
The High Three Beers I Drank at Discipline of Beers
These had been the highest three beer and meals pairings that stood out to me.
Bock – Invasive Species
Invasive Species introduced the warmth to their first time pouring at Discipline of Beers, actually! Phil Gillis and Josh Levitt determined to convey their scrumptious Bock, however put it over the sting by doing a Bierstacheln. This system contains blow torching the top of a bierstachel (steel rod) and sticking the new finish into the beer.
The method enhanced an already wealthy and malty bock. Not solely did it change the flavors of the beer, but it surely reworked the whole consuming expertise. Taking a shot of heat beer with a heated frothy head is one thing everybody ought to expertise. Invasive Species paired this shot of awesomeness with the Parched Pig’s Nation Ham and Corn Hushpuppies. Very like the freshly cooked beer, the Hushpuppies had been fried on the spot and garnished with beer mustard and chives.
Snow in Milan – 3 Sons Brewing Co.
3 Sons introduced a brand new model that I’ve not skilled earlier than! Snow in Milan is a Northern Italian Pilsner, a brand new model that proprietor and brewer, Corey Artanis, first found on his final journey to Italy.
The beer positively threw me off guard. After I hear Italian and pilsner I consider a lightweight coloured lager with a agency hop aroma and bitterness. Add Northern into the combo and it provides a deep advanced malt taste into the combo. “I had taken my household to Italy final march and traveled North near the Austria border, touring and consuming pilsners the entire method,” says Artanis. “The pilsner that stood out essentially the most was the one which had a extra malt sturdy hearty character to it. So we tried to recreate it.”
In line with Artanis, “If brewers wish to recreate it, take ten days in Italy with their household and luxuriate in themselves, or when you can’t, go heavier on the Munich Malt, 15-20% of your malt invoice.”
This maltier pilsner paired nicely with the contemporary crab desserts from RockStar Catering.
Grand Cru 2022 – Barrel of Monks
Yearly Barrel of Monks lets one among their founders, Invoice McFee, discover his ardour by brewing an enormous, Belgian, non-trendy beer that he could be proud to have in his personal cellar. This yr’s launch of Grand Cru is an 8.5% ABV golden robust ale with gentle honey and caramel aromas up entrance and a end paying homage to Duval.
The beer got here paired with Tiger’s Tears, a Thai beef salad with Rincon Warmth’s OG Sauce.
Extremely, or maybe completely, the Grand Cru stood as much as the spicy Thai beef with out overpowering the salad.
The wonderful of us of South Florida have such time at this occasion that when Discipline of Beers ends, the night time doesn’t. The stadium empties out to most important road Abacoa the place patrons and brewery staff proceed the occasion at Civil Society’s tasting room or Das Beer Backyard (a seventy-tap native hangout), and in some particular circumstances, to the foyer of the native Marriott.
As a result of you recognize all of us need to prepare for an enormous beer competition the subsequent day. 😉
Jupiter Craft Brewers Pageant Is Out of This World
The weekend doesn’t finish on Friday with Jupiter Craft Brewers Pageant going down the subsequent day.
Fortunately, the competition begins at 1 PM so we’ve got simply sufficient time to get better from the submit Discipline of Beers shenanigans (I discovered myself up till well beyond midnight consuming previous Cantillon and large stouts with Invoice from Barrel of Monks and others within the aforementioned Courtyard Marriott Foyer).
The mid-seventy diploma overcast sky was good climate for a beer fest, and other people got here out in droves.
Though a setup much like most beerfests, Jupiter Craft Brewers Pageant nonetheless options the house owners and brewers truly pouring their beer.
“That is the primary beer fest we had been invited to and has at all times been a favourite to be part of,” says Preben Olsen, founding father of Aardwolf Brewing Firm. “Whether or not it’s pouring, or attending to be a drinker.” Aardwolf has poured at Jupiter Craft Brewers Pageant many instances, however this yr was the primary time they participated in Discipline of Beers, bringing an incredible Rye DIPA fermented with Kviek yeast that paired with Pastrami Eggrolls.
Nonetheless, for Saturday’s fest, Aardwolf introduced some actual bitter, seltzer, and barrel-aged bangers, together with This Is The Method, a deep inexperienced pistachio coconut bitter, Rum Barrel Aged White Russian, a rum barrel-aged milk stout with espresso and vanilla, and Jag Water, a blue raspberry onerous seltzer. My pour of this vibrant alcoholic fizz impressed extra seems and questions whereas strolling round, than another beer on the fest.
With good cause, Aardwolf’s sales space had a noticeable line from the beginning that lasted till they kicked.
However they weren’t the one breweries killing it.
Together with native and nationwide breweries, there have been additionally ciders and meaderies. Brad Dohlhofer, founding father of B Nektar Meadery out of Ferndale, MI, made his annual journey right down to Florida for the fest. Their Blood Amulet, a tough cider with raspberry and cranberry, was an effective way to interrupt up the scrumptious onslaught of hazy IPAs, stouts, and sours.
And alcoholic drinks weren’t the one sights.
Along with over 100 beers to pattern, meals vans, a silent disco, dwell music, and a rowdy putt putt golf competitors (to lift cash and consciousness for the Autism Undertaking of Palm Seaside County), stored me busy throughout the 4 hour fest.
Certainly, Andrewlevich throws an incredible occasion yearly for brewers and patrons alike.
And this yr was no completely different.
Personally, it was superb to get again to this fest. Whether or not you’re a patron, or a brewer, when you’ve gone to this weekend’s festivities, you’ll casually be calling it merely “My Favourite.”
