Press Release: On Nov. 19, Marker 48 Brewing, the Weeki Wachee, Florida, craft brewery will celebrate its first year in business with a blow-out party to thank all the customers who have brought success during those 12 months — and have helped make life better for the community’s less fortunate.
Marker 48 Brewing grew in ways that owners and founders Maurice and Tina Ryman couldn’t imagine when they opened the former auto-repair shop’s doors to the public on Nov. 21, 2015. “Marker 48 is a true product of its surroundings,” Tina says. “Over the last year we have seen overwhelming support and dedication to our brewery, its beers and the things we stand for. Our goal was to bring our community together by providing a unique family-friendly atmosphere for folks of all ages to sit, relax and enjoy a pint of locally made beer, but what we got was so much more.”
Brewing Good
In just the first year, head brewer John Myers says, the 7-barrel brewery’s fermentation capacity grew from 28 barrels to 83 barrels. In addition:
• Myers and his crew have brewed nearly 120 batches of beer.
• About 50 different beer recipes have been brewed, including the popular Mermaid’s Milk Stout, Pine Island IPA, Mo-Say-It Pale Ale, Half-fin Weizen, Meet the Heat Raspberry Saison, and Red, Right, Return Irish Red Ale (bronze-medal winner at the 2016 Best Florida Beer competition).
• Doubled the number of taps in the spacious tasting room from 16 to 32.
• Opened an outdoor serving bar in the beer garden, a converted 1968 Airstream travel trailer, now dubbed the BeerStream, with another eight taps in it.
• Increased the size of the beer garden by a third to 6,000 square feet.
Doing Good
The Rymans achieved another important goal during the first year: Giving back to the Hernando County community that has embraced their brewery from the start.
Marker 48 has helped raise approximately $40,000 for local nonprofits and charities through fundraisers and the brewery’s Tap for a Cause program, in which a special beer is brewed and put on a tap at the beginning of the month. All of the money from that tap goes to a designated local nonprofit.
For example, the recent “Running of the Wieners” (dachshund races) during an Oktoberfest Celebration and a “Tales from the Crypt” haunted house experience for Halloween week, combined with the Tap for a Cause program, raised $6,800 for The Arc Nature Coast, which provides services to individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities.
The Rymans look forward to continued growth throughout the coming year and beyond. Part of that growth plan includes getting their beers into other local venues, and to that end they recently signed a contract with Great Bay Distributing to do just that.
“We’re honored and humbled by the growth of our little brewery,” Tina says. “One year down, many more to go, and the best is yet to come!”
What: Marker 48 Brewing First Anniversary Party
Where: 12147 Cortez Blvd., Weeki Wachee, FL
When: Saturday, November 19, 2016, noon to midnight
What to expect: Special tappings, live entertainment on two stages, food trucks and more.
Marker 48 beers on tap
• Wild Buck Series barrel aged beers – Bayport, Mud River and Kissed by a Mermaid, aged in barrels from local distillery Wild Buck Whiskey Barrels
• GB40, the Meet the Heat raspberry-chili saison aged in a red wine barrel
• Special M48 Anniversary Barrel Aged Barleywine
• More to be announced
Special guest taps from Florida craft breweries Hidden Springs Ale Works, Four Stacks Brewing Company, Barley Mow Brewing Company, Intracoastal Brewing Company and more to be announced soon!
Live music on two stages, sponsored by Gary Schraut/ Alliance Realty. Bands include: Brad Smith Duo, Doug South and The Roundabouts, Shawn Scheller and The Contenders, Death, Love and Addiction, NA’TL ACT, Brian Taylor, and Streetcar Hijak.
Multiple food trucks to be announced.
Marker 48 Brewing is a 7-barrel craft brewery with a 32-tap tasting room in Weeki Wachee, Florida, founded by Hernando County natives Maurice and Tina Ryman. John Myers is the award-winning head brewer. Regular hours are Wed-Thurs., noon to 10 p.m.; Fri., noon to midnight; Sat., noon to 11 p.m. and Sun., noon to 8:30 p.m.