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Rock Brothers Brewing sets opening date and festivities

Founders Tony Casoria and Kevin Lilly’s vision for Attic Records and Rock Brothers Brewing have finally come to fruition after years in the making with the opening of their new flagship location for both brands in Ybor City, Florida. The 8,000 square foot historic building will house the brewery where all of the Rock Brothers beers will be brewed. The building will also include The Attic concert venue, which originated in a warehouse in St. Petersburg that eventually evolved into Paper Crane and Bloom. Thirdly, and directly connecting the brewery and venue, the building will introduce “The Tasting Room”, which will serve Rock Brothers beers and craft cocktails. This is a reimagined concept for the Tampa Bay beer scene as Rock Brothers will be the only brewery in the bay area focusing heavily on being a professional craft cocktail bar as well.

Rock Brothers Exterior

Casoria, co-owner of the immensely successful Mandarin Hide in downtown St. Petersburg brought his experience renovating the cocktail culture in St. Pete and his passion for design and music to The Tasting Room at Rock Brothers. “The 125 year old building, with all its character and space allowed for a lot of exciting design elements, and the room to create an impressive back bar so that our talented staff could have all the tools necessary to produce an exceptional product,” Casoria said. The Tasting Room will blur the boundary between craft beer and spirits with an impressive array of beer-tails and the creation of a new genre of cocktails using hops from their beers to make their own hop bitters, syrups, reductions, and tinctures. “We are hoping to do for Ybor what Mandarin has been credited for doing in St. Pete; ushering in a wave of businesses that up the game for the craft cocktail scene,” said Casoria.

While both partners are directly involved on all aspects of the business, Casoria focused primarily downstairs on the bar during the buildout. Upstairs, Lilly took the reins when it came to his personal passion, the concert venue called “The Attic.” After 15 years grinding in the music industry as a full-time musician, tour manager, concert promoter, and artist manager, Lilly’s time spent is finally paying off. “I’ve spent years producing concerts in everyone else’s venues, and while I loved the work, I always knew the end goal was to have a place of my own. The first night I watched a concert in The Attic, I was so busy I couldn’t really soak it in… I couldn’t really grasp the gravity of what was happening,” Lilly said. That show was Grammy Winner, Shawn Mullins, on Dec. 10, 2016, followed by two sold out nights with JJ Grey on Dec. 16 and 17.

Lilly describes the room as an “audible art gallery,” as it will focus on singer/songwriter “Storyteller” sets and intimate evenings with some of the greatest touring acts of the last 20 years. “After spending so much time analyzing shows, we really did put an intense amount of thought into the sound, lights, and feel of the room in order to create the best atmosphere for anyone who experiences a show here,” said Lilly. “With our connections in the industry, and our partnerships with our Rock Brothers bands, this room should be a favorite of fans and the artists themselves in no time,” said Lilly.

While The Attic has been open for weeks now, The Tasting Room has been refining their product before and after the shows upstairs. “The idea was to come online slowly downstairs and properly prepare for our Grand Opening,” says Casoria.

The Grand Opening festivities for Rock Brothers are set for the weekend of January 13, 14, and 15. On Friday the 13th, Florida’s own Thomas Wynn & the Believers will be playing The Attic stage. On Saturday the 14th from noon – 7pm, Vagabond Gita Bohemian Market will be doing a pop-up market in the brewery warehouse space as well as a motorcycle show. The Attic will be open free of charge during this time, so everyone can experience the room. Performances from noon-7pm will include some of the best singer songwriters in Tampa Bay area including Will Quinlin, Shawn Kyle, Lauris Vidal, Geri X, Mountain Holler, and many more. Saturday night the celebration continues with Thomas and Olivia Wynn, JT Brown and Co., and the band that launched Rock Brothers Brewing, Have Gun, Will Travel. Each band will perform their original music plus covers of Rock Brothers partner artist bands such as 311, Rebelution, JJ Grey, and Hootie and the Blowfish.

Rock Brothers Mics

Rock Brothers Grand Opening Schedule & Events ::
January 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9th ::
Rock Brothers will be open 7pm to 2am in The Tasting Room to accommodate college football fans during the National Championship as well as host any locals who wish to stop by.

January 11, 12th :: VIP Friends & Family Events – Private and Closed to the Public
January 13th :: Concert :: Thomas Wynn & The Believers :: The Tasting Room and The Attic will open at 6pm and close at 2am.
Ticket Link :: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1406513?utm_medium=bks

January 14th :: Grand Opening Day and Concert
12pm :: The Tasting Room and Warehouse Art Market opens to the public.
12pm-6pm :: The Attic hosts a free of charge afternoon of music with some of Tampa Bay’s best songwriters. There will be limited space in the venue, so please arrive early if you plan to see the performances.

6pm :: Ticketed Concert ::
Have Gun, Will Travel, JT Brown & Co and Thomas and Olivia Wynn.
Ticket Link :: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1409367?utm_medium=bks

ROCK BROTHERS HOURS OF OPERATION (BEGINNING JANUARY 15th)
Tuesday – Thursday :: 12pm – 12am
Friday – Saturday :: 12pm – 2am
Sunday :: 12pm to 12am
Closed Mondays

Hootie & the Blowfish to play concert celebrating the release of Hootie’s Homegrown Ale

Press Release: Hootie and the Blowfish will reunite for a concert in Tampa this September, in conjunction with the launch of the band’s custom craft beer, Hootie’s Homegrown Ale, at Publix grocery stores in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Hootie’s Homegrown Ale has been available for the past 18 months in draft form, but now the band’s brew is available in 12-ounce cans at select retailers in three southeastern states.

Hootie's Homegrown Ale

“Getting Hootie’s Homegrown Ale on grocery store shelves is a huge step for the evolution of our company,” said Kevin Lilly, founder of Rock Brothers Brewing.  “Having a retail giant like Publix embrace this brand shows the quality of our product and the interest in our band beer platform.”

As part of the three-state roll out, the band agreed to perform a special concert at the Mahaffey Theater, explained Mark Zenow of Cord Management, the firm that handles artist relations for Rock Brothers Brewing.

“This is a special opportunity to showcase the band’s beer and revisit the great songs that touched so many people,” Zenow said.

The concert will take place on September 17th and tickets to the 2,000-seat venue will be available via an online ticket giveaway hosted by Rock Brothers Brewing. For information, visit www.hootiecontest.com.

Rock Brothers Brewing has been creating craft beers for the past three years with bands like Have Gun Will Travel, JJ Grey & Mofro, Umphrey’s McGee, 311 and the newly added, Rebelution.  However, this marks the first major retail partnership for the brand and places Rock Brothers Brewing in highly-coveted retail space.

Hootie’s Homegrown Ale will also be available at Total Wine & More, The Brass Tap, World of Beer retail outlets, Luekens Liquors, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Whole Foods and The Fresh Market.

Visit the contest Facebook page for sweepstakes rules and details.

About Rock Brothers Brewing
Rock Brothers unites craft beer and music to support great artists, great beer and even greater fans. In the ever changing climate of the music industry, artists are looking for new revenue streams, while fans are looking for new ways to connect with their favorite musicians… We believe this authentic partnership of music and beer brings that home in a new and innovative way. From recipe inception, brand creation, artwork design and even the name of the product itself, the band is involved every step of the way.

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Vertical Horizon replaces Spin Doctors for Rock Brothers River Rock Fest

Voices for Children, Rock Brothers Brewing, and Cigar City Brewing will host the 2nd annual River Rock Craft Beer & Music Festival with co-headliners Vertical Horizon and Tonic on Saturday, November 7th, 2015. Doors will open at 2:00pm for the 2nd craft beer and music festival in Tampa’s new Waterworks Park. Spin Doctors were originally slated to perform but due to unforeseen circumstances the band had to cancel all future tour dates for 2015.

“River Rock is a great chance for craft beer enthusiasts along with Vertical Horizon and Tonic fans to enjoy Tampa’s outdoor gem: The Waterworks Park. Voices for Children is excited to be working with Rock Brothers, Cigar City, Spin Doctors, Tonic and all of our incredible community sponsors,” said Betsy Smith, Voices for Children Board Member and Event Chair.

“All proceeds of River Rock will benefit Voices for Children of Tampa Bay, making this a win-win for our
community. Last year the event raised $42,000 in profit for the charity and we couldn’t be happier to
make this year an even bigger showing,” said Smith.

Community sponsors include: Or title and presenting sponsor Quarles & Brady Law Firm, Cigar City
Brewing, Rock Brothers Brewing, J.J. Taylor, Vibe Media, and Sykes.

River Rock Event Details
The festivities will begin on Saturday, November 7th, 2015 at Waterworks Park, located at 1719 N.
Highland Avenue Tampa, Florida 33602. Doors open at 2:00pm with a lineup of local rock bands followed
with back to back full concerts by Tonic and Vertical Horizon. For more information, visit us on the web at www.riverrocktampa.com and or www.vfcgal.org.

About Voices for Children of Tampa Bay
Voices for Children of Tampa Bay advocates for the abused, abandoned, and neglected children in
Hillsborough County. Voices for Children supports the Guardian ad Litem program of Hillsborough
County and Tibet—Florida’s first facility dog from The Courthouse Dog Project.

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Craft beer and music in harmony at Rock Brothers Festival

Press Release:

Rare & limited releases from Rock Brothers, Cigar City, and more to benefit Pushing DaiZies

The recent surge in popularity of craft beer in Southwest Florida including the opening of several local breweries has done wonders to help quench the thirst of area enthusiasts. True to the founding pillars of the Rock Brothers brand, the Rock Brothers Craft Beer & Music Festival is the first beer festival in Southwest Florida to be centered around live music. In fact, one of the musical acts, award-winning Have Gun Will Travel, actually brewed High Road Ale in collaboration with Rock Brothers. The beer will be one of the more than 30 available at the event which will take place in the parking lot outside World of Beer on November 2nd in Fort Myers, Florida.

Florida craft beer powerhouse, Cigar City Brewing, will have several brews to sample at the event including some limited edition releases. Other breweries with beers available for sampling include Bells, Breckenridge, Curious Traveler, Dogfish Head, Harpoon, Lagunitas, Left Hand, Lindemans, New Belgium, Oskar Blues, Rock Brothers, Rogue, Sam Adams, Samuel Smith, Sierra Nevada, Stone, Terrapin and Wells. Representatives for several breweries will be on hand to educate guests. All beer is provided by J.J. Taylor.

Tickets are $30 including unlimited sampling plus one full pint and access to the all-day music festival headlined by alternative-Americana band Have Gun Will Travel with more acts to be announced soon. Re-entry is permitted with wristband.
A portion of proceeds will benefit Pushing DaiZies, Inc., the non-profit arts organization behind ZombiCon Ft. Myers.

Tickets are available at World of Beer at Bell Tower Shops and online at www.rockbrothers.eventbrite.com. Tickets will also be available for purchase at ZombiCon on October 19 in downtown Ft. Myers at the Bell Tower Guest Services tent located near the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center.

Crowne Plaza Hotel, directly adjacent to the festival, is offering a special festival rate of $75 for guests who identify themselves as beer festival ticket holders.

ABOUT ROCK BROTHERS
Rock Brothers unites craft beer and music to support great artists, great beer and even greater fans. Rock Brothers is brewed out of the award-winning Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, FL and is expanding their brand portfolio across the state of Florida through 2014. In the coming year Rock Brothers will partner with other artists in the music industry and expand their brand into new markets across the country further setting themselves apart as beer company equally focused on enhancing the culture of both music and craft beer respectfully. Their first release, High Road Ale, was brewed in collaboration with the members of the national touring band Have Gun Will Travel. Learn more at www.facebook.com/RockBrothersBrewing

ABOUT PUSHING DAIZIES
Pushing DaiZies, Inc. is a non-profit organization which uses artistic means in order to benefit the local community and make charitable contributions to local and state organizations. Through its signature event ZOMBICON, and now LOS MUERTOS, Pushing DaiZies has helped The Harry Chapin Food Bank, The Lee Memorial Blood Center and the Tabarrini Foundation as well as other local art education centers. “Perhaps our greatest contribution is through inspiring the local community to express itself creatively. By participating in our unique brand of street theater and themed events, patrons are inspired to create make-up, costumes and transform themselves into their own personal performance piece.” said Nicole Long, Cofounder of ZombiCon. For more information, visit www.zombicon.com

ABOUT BELL TOWER SHOPS
Bell Tower Shops is an open-air lifestyle center, located in Fort Myers at U.S. 41 and Daniels Parkway, with more than 40 retailers, including Saks Fifth Avenue and The Fresh Market, 10 restaurants and Bell Tower 20 Regal Cinemas. Bell Tower hosts a vibrant year-round event calendar including KIDding Around every Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. and Twilight at the Tower every Thursday from 6-8 p.m. To learn more, follow Bell Tower Shops on Facebook, visit www.TheBellTowerShops.com or call 239-489-1221.

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Rock Brother Brewing partners with JJ Grey for custom beer

Press Release:

Tampa- Rock Brothers Brewing Company has announced that it has created a custom craft beer for the Jacksonville, Florida native, musician JJ Grey.

Grey is the second musical act to partner with the Tampa-based Rock Brothers Brewing, a company that is creating microbrews for musicians across the country.

“We’re really excited to partner with JJ because his band has great name recognition and a very supportive fan base,” said Tony Casoria, a co-founder of Rock Brothers Brewing. “We expect this beer to be really well-received when it hits the market in November.”

True to its model, Rock Brothers will distribute the custom craft beer only in an act’s home state.

“We’re focused on quality, not quantity,” Casoria said. “That’s the craft beer way.”

Grey’s custom beer will be an ale, and it will be called JJ Grey’s Nare Sugar Brown, according to Kevin Lilly, also a co-founder of Rock Brothers Brewing, Grey’s grandfather inspired the name.

“JJ’s grandfather drank coffee without sugar, or ‘nare sugar’ as he called it,” Lilly explained, “and that stuck with JJ throughout his life.” Lilly said Nare Sugar has a sweetness to it, but it is made without sugar.

The process of creating and naming the beer was a bit of a surprise to Grey.

“I thought Cigar City would let me taste a couple of beers, pick one, then put it out,” Grey said. “Instead, we sat down and talked about it for a while, and during that conversation I was educated on how artful brew mastering really is. We all put our heads together and then these guys went out and created the beer from scratch. The whole process was amazing and I feel really lucky to have been a part of it. In the end, I think I think they made a beer that somehow matches my music sip for sip (or chug) and note for note.”

Nare Sugar Brown’s official release date is the weekend of November 1st and 2nd, when JJ Grey and Mofro perform at Jannus Live in Tampa Bay, Florida and at Revolution in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

As an additional charitable component to this venture, JJ Grey and Rock Brothers Brewing will donate five percent of the net proceeds of Nare Sugar Brown sales to the Snook and Gamefish Foundation, a not-for-profit 501-3-c corporation that serves as a platform for anglers and conservationists to preserve, protect, and enhance game fish populations.

The band Have Gun, Will Travel was the first partner with Rock Brothers in May, and its custom brew, High Road Ale won the U.S. Open Beer Tasting Championship’s National Grand Championship in the Pale Ale category in June.