Tag Archives: tasting room

Cigar City Cider and Mead’s new horizons

Cigar City Cider and Mead is about to open up a new production facility, and going forward they have some exciting changes in the works and some new ideas that they cannot wait to unveil to the Sunshine State.

Who is Cigar City Cider and Mead?

Cigar City Cider and Mead resides mostly in the hands of cider and mead enthusiast Todd Strauss, who handles the day-to-day operations. Strauss is a mover, a jovial man who talks with passion, respect, and wonder on topics like cider, the creative process, and collaborating with other artists.

In addition to silent partners involved with CCCM, Cigar City Brewing owner Joey Redner and Cigar City Brewing’s Vice President Justin Clark combine forces in this new company. The two handle big picture operations and consult on various projects and ideas, bringing a blend of business acumen and marketing strategies to the table.

Finally, the project would not be complete without the involvement of Wayne Wambles, the head brewer at Cigar City Brewing, a former homebrewer and passionate mead enthusiast.

Both Todd and Joey agree, “Wayne is excited about making meads.” Wambles will have creative input and a hand in shaping Cigar City Cider and Mead’s future. Wayne brings CCCM his expertise as a brewer and his experience as a mead-loving homebrewer. When embarking for new horizons, experience at the helm can be a difference-maker and giving the creative mind behind some of Cigar City Brewing’s most popular beers input on CCCM’s mead project shows how serious Redner and Strauss are about making this company a success.

The New Facility

The new Cigar City Cider and Mead production facility is located at 1812 North 15th Street in Ybor City. This building has a personal and public history, a fact that did not escape Redner’s notice when looking for a new building. This building began its life as a police stable, one that Teddy Roosevelt would have boarded his horses in when he visited Tampa on the road to Cuba. It then evolved into a barber shop, tailor shop, and more recently was one of the first brewpubs in Tampa, Tampa Bay Brewing Company’s home before they moved into Centro Ybor.

Tampa Bay Brewing Company owner and brewer Dave Doble stopped by his old haunt to share memories of the place with Joey and Todd. He also told them of a unique addition to the building in the form of a spiritual resident. Strauss and Redner both agree that the building is haunted, but refused to give further details of their experience with their inherited specter.

As for the liquids that will pour forth from this new facility, Joey and Todd say that CCCM’s new home has a twofold raison d’etre: This will be a home for the CCCM where interested people can both see production and sample from the source.

The source? 30-barrel vessels visible right from the tasting room. These vessels will produce seasonal meads and ciders then tap them onsite in the CCCM tasting room. Patrons will then be able to purchase growlers or buy cans of cider or bottles of mead to go. At first, Cigar City Cider and Mead plans to can some of their ciders with Craft Beer Crew, the mobile canning service that helps Florida breweries can their beers. When demand allows, they will look into a bottling machine for meads, debating on bottling in 750mL bottles and 33 cL bottles now popular in meads.

CCCM was kind enough to share some drafts of label designs for their cans and bottles.

Rough draft of label for Cigar City Cider and Mead's Orange Blossom Mead.

Rough draft of label for Cigar City Cider and Mead’s Orange Blossom Mead.

Rough draft of Cigar City Cider and Mead's Hard Cider cans.

Rough draft of Cigar City Cider and Mead’s Hard Cider cans.

CCCM’s Hard Cider, Fight the Power Sour Apple, Peach InCider, and Homemade Apple Pie ciders will all likely see production with Hard Cider targeted for cans almost immediately.

The most popular cider? Homemade Apple Pie Cider- accounts were blowing through 10 half-barrel kegs in four days, according to Strauss. Due to sheer popularity, this one is also being targeted for canning soon after the production facility opens.

Cigar City Cider is also in talks to produce meads with B. Nektar meadery of Ferndale, Michigan. No specifics yet, but both Redner and Strauss are excited to continue working with B. Nektar Meadery both in collaboration and possibly contracting mead production.

Why Cider and Mead?

“Mead is one of the only products that can be entirely Florida-sourced,” explains co-owner Joey Redner, and Redner likes to include as much of Florida as possible in his projects. Meads, or honey wines, will showcase a product that is made entirely from Florida ingredients. The company’s test batches of mead have utilized Palm and Orange Blossom honey, and one test labels is slated for CCCM Orange Blossom mead.

After mead production was secured, cider was a natural outgrowth as cider production could utilize the same tanks.

You’ve Come A Long Way, Cider!

The idea of Cigar City Cider and Mead is about three years old, but Todd and Joey recount conversations about the project’s origins, then realize how far the Cigar City Cider and Mead Project has come: they sold their first batch in March of 2013.

In a mere nine months, Cigar City Cider and Mead is already striving to keep up with demand, moving into a new facility, looking into contracting larger batches of cider, seeking to purchase a traditional press (in order to press fruit for use in meads and ciders), and receiving increasingly positive feedback on platforms like Ratebeer and Untappd. According to reviews, the project has made 18 different ciders (including treatments) in nine months. This number includes several ciders made for Orlando’s Redlight Redlight’s Johnny Appleseed Day, where the craft beer bar had a cider takeover and CCCM offered several one-off treatments to commemorate the event as well as a barrel-aged cider to celebrate the band Samiam. Redner and Strauss count these as positive steps since their nascent cider project aims to craft cider “with an appreciation for all approaches to cider-making, targeting flavors that balance between sweet and dry, targeting true English-style dry cider.”

What’s Left?

The final word on the new production hive is that construction is underway, and Redner and Strauss are optimistic. “Our goal is to open by March 1st.” Both men agree and commit that the place will be open by Tampa Bay Beer Week, but still to come are wet-zoning hearings and additional construction.

“I know that we are really standing on the shoulders of giants both in Tampa and as part of an international community of cider-makers,” Todd says, then adds, “I am just really excited to get to work in the creative process.”

A mockup of the new facility with its new sign.

A mockup of the new facility with its new sign.

Motorworks Brewing logo

Motorworks Brewing’s opening day

Bradenton’s Motorworks Brewing has been working a long time to open their doors to the thirsty masses. That day has finally arrived: Motorworks has announced their opening day and festivities, but only to their Facebook fans.

From Motorworks Brewing’s Facebook page:

It’s time!! This Tuesday January 21, is dedicated to our faithful Facebook followers! Be among the first to sample Motorworks beer, plus 25 guest taps, an extensive bottle selection, and local spirits. Mingle with the owners and brewers while enjoying video games inside and corn hole, a putting green, or bocce ball outside in our huge beer garden. The fun runs from 11am until 2am. Cheers!

Motorworks Brewing is located at 1014 9th Street West in Bradenton.

Sailfish Brewing Company looking to expand tasting room

Sailfish Brewing Company of Fort Pierce is looking to expand the tasting room in their brewery. The Treasure Coast’s craft brewery just expanded from a 1.5-barrel brewing system to a 3-barrel brewing system and they are looking to really show off what their new metal mash tun can do. In order to do this, they are looking for crowdfunding through Crowdbrewed.com, the same website that helped Johnathan Wakefield earn over $100,000 for his tasting room.

For more information and incentives see Sailfish’s CrowdBrewed web page.

Sailfish Brewing Company’s Crowdbrewed video

Cigar City Cider and Mead teases new hive picture

Cigar City Cider and Mead has caused waves since announcing that they will be getting a building of their own and a new home. After being hosted by Keel and Curley Winery since their inception, the cidery and meadery will be moving to the Ybor City Historic District, according to the location finder on a recent Facebook Post.

All the post said was “Vibes and Stuff,” but a City Council Hearing will take place on 23 January 2014 and more information should be forthcoming.

Cigar City Cider and Mead’s new Public Notice: the first step to a new facility!

Big Top Brewing logo

Big Top Brewing fills their tanks, nears opening of tasting room

Sarasota- Big Top Brewing Company has been sending their beer out to market for several weeks now, and is currently available in select accounts around Sarasota. The brewery posted that they are revving up their commercial brewing system in preparation for the opening of their tasting room:

From Big Top:

A lot happening here at Big Top as we prepare for the VERY soon opening of the tasting room. The smoked porter, stout and wheat are now in the tanks along side the big 3.

Big Top’s beers are currently available at Mr. Beerys, The Cock n Bull, The Beer Box, Geckos, World of Beer, Claytons Siesta Grill, North Bridge Tavern and The Distillery, all in Sarasota.

3 Daughters Brewing Logo

More details on 3 Daughters Brewing’s Grand Opening

Press Release:

3 Daughters Brewing (also known as “3DB”), the latest addition to the booming craft beer industry, is scheduled to open on Saturday, December 14th. Located at 222 22nd Street South in St. Petersburg, doors of the state-of-the-art brewery will open to the public from 3 – 9 p.m. Guests are invited to come to 3 Daughters Brewing and try one of seven amazing brews available in the tasting room. On tap will be the flagship beer, Beach Blonde Ale and other beers including the Summer Storm Stout and Brown Pelican Dunkelweizen.

“Brewing amazing beer is our number one priority,” says Mike Harting, owner of 3 Daughters Brewing. “We’re looking forward to opening the doors to our friends and neighbors in the Tampa Bay community. Ty Weaver, our head brewer has built up an incredible portfolio of beers and we are excited about bringing them to market.”

With an impressive 30-barrel system inside an 18,000 square foot warehouse, 3 Daughters Brewing has the capacity to serve the Tampa market and beyond. On opening day, a stage will be added in the warehouse featuring music from The Chris Walker Band. While patrons are enjoying tunes from this local band, they can also participate in an assortment of games, activities and of course, beer tasting.

Outside activities for families include an 18-hole putt putt golf course and inflatables for kids. Two food trucks, Maggie on the Move (Mediterranean food) and The Latin Lunch Box (Cuban food) will be on-site, serving food throughout the event.

Other interesting items to check out include a special flag donated by the Green Beret Foundation in honor of the sacrifice Green Beret operators make every day. 3 Daughters Brewing is grateful for the opportunity to display the flag that proudly flew at Camp Moorehead in Afghanistan. In the tasting room, the bar serves as a tribute to 3 Daughters Brewing’s past and future. One end of the bar features an original brick from Harting’s great grandfather’s 1870 brew house in Kentucky. On the opposite end of the bar, 3 sets of handprints represent the future of 3 Daughters Brewing.

The grand opening on December 14th is a free event and families are welcome. Patrons 21 and over are welcome to purchase a wristband for $20 for unlimited beer tastings.

At 3 Daughters Brewing, we are focused on brewing amazing beers, providing superior service to retailers, and creating exciting brews for beer lovers. With a diverse portfolio of full-flavored craft beers, we are committed to providing the highest quality brews to the Tampa Bay community and beyond. We do this responsibly, safely and conscientiously. For more details, go to www.3DBrewing.com or Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter @3DBrewing.

Wynwood Brewing announces tasting room opening

Press Release:

Miami – Wynwood Brewing Company, located at 565 NW 24th street, Miami, FL announced the start of its services as the first production microbrewery in the City of Miami this past September 2013. A family-business – WBCo– was founded by a father-son team – both named Luis Brignoni. Distributed in Florida by Brown’s Distributing Corporation, the brewery has gone from being offered at ten establishments to being offered at more than 60 in South Florida in the past six weeks. Brewmaster is Nik Mebane – formerly from Otto’s Brewery and Pub in Penn State, PA.

WBCo started as a dream and a “mild obsession” by Luis Brignoni and his Pops – also named Luis – more than two years ago. Their mission was: “To create the best possible brews for our patrons to enjoy. We are committed to making great bold beers that have character and are uniquely Wynwood. Simply said, to create a work of art in every glass.” Luis Jr. had been a home brewer for more than ten years getting to know the craft beer experimentation process inside and out.

The Brignonis, who are originally from Puerto Rico, are committed to the growth of the Wynwood neighborhood where they built the brewery and distributing their beer to local South Florida restaurants and pubs. Wynwood in the past four years has had a renaissance with young street artists, hip new restaurants, and small businesses opening in the area. In honor of where they are located the brewery tap handles are shaped as spray cans and the owners have commissioned art for the brewery’s walls from renowned local street artists like Eduardo Kunde, Krave, Eva Ruiz, and Trek.

WBCo has three year-long brews: La Rubia, a blonde ale; Pops Porter, a robust porter; and Wynwood IPA, an India Pale Ale; as well as several seasonals.

The company brews in a 15-Barrel two-vessel system. One barrel is equal to 31 US gallons. At any given time the brewery can produce about 500 gallons of beers in its 15 barrel fermenters and close to 1000 gallons in the 30 barrel fermenters. WBC uses premium malts from the US as its base malt and British and German Malts for caramel malts.

The permanent opening of the Tasting Room (Tap Room) is scheduled December 4th just in time for Art Basel and the holidays. WBCo will also be starting weekly brewery tours and an exclusive members-only “Vine Club.”
You can find an updated list of establishments that carry the Wynwood Brewing Co. beer selections on the brewery’s website: www.wynwoodbrewing.com and follow its social media channels in facebook.com/wynwoodbrewing and on Twitter @wynwoodbrewing.