Wednesday, April 20, 2011

If the previous microbreweries are not your spot then try these

This blog has included six microbrewery hot spots. However, these are not always the places that everyone enjoys nor are they always the places which are close to your home. 

So included in this blog, I am going to give you, the reader some insight as to other microbreweries around the south florida area. 


Here are just a few more places to check out and explore.



  • Brewzzi Brewing is a great spot with great food in the heart of Boca Raton Florida. Brewzzi's hand crafted beers are great to enjoy with a wonderful pasta dish. The list of beer is limited but all have a great taste and a good amount of alcohol in the beers. 
    See full size image
  • Big Bear Brewing Co. is a great family place and also a great place that makes their own beers. Not to mention the amazing food they offer. 

  • Titanic Brewery and Restaurant has won so many awards for their wonderful tasting beer. With under ten beers in stock  on tap, Titanic Brewery is a great place to go. A bar located in the heart of Miami. 
  • Miller Ale House Restaurant- A local favorite. Good food and great beer you are sure to leave in a great mood with some great food. The specials are always a plus and are one of a kind. With daily drink specials they are great
  • Flanigan's Seafood bar and grill- Flanigans is knowing for their amazingfood! and drink specials. Each night they have amazing specials and amazing beers. Whether you order a pitcher of beer or a glass of beer you will always be happy and full when leaving. 




I hope that this blog was both informative and helpful for picking the right microbrewery to sit back at and enjoy a beer. I hope this site also gave some insight and helpful resources to other sites. Thank you so much for reading what I have to write. :) 

Thursday, April 14, 2011

World Of Beers, Brick House, The Lodge, Total Wine, Mellow Mushroom, or a gas station... Which is your top pick?

This blog started off as a class assignment for a course in my major at Florida Atlantic University. It has come time to wrap up all that I have to say on beer. But, now I want the feed back of you, the reader. 

In a few months I was able to do a lot of research on many different venues. Ranging anywhere from the hot spots to places that were not so great. 

The first set of blogs talked all about World Of Beers. The 500 beers they have to taste, running a business without a kitchen yet still serving food and not to mention all the deals and specials available to the customers.

From there we moved on to Brick House. A great establishment in Fort Lauderdale with a great environment and some pretty interesting options of micro kegs, messy foods, and some pretty weird drink combinations... Orange juice and Guinness. 

Our third place to check out with the Lodge. A relaxed environment that has a great amount of beers in bottle but few on top. The place is small but the people are friendly and the beer taste good!

Wine was not an area in which I focused much of my time on but Total Wines and More sure did have a great deal of more. With Shelves and Shelves of beer and the option to mix and match. Total Wine is a one stop shop for those who like quite nights in with tasty beer. 

The shocker in the group of venues I explored was the gas station. Who would have thought that gas stations sold microbrewery beers? I sure didn't expect that. But its a nice stop on the way home and a way to kill two birds with one stone so to speak... Fill up the take and grab a pack.

The final place I chose to venture out to was Mellow mushroom. While the name is a little out there they have the best pizza and the beer selection might be small but is full of so many favorites and classics. And even some new ones on the list. 

I hope that this blog was able to give you some insight on a great amount of new beers to try as well as new locations to check out. 

There are many blogs our there which I used as a reference and have great tips for tasting and new beers to try as well. Be sure to check out: Beer Advocate they are one of a kind. 

Sunday, April 10, 2011

What is YOUR opinion on Beer?

This blog will consist of a few surveys to get the readers input. Please contribute to the surveys and see what others have to say as well. Feel free to leave comments on this page as well as read comments by other sites. 



Would you buy microbrewery Beer from a gas station?

What is your favorite microbrewery?

According to reviews,Mellow Mushroom was given a 4 start rating. And customers commented on the large selection of beer, the friendly staff and the great pizza that this location has to offer. Urbanspoon.com  has a poll which reads that 85% of the 205 people who voted enjoy Mellow Mushroom and would go again. Also, customers enjoyed the 1/2 price beers. 


Reviews on Total Wine and More were also positive reviews. Total Wine and More is the one stop shop for all your alcohol needs.. beer, wine and liquor. People felt that this was the best place to buy alcohol. The prices were good and it was better than other places. 

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Microbrewery... at a gas station??

There are many microbreweries to explore and so many venues to check out. But these next few blogs are going to get into an aspect of microbreweries that I never expected to exist. I would have no thought that Gas Stations would have a microbrewery section. That was a surprise to me. But a pretty nice surprise. 


Now, we all know that gas stations sell beer. But usually it is the average beer. They sell the bud-wiser, the natural light, the corona beers but when your in the mood for something out of the ordinary it is hard to come across. Now, all you have to do is stop at select gas stations and look around. The one that caught my eye was the BP Gas Station on Glades Road in Boca Raton Florida. 


View B P Petroleum in a larger map


Gas stations have several freezers of cold beverages. This BP Gas Station now has one freezer dedicated totally to microbrewery beers. Beers which are on the shelves include but are not limited to:
  • Strongbow cider
  • Magic Hat
  • Woodchuck cider
  • Shock Top
  • Sea Dog
While these beers are all speciality beers they are beers that I have incorporated in previous blogs and these are the more well known beers. While places like World Of Beers, house over 500 beers. The local gas stations don't carry as much but the ones they do are wonderful. 

Thursday, March 24, 2011

A taste of what Mellow Mushroom has at the bar

With pages and pages of beer Mellow Mushroom is a great place to enjoy speciality beers as well as your daily average beers. 

What sets Mellow Mushroom apart from any other microbrewery, is for one, the delicious pizza they serve and two the bar list they have. Many restaurants are limited in there drinking selection but Mellow Mushroom is far from limited. 

Abita Turbo Dog, Bells' Oberon, Kingfisher, Kalik and Chimay Ale Red are just a few of the speciality bottle beers which are served at Mellow Mushroom. But what is so special about these beers?


Abita Turbo Dog- A dark beer that combines pale, crystal and chocolate malts together which gives it that rich dark look. A 6.5% alcohol level beer that goes great with spicy foods and chocolate.
Bell's Oberon Ale- This beer is a 5.8% alcohol volume beer that has a mix of spicy hops and fruity aromas. This beer has a nice crisp taste and is a great beer to drink in the hot summer months. Bell's is a great pick for a beer. 

Kingfisher is next on the list. This beer is enjoyed all over the country. Kingfisher is full of excitement and youth. Kingfisher beers are low in calories and are light beers that have  a great taste to them.

Kalik beer is a Bahamas delight. Kalik is a light beer that is refreshing and great for sitting on the beach. According to Beeradvocate.com  this particular beer has a rating of a C- so it does not score really high in the views eyes. 



Chimay Ale Red is a beer from 1862 developed by the Cistercian Trappist Monks. In addition to beer, Chimay also makes cheese. Chimay beer scores an A- and is an excellent choice for beer at a 7% alcohol level. 











Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Mellow Mushroom.. Not just for pizza

Many people of heard of Mellow Mushroom... if you haven't then you need to check it out. Mellow Mushroom is known for their mouth watering pizza and the wonderful atmosphere. But, when most people go to Mellow Mushroom they do not realize it is also a microbrewery. 

Whatever the occasion might be, a birthday celebration, night our with your friends, or just a night out for dinner. Mellow Mushroom has all those delicious speciality beers. 

Their beer menu over 20 bottled beers and over 30 beers on draft. They range from the standard everyone loves beers such as Bud Light and go to beers I have never heard of such as Abita Turbo Dog. 

 Mellow Mushrooms Bar has lots to offer and event has a featured beer. This months featured beer is Bogart Pale Ale. A Mellow Mushroom specialty beer brewed in Georgia is something you must try. " This beer, literally, designed from scratch to be the perfect suds to wash down the fare of at Mellow Mushroom" as stated on their Delray Beach webpage. 

Mellow Mushrooms own specialty Beer: Bogart Pale Ale 



Friday, March 18, 2011

Is specialty beer what you enjoy? If so, Total wine has cases to choice from. All with a unique flavor

If specialty beer is just not for you... then Total Wines offers a two pages of import beers. The import beers they offer come from various locations such as but not limited to:
  • Belgium
  • Japan & Far east
  • Scotland
Some of the many import beers that Total Wine sells include but are not limited to:


Green Gluten Free Discovery is a beer that is from Belgium and quite a unique beer at that. This beer is all natural and is not made from any wheat. * That would be an extremely interesting beer to try.. Gluten Free...hmm an interesting concept. 


Then we have the Japanese beers. While the culture of Japan is so interesting, im sure the beer is too. They have amazing food in their culture and there is so much to learn. Including their beer choices. At Total Wines they have several Japan beers including Hitachino Nest Classic Ale. This particular beer have a sweet honey taste to them and are great for enjoying a specialty beer. 


If the Japanese culture is not quite for you, then have a taste of what Scotland has to offer. A unique beer with an interesting name...orkney's skullsplitter beer. This beer is a strong Ale beer with a fruity spicy hop taste. It is fresh and has sweet toasted malt. It is rick with molasses and the taste of dry fruits. This beer as so many aspects to it. 




So, Total Wine and More... has a great selection of more. With probably a few hundred beers. This is a great place to go and grab a cold one as well as mixing up the batch. At Total Wine you can mix and match a six pack and get six different beers if that is something you would like.


Wednesday, March 16, 2011

With eight pages of beer on their online menu, Total Wine is a great place to shop.

Total Wine has eight pages of beer. Eight, now that is a lot of beer in one location. The list can go on for days about the variety they have and the amount of beers which are unique and not sold in your average grocery store. 

In addition to the beers I have already discussed at Total Wine, They have list of more beers that I have never heard of before yet they are so good. 

  • Rogue Dead Guy is certainly an interesting name. With a hops flavor beer, and only eight ingredients the taste is a deep honey and a rich hearty flavor. The dead guy ale goes great with pork that has a hot and spicy flavor. 

Rogue brewing company brews a wide range of beers and Total Wine sells 17 beers. They range in different size bottles and in quantities of a single beer, a 6 pack or an eighteen pack. 


  • Smuttynose is another brand which is not common. Total Wine carries ten varieties of this brand. Smuttynose Big A IPA beer is a 2010 winner at the Great British Beer Festival. This beer is 9.7% alcohol volume. It has an orange and citrus fruit and a hint of honey. This beer is one to taste and sit back and enjoy. 

  • Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot, another interesting name for a beer. This is one of the many Weyerbacher beers that Total Wine has to offer. This particular beer is 11.1% alcohol. That is a lot of alcohol for one beer. This beer is one of their year round beers that is warm and fruity. It is great with cheese appetizers or even after a nice cooked meal. 


 Total Wine has many more beers on their shelves to try and experience. I have just named a few of those beers. So, next time you see the Total Wine sign stop in and experience all that they have to offer. 





Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Shelves and Shelves of beer yet its called Total Wine?!

When you feel like having a nice relaxing night in the comfort of your own home but are still craving that delicious beer that cannot be found at your average grocery store. Then Total Wine is the place you should stop at for the drink of your choice. 


Total wine has many of different locations but for this blog I am going to focus on the Total Wine and more of Boca Raton



View Total Wine & More - Boca Raton, FL in a larger map


So, what exactly does this venue have to offer? They have rows and rows of beer, wine and liquor. They even sell Kegs! So when that big party is coming around Total Wine is the place to go. 
With eight pages of to their beer list, Total Wine offers beers such as: 
Standard Domestic Beers:

  • Bud Light        $7.99 per 12 pack
  • Coors             $9.49 per 12 pack
  • Michelob        $9.99 per 12 pack  
These are just a few of the 32 domestic beers that they sell in cans, and bottles. 
Also included on the eight pages of beer is four pages of Microbrewery beers. They sell anything from single bottles to 4 packs, 6 packs or a 18 pack of beer. This establishment sells:


American micro-brews- are those beers which were created in America and are beers such as:

  • Dogfish head 60 minute IPA - Dogfish head is a Maine beer that is great for the summer. It has a refreshing taste and a hop character
    • For a fun fact, Dogfish head produces over 15 beers.
    • Left Hand brewing company brews many styles of beer and in several volumes as well. 

Included in this blog is just a few of the microbrewery beers that Total Wine has. The list continues and for the next few blogs, I will give insight as to some new and interesting beers to quench your thirst. Total Wines is an amazing establishment with so much to offer. Check back for more about the microbrewery beers they have.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Which is you favorite Microbrewery?

Thus far this blog has included: 

  • World Of Beers- an amazing location. One with lots of life to it, great entertainment, non-stop flowing of beer and at that over 500 beers to try. This venue is franchise is growing by the day and spreading all over Florida because it is such a hit. Unique beers at an amazing unique venue. 
  • The Brick house was next. Another great place to hang out at. The Brick house In Fort Lauderdale. Brick House has a amazing mixes of drinks.. Orange Juice and Guinness. And, micro kegs to buy while watching the games with some friends.
  • The lodge is another great place to check out. In the heart of Mizner park, the lodge is small yet has great beers on tap. This venue is a great place to hang out with friends after a long day of class or just a relaxed night out with friends. 

So, what is your pick? Which of these three venues is on the top of your list? Are you looking more for the Wold of Beer experience that is always going with live bands and drinks flowing...Or, are you in need of a night out with the boys or girls and a micro keg? Finally, are you and friends in search of a nice relaxed location and some great beers.



Take the poll and see what others have to say. 


Which microbrewery is for you?

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Draft beer not your thing? Then check out the Lodge for all their delicious bottle beers.

If the draft beers just are not cutting if for you and you'd rather a bottle beer... well the Lodge has only a select few bottle beers but the few they have are full of flavor and taste and are great beers. Here are just a few: 


  • Magic Hat Circus Boy  is a year round beer that an American style. There is amazing wheat flavor in the beer that is unfiltered and is so refreshing.
  • Avery New World Porter is a traditional black porter with a twist. It has a taste of chocolate and caramel and is pretty strong at 6.7% alcohol volume. 
  • Old Speckled Hen is a beer with taste and history. It is a smooth in flavor and each to drink. The flavors are toffee and malt combination with a touch of bitterness. It is the perfect beer for a night with friends.

If you're having a night where beer is just not your taste, then enjoy two of the nice wines that the Lodge carries. 


  • Black Swan Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark berry wine that has taste of mint and chocolate, with a 13.59% alcohol volume this is a great wine to enjoy. 
  • Black Swan Chardonnay is a great wine to sit back and enjoy. Black Swan has a fruit taste that is just so relaxing. A medium wine with peach, citrus, melon and compliments of vanilla to add to the flowing. This wine is strong in alcohol volume at 13.07%. But has such a great taste it leaves you wanting more. 

Whatever the taste might be that you're looking for, The Lodge is full of surprises. The selection might be limited yet, the variety that is available ranges in flavor, consistency, and alcohol percentage. 

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Enjoy a nice cold on at the Lodge of Mizner Park

The Lodge is home to nice, ice cold beer. They are an establishment that has 24 beers on tap, which are always on rotation. Their drafts range on so many different levels. Some of their beers include:

  • Magic Hat # 9 is exactly what its name describes... magic. This beer will have you guessing and will leave you in mystery. While the taste is a bit dry, it is refreshing and not the same as a pale ale. This is one of those beers you need to experience for yourself
  • Great Divide Titan IPA is considered to be a bitter pale ale beer which interestingly enough is an India beer. (This I have not come across much over my time of research.) Titan IPA 6.8% alcohol and balanced with a bitterness and crisp hop taste.
  • Sea Dog Blue Paw is an interesting name for a beer. There are many Sea Dog beers but I want to concentrate on the blue paw.  This beer is a 4.6% alcohol volume beer and has a fruit flavor taste. The fruit taste comes from wild blueberries and is a great thirst quencher. 
  • Shiner Bock a deep amber color but full of flavor and body. This beer doesn't have a bitter taste but instead just the opposite, a smooth taste. With a 4.4 % alcohol level it is a beer to keep you coming back for more.  
  • Lost Coast 8-ball oatmeal stout is an award winning beer. This beer is full of great flavor a creamy smooth taste that is always a surprise. It is a dark beer that has the look of chocolate. 

The Lodge has so many more beers on their list. The nice thing compared to World Of Beers is that trying all their beers is possible. They have a great selection and the staff is so helpful in letting you taste beers and find the one that bits your taste buds the best. 


     Another aspect of the Lodge is "Beer to Go" such an interesting idea and a great way to make money. Who wouldn't want to take home their favorite beers and be able to enjoy them when they wanted? I know I would love to have that. The Lodge refers to Beer to Go as Growlers.


Growlers beer is a 64 ounce Amber Colored glass growler that can be filled up time and time again. There are a great variety of drafts available that can be filled up to enjoy from the comfort of your own home.




Sunday, March 6, 2011

The Lodge Beer and Grill

The Lodge Beer and Grill is the next of my stops. This place is amazing! There are so many different types of beers, there is a great atmosphere. And the location is awesome. Right in the heart of Mizner Park, The Lodge offers a great indoor seating area as well as a great back porch on a nice Florida day. The Lodge is a fairly new location, having only been open for two years. 



The Lodge is small on the inside but wow is there a large selection of beer on draft and a variety of bottle beers too. The Lodge specializes in unique beers like many of the spots we have taken so far. There are great new beers to try that I have yet to mention and great food too.

When it comes to the Lodge, it is a great spot to meet up with friends, go on for a date and even just a great spot to go after a long day at work. The atmosphere is mellow and low key but a place that you can relax and actually have a conversation. The Lodge attracts people of all age and various groups as well. Its cozy feel is a sure win when looking for a night out. 


Friday, March 4, 2011

Brick House... Hit or Miss?

Brick House is full of wonders. There are so many different beer options that you have to go back more than one time in order to get the full experience. The location is great and easy to find. And the beer... Well what is there to say but it is great for the beer lovers. 


The general review of Brick House is that the service is great, the beer is great but the atmosphere was like a "man cave" it had loud music and lots of sports being played on the televisions and loud, loud music. I didn't bad reviews on and even critics were happy with the job well done. 


The overall consensus was that Brick House was a place to check out. A place that had a great atmosphere and there is so much to offer. The food is amazing and will always cater to  your hunger cravings. The beer is nice and cold and the service is great. 


This is defiantly a hit when it comes to location, food, and drinks... but that is in my opinion. I would say check it our for yourself and get back to me with your feed back. 


We still have a few more places to hit up on our "pub crawl" around Broward and Palm Beach County. But don't worry this is more beer to come, more food to try and more places for you and your friends to check out. 

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Beer with a twist! just take Orange Juice and Guinness and Stop in to Brick House Tavern.

Another aspect of Brick House which I found to be interesting was the fact that they sell 40's. Yes they sell beer by 40 ounce bottles. That is a lot of beer for a tavern to sell. Brick House actually sells more than one kind of beer in 40's. They sell all American Lagers:

  • MGD
  • Miller High Life
  • Miller Light
  • Budweiser
  • Bud Light

According to Urban Dictionary, 40 ounce beers are of low quality and are cheap beers. Many bottles are $2 to $3 and are usually drank by teenagers and gangsters. 40's are an easy and cheap way for many to get drunk. 

Another exciting factor that Brick House has is "Beer With a Kick." This is an interesting section on the menu. These beers all have a hint of alcohol added to them. 
For instance, 
  • Black and Tan is Bass and Guinness. 
  • Dirty Blonde is Stella and Guinness. 
  • Liverpool Kiss is Guinness and Chambord.
  • Bee Sting is Guinness and OJ

Cask Beer is another interesting aspect. It is beer which is hand pulled and comes in Pints, 20 oz, 1/2 bongs, or Full bongs. The beer they sell is a Pal Ale from Warrenville, Il. This beer has a soft flavor and is hand crafted

If beer is not hitting the spot for you while at Brick House its okay, they have a great selection of wines by the glass for their customers to sit back and enjoy. Wines ranging from reds to whites and even champagne. 

This is a great twist to add to a tavern. The variety is always adding new experiences for the customers to enjoy.