August 22, 2018

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:

A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments

I was recently back in south Florida, this time on business and stopped at a local joint to eat. Their sign included reference to "craft beers on tap" and I thought "do they know how to make good beer in Florida?". I hadn't heard much about the Florida beer scene.

Holy moly. They are serious about this shit. I think they've got New England beat in this department. Some taverns print a beer list that is updated HOURLY during the night, as certain special tiny batch brews sell out. The variety and sheer number of offerings is mind boggling, and the alcohol percentages routinely go well up into the teens (without ultra high prices to boot). In Mass. we think 7-9% is a big deal. After dehydrating all day in the summer heat and then drinking a pint of something at 13%, I don't know who is able to drive home well enough. The server offered to get me a flight of five tastes and I had to decline because I knew I'd have to sleep in the car.

I sat outside on a covered patio and the conversation at all the other tables was only about one thing: soccer. There was an animated in-depth discussion going on at one table about scholastic and collegiate Floridian center backs.

So there you have it: a glimpse of the hip future, drowning in high end beer choices and obsessed with soccer, live from the state that some think is primarily a designated repository for weird occurrences and renegade reptiles. I can't say that Florida is out-Portlanding Portland at this point because nobody recycles, a fair number of drivers prefer not to have an exhaust system, and not that many white people ride bicycles or take mass transit, but otherwise, game on.

posted by beaverboard at 04:29 PM on August 22, 2018

Does your work ever take you to the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area? If so, let a brother know

posted by NoMich at 10:26 PM on August 22, 2018

Cigar City Brewing in Tampa makes some great beers, including the best Florida IPA Jai Alai. When you open a can it smells like newly mowed lawn. Delicious.

A small place in Jacksonville Beach, Green Room Brewing, has a yearly special release called Quetzalcoatl that may be the state's best beer. It's a an imperial red ale made with chocolate, cassava root, serrano and pablano peppers that drops the hammer at 11% ABV.

The biggest reason for low bicycle usage here is the crazy high number of fatalities. This is the most dangerous state for bicyclists.

posted by rcade at 10:30 AM on August 23, 2018

Beaverboard, have you ever been to Fake Portland? Every bar I go to has a long list of brews and rarely do I see any overlap.

posted by billsaysthis at 11:22 AM on August 23, 2018

Thanks NoMich, I will certainly let you know.

All I need is the go ahead from Mr. Avenatti to go find a stripper somewhere in the Triangle who claims to have spent quality time with the Commander-in-Chief and we can dine out in regal style on a cable news per diem.

posted by beaverboard at 02:05 PM on August 23, 2018

We can go to the Angus Barn! (the most important G in all of the restaurant world) That old school Raleigh steak joint just so happens to be next to a gentleman's club.

posted by NoMich at 02:13 PM on August 23, 2018

Fake Portland? Every bar I go to has a long list of brews and rarely do I see any overlap

I assume that means the one on the West Coast, but I can strongly recommend Salvage BBQ in the proper Portland (right next to the Sea Dogs stadium) which has Bissell Brothers among its terrific tap list.

posted by yerfatma at 11:54 AM on August 30, 2018

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