Key West Brew Fest

September 6, 2015













Key West Brew Fest

This year marked the sixth anniversary of what has become one of the best events in Key West all year, the Key West Brew Fest. I have been fortunate to attend every year and watch as the event has exploded in popularity, attendance and quality over the time it has been held. The brainchild of Matt Babich from Southermost Hotel Collections in partnership with the Key West Sunrise Rotary Club, the fun event raises funds for the Rotary Club and the charities that they support.

Debbie and Matt









Having fun for a good cause is pretty much the Key West mantra, but this event is wonderfully entertaining, especially to craft beer lovers like myself. The main event is held on the beach at the Southernmost Café but there are seemingly more and more ancillary events such as pool parties, tap takeovers, special releases, beer dinners, parties and even seminars on the brewing process and home brewing.













Every year more and more Florida Breweries send representatives and where they once had to practically beg some to come down, now there is a line of breweries trying to get access to what has become one of the premier craft beer events in Florida. The signature tasting event now features over 150 beers from multiple breweries and it is something to behold.

Wynwood Brewery Crew

I had purchased, as I always have, a VIP ticket for the event which allowed early entry by two full hours this year. This is a great way to avoid the massive crowds that file in once the event is opened up to the public. You are able to get around and sample just about any craft beer available with no lines and there are some breweries which unveil specialty beers during the VIP section that are not available during the general session. Also there is free food during the VIP hours which is a nice bonus.











It was as per usual, incredibly hot at the beachfront location, but the sweltering heat was tempered somewhat by the icy cold beers that were being offered from every one of Florida’s finest breweries. All the best were on hand from Cigar City to Funky Buddah to the Wynwood Brewery and more. The Keys were well-represented as every brewery in the Keys was there including a great booth by the newly opened Waterfront Brewery.



Amanda and Effie

Andy, Robyn and Johnny



Casey

Livi and Chris

One of the other things that I really love about the Brew Fest is how it really brings out the local crowd to enjoy the Labor Day weekend party. You see so many friendly and happy locals and it almost reminds me of the old Cayo Carnival days or classic Goombay Fest. Everyone is in a good mood, one enhanced by the beer of course, but this is not a drunken party, which is another pleasing aspect. It is all about quality not quantity.



Suzanne and Marilyn







It was another fantastic event, and this year something new and exciting closed out the fest as the New Orleans based band Waterseed led a traditional Second Line March from South Beach, down Duval Street and over to the Green Parrot bar, where the party continued late into the night. It was a classy and cool new addition and people really seemed to get in to it, with hundreds of people marching behind the band down the street.









http://www.keywestbrewfest.com/

Waterfront Brewery

September 4, 2015









Waterfront Brewery

Key West has long needed a quality microbrewery. Over the years we have has various hits and misses with Kelly’s Caribbean being the most well-known small batch success story. But their beer is nothing to shout about and with exception of the wonderful yet small operation Bone Island Brewing behind the restaurant store, we have experienced a serious lack of quality local beer.

Livi and Chris





Sarah and Gae

Even Key West lager is no longer brewed in the Keys and the breweries that have opened such as the ill-fated Hammerhead Brewery formerly on Duval Street have quickly shut down. The upper Keys have had more success with the successful opening of the Islamorada Brewing Company and Florida Keys Brewing Company, but Key West has had to be content with a few craft beer bars rather than breweries themselves.







Until now that is, as the labor day weekend saw the opening of the Waterfront Brewery which is now open in the former space of the Waterfront Market where I spent many years working when I first came to Key West and where I actually lived in one of the former upstairs apartments in the early 90s.

Richard and Bethany



Since the sad closing of the Waterfront Market and a brief run as a different grocer, the building has sat empty without any tenants deciding to take on the massive structure until some business partners including the owners of Fogarty’s bar and the Porch joined to open the Waterfront Brewery, a massive operation that at long last brings true craft beer excellence to Key West on a large scale. They brought in a brewer who previously worked at the fabulous Cigar City Brewery in Tampa and the magic was on.







The first official events at the Brewery coincided with the annual Key West Brewfest which has grown into an amazing event in just a few short years and the events at the Brewery included an opening night party and a Friday night Florida Brewery Tap Takeover with over sixty brews from across the state of Florida and the ever growing population of craft breweries.





Matt and Debbie

They were both fantastic, packed events as locals crowded in to see what all the fuss was about and came away mostly satisfied that this was an excellent choice for the property. I admit that it was a bit nostalgic since I had spent so much time in the place, but I can’t think of a better use for the place and am thinking that I will once again be spending some time there.



Kathy was away as she has headed up to Massachusetts to visit her father and prepare for her big 50^th birthday party there, but there were plenty of familiar faces at the Brewery to hang out with and it was a great way to kick-off the Brew Fest weekend. In addition to the Waterfront Brewery parties, there were also Brew Fest parties that I attended at Dante’s (a party hosted by Islamorada Brewing) and at the new Marker Resort Pool (hosted by New Belgium Brewery).









Nothing like spending an afternoon at a pool party sipping delicious craft beer under the bright sunshine. It was a relaxing and fun start to Brew Fest weekend, which has quickly become one of my favorite Key West events.