MyJoogTV:Uncle Dave Huber @ Black Ankle Vineyards

Last night we filmed our third episode of MyJoogTV, where we pair musicians with makers of wine, beer, and spirits. This show featured Ed Boyce, co-owner of Black Ankle Vineyards in a discussion of wine and blues with Uncle Dave Huber, a local blues musician. Specifically, we discussed terrior, Black Ankle wines, markets, and the blues. We then filmed a couple songs performed by Uncle Dave. The video podcast should be available at the end of the month.

Sunset Hills Vineyard: Cabernet Franc Tasting

Yesterday I escaped the suburbs for a taste of wine in Loudoun wine country by visiting Sunset Hills Vineyard. I had intended to sample some wine along with our friend, Jim Corcoran from neighboring Corcoran Vineyards, but instead participated in a wine tasting class hosted by Sunset Hill's winemaker, Nate Walsh. Sunset Hills is now known for their fabulous Viognier, but this class was an introduction to their Cabernet Franc offers through a vertical and horizontal tasting. Mr. Walsh lead us through five cabernet franc wines, some styles within the same year (horizontal) and others from differing years (vertical).

He first explained why Cabernet Franc is well suited for the Virginia climate. First, the grape seems to thrive in the clay soils. Second, the grape ripens early and is thus relatively unaffected by late season rain. Yes, Virginia can receive abundant late summer or early fall rain thanks to hurricanes or tropical storms moving north. Since the grape ripens early, this excess rain will not result in the plant generating more juice, thus diluting the overall concentration. And finally, Cabernet Franc grows in loose clusters, which enables air to move between the individual grapes - reducing chances of mold or rot that normally would result from the regions high summer humidity.

Now for the wines. We started with a dry rose, which actually contains a hint of sweetness from not allowing all the grape's sugar to ferment. However this sweetness is nicely balanced with an acidic finish - a nice summer wine. We then sampled a vertical tasting from grapes harvested from Benevino Vineyards. This estate lies higher in elevation and with more limestone soils, thus producing a different flavor composition from Sunset Hill's estate grown Cabernet Franc. The 2008 was made in a lighter style whereas the 2009 was given extended maturation which means after fermenting the juice sat with the skins and seeds for a few additional weeks. The result of yearly differences and this winemaking technique is a fuller wine. Even though this wine will remain in the barrel for another year, I liked it a lot more than the 2008.

We tasted the last two wines out of order - accidents happen - starting with the 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc. It is well known the 2007 was an incredible growing season in Virginia, and this wine reflects the year. The winery also reduced yields, resulting in even more concentrated fruit. The result is an outstanding wine - full bodied, tannins suitable for aging - but not overpowering. Today may have been the last time tasting this one - supplies are very limited. We then retreated to the 2008 Cabernet Franc which wasn't bad; but after the '07, any comparison would be unfair. But it was a nice exercise in the difference that a single year can make. While not as full bodied, it has more pepper and spices than the preceding year and less tannins. Overall, not a bad wine.

After the class I did get a chance to share a bottle of the 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc with Jim and a couple new friends. With Patty Reese playing in the background it was the best possible example why its worthy to drive an hour into the country: good wine, music, and friends.

New Brewery in Northern Virginia: Mad Fox Brewing Company

We've always lamented the lack of brewpubs in Northern Virginia. Yes there are a few, but with traffic, they might as well be two states away. However, that situation was alleviated this July with the opening of Mad Fox Brewing Company in Falls Church. The brewpub\restaurant is owned and operated by Bill Madden and Rick Garvin, the former a well known brewer, the later a Master Beer Judge in the Beer Judge Certification Program. Nice pedigrees. In fact Madden is mostly known for his work at Capitol City Brewing in Washington DC and Vintage 50 in Leesburg, Virginia. Now he has his own place. The brewpub is located in the middle of Falls Church on Broad Street and features several German beer styles that Madden has mastered.

We arrived this past Saturday to a packed bar - but the brewpub is spacious enough to allow us to grab a seat. There were several families in attendance which was good to note for future outings. Plus the kitchen cooks every meal from scratch - event the cucumbers are pickled in house. However, instead of a food, we stuck to the beers and tried five brews: Altbier, Kolsch, Lindy's Weisse, 80 Shilling, and Wee Heavy. The first and last were our overall favorites - but don't ignore the middle. In order to mimic the flavors from those made in the German Dusseldorf region, Madden uses Munich and Chocolate wheat malts along with Spalt hops to create a perfectly balanced beer. Flavorful and smooth with a slight hop tail. The Kolsch will be our beer of choice when coming off the bike path. It is hoppier than most Cologne versions but the extra hops adds just enough refreshing characteristics to make this more than just a "light" beer. We were glad to see a hefeweisen offered and their Lindy's Weisse is a true Bavarian style Hefe. It is unfiltered, yeasty, and full of wheat flavor that includes an interesting mix of citrus and banana. Next up was the 80 Shilling served from the cask and this was actually a little disappointing. Just no real flavor - and we usually enjoy beers from the cask because the lower carbonation and higher serving temperatures usually enhance the flavor. This beer was soon forgotten when we sipped the Wee Heavy, a Scottish Ale and served in a sifter (8.6% abv). This is a sweet beer - some toffee flavors and is lightly hopped - just a full styled beer. Nicely done.

There is no doubt that the Mad Fox Brewing Company will become a regular stop in our beer adventures. Plus living so close and being less than a mile from the Old Dominion bike path makes it all too easy to become a regular. See you there.

Forgotten Grapes

When Wine-Compass.com first started we published a regular Wine 101 series featuring relatively unknown grapes - primarily of the labrusca variety, but also some hybrids, muscadine, norton, and viniferia grapes. Over time we fell behind posting new articles on the subject and eventually the series fading away. However, this week we discovered a wine writer who has created a similar series - albeit way more robust than anything we published. The writer is Chris Kern and the website, ForgottenGrapes.com. Mr. Kern spends more time on "forgotten" viniferia varieties than our series - which is a good thing - since many of these grapes are popular in other parts of the world. Based out west, Kern has scheduled several “Getting Friendly with Forgotten Grapes” seminars at wineshops along the east coast. Prices vary for each event, but each include generous pours of each of the five Forgotten Grape wines, and a cheese plate paired with the wine. If you are unable to attend one of these events, we most definitely recommend visiting ForgottenGrapes.com to increase your knowledge and appreciation of these grapes.

• Tues., August 17th Baltimore, MD V-NO Wine Bar in Fells Point
  905 South Ann Street in Baltimore
  First wine poured at 6:30pm. $29 per person includes the show and pours of all five Forgotten Grape varietals. For reservations call V-NO at (410) 342-8466
  
  
• Wed., August 18th Arlington, VA Twisted Vines Bottleshop & Bistro
  2803 Columbia Pike in Arlington
  First wine poured at 6:30pm. $35 per person includes the show and pours of all five Forgotten Grape varietals. Food will also be available for purchase at Twisted Vines. For reservations call Twisted Vines at (571) 482-8581
  
  
• SPECIAL FIVE-COURSE FORGOTTEN GRAPES-PAIRED GOURMET DINNER
  Fri., August 20th Wilmington, NC Temptations Everyday Gourmet
  3501 Oleander Drive, Suite 13 in the Hanover Center
  Dinner begins at 6:30pm. $75 per person includes the show, pours of all five Forgotten Grape varietals, and five specially prepared culinary creations from two of Wilmington’s Top Chefs, Michael Comer and Virginia Thompson, paired with each Forgotten Grape wine
  For reservations call Temptations at (910) 763-6662
  
  
• Sat., August 21st Wilmington, NC The Seasoned Gourmet
  1930 Eastwood Road, Suite 105 in the Lumina Commons
  Dinner begins at 6:30pm. $45 per person includes the show, pours of all five Forgotten Grape varietals, and five unique “tapas-style” bites created by The Seasoned Gourmet owner and culinary mastermind Susan Boyles to complement each Forgotten Grape wine. For reservations call The Seasoned Gourmet at (910) 256-9488

Chesapeake Crab & Beer Festival

Anyone looking for a great festival at the end of August, take a look at the Chesapeake Crab & Beer Festival. This festival is produced by the same company who brings us Das Best Oktoberfest and The Beer Bourbon & BBQ Festival. The event occurs August 21st from noon-7:00pm at National Harbor. Here's the link for the beer vendors; plenty of Heavy Seas and Brewery Ommegang on tab. And get ready to listen to Looking for Lester and Junk Food. Besides loads of beer and crabs, here's what to expect:

* Lots of Summer Time Fun For The Whole Family
* THOUSANDS of CRABS and other great foods on-hand.
* There will be over 50 beers, wines and a few spirits. All of your favorite craft beers and perfectly paired wines will be served to highlight the seafood on-hand.
* Enjoy The Heavy Seas Beer Experience
* Enjoy The “Soon To Be World Famous” Chilled Tequila Tasting Bar. Margaritas and Wine-A-Ritas available for additional purchase.
* Taste The Great Food. There is Great Crabs and MORE CRABS and MORE CRABS and even MORE CRABS.
* Other great food options will be on-site as well for an additional purchase - summer favorites like hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, pit beef, barbecue and other options.
* Live Music on The Main Stage! Enjoy the Sounds of local and regional favorite bands as they rock the waterfront.
* Special Kids Area and Family Fun Zone. Come and enjoy the moon bounces, activity centers and other great options so that the little ones can come out and enjoy too.
* Thousands of Tables and Chairs and Huge Tents for crackin’ to your heart’s content undercover with the beautiful summer breezes from the water. We’ve even ordered enough crab paper to stretch all the way across The Potomac and back.
* All the show features are undercover- so Rain or Shine- you should be fine.

MyJoogTV:Holy Ghost Tent Revival @ Flying Dog Brewery

Tonight we film our second episode of MyJoogTV, where we pair musicians with makers of wine, beer, and spirits. This show will feature Holy Ghost Tent Revival in a discussion of beer and music with Abby Casarella, from Flying Dog Brewery. We plan on discussing touring, beer labels, Frederick, and anything else that comes to mind. We will then follow HGTR to Cafe Nola where they will be performing this evening. The show starts at 9:00 and best of all, it's FREE; come on out to see a great show. Plus Flying Dog beer is served at the cafe. And the video podcast should be available at the end of the month.

Zwack Maximilian

As a small country, Hungarian produces an abundant assortment of beer, wine, spirits, and liquors. One that I have always shied away from is the very popular Zwack Unicum - a licorice-flavored digestif liquor that was first produced in 1790 during the Habsburg dynasty. However, when Mrs. WineCompass returned with a bottle containing the Zwack label, I took a deeper interest in the distillery and found a very adventurous and enduring family history. The bottle in question was the recently released Zwack Maximilian, a brandy made in Kecskemet from late-harvest Furmint grapes grown in the Tokaj region. Great grape, great growing region - a nice start. Then the brandy is aged in oak barrels and bottled by hand, and the result is a fine, fine brandy. And it has an interesting story - made from a long-lost family recipe first concocted in 1912. From 1790 to the second world war, the Zwack distillery operated continually in Budapest under several forms of government - mostly unopposed. However, WWWII was different and the distillery was destroyed along with the rest of the city by American bombers and Soviet troops. The rest is from the company's history page:

• "After the war, during which the family lived in a cellar with two unexploded bombs, which they nicknamed Rózsa and Zsuzsa, over their heads, Mitzi's two brothers, János and Béla, completely rebuilt the factory using the most modern technology available at the time. When, in 1948, the firm was finally ready to resume production at pre-war levels, the newly instated Communist government confiscated everything the family possessed with no compensation and "the world as I knew it", to quote Péter Zwack the present heir to the Zwack Company, "came to an end". János fled to the West sitting on his shooting stick under an upturned barrel with the Unicum recipe in his breast pocket, having bribed the Russian drivers to take him across the border. Béla chose to remain in Hungary and was deported, together with thousands of other "class enemies", to eke out a miserable existence on the Great Hungarian Plain. Péter Zwack took a train to the Yugoslav border and then walked his way to Trieste where, with an overwhelming surge of joy and relief, he saw the British fleet at anchor in the bay.
• Péter Zwack returned to Europe in 1970. By then Unicum was already being successfully marketed and distributed in Italy, while Péter Zwack's role became that of opening up new markets and reviving old ones. As the winds of change swept over the whole Eastern bloc, Péter started to receive overtures from Hungary inviting him to return and take over the running of this old family factory.
• In 1987, while Hungary was still a Communist country, he took a gamble and returned home together with his family.
• Initially, he entered into a Joint Venture with the Hungarian State, and then in 1991, together with his partner, Emil Underberg, also a family company, he repurchased the entire State-owned conglomerate incorporating thirteen factories and thirteen hundred workers."

Today the distillery operates out of Kecskemet, a plant I must visit on our next trip overseas. And as for Unicum, maybe I was sampling the communist version and not the family version. The Zwack Maximilian - may last another week.

HR 5034 - CNN

Our friend Dezel from My Virginia Wine Spot was featured in this CNN clip regarding H.R. 5034. The battle is ongoing, contact your rep today.

MyJoogTV: Cadillac Sky @ Tarara Winery

Last night we filmed our inaugural episode of MyJoogTV, where we pair musicians with makers of wine, beer, and spirits. This show featured bluegrass sensation Cadillac Sky in a discussion of wine and music with Jordan Harris, the winemaker at Tarara Vineyard & Winery. Specifically we discussed the similarities with winemaking and composing music as well as the shared experience of facing critics - consumers, experts, and within the industry. During the discussion we sampled three yet to be bottled wines in Tarara's new "Nova" series. These wines are made from the best grapes grown in specific vineyards or appellations and the futures are actually already sold out. The episode also includes a songs from Cadillac Sky's performance that evening at the winery and should be ready for download in two weeks. Thanks also to Echo Propp, from WAMU Bluegrass Country, for participating as well.

Episode 1: Cadillac Sky @ Tarara Winery

Cadillac Sky @ Tarara Winery

For those of us living in northern Virginia, we have the unique opportunity Saturday (July 31st) to enjoy fine wine while listening to one of the most explosive bluegrass bands around. Cadillac Sky is playing at Tarara Winery's Summer Concert Series and this is one show you shouldn't miss. Some have described the band as the next Avett Brothers and they were a huge hit at this year's Merlefest. A ticket is only $15, children 7 and under are free, and there will be plenty of wines available. In fact, Tarara's wines have become very impressive under the direction of winemaker Jordan Harris. We will see you there.

FloydFest - Beer & Wine

Since we were camping at this year's FloydFest - actually sleeping in my car - and didn't have to drive an hour to a hotel room - there was greater freedom to indulge in the various wine and beer offered. We consumed more beer than wine, just the nature of an outdoor music festival. Two neighboring wineries were pouring, Villa Appalaccia Winery and Chateau Morrisette. Actually, the two are very active participants, with Villa Appalaccia located within walking distance and Chateau Morrisette offering its concert field for parking. The most popular wines seemed to be Chateau Morrisette's white and red sangria. Whenever we visited their station, representatives couldn't keep up with demand. I liked the white sangria - it had just enough touch of lemon to sooth a thirst. I only tries one of Villa Appalaccia's wines, their Simpatico - pairing with a spicy burrito dinner.

But beer was on the agenda, with three breweries taking most of our action. Crozet's Starr Hill Brewing was the easiest to reach, being situated adjacent to the Garden stage. Its also nice that they were pouring two of our favorites, the Jomo Lager and Pale Ale. The lager satisfies a thirst with a nice balance between malt and hops, whereas the pale ale is much stronger and pairs beautifully while listening to music. Slow drinking.

Another brewery we attended frequently was The River Company Restaurant and Brewery, out of Radford. They were conveniently located at the entrance to the Beer Garden but served two completely different beers (among others) that kept us coming back. Farmhouse Hefeweizen was a refreshing hefe, with the traditional sweet wheat flavor and a smooth balanced tail. This was nice. For something completely different we drank their Dumpster Dog Porter, made from seven different types of malt. This is a big beer, with bits of the chocolate flavor associated with our favorite porters. The beer finished strong as well - a nice ride from start to finish.

The final brewery in the Beer Garden that we frequented often was Foothills Brewing, from Winston Salem. We first "discovered" this brewery at last year's Floydfest and each year come to appreciate their offerings even more. Foothills beers tend to be a tad hoppier than competing brands and even their lightest, Torch Pilsner, had a little more hops than more traditional pilsners. That doesn't mean the beers are bitter, they just exude different characteristics - perhaps a little more spiciness. The Torch Pilsner is your everyday festival beer - smooth and refreshing, and at one point my favorite of their offerings. Their Pilot Mountain Pale Ale is stronger, with two other IPA's rounding out the first day's selections. The IPA's are both hop monsters, more suited to consume with food as they cleanse the palate quickly. But the greatest treat came when brewmaster Jamie Bartholomaus rode up with a keg of Sexual Chocolate, an Imperial Stout, that's the bomb. This beer is strong, creamy; but smooth and drinkable. Not afraid of drinking dark beers during the day, we consumed several of these - it was a hit.

By Saturday night we had discovered the VIP tent, with some beers found in the Beer Garden but a completely new collection from a home brewer from the area. I never made it back to meet the brewer, but his beers were quite good - particularly the Pilsner and Black Lager. Next year I'll have to spend more time in the VIP tent learning more about this mystery brewer.

This Week at MyJoog.com

This is a busy week at MyJoog.com starting with a short trip to Wolf Trap Wednesday night, the Steep Canyon Rangers Thursday, and then off to Floydfest for the weekend festival. The Wolf Trap show features John Hiatt opening for the Levon Helm Band. Not only is this a great combo in itself, but the great Jim Weider is playing in Helm's band. Awesome. The following evening is family night - with us making the short drive to Frying Pan Park to see a free show from the Steep Canyon Rangers. What a treat. Finally we pack up the camping gear and follow Levon Helm southwest to Floydfest for two-three days (depending when we arrive Friday) of excellent music. Some of the acts we are looking forward to hearing, in addition to Helm, are The Hackensaw Boys, OCMS, Bearfoot, Mountain Heart, JJ Grey & Mofro, American Aquarium, Joe Pug, Railroad Earth, and Cornmeal, among many others. Plus, not having the family will allow a little more indulgence in the beer garden with wine and beer from Chateau Morrisette, Starr Hill Brewing, Foothills Brewing, The River Company Restaurant and Brewery, and Villa Appalaccia Winery. See you on The Crooked Road.

Is Bio-dynamic Grape Growing a Hoax?

I recently read an interesting article by Dr. Mark Greenspan in the Wine Business Monthly titled, "Thoughts on Organic, Bio-dynamic, and Sustainable Grape Growing". This article is a reasonable critique of the Bio-dynamic movement particularly with the true believers who infer that conventional wine is bad, organic wine is better, and bio-dynamic wine is best. Dr. Greenspan also critiques many bio-dynamic practices because they can not be tested in a scientific manner. This article forced me to research the subject a little more which led me to a site which wasn't pulling punches, "Biodynamics is a Hoax". Published by Stu Smith, of Smith-Madrone Vineyard, this blog is dedicated to proving that Biodynamics founder, Rudolf Steiner, was a "nutcase" and fraud and that Biodynamics farming may do more harm in the long run. Very interesting propositions.

Visiting the Low Country: September Oaks Vineyards

While traveling north along I-95 in Georgia we searched Wine-Compass.com for a winery adjacent to the highway and found a candidate just north of the border in South Carolina. In fact, September Oaks Vineyards is situated only a few miles off I-95 in Ridgeland, South Carolina. The winery is owned and operated by Grady Woods (and his family), who started the venture as a side project from his typical vocation as an architect. They planted the vines two years ago in a field surrounded by oak and pecan trees draped with Spanish Moss. A true southern property. And in typical southern fashion the grapes are various muscadine varieties that excel in the hot and humid climate. In addition they planted Carnelian, a hybrid "created by the University of California in 1972 in order to create a grape for hot climates which still possessed some of the characteristics of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. It is a hybrid "created by the University of California in 1972 in order to create a grape for hot climates which still possessed some of the characteristics of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. It is a cross between the Carignane and the Cabernet Sauvignon that was then further crossed with the Grenache."

While this fruit matures they source fruit from north and south Georgia. Now, some Drink Local zealots may frown upon this decision, since the grapes are grown out of state, but considering that September Oaks Vineyards lies so close to the Georgia border - it is no difference than a Virginian or New York winery sourcing grapes from across the state. In order to accommodate the tastes of the local population, the wines are crafted from off-dry to sweet; however none of the wines were sickly sweet or gritty. We started with the driest, a White Merlot where the juice lies with the skins just long enough to gain color. This wine is also used in the Family Reserve Red Wine which is also blended with muscadine. Both of these are nice wines - not completely dry but tailored for an audience moving in that direction. But their best sellers are the 100% muscadines, the Carolina Wren Red Wine, Crescent Moon White Wine, Palmetto Red Wine, and Yellow Jasmine White Wine. These are all medal winners - the most recent Finger Lakes competition was very successful. These wines are quite good - the whites recommended with spicy foods; the reds, perhaps for sipping. The reds reminded me of the Hungarian wine tradition of drinking semi-sweet reds; not overly sweet and very drinkable. One day soon we need to visit Hilton Head which will allow us to visit September Oaks again as well as the other area wineries.

Monk In the Trunk

On the heels of enjoying a couple Holy Mackerel beers from Gordash Brewing Company on the 4th, we tried another Belgium styled beer from yet another Florida brewery, Monk In the Trunk from the Inlet Brewing Company. This is another fine ale - this time made with organic ingredients. It has all the characteristics expected in a Belgium ale: spice, fruit apricots in this one, and balanced throughout. Nicely done.

Holy Mackerel Beers on the 4th

We found some excellent beers for the 4th from another Florida craft brewer; Holy Mackerel from Gordash Brewing Company. The brewery crafts three beers and we got our hands on two: Mack In Black and Special Golden Ale. The Mack in Black made from "dark chocolate barley and roasted grains paired with American hops, and Belgian yeast". This is a real interesting beer - its bolder than a traditional Black Lager, smoother than most Stouts, and with some of the chocolate characteristics of a Porter. Its not overly hoppy so the finish is very smooth and has a more chocolate character than espresso or coffee. A nice beer, but was completely overshadowed by the Special Golden Ale. This is a traditional Belgium styled ale made from Pilsner malt, Saaz Hops and Belgian Trappist yeast and bottled unfiltered and unpasturized. It has a full flavor with a hint of spice - balanced between hops and malt. A great beer - and perfect for a hot Florida afternoon. And why not - after a little research we learned that Robert K. Gordash had entered an Extra Special Bitter into the Samuel Adams World Homebrew Contest and was one of three selected winners. Ten years later the Holy Mackerel brand of beers was born.

Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery - Pounding Branch Persimmon Melomel

Looking to satisfy a sweet craving I opened our last remaining bottle of Virginia wine, the Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery Pounding Branch Persimmon Melomel. We had purchased the wine during a visit almost two years ago and stored away - forgetting the wine's profile. It's basically a 60-40 blend of honey wine and persimmon wine. Expecting a sweet honey wine, I was surprised to sip a dry wine and quickly swapped out the dessert vessel for a larger glass. Now I know why I purchased it. The wine has a nice fruit aroma and flavor up front and then a smooth dry honey finish. The honey remains basically from the mid-palette to the tail. Way to go Hill Top; I need to get back for more; although supplies are limited and depend on harvest of the persimmon crop on the mountain.

El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum

I always look forward to finishing a rum bottle because it means another trip to the liquor store and a chance to browse the large selection of rums. One that caught my eye was the El Dorado 12 Year Old distilled by Demerara Distillers Ltd in Georgetown, Guyana. Never had a Guyana made rum, probably because Demerara is that country's only rum distiller. The sugar cane is grown on the fertile banks of the Demerara River and was the original source of sugar used in making Pusser's Rum. Since those early years "Demerara" rum was sourced in bulk to other distillers which had the unintended consequence of losing its brand. Demerara Distillers is attempting to rectify that situation by discontinuing the practice of selling bulk rum and instead bottle all their rum under the Demerara Rum name. And "today all rum bottled under the Demerara Rum name must come from Demerara Distillers in Guyana". Another fact that I found interesting is that this distiller operates the last remaining wooden still in the Caribbean.

Demerara Distillers produces a wide range of rum products, but for our purposes we were only interested in their reserve line - the 12 and 15 year old rums. The 12-year old was priced with better value so it came home with us. It is a blend of selected aged rums, with the youngest being no less than 12 years old. The rum was distilled from one of three stills, including the double wooden pot still and then aged in used bourbon oak casks. The result is an incredibly smooth, smooth rum; I mean zero burn at the tail, with the finish lasting quite a while. I had to add a few drops of water to ignite the aromas which had more complexity than the flavor, which is sweet - almost like honey. In fact the rum was almost too sweet and mellow. I just didn't pick up many spice or fruit characteristics as my mind concentrates on its smoothness. That doesn't mean its not a good rum; it is extremely drinkable and affordable at $20. This is a good alternative to Ron Zacapa.

The Florida Brewing Company

The only local craft beers we can regularly find are those produced by the Florida Brewing Company, the state's largest craft brewer. The brewery reached that status through acquisition, by purchasing the assets of the Ybor City Brewing Company. These assets included Key West (Key West Brewery, originally of Key West, Florida), Ybor Gold (Ybor City Brewing Company originally of Tampa, Florida) and Hurricane Reef (Hurricane Reef Brewery originally of Miami, Florida). These brands, as well as several others, are crafted at the company's Melbourne brewery.

In the past I have sampled these brands, but its been a long time. I do remember enjoying the Ybor City products while visiting Tampa. During this trip, it appears that the Key West brands were the most accessible. In the Keys I drank the Key West Sunset Ale which is available in many restaurants and tiki bars. Its a red amber ale and its not bad - I think it may just be too malty for the Florida environment. Instead I really liked their Key West Southernmost Wheat. This is a Belgium styled Witbeer and for spices, it was brewed with two types of orange peel and Key Limes. The wheat and lime are prevalent in the nose and transition nicely to the mouth with the lime in full display at the tail. This is a complex beer, may not be preferable to some, but I found it very refreshing at the pool.

Big Bear Brewing Company; Coral Springs, Florida

While returning from the Keys we took a slight detour to Coral Springs in order to sample the many beers produced by the Big Bear Brewing Company. Greg Wentworth opened the brewpub almost fifteen years ago and named the facility after the dwindling Florida Black Bear population. In fact there was once 12,000 black bears living throughout Florida; but now the 1,500 remaining black bears are isolated in remote pockets. By using the Florida Black Bear as a mascot, the Big Bear Brewing Company hopes to raise awareness to this threatened animal.

During our visit we sampled seven brews, five standard beers and two seasonal. We dined outside so the samples warmed nicely to express their true aromas and flavors. The Polar Light is a golden lager and is targeted to consumers of the big brewery domestic beer market. And its quite refreshing - even marketed as "light" it had plenty of flavor - could of used this one in the Keys, would have been perfect after snorkeling. Next was the one I didn't care for, the Grizzly Red Ale. Its supposed to be an Irish Red Ale but I felt there was too much caramel and maltiness and not enough hops. It was just too sweat with no balance. The Hibernation Pale Ale is the American Pale Ale for hop lovers. Plenty of Cascade hops here - this is a beer that pairs well with food. Very palate cleansing. Not bad. It was nice to see A Belgium style beer on the menu and the Kodiac Belgian Dubbel does not disappoint. It provides a mouthful of flavor that you expect from an Abbey Ale; to me plenty of raisins. Nicely done. But my favorite was the Brown Bear Ale, and English style brown ale that has a nice balance between malt and hops. Its very smooth with just a hint of hops on the tail. Usually the brewery provides three seasonal beers, a seasonal fruit ale, a seasonal dark, and a seasonal brew - which was not available for our visit. The seasonal fruit was a Peach Ale which displayed a nice peach aroma, but the peach didn't overwhelm the palate. There is no doubt on a future visit that I would swallow my "manly" pride and order this beer - its good. But the real "manly" beer was the Mocha Stout, a silky smooth milk chocolate styled stout. Even with a 90+ degree day, this beer went down quickly and easily. Nice. Not only will these beers entice us to return, but the food was just as good. No fried pub food here - expect gourmet offerings, many using organic produce. The Turkey Meatloaf was awesome.