Florida Home Brewing Equipment

I started making my own beer a few years ago.  I don't drink a lot of beer, but I enjoy the process of making it.  It reminds me of those science projects kids do in gradeschool.

This morning we drove over to Pinellas Park for a quick visit to Beer and Winemakers Pantry.  They have a lot of the little things that make home brewing easier.  The also offer mail order.

I needed a new 3 piece air lock, carboy stand, some new bottle caps, and some more 22 oz. bottles.  I also picked up a copy of The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing by Charlie Papazian.

I've accumulated a little better equipment over time, but I started out with a basic beer making kit and then added a 6 gallon carboy later.  You don't need a carboy to make beer. You'd be surprised at the quality of beer you can make in two food grade 7 gallon plastic buckets.  Some people use the carboy as a secondary fermenter, but it works well as a primary vessel too.  The glass allows you to see the magic that happens when the yeast does it's thing.  My next purchase is definitely going to be some type of copper coil immersion chiller.

If you live in the Tampa area and are interested in wine making, Beer and Winemaker's Pantry offers free classes on the first Saturday of the month.  (We signed up for the September class.)

If you've read this article and started seeing dollar signs via selling home brewed beer to your friends and neighbors, please become familar with the federal and Florida State Law.  It's legal to brew beer at home in the Sunshine state, but illegal to sell it "on the side" without a license and under federal law it's illegal to brew more than 100 gallons a year for individuals 21+ and 200 gallons a year for married couples 21+.  If you'd like to learn more about beer laws in various states, check out this article on DraftMag.com.

If you're looking for home brewing supplies and Busch Boulevard is closer for you, try Southern Brewing.

3rd Annual Craft Beer Expo - St. Petersburg, FL

Here's a quick picture I took with my Smart Phone at the brew festival in St. Petersburg today. The 3rd Annual Craft Beer Expo was held at The Coliseum and was scheduled from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. There were a lot of interesting beers and a few different styles and types of cheese for tasting.  Things were really hopping at 4 p.m. when I snapped this picture from the balcony while waiting for the Cigar City Brewing seminar.

Florida Beer Blogs

I picked up some Yuengling Lager today at Publix. I don't buy beer on a regular basis, but when I do lately it's been Yuengling.  It's not the kind of beer you see advertised during NFL games or NASCAR races, but it's pretty good stuff. It also holds the distinction of being brewed in a family owned brewery that is considered the oldest brewery in America founded in 1829.

It's not available at Publix yet, but the guys over at Cigar City Brewing are carrying the torch for Hand Crafted IPA ales. This brewing operation takes it's name from a section of the Tampa area known for cigar making (catchy) and the blog provides a lot of insight into the regulations and rules that stack the deck against those who aspire to building a small brewery operation into a larger one - not unlike Yuengling.  I won't even attempt to explain the politics of the beer business, but they guys at Cigar City Brewing are happy to lay out all the details for you on their blog.

I love the title at the top of their blog page:

How to open and run a Craft Brewery in 7000 Easy Missteps.

But, if you're in South Florida (or traveling there) and want to learn more about the beer scene, South Florida Beer Blog, can lend you a hand.  The site has lots and lots of information about beer events at many of the most popular beer hang outs in the Greater Miami area and beyond. There's even a Beer Events Calendar so you don't miss out on anything. Pretty cool!