Jax Beer Week begins Sunday, May 25 with a Keg’s & Eggs breakfast and continues all week with beer tastings, tap takeovers, and beer dinners. In its third year, the week focuses attention on locally and regionally brewed beers and the brewers that craft them.
Because events are being added on the fly, the below list is only some of the great events you can attend this week. Follow my Facebook and Twitter feeds for information on events as they are announced.
Go to http://www.JaxBeerGuy.com to follow my social media feeds.
Sunday, May 25
Mellow Mushroom – Southside
Local craft beer lovers know that the Mellow Mushroom restaurants around town all have outstanding tap selections. The owners are also huge supporters of the local craft beer scene. It is fitting then that the pizza joint is hosting the kick-off event for Jax Beer Week. Beers from local breweries will be paired with delicious dishes during the event that also includes Mellow Mushroom breakfast pizzas.
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Engine 15 Brewing Company – Bloody Battle Axes with Black Peppered Bacon, Pickled Okra & Asparagus and special Bloody Mary mix
- Mile Marker Brewing – Datil Pepper Sausage Ale
- Green Room Brewing – Dawn Patrol Breakfast Stout
- Intuition Ale Works – Low Down Porter (w/ coffee, vanilla & cinnamon) and Blueberry Coffee Cake Jon Boat
- Aardwolf Brewery – Early Bird Special Breakfast Stout (w/coffee, vanilla and cinnamon) and Hasslehoffenweiss Beer-mosas
- Bold City Brewing – Fritz Beer-mosas
- Pinglehead Brewing Company – Banana Pancakes Ale
Monday, May 26
Pinglehead Brewing Company/Brewer Pizza
Orange Park seems a long way from the more beer-centric city center and beaches, but that does not mean that there is no craft beer there. On the contrary, Pinglehead Brewing Company, nestled inside of Brewer’s Pizza on Blanding Boulevard has been cranking out awesome brews for several years now – including what may be the best Imperial Red in the country. For craft beer week they have enlisted the help of the rest of the local breweries and will feature a beer from each on their taps. The first beer to be tapped is listed below. Look for the daily special tapping in the listings for the days below.
Engine 15 Brewing Company – Ales for undies “Undie Monday” with Dignity you wear.
M Shack
Matthew Medure is known throughout the metro Jacksonville area for his fine dining restaurant Matthew’s, but he is also the genius behind M Shack in Neptune Beach and St. John’s Town Center. At M Shack, Medure taps into his gourmet cooking experience and applies it to the humble hamburger. But, given the Medure treatment, burgers at his joint are anything but humble. They are juicy, tasty, and absolutely heavenly.
As a tip-of-the-chef’s-hat to Jax Beer Week, M Shack has teamed with Engine 15 Brewing Company to offer a special price on M Burgers when you purchase a pint of Nut Sack, Russian Imperial, Old Battle Axe, or (904) Weissguy.
The special deal is offered at the Town Center location only from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 27
Green Room Brewing Company
Beaches area beer-lovers have been flocking to Green Room Brewing Company since surfer-turned-brewer Eric Lumen opened the doors. His inviting and comfortable tap room is always full of lively conversation whether the surf is up or not. And then there is the beer, Green Room is home to a number of innovative brews that are sure to please the palates of the most discriminating beer aficionado.
For Jax Beer Week, Green Room will tap two special brews. The first of the two is Dawn Patrol, a breakfast stout with lactose, oats, vanilla, coffee, and cocoa nibs.
Intuition Ale Works
Tucked away in a building that bares more than a passing resemblance to a grey and foreboding prison, Intuition Ale Works has been creating beer alchemy for over three years. Owner and brewer Ben Davis has a fanatic following that is as passionate about beer as it is about supporting the community. A trait that is common to all of the local Jacksonville breweries but, due to the efforts of Davis and his general manager Cari Sanchez-Potter, Florida politicians are kept on their toes and local charities know they have a partner.
For Jax Beer Week the King Street Beer District anchor has decided to release a different one-off, or one time release beer, per day. The first is listed below, look for the rest listed on the day of the week they will be released.
Tap Room Release – Hopped-Up Saison
Pinglehead Brewing Company/Brewer’s Pizza
Taproom release – Pinglehead Banana Pancakes ale.
The Blind Fig Gastropub
A relative new-comer to the King Street Beer District, The Blind Fig has been wowing taste buds since their beginnings as a popular local food truck. Now, with a premier spot on the corner of King Street and College Street, the gastronomical wizards at the eatery are planning a Cigar City Brewing Company beer cocktail for happy hour.
European Street Café – Park Street
A Riverside, Park Street tradition for years, the European Street Café is also the go-to place for excellent craft and import beers. Under the watchful eye of Andy Zarka, E-Street serves a wide variety of German, Belgian and other import beers along with some of the best American craft beers. And, with a happy hour that runs from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily – even on the weekends – that features two-for-one brews, how can you go wrong?
For Jax Beer Week, E-Street will be tapping White Oak Aged Jai Alai from Cigar City at approximately 6:00 p.m. Stop by and visit with the folks from Cigar City, enjoy a pint and keep the glass!
The Silver Cow
The newest addition to the King Street Beer District is the love child of fellow beer blogger Regina Heffington, a.k.a. The Jax Brew Bitch. With a classy, yet approachable feel, this new lounge features approximately 20 taps of nothing but the best craft beers and hard ciders. But, on a street full of beer bars what is the main draw for this soon-to-expand hideaway? Some would say the Heffington’s infectious and somewhat raucous laugh, others might say the Cajun-infused small plates she serves from the tiny kitchen in the back. Whatever your reason, be sure to swing by to experience her place and make your own decision.
The Cow will feature a Cigar City Tap Takeover starting at 6:00 p.m. offering several brews from the Tampa brewery that have never been available in Jacksonville before.
Wednesday, May 28
The Blind Fig
Remember the gastronimical excellence we mentioned above when discussing The Blind Fig? Well, here is your opportunity to get in on some of that yummy food goodness. The Blind Fig teams up with Engine 15 for a beer dinner featuring tasty pairings and loads of fun.
The dinner will feature four delicious courses and five outstanding brews. Tickets to the event are $50 per person and can be purchased in advance by calling the restaurant at (904) 337-0146 or at the door. The reception beer will be served beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Pinglehead Brewing Company/Brewer’s Pizza
Taproom release – Green Room Brewing Company Thin Mint Stout
Intuition Ale Works
Taproom release — Tequila Barrel-Aged House Boat with Lime & Salt
Black Sheep Restaurant
If there is one thing you need to know about this restaraurant housed in the eye-catching wedge-shaped building just outside of the Five Points area of Riverside, it is that you must try the poutine. The dish – French fries mixed with cheddar cheese curds and covered in rich, beef short-rib gravy – is so good that many guests go just for a fix of it. But, poutine is far from the end of the list of reasons to visit the eatery. Another good reason is the views from one of the only roof-top restaurant seating areas in Jacksonville. And, then there is the craft beer they keep on tap.
To celebrate Jax Beer Week, stop in as the Blk Shp crew taps a special Cigar City keg.
Grape & Grain Exchange
Speakeasies were once the only place for a thirsty person to get a potent potable. But, since the abolition of prohibition, the often glamorous hidden gems have gone by the wayside. But, if you are in the know, you can gain access to one of these backroom bars in San Marco right on the Square. Grape & Grain Exchange offers a self-service style beer cooler and signature mixed drinks in its front room but, behind the bookshelf is a cozy, swanky hideaway the harkens back to the flapper era.
Join the in-the-know crowd for a Cigar City cheese and beer pairing at G&GX for Jax Beer Week. But, be sure to get there early as seating is very limited.
Thursday, May 29
Green Room
Taproom release — Mayor Bee, an American Blonde Ale brewed with Green Room harvested honey and Katherine, a white IPA brewed with New Zealand hops. Katherine is named for a great white shark that was swimming off Jacksonville Beach recently.
Pinglehead Brewing Company/Brewer’s Pizza
Taproom release — Intuition Belgian Hoppy Blonde
Intuition Ale Works
Taproom release — Bay & Rosemary Jon Boat
Moxie Kitchen + Cocktails
Last year, Chef Tom Grey left Bistro Aix, the San Marco restaurant he helped turn into a Jacksonville must-visit eatery to concentrate on a new venture. The result of his creative juices is the sparkling new Moxie Kitchen + Cocktails in the St. John’s Town Center.
Grey’s new foodery is dedicated to taking American comfort foods and giving them a gourmet twist. By all accounts he has succeeded masterfully.
A strong advocate of craft beer, Grey will be featuring a special Cigar City happy hour for Jax Beer Week.
Zeta Brewing Company
Coming soon to Jacksonville Beach, Zeta Brewing Company is in the midst of installing their brewing equipment. Brewer Chris Prevatt has been hard at work converting part of the current Zeta restaurant to a full-fledged brewery.
Get a look at what is happening at Zeta and enjoy more Cigar City Brewing Company fun for Jax Beer Week.
Friday, May 30
Pinglehead Brewing Company/Brewer’s Pizza
Taproom release – Bold City Brewing Company Abbey’s Ale
Intuition Ale Works
Taproom release — Barrel Aged Anniversary IPA
Saturday, May 31
Intuition Ale Works
Taproom release — Lambic
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