Last weekend was the Florida Brewers Guild’s Beerfest 2010 in Ybor City in Tampa. Anyone who is anyone in Florida brewing was there, including Dunedin Brewery, Jacksonville’s Bold City Brewery, the Florida Beer Company and Gainesville’s own Swamp Head Brewery.
The event featured micro breweries, as well as some of the best home brewers in the state. Even with such stiff competition, Swamp Head Brewery cleaned up by earning one bronze, three silver and two gold medals for their craft brews.
10-10-10, a double IPA absolutely bursting with hops and weighing in at an impressive 10 percent alcohol by volume, won a bronze medal. Hoe Hoe Hoe (a winter seasonal wheat beer spiced with honey and cranberries), Stump Knocker (an easy to drink but flavorful Pale Ale) and Big Nose (Swamp Head’s signature IPA, my personal favorite from the brewery) all won silver medals.
Swamp Head received gold medals for Midnight Oil, a rich coffee-infused oatmeal stout, as well as a special oak aged version of 10-10-10 IPA.
The Swamp Head booth at the festival had an endless procession of people lining up to taste their award winning beers.
You don’t have to travel to Tampa to experience the gold medal taste for yourself. Midnight Oil is on tap at Salty Dog Saloon (1712 W University Ave., 375-6969), Common Grounds (210 SW 2nd Ave., 372-7320), and Market Street Pub(120 SW 1st Ave., 377-2927).
For a very limited time, you can experience 10-10-10 Double IPA at Stubbies (9 W University Ave., 384-1261) and as of next week, possibly Alcove (110 S Main St., 224-5553).
Always call before you head to the bars, because award winning beer like Swamp Head sells out fast.
