Welcome to the season of Craft Beer Festivals! Come to think of it, Craft Beer Festivals are always in season so why don’t we focus on this one since American Craft Beer Week just ended with a BANG thanks to the 2nd Annual Boardroom Beach Craftathon in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Loads of breweries set up along the Emerald Coast under overcast skies with a refreshing breeze coming off the water, the day couldn’t have been more perfect for this event! There was only one problem, there were only two of us and oh so many brews to taste, we just couldn’t get to them all. And believe me, we tried! Follow along to hear about some of our favorites, find out who to keep an eye out for, and then click on the Beer Fest Survival Guide to learn some helpful tips and tricks to make the most of your Beer Festival Experience!

We were greeted by a kiddie pool full of Legacy Lager brewed by Dog Tag Brewing. This American Pale Lager was crisp, light-bodied, and refreshing after the long walk across the parking lot from our Uber. It was the perfect intro to the festivities.

Once inside we had a long list of Summer Ready, easy to drink beers like…

Ye Olde Brothers Hibiscus Wit, Flower Power. This delectable brew is slightly tart and is as light and crisp as it is pink! *Visit Yellow Olde Brothers Brewery this Memorial Day weekend for their first ever Tap Takeover. They’ll be serving up 12 of their delicious brews! 

TrimTab Brewing’s Bankston 88 Belgian Blonde made an appearance before hitting the shelves and this one has already made it onto our list of must-haves for the beach.

ALGA Beer Co. is breaking into the scene with some incredible, unique, and flavorful brews. Their FANCY Amber Ale is a smooth caramel, malty beer that wavers between an Amber and a Brown ale. **One of our Favorites of the Homebrewers and one we’ll keep an eye on. See you in Pensacola soon!**

Funky Buddha’s long list of incredible funky brews continues to grow and titillate our palates with their tropical American Blonde Ale, Pineapple Beach.

Everyone had their hands out for Big Top’s Conch Republic Key Lime Wheat! The initial tartness on the tongue followed by hints of vanilla and graham cracker crust was a perfect ode to Florida’s favorite pie!

We encountered IPAs and Pale Ales along the way like…

Left Hand Brewing’s Well Played Red IPA, its incredible flavor and unique color will be one to look forward to each year, especially knowing they are still on the hunt for the perfect hops. We’ll get a new flavor each year until they find what they’re looking for.

Trim Tab Brewing’s Seasonal Pale Ale, Rescue Ship, was light, citrusy with a slight bitter after taste. While we sipped on this brew we got to hear about the Inspiration for its name, real-life superhero, Willie Perry.

Tomoka Brewing’s Blood Orange IPA, Hop Quest, and White IPA, Oceanside are both perfect for summer and beach friendly! Oceanside is my personal favorite with great grapefruit flavor and nice bitterness to round out the sweet.

There were also a few incredible Mexican-Inspired brews and brews good for sipping…

Our friends at Props Brewery poured us a couple of glasses of their Mexican Lager, Dos Pilotos. It is easy to drink, This is one to take to the beach! **You can find a few of Props incredible brews in Winn Dixie’s along the Emerald Coast!**

The Bourbon/Coffee/Oak Porter by St. Michael’s Brewing was much lighter than expected and full of savory malt and coffee flavors. **St. Michael’s Taproom is expected to open in Late 2017, mark your calendars!**

Idyll Hounds’ Capt’n Ron was by far one of the most flavorful, unforgettable, brews we had! The waves of rich flavors that hit the tongue live up to its salty namesake. The initial taste of rum across the tongue was overpowered by a swift kick by the CACAO chocolate notes before finishing with bold coffee flavor. And of course, who doesn’t love Kurt Russell.

The VIP tent was treated to the very LAST case of Funky Buddha’s Mexican Coffee. Lucky for us, a friendly stranger snuck us a sample and it definitely lived up to the hype! This Imperial Stout was blended with coffee and cinnamon, aged in Reposado Tequila barrels from Jose Cuervo. It was packed with incredibly rich roasted coffee, malt, and chocolate flavors with hints of tequila underlying each sip.

 

Ready to start planning your next Beer Festival? Click Here to check out our Beer Fest Survival Guide, you never know what you might forget! (hint: T-P!)

Don’t see one of your favorite breweries from the 2017 Craftathon? Give them a shout out below!

Cheers!