Yuengling Brewery - Tampa, Florida

Firkin Around...Tampa, Florida.

America's Oldest Brewery - Since 1829

Tampa, Florida and the surrounding local area is home to some of the newest craft beer 'kids-on-the-block', with breweries such as Cigar City, Dunedin, Saint Somewhere, Peg's Cantina & Brew Pub and Tampa Bay Brewing Company to name a few. The list keeps growing, but hidden among these new and passionate breweries, stands not one of the oldest, but THE oldest brewer in America. Originally D. G. Yuengling & Son of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Yuengling brews their tasty beers and ales in the heart of Tampa at the old Stroh's brewery. I might add with equal passion to the brewing and beer enjoyment process, as well.

Yuengling Brewery - Tampa, FL

Our guide Maureen took us on a one hour (plus) excursion through the inner workings of the plant. As the tour began, we learned that the Tampa brewery has changed hands several times. Beginning as Schlitz, and then as Stroh's, then over to Pabst and back to Stroh's again, before being purchased in 1999 by president Dick Yuengling Jr.  The 1999 Tampa facility purchase allowed Yuengling the ability to produce 1.5 million barrels a year. Do the math. At 31 gallons to a barrel, let's just say that is a lot of beer. Plans to further expand the factory are underway. As recent as 2009, Yuengling reached the 2 million barrel mark in overall annual production. And where does all the water come from to make that beer? There are four  artesian wells on the fifty-four acre location that descend to depths of 277 feet.

Active boil in mash tun

The aromas of malts in the mash tun wafted through the air as we ascended the stairs to the brew kettle room. An active boil  of wort was going on in one of the mashing units. Wort, also known as 'tea', is made from the malt and hot water addition. The splashing mixture in the tun was referred to as an 'angry boil'. That's the point at which the brew is actively bubbling as a stirring arm agitates the liquid. It takes 8 tons of grain and 241 barrels of water to mash a batch. I must say, the malt smell was very pleasing to the nose.

Outer yard processing area

Moving to the outer yard, we observed the area where trains haul in grain to the site.  It is moved into storage hoppers and silos until needed for making the beer. Maureen pointed out that this area is also used to reclaim the natural CO2 that forms from the fermenting process of beer. The carbon dioxide is brought into the building, processed and reused later. Additionally, the spent malt grains are dried out and re-purposed to farmers as feed for cattle. Recycling at its best.

The bottling/canning line was next. There is a vast array of high speed moving conveyors that take glass bottles and metal cans through sanitizing, filling and capping/topping stations all around the plant. 

We learned that the original bottles in Pennsylvania were filled by hand at the rate of five bottles per minute. The modern facility can produce 900 in that same minute. We were reminded that the folks back then bottled beer by hand and they were also likely to be enjoying a brew or two while doing so. Maureen figured that this may have attributed to the low bottling numbers! (wink)

Government Room Holding Tanks

On to the 'government room' where each of these tanks holds 1160 barrels of beer. The beer lies in wait for full approval, so it can then be bottled, canned or kegged. What you see here is 401,940 gallons of total storage. If you are doing the math in your head again, allow me to help. This room represents 4,287,360 twelve ounce glasses of beer. It is estimated that it would take 51 years of continuous drinking at one twelve ounce glass per minute, to empty. Thank goodness we can share with a few million friends!  Yuengling's beers are produced at three breweries; the other two breweries are located in Pennsylvania. Currently their products are distributed up and down the east coast of the United States with plans for future distribution expansion.

Yuengling Black & Tan

The government room may be a great room, but in my opinion, the tap room is where it's at! We were treated to a couple samples of their finest on draught.

In conclusion, this brewery has been making a go at beer for nearly 200 years. That is quite a feat, but it is dwarfed by the fact that it has survived five generations of family run operations. All with a passion for their beer and brewing processes. A sixth generation is poised for a run at greatness. Dick Yuengling's four daughters are all interested in buying into the family business when it's their turn. Cheers to the Yuengling family and their great line of beers and ales!

Firkin America's Oldest Brewer!

The Sign Says It All

Yuengling Brewing Company

(Tampa Brewing Location)

11111 N. 30th Street

Tampa, FL 33612

(813)-972-8529

giftshop@yuengling.com

www.yuengling.com/breweries/tampa

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J. J. Taylor Distributing

Firkin Around...Tampa, Florida.

Trucks in the loading bay

Have you ever thought of where your last beer came from? I don't mean your cooler or your fridge. What about the store or restaurant where you made the purchase? In other words, how did it find its way from the brewer's hand, to your hand?  If you have given that some thought, you might recall seeing armies of distributor's trucks, delivering beer from the manufacturer, to your local point of purchase.


J. J. Taylor is just such a distributor - - - and they differentiate from the pack with distinction.  Fact is, J. J. Taylor was named, "The Best Beer Wholesaler of 2010" according to Impact newsletter, Market Watch.  J. J. Taylor was established in 1958 as a single brand supplier, but has evolved into the ninth largest beer wholesaler in the country. Operations are in Minnesota and Florida with headquarters located in Jupiter, FL.

Some of the vast stock on hand

Their market includes 11,000 retail and on-premise customers in Florida and 2,200 in Minnesota. Sales for 2009 were posted at over 26 million cases, accounting for revenue of over $400 million. Their major suppliers include MillerCoors, Heineken USA, Diageo-Guiness, Pabst Brewing and D.G. Yuengling & Son. They also have the specialty brands that we "beer geeks" look for; their lineup carries a who's-who list of small craft micro-breweries.


The Boulder Beer Co., Boston Beer Co., Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Stone Brewing Co. and Bell's Brewing Co. are just few names in their specialty beer arsenal. In addition to beer and ale, a line of "ready-to-drink" items such as Mike's Hard Lemonade and others, are also available.


Taken from their website, the company has a straightforward mission statement that clearly defines their goals for success:

J. J. Taylor Companies’ mission is to be the "FIRST CHOICE" in beer distributors as measured by it's employees, customers, and suppliers: Take care of your people, Take care of your customers, Be aggressive in the marketplace, Do not get greedy.

One can glean from this statement that they are not just in this business for their own endeavor and gain, but that they also take responsibility to partner with their direct customers and suppliers.  At the same time, J. J. Taylor ensures that those they employ, along with the ultimate consumers of their products, remain satisfied.

Wow, that's a lot of beer!

A whole lotta' Heineken, right there.

My visit began after making the acquaintance of Joe Burns, Director of Specialty Brands at J. J. Taylor. He invited me to come and see firsthand the entire operation, with virtually unlimited access, as cases of beer flowed from one end of the plant to the other. The size and scope of the operations was amazing to say the least. I swear there was a stack of Heineken that could have filled my house!

Joe Burns with Sam & Sam & Sam...

Walking about the warehouse floor proved to be a challenge as tow-motors and forklifts scurried from the back of plant to the front, bringing one after another pallet of different beer to the staging area. The keg refrigerator was equally as busy with traffic. I'm not too surprised. So many new beer bars have sprung up with the renewed popularity of beer in the past few years. Customers have been ordering more of the fresh draft styles offered by the craft brewers, that a refrigerator of this size is a requirement. Walking into the keg cooler, I saw another astonishing visual. Joe pointed out a literal wall of Sam Adams Boston Lager kegs right there in front of us! Think about that for a minute - - - That's just one line item, by one brewer, in their keg fridge! You can start to get the idea just how huge this facility really is, without being there for yourself.


Largest Distribution Operations Under One Roof

Manuel and Joe

Joining Joe and I on the tour of the facility was Manuel Portuando, President and General Manager of J. J. Taylor. He explained some of the finer points of the operations. Points including how the warehouse has expanded since the 2000 opening, to how their employees are their single most important asset. Both my hosts stressed the amount of training and level of commitment J. J. Taylor gives to the employee. Everyone I met on the tour had the same level of genuine enthusiasm of working for J. J. Taylor.


During my tour I was introduced to Jay Martin, Vice President of Operations. He was enthusiastic about all brands, but particularly exuberant about how the craft beer movement has helped to add more SKU's to their ever increasing portfolio of beer.


Proving their commitment to efficient beer distribution in the state of Florida, we can quickly sum up J. J. Taylor by the numbers:

• Largest single distribution center under one continuous roof
• Largest refrigerated keg cooler on the east coast of the US
• 900 - 1000 SKU's (Stock Keeping Unit) and growing every year
• Enough product supply on hand for a 15 day delivery inventory
• Picking and packaging (VERTIQUE™) line can be operated by as few as 7 to 8 employees
• Up to 16 trucks at one time, can be loaded in an environmentally controlled indoor setting
• 130 daily truck routes, covering 17 South Florida counties
• Two satellite distribution facilities located in Fort Myers and Fort Pierce

Summarizing the operations on the production floor, order fillers pick items from a library arrangement of continuously stocked shelving, onto a conveyor. The cases pass through scanning stations around the warehouse until the order is assembled on a pallet, up to seven cases in height. The final order is wrapped and inspected and then moved by forklift directly onto one of the awaiting trucks.  At that point, the beer is ready for delivery to its destined retail location. The entire system is computer automated for efficiency and accuracy, from order taking, to order building and final delivery.  Here are a few examples of the VERTIQUE™ system in operation.

350,000 square feet - reduced carbon footprint

It's easy being green

J. J. Taylor is also committed to 'green initiatives'.  Packaging is broken down into cans, glass and plastic for any damaged containers, for the purposes of recycling. Plastic wrap packaging materials are also collected along with cardboard. Lighting requirements are reduced by using energy efficient bulbs and motion sensors, for areas requiring electric illumination. Natural lighting supplements some areas of the building, where possible. Huge fans have been installed in areas requiring large amounts of air movement, such as the indoor truck loading bay. No kidding. They use "Big Ass Fans®" to keep the air circulating.



Now that you know...

So, the next time you take a trip to the fridge to crack open a cold one, you may want to take a moment to thank all of those great beer folks that helped make it happen.

Beer, beer, and more beer

A Firkin Whole Lot of Beer! 


J. J. Taylor Distributors
5102 South 16th Street
Tampa, FL 34201
941-306-5868
www.jjtaylor.com

Cocoa Beach Brewing Company

Firkin Around...Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Cocoa Beach Brewing...C'mon in!

5...4...3...2...1, blast off for the space coast of Florida!  Don't miss the opportunity to see a real microbrewery and pub in action on the east coast of Florida.

On your next visit to Daytona or Orlando, spend a day at beautiful Cocoa Beach. Grab some SPF and sunshine, even go for a swim in the surf. Visit the shops along North Atlantic Avenue and then end your day with a wonderful libation at the Cocoa Beach Brewing Company.  It's just minutes, make that steps away, from the sunny sands of Cocoa Beach.

Tidy taps, trickling terrific tastes

Snug and cozy, this beach side bungalow has been transformed into a fully functioning microbrewery and pub. The selections are varied and the service is warm and friendly.  On this trip, I was able to meet with President and Owner, Chris McCall.  He explained how they brew on premise in the back part of the building.  He went on to discuss how Cocoa Beach Brewing is also keging brews for the local distribution reach, along the east corridor of the state. Bottling of selected favorites is also available for purchase at the brewery as well as local liquor stores and shops in the area.

Pale Ale and a shot of Dirty Blonde

We sampled some of the CBB local wares, including the Pale Ale, the Dirty Blonde Ale and everyone's hands down favorite of the night, "Not Just Some Oatmeal Stout".  All were tasty and enjoyed with gusto. Visit their website at the link below for a full lineup of the ales on hand. As for the building the pub is housed in, it has gone through a complete renovation to transform it into a local dispensary of sensational suds. The front room has a fireplace, big screen television and is accompanied by plenty of comfortable seating.  The second room has been converted into a tap room with bar front seating.  There are also some large and copious high-top tables - - - all there to get your beer-comfort on. Backgammon boards will inspire you to enjoy your beers over a little friendly competition and conversation. Spartan and small does not mean it isn't comfortable, inviting and cozy, by any stretch. Being that the brewery is within ear and eye-shot of the NASA launchpads, one wall sticker proudly proclaims, "Brewing Doesn't Take a Rocket Scientist...(But we have them anyway)." Be sure to sign their guest book while there; they are always looking for new friends and beer lovers!

...oh yes, it is!

This is a place you surely want to visit. After all, you're a beer lover, aren't you? I was joined on the trip by my daughter, son and future son-in-law, topping off a great Thanksgiving Day weekend, while visiting the area. A first trip for all, but definitely not the last!

Firkin Around at the Cocoa Beach Brewing Co.

Firkin Suds and Surf!


Cocoa Beach Brewing Company
150 North Atlantic Avenue
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931-2960
(321) 613-2941


www.cocoabeachbrewingcompany.com




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World of Beer Sarasota Turns 1

Firkin Around...Sarasota, Florida.

One of the newest beer establishments in Sarasota is now a statewide chain.  The last year has seen a marked growth from the four original Tampa Bay area locations.  There are now at 9 stores statewide with 4 more planned by 2011.  I wouldn't be surprised to see growth in other states as this Florida franchise gains further popularity.


 

Just Dave

Today's noon to 5:00 celebration included the rockin' tunes from "Just Dave", a local area musician.  He kept the crowd engaged with his folk guitar renditions of some tasty classic soft rock. The mood was set for chill times on a spectacular autumn day in South Florida.  Along with the music, laughter and chatter from the crowd abounded. Patrons were seated indoors at the long wooden bar, watching their favorite games on the numerous televisions.  Others were out under the canopied beer garden/patio adjoining the main bar, listening to the music and enjoying conversations.

Wafting through the air was the smell of some great BBQ from Hickory Hollow Barbecue.  They served up pulled pork sliders and Maryland crab cakes along with other side dishes. "The food is amazing gooood", according to eleven year old Lauren "Loopy" Lambert. Good times, were all around.


Selection and knowledgeable staff

Carolyn

Beer on tap today was served at half-off prices in honor of the celebration. With and incredible 40 taps and 500 total selections, World of Beer a standout in beer bars, anywhere. Their knowledgeable staff are always ready to help you decide.  Can't figure if you're a 'hophead' or if you like your beer more on the malty side?  The WOB waitstaff are trained and ready to help you through your excursion in beer.

Bartender/Corporate Trainer Carolyn Wallace said that WOB provided one month of beer training in defining the different styles of beer before she started on the wait staff.  Additional training of 2 weeks on cooler storage techniques and 2 weeks of computer training, rounded out the solid knowledge in handling and serving beer to customers.

 Reward yourself with a Loyalty Card
 

Brogan

This dedication has turned a slick style corporate franchise into a friendly and knowledgeable neighborhood bar that keeps the locals coming back for more. On top of all this, World of Beer rewards regular customers with a loyalty plan.  Brogan Klepper explained how the loyalty card works. "By signing up for a Loyalty Card ($15 purchase) each time a customer purchases a different draft bottle or can, they earn a point." Point values are kept in their computer and there are rewards at 50 (t-shirt), 100 (t-shirt & mug), 250 (golf shirt and nameplate on plaque) and the ultimate of 500 points of a party in your honor. There are other weekly incentives for service industry, a ladies night promotion and a dollar off select bottles night.

World of Beer keeps the interest with all kinds of different promotions, but mostly, the vast selection of beer keeps them coming back for more.

Firkin 500 Beers!



World of Beer
8201 Tourist Center Drive
Bradenton, FL 34201
941.306.5868
www.wobusa.com/sarasota

Gecko's Pub

Firkin Around...Sarasota, Florida.

    Out with the wife, doing the Sunday afternoon 'husband' duties…waiting while she clothes shops.  My reward for being patient was Gecko’s.  Across the parking lot from the mega pants/shirts/shoes/sweater box-in-the-mall is this lovely little oasis of a pub.

TV’s everywhere with football, on a Sunday afternoon. Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Our lunch was tasty, with a generous sized portion and service was just fine at this establishment.  It also didn’t hurt that Gecko’s had a tidy menu of some fine craft selections.  Taking their place alongside the big yellow three were Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Yuengling Lager  and Samuel Adams Octoberfest, all on tap. It was also cool to see the Guinness, Newcastle and Blue Moon, (hey, at least Miller is trying to ‘get’ this craft beer thing.)

All of them make fine gateway beers, allowing you to get into new and different tastes.  There also were some great bottle selections.  They included Sam Adams Boston Lager, Bass Ale and Abita Purple Haze.  Relative newcomer and local Sarasota distributed brew, Jalehouse Light was also present. Nice!  Props for the little guy!

This makes it evident that yet another restaurant chain understands the beer drinker's palate is changing. And, for the better.  Understandably, many restaurants are shifting to tried and true best sellers at first.  This way, the restaurants don’t get caught paying for what they can't sell to beer drinkers looking for what’s outside the norm. Cheers to them!  These baby steps will begin to allow customers more informed and better choices than just the big three’s yellow water offerings.

Hit up this chain soon. The tide’s turning in the favor of craft beer. Hurrah!

PS - Actually we were shopping for me too, and we were both hungry. But it made a better story!

Firkin Fun Sunday!





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Yalaha Bakery

Firkin Around...Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.

Yalaha Bakery

Way off the beaten path, on a road in pretty much the middle-of-nowhere, lies a quaint yellow bakery.  The place? Yalaha, Florida. Never heard of it? Let me fill you in.

Returning from a brewery tour in Orlando, it occurred to me that I hadn’t been to this bakery in quite a long time.  It was only a 40 minute side track to get there.  When my wife noticed we were not heading home via the usual route, she realized just what was going on.  This has become a favorite spot of ours, so there were no complaints from her.  Always fun, laid back and family friendly.

Vintage Bavaia 2002's

Arriving during September/October is always advised, especially when it’s the Oktoberfest season. They usually have something festive going on to celebrate Oktoberfest.  But just about anytime of the year is great to visit.  When we arrived, there were pony rides for kids in the back field. We were also fortunate to spot a BMW road club, making this a pit stop in their vintage 1970’s Bavaria 2002 model autos. During another visit, we listened to a genuine oom-pah  brass band and another time we were treated to some local blues musicians. You never know what to expect, so it's advisable to check their website calendar.

If that isn't enough to set the mood, don’t forget the wonderful breads and desserts that are handmade on the premises by the fabulous bakers.  Along with this the German style deli will whip up a sandwich with some best homemade potato salad this side of your mom’s kitchen. All the little details are in the sandwiches from the bakery fresh breads, (yum) and the sides, right down to the pickle spears.

Here for the beer, too!

Now this is a beer blog, you say. So what about the beer? That’s a great question. I was just whetting your appetite for the final act. Sure they have your standard yellow macro brews available, but alongside them in the refrigerated case, I was happily surprised to see the likes of Beck’s Oktoberfest, Warsteiner Lager and Dunkel and Bitburger.  It’s the perfect way to top off the perfect lunch.

Get lost in central Florida and discover this gem of a spot. It is well worth the trip from anywhere.

Firkin Oktoberfest!

www.yalahabakery.com

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Orlando Brewing Company

Firkin Around...Orlando, Florida.

The trip to Orlando Brewing started with an email. Several fellow bloggers were contacted to see if they were interested in a private brewery tour and sampling session.  Well, heck yeah! I'm always up for a trip to O-town and quite frankly, I had not heard much about this particular brewery.  That was about to change. What I did know was that Orlando Brewing is a USDA certified organic brewery. This means they have to adhere to a strict review of their ingredients by government regulation in order to carry the 'certified organic' labeling.   The word organic can cause confusion with some people. Sometimes it may even make the uninformed a bit skeptical, conjuring up images of tree hugging crazies.  Well, nonsense. Get that notion out of your head.  The Orlando Brewery uses selected hops and malts that are free from synthetic chemicals, irradiation and sewage sludge. The farmlands typically have been run this way for a period of three or more years to be considered organic. Strict, regular reviews and inspections are also necessary to be sure that the laws are being adhered to at the sites. It all makes for a purer brew, albeit a bit more expensive due to the nature of the synthetic free conditions in which they are raised. All in all, it can make for a better beer. The Orlando Brewery was founded in 2002 and opened in April of 2007.  It was fashioned after Fritz Maytag's pioneering spirit in craft brewing. Their first offering was a Pale Ale. The brewery founders have used word of mouth advertising, "...to educate the public about organic brewing, one pint at a time." President John Cheek, General Operations Director Stan Richards and Brewmaster Ed Canty are just some of the brains behind the operation.   On with the show Gene pours while we sample Director of Brewery Sales Gene Lohri was our guide through the brewery. He greeted us outside under the canopy next to the funky and psychedelic school bus. We were whisked away to the side of the building and into an open loading door.  A table of wonderful looking dips, breads and snack chips were waiting on tables. One of the delicious dips was made using their porter! Brewery line Mash/Lauter Tuns Brewery founder and president John Cheek, met us at the table with a beautiful pitcher of their flagship and best seller, "Organic Blonde". Our tasting session began with Gene explaining the finer points in organic beers and also noting about each beer we sampled.  My tasting notes ran as follows: Organic Blonde - Made with Breiss organic malts and hops from Yakima, WA.  The beer has light malt aromas with slight hops nose and taste. They use Munich barley malts and Hallertauer hops. The art of the perfect pour Pale Ale - Breiss malts and Cascade hops are balanced and present in the aromas and the taste. Delicate citrus floral  notes detected on the nose. This beer is brewed at 68/F and cellared at 38-45/F. A super sessionable beer at 5% ABV. Brown Ale - This malty and roasty brew has a creamy head and nutty taste. A Florida Gold Medal winner, this year for 2010. Red Ale - A 2008 Florida Gold Medal winner, this super Red Ale features Carapils and Breiss malts and is also available in bottle. I had this by the pint before the tour. Simply great flavor and fresh. European Pilz - Tight, crisp and satisfying.  Uses Centennial and Saaz hops to achieve the old world style of pilsener beer. Flight samples and tasting notes Blackwater 'Dry' Porter - A deep, dark colored porter with roasted chocolate flavors.  Just a hint of vanilla for fun. Savory rich start and a drying finish on the tongue. Check out InnTheKitchen.com for a few hints on how to use this porter in a reduction sauce or "Biramisu" dessert. Olde Pelican English Pale Ale - A beauty at 5.9% ABV. Done in the English style of pale ale with Carapils malts. Easy drinker. Marzen - We were lucky to be at Orlando Brewing during October, so what better way to celebrate than with a sample of their Octoberfest style lager. It was phenomenal and done nicely with a balance of hops and malts, the way a good Marzen should taste. And oh, so fresh! Pompous Ass IPA - The name says it all. A punch of hops flavor gives this IPA and outstanding taste. BOOYAH! Great people, great brewery Orlando Brewing's Tasting Room Cheers to Gene and John for being such gracious hosts in opening up their brewery to the FLAbrew Crew!  Their hospitality was top notch. After our tour of the brewing facilities, we all wandered back into the tasting room and had a few more of the beers on tap.  Many of them are available in unfiltered versions on tap and were all quite good.  The unfiltered beers are only available in the tasting room, as the bottled versions are filtered. Also available on tap are beers from other brewerys, served right alongside the Orlando Brewery taps. We learned that Orlando Brewing makes twenty different beers that include styles such as a The Current Tap Offerings Doppelbock, Hefe-Weizen, Maibock and Barleywine. These are all brewed on premise in one of their various brew lines which includes a 30bbl system (roughly 1000 gallons)  recovered from the Dominican Republic in 1992, and a 5bbl system formerly of some Florida area brewpubs once located in Daytona and Winter Park. Although I have attempted to capture the essence of our tour in words and pictures, you need to go see for yourself first hand just how dedicated and committed the folks at Orlando Brewing are about their craft. Orlando Brewery Beer Awards Leave your preconceived notions at the door.  Come and taste what a difference organic brewing can make in a beer.  Orlando Brewing is easy to get to in the heart of downtown Orlando, Florida. Stop on by and check out their award winning organic style brews for yourself. If you should find that you burp during your visit, don't worry.  As Gene explained during the tour, "That's not bad manners, that's just good beer!"

FLAbrew crew with hosts John & Gene

Firkin Organic Brewery!

Orlando Brewing Company
1301 Atlanta Avenue
Orlando, FL 32806
407-872-1117

www.orlandobrewing.com







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Siesta Key Oyster Bar (SKOB)

Firkin Around...Sarasota, Florida.

It's just a little beachcomber joint in Siesta Key Village, a shell's throw from Sietsa Key beach. No pretense here; it is a come-as-you-are bar and restaurant that caters to the upscale and beach bum clientele alike.  SKOB as it is pronounced by locals, serves up cold beer, tasty food and breezy tunes. You can choose from dining on the L-shaped deck that wraps around the west side of the building, or dine inside at high top tables.  You can even sit at the bar from inside or outside.  No air conditioning here, so if you can't stand the heat, well, you get the idea. Straight off the beach, a little piece of paradise. So being locals, we know when to hit this place when it's not so crowded.  Some nights you can hear the steel drum band or like tonight, a guitar man is plying his trade.  Getting down to dinner; this visit we had the clam strips and side salad, (Mom says you have to have something green, ya' know!) They were done to perfection; not greasy at all.  I also tried the local area award winning SKOB Burger and fries. Got the burger medium with lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle. Starting to sound like a Jimmy Buffett song, but this was a "Cheeseburger in Paradise" for sure. All we need is the cold beer... Brew selection you weren't expecting. Since this is a beer blog after all, we now needed something to wash it down with...a Sam Adams Octoberfest, on tap. And that, my friends is a fait accompli. Further inspection of the bar showed three tap stations with a few single taps scattered about. Besides your Bud/Miller/Coors lineup, there were cider's from Magner's and Strongbow.  Sam Adams Lager was also there with the Octoberfest seasonal.  Kona Longboard, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Bell's Oberon rounded out another tap station.  Other popular favorites on tap: Bass Ale, Stella Artois, Red Hook IPA, Blue Moon, New Castle Brown Ale, Shock Top, Yuengling and the ever popular Guinness 'crooked sheleighly' was seen. They even have SKOB Brew, a house beer, on tap.  Oh my!  All of those tap handles packed in behind that tiny, busy bar. There is a crazy little custom of signing dollar bills and having them stapled to the walls and ceiling or anywhere they can fit them.  It really stands out when you walk inside the dining area. Sure to make your eyes pop when you see how many there are all around you.  The wait staff are friendly and get you seated as fast as they can.  No long wait on the food, and the presentation is so great, it clashes with the decor. It won't be what you expect. So come in your board shorts, bikinis and flip-flops or your best Tommy Bahama's...the great food, beer selection and live music on the deck put you in just the right mood. Planning a beach vacation to Siesta Key sometime in the future? Be absolutely sure to make this a can't miss stop on your beach going agenda.

Firkin Best Beach Bar!

Siesta Key Oyster Bar - SKOB
5238 Ocean Blvd
Sarasota, FL 34242 
(941) 346-5443      
www.skob.com