The South Florida beer scene is really kicking up. From Funky Buddha in Fort Lauderdale to Wynwood Brewing Company in Wynwood, small craft breweries are making Miami a beer city.
What's most exciting is that many of these brewery owners started out as home brewers. Wynwood Brewing's Luis G. Brignoni started his career with a simple home brewing kit he received as a Christmas gift from his dad.
Are you the next big thing in beer? Then enter New Times' Beerfest Home Brew Competition. The competition takes place during the 17th-annual New Times' "Original" Beerfest, presented by Isle Casino, which returns to Fort Lauderdale's Esplanade Park on Saturday, October 25.
See also: New Times' Original Beerfest Returns
Is your specialty a seasonal ale, rich in spices? A tropical lager filled with passion fruit and pineapple? Or a hearty porter that tastes of chocolate and coffee? Enter your best brews for a chance to win the ultimate prize: an afternoon with Jonathan Wakefield, founder of J. Wakefield Brewing Company in Miami. You'll get a personal tour of his facility, sample some of his beers, and, best of all, get tips from Wakefield, who will act as your personal mentor. Ask him anything from brewing beers to starting a facility to raising funds to take your obsession into a profession. (Wakefield raised an incredible $110,000 through a Crowdbrewed campaign.)
You'll also have the opportunity to sample your best beers at Beerfest -- right along with the big guys.
To enter or for more information, send an email to Chesi Argibay, New Times social media and marketing manager, at [email protected]. Please include your name, brewery name (if applicable), contact information, and description of your beer. During Beerfest, you'll be asked to bring at least enough beer for a panel of five judges to sample. You'll be provided with a special home brew area, cups, and entry to Beerfest for you and one guest. We also suggest you bring additional beer for sampling.
If you haven't gotten your tickets to Beerfest, now's the time. Tickets to the event, which includes live music and unlimited sampling of over 100 different beers, are only $30 for general admission. But hurry, because VIP tickets are already sold out.
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