Oktoberfest doesn't come for another nine months, but beer festivals in Miami are almost a year-round occurrence. Miami is getting the year started with the 3rd Annual Miami Beer Festival, which returns to Marlins Park on January 31.
The festival is less than two weeks away, but there are still tickets. According to MBF organizers from Los Angeles-based DrinkEatPlay, about 900 tickets are available.
See also: Inaugural Miami Beer Festival to Take Over Marlins Park January 19
Besides sampling what the local established breweries are handing out, one of the advantages of beer festivals is tasting what home brewers are whipping for the masses. The level of creativity is off the charts when it comes to making beer. It's stuff that cannot be found anywhere else, according to Jacob Lindsay, owner of the home brewing supply shop Daddy Brews in Miami-Dade County.
"They're amazing, amazing beers that you'll never be able to taste anywhere in a tap room and or a bar," Lindsay said. "The quality of the products are brewery-quality products, but the home brewers have a better opportunity to be diverse because they're so nimble."
Lindsay will be at the festival with a Daddy Brews line-up of 12-18 beers, with taps arranged as if they were in a real brewery tasting room. He provided a sample list:
- Hop Squeeze IPA
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter
- Chocolate Cream Dream Imperial Stout
- Hazelnut imperial Coffee Stout
- Relentless Roasters Imperial Coffee Stout
- Naranjas Jefe-weizen
- A Bourbon Barrel Imperial stout collaboration with CerveTech
We reached out to a handful of home brew clubs (and possible future breweries) from Miami who were kind enough to provide Short Order with a list of brews they'll be bringing.
Hialeah Brewing Company
- Ramona's Cafe con Leche Imperial Stout (brewed with Bustelo)
- El Guajiro IPA brewed with 5 different varieties of hops and aged on American Oak soaked with 30 year old Jack Daniels Whiskey
- Mano 'd Palo Jalapeno Cucumber Honey Ale
Barley Works Brewing
- La Guapa Sucia Berliner
- A Raspberry/Blackberry Berliner
- Fruit Slam session ale
- A Saison
Wasassa Brewing Company
- Quadriple C's: Double IPA
- Guava Belgian strong
- Rye ale aged in bourbon barrels
- Mango Habanero IPA
- Imperial Espresso oatmeal stout brewed with Verona chocolate
- Kimosabe: Citra hopped red ale
- Grapefruit IPA
- Forbidden Fruit Belgian Saison (TBA)
Legacy Caribbean Craft Brewery
- Diaz Legacy, a strawberry, banana and peaches Belgian strong
- Don Miguel, a coconut porter
- Doña Rosa, a Guava wheat
- Humble Noble, a session IPA made with pineapple juice
At least 25 breweries and home brew clubs represent Florida at this year's MBC, including a handful of Miami ones: Biscayne Bay, J. Wakefield, Wynwood, MIA and Miami brewing companies, as well as Gravity Brewlab and soon-to-be open Concrete Beach Brewery.
Some other local South Florida breweries include Saltwater and Funky Buddha breweries.
Tickets cost $40 for general admission and $50 for VIP (with an extra hour of sampling beginning at 5 p.m.) through eventbrite.com.
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