Commercial brewers from across the county are teaming up to create the ultimate Miami collaboration beer: Conjunto, which literally means "group." The idea was Tony Albelo's, the man behind Grovetoberfest and Sprung beer festivals.
The collaboration includes both Miami breweries and brewpubs: Wynwood Brewing Company, Miami Brewing Company, Most Wanted Brewery, Abbey Brewing Company, Titanic Brewery and Gordon Biersch Brewery.
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"I had this idea, 'you know, we should do a collaboration in the joint venture type way' to make people notice Miami craft beer," Albelo said. "The breweries were much more receptive and collaborative that I had expected."
The brewers and Albelo met up at Titanic and hashed the idea out over some Titanic beer flights. Albelo originally wanted to include every Miami brewer who is a part of the Brewer's Association.
Conjunto has a double meaning. It is a term that is associated with a traditional Cuban and Caribbean genre of music that includes bands with up to seven members who play a medley of instruments, with each member contributing a part to the unique sound of the band.
It also represents the pioneering spirit shared by Miami brewers, Albelo said.
Gordon Biersch is getting in on this, so you know it has got to be good. Gordon Biersch is a multi-state brewery that is based in San Diego, one of America's best beer cities.
The style and exact recipe is still in the works, but Albelo said that all ingredients will be local. Most Wanted and Wynwood breweries will be brewing test batches and the plan is to introduce 22-ounce or 750 milliliter bottles of it at the 2013 Grovetoberfest, which will be held on October 19. Albelo said the plan is to make it an annual special release with style variations.
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