Terrapin, the turtle-themed brewery that hails from Athens, Georgia, is a consistent hit with beer fans. The craft brewery's beers have won numerous awards at the U.S. Open Beer Championship, Carolina Championship of Beers, and the Bramwell Oktoberfest, for their drinkability.
Terrapin is also known for its special releases and barrel-aged beers, many of them rare finds not readily available in Miami. On Monday, August 25 at 6 p.m., Terrapin co-founder and brewmaster Spike Buckowski will be behind the bar at Kush to tap some rare kegs and share some special hard-to-find Terrapin selections.
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Kush's David Rodriguez said that even he hasn't seen some of these releases. Rodriguez talked us through the offerings, which include a limited number of bottles of Imperial Pumpkin Pie Porter ($25), which Buckowski has offered to sign for collectors. "You'll get a lot of cinnamon and nutmeg notes in this beer. It's also in a beautiful bottle, sealed with wax."
Kush's resident beer expert is also looking forward to tapping Terrapin's barrel aged Wake 'N Bake ($12), saying, "you'll get a lot of coffee, chocolate, and a little vanilla in this one. The regular Wake 'N Bake is a winter seasonal, but I've never seen a barrel aged version. At least not in Florida." In honor of the beer's theme, Dazed and Confused will play on the Wynwood bar's TV.
Red wine barrel aged Monk's Revenge ($12), a Belgian IPA aged in red wine barrels will be "very interesting," according to Rodriguez. "A lot of breweries are starting barrel aging programs, experimenting with different barrels to get different results. I'm looking forward to seeing how much of the wine shows through in this brew."
The most intriguing beer to be served on Monday, however, has to be the Midnight Monk. Rodriguez explains that this Belgian-style black IPA ($8), without any added CO2, is "beer at its natural state." Ideally served between 60-70 degrees, the beer is rich with roasted malts, toasted sweetness, and some hoppiness.
The limited release Terrapin beers will be available starting Monday at 6 p.m. until the cask and taps run dry. Spike Buckowski will be behind the bar for at least a few hours, so get there early.
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