Last month we took a drive down to Wynwood to check out the monthly Sud Swap, an outdoor beer bazaar featuring local homebrewers, beer traders, artists, musicians, and anyone creative who loves a good craft beer.
This month, it will be blowing all previous ones out of the water.
See also: Biscayne Home Brew & Carry Out Opens in MiMo District
This Saturday, July 19, Miami Beer Tour along with social media organizer Mattuntapped will host Sud Swap yet again at Gramps. For the first time, a $5 cover charge will be placed at the door, in order to as Smith explains, "start generating some sort of revenue for the bar as well as help to fund future Swaps."
Craft beer titans Cigar City Brewing will pour some guaranteed interesting brews, in addition to also-brewed-in-Tampa's Brew Bus Brewing. Local homebrewers 2 Live Brews and Wasassa Brewing Co. are confirmed participants, and newly opened Biscayne Home Brew will bring out kegs of their on-site libations.
There's even some learning to be had, if you can keep sober that long, when the participants panel gets underway. Starting around 4 p.m., Cigar City's Phil Palmisano and Eddy Torres will be joined by other craft beer friends for an hour-long discussion on all things beer. This is one of the best casual experiences to meet area beer professionals and ask all the hard hitting questions.
Sud Swap isn't all about the beer. Artists from around Miami are coming out to support and showcase their projects, so expect tables from Recycled Jude, AK Cespedes Photography, Trinkets for D, Dianaramic Doings, Panza, and more.
In the coming months, (Sud Swap has been planned at Gramps through the end of the year) expect some interesting developments. Smith told us of a project coming through the works, which will be a highlight of the August Swap.
"It's the first ever SudSwap/JWakefield collaboration brew and we are doing a limited run of 16-oz growlers with custom labels and showcasing it all at the August Swap," he told us. "It's a mango/peach Florida weisse."
Smith says they're working on expanding relationships with as many local brewers as possible."We are very happy about this collaboration effort and expect great things to come from it."
What are you waiting for? Get off your ass this Saturday and get down to Gramps at 2 p.m. for an afternoon of craft beer at the cutting edge of the local brewing scene.
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