Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing

The Craft-Beer Craze Finally Finds Florida

Screening of Beer Culture: The Movie Friday Night at Whole Foods Market in Boca Raton

By now, you've (hopefully) celebrated American Craft Beer Week by toasting with a quality beer made right here in the US. If not, try one of South Florida's best brewpubs or one of these spaces for great craft beer before the week is up. Another way to mark the occasion is with a visit Friday e ... More >>

A Plea for More Homegrown Craft Beer in South Florida

South Florida is a boozy, tourist-driven economy. With American Craft Beer Week upon us -- Cheers! And so help you god if you consume a Budweiser product this week -- it's a fitting time to contemplate why the region is moving at a positively glacial pace to tap into the possibilities that exist in ... More >>

Give Coors the Cold Shoulder

South Florida is a boozy, tourist-driven economy. With American Craft Beer Week upon us -- Cheers! And so help you god if you consume a Budweiser product this week -- it's a fitting time to contemplate why the region is moving at a positively glacial pace to tap into the possibilities that exist in ... More >>

Pour One Out for Light Beer: Miller Lite and co. Losing Ground to Craft Beer

​Bud, Coors, and Miller lovers take note: Your barley water may be in trouble. According to a piece posted today on bloomberg.com, the light beer industry is suffering in an age of craft beer, designer cocktails, and wine. Bloomberg reporter Duane D. Stanford cites "cabernet-loving baby boomers" a ... More >>

Holy Mackerel Head Brewer and Founder Bobby Gordash Talks Craft Beer in South Florida

​In anticipation of the upcoming New Times' Beerfest (Saturday, March 31, in downtown Fort Lauderdale) Clean Plate Charlie has been talking with South Florida beer aficionados and experts about the state of beer in Florida and beyond. Earlier this week, we talked to John Linn of Fresh Beer Inc., w ... More >>

Beer's Here!

​In anticipation of the upcoming New Times' Beerfest (Saturday, March 31, in downtown Fort Lauderdale) Clean Plate Charlie has been talking with South Florida beer aficionados and experts about the state of beer in Florida and beyond. Earlier this week, we talked to John Linn of Fresh Beer Inc., w ... More >>

Counting Down to New Times' Beerfest: John Linn Talks Craft Beer and Why It's Gaining Traction in South Florida

​With the New Times' Beerfest just a few short weeks away, Clean Plate Charlie is focused on all things beer and particularly the beer scene as it stands in South Florida. To get an understanding of where our region and our state are fall in line with national trends, we connected with John Linn, ... More >>

Boca Bacchanal Is March 23 to 25: A Look at the Events

​The Boca Bacchanal, a party paying tribute to the glory of food and drink, is set for March 23 to 25 in various locations throughout southern Palm Beach County, with funds going to the Boca Raton Historical Society's Historic Preservation and Heritage Education programs. Named as it is for the Ro ... More >>

Anheuser-Busch's New Arrivals: Bud Light Platinum and Baby Clydesdale

Anheuser-BuschLaRussa and mom, Pam grazing in the fields​Beer giant Anheuser-Busch has announced that they will debut Bud Lite Platinum in January.The new brew will contain 6% alcohol by volume, making it a higher alcohol content than the current Bud Light, which contains 4.2%. We're sure this wil ... More >>

Sublime Hosts Craft Beer Night

​There was a time before the microbrewery boom where if you were a vegan drinker, you had few options outside of Beck's. With many beer companies sticking honey or lactose in their flavorings or finings that use gelatin, egg albumin, or fish, finding cruelty-free drinks can be as difficult as ... More >>

Enjoy This Marathon for the Taste Buds

​There was a time before the microbrewery boom where if you were a vegan drinker, you had few options outside of Beck's. With many beer companies sticking honey or lactose in their flavorings or finings that use gelatin, egg albumin, or fish, finding cruelty-free drinks can be as difficult as ... More >>

Get Drunk: It’s a Fairy Tale Beginning

​There was a time before the microbrewery boom where if you were a vegan drinker, you had few options outside of Beck's. With many beer companies sticking honey or lactose in their flavorings or finings that use gelatin, egg albumin, or fish, finding cruelty-free drinks can be as difficult as ... More >>

Three Must-Try Craft Beer Events Tonight

​American Craft Beer Week continues tonight with three outstanding events throughout Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Which means you don't have to drive too far to get a taste of great craft beer. If You're in Palm Beach......then you've got to hit up BX Beer Depot's (2964 Second Ave., Lake ... More >>

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry During American Craft Beer Week in South Florida

​(Queue the Professor Farnsworth voice) Great news, everyone! It's American Craft Beer Week!What's American Craft Beer Week? It's nationwide celebration of all things craft beer, running from May 16 to the 22. And it's going on right now at restaurants and bars all across South Florida.Gettin ... More >>

Fort Lauderdale to Sell Booze on Sunday Mornings, All Your Dreams to Come True

Flickr: vissago​Ever wish you could have a mimosa before noon at Sunday brunch? Try to check out at Publix with a six-pack at 11:45 on Sunday, and be told you need to hang around and wait for 15 minutes? Fear not, problem drinker. The Fort Lauderdale city commission is on your side.Florida's citie ... More >>

Boca Bacchanal 2011 Set for March 18-20

isante magazine​The Boca Bacchanal is coming up March 18th-20th. The events will start with the Vintner dinners, which will be delicious dinners served in private residences all throughout Boca Raton. These intimate evenings are 

Q&A With Craft Beer Lover Kenny St. Cyr From Fresh Beer

Kenny St. Cyr​Kenny St. Cyr may have one of the most mantastic jobs in all of South Florida.It doesn't have anything to do with owning your own sports team, and it doesn't grant him celebrity status -- yet. And, no, he's not a photographer for bikini-clad models. St. Cyr is just an ordinary g ... More >>

Winemaker Paul Hobbs Celebrated at Wine Dinner at Market 17 Thursday

Flickr, Wickenden Paul Hobbs Wine​Market 17, one of Fort Lauderdale's hottest new dining establishments, is coming out of the gate with a noteworthy wine event.   This Thursday, January 27, the eatery will feature dinner with world-renowned winemaker Paul Hobbs as guest of honor. Hobb ... More >>

Restaurant News: Pops Corn Pops Up in Fort Lauderdale, Market 17 Hosts Paul Hobbs Wine Dinner, Publix Rolls Out Private Label Cheese

​• Pops Corn, the Pembroke Pines purveyor of haute popcorn spiked with caramel, cheddar cheese, chocolate, and more, has opened a third local outlet just off A1A in Fort Lauderdale. Located at 901 E. Sunrise Lane (954-567-6002), the new Pops is also peddling Yo Mama's ice cream, which, like the ... More >>

Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival Is New and Improved For 2011

​More beers, a larger local contingent, and a much bigger space are all on the docket for this year's Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival, going down January 28 and 29 at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. Oh and plenty of drinking, dancing, and people dressed as Trappist monks. That too.The annu ... More >>

Bottega Wine Bar Debuts in Coconut Creek

​"Making wine accessible to everyone," not just wine geeks, cork dorks and conny-sewers, is the goal of Coconut Creek's new Bottega Wine Bar (4455 Lyons Rd., 954-969-1744), says co-owner Simon Bai.  Along with partner Faron Shiem, Bai has created a space that's as much a "nice environment to ... More >>

Brew Masters Puts Craft Beer in the Spotlight

Sam Calagione hosts Discovery Channel's new show about craft beer, Brew Masters.​All I have to say is, boy, am I thirsty.Update: Apparently I wasn't the only one who thought the Blue Moon commercials were ridiculous.Brew Masters, a new television show starring Dogfish Head Beer owner Sam Calagione ... More >>

Beer of the Week: Samuel Adams Cream Stout

​Unrepentant beer drinkers, rejoice! Each week, Clean Plate Charlie will select one craft or import beer and give you the lowdown on it: How does it taste? What should you drink it with? Where can you find it? But mostly, it's all about the love of the brew. If you have a beer you'd like featured ... More >>

Scottish Brewer BrewDog Makes History With 55 Percent Alcohol Beer

The End of History from BrewDog on Vimeo.Holy crap, where is all this discretionary income coming from? $70 hot dogs, $100 burgers, and now... $800 beers? That's right, the supergourmet, superexpensive trend has extended into the craft beer category with a new brew from Scottish beer maker BrewDog. ... More >>

Cheap Wine That Doesn't Suck: Cottonwood Creek 2009 White Table Wine

​Unless you're a serious student of the business end of the wine business, you've probably never heard of Fred Franzia. You probably haven't heard of Bronco Wine Co. either, even though it's the fourth largest wine company in the country, producing some 20 million cases of wine annually and counti ... More >>

Beer of the Week: St. Ambroise Biere Blonde Pale Ale and La Fin Du Monde

John Linn​Unrepentant beer drinkers, rejoice! Each week, Clean Plate Charlie will select one craft or import beer and give you the lowdown on it: How does it taste? What should you drink it with? Where can you find it? But mostly, it's all about the love of the brew. If you have a beer you'd like ... More >>

Beer of the Week: Mississippi Mud

John Linn​Unrepentant beer drinkers, rejoice! Each week, Clean Plate Charlie will select one craft or import beer and give you the lowdown on it: How does it taste? What should you drink it with? Where can you find it? But mostly, it's all about the love of the brew. If you have a beer you'd like ... More >>

Crafting Beer With Big Bear's Brewing Co.'s Matt Cox -- Updated With Slideshow

C. StilesBig Bear brewmaster Matt Cox stirs a batch of Polar Light.​Update: Check out the slideshow of brewing at Big Bear, online now.Since 1996, Big Bear Brewing Co., Broward's only independently owned and operated brewpub, has been crafting award-winning beers in suburban Coral Springs. For the ... More >>

Beer of the Week: Magic Hat #9 Pale Ale

John LinnDo you believe in magic?​Unrepentant beer drinkers, rejoice! Each week, Clean Plate Charlie will select one craft or import beer and give you the lowdown on it: How does it taste? What should you drink it with? Where can you find it? But mostly, it's all about the love of the brew. If you ... More >>

Florida Doesn't Have a Top 50 Craft Brewer

Source: Brewers Association​At least not according to the Brewers Association, the organization that advocates for the craft brewing industry. Out of the top 50 craft brewers in the country, Florida isn't represented by one. In fact, Florida is among the states with the fewest number of breweries ... More >>

Cheap Wine That Doesn't Suck

Bill Citara​It's always more fun to root against the Big Guys, especially when it comes to wine. That sweet little boutique winery tucked away on some back-country road in Napa or Sonoma has a lot more caché than a mega-giant wine processing plant that looks like an oil refinery and is owned by a ... More >>

Cheap Wine That Doesn't Suck

​The story of Robert Mondavi is as depressing as it is inspirational. Probably no single person did more to put California on the world wine map, not only as a vintner who produced wines that rivaled some of the best of Europe but as an evangelist of New World wines, an industry power who used his ... More >>

Charlie's Guide to Speaking Wine, or, How to Bullshit Wine Drinkers

​The world of wine speaks a language all its own. Urdu, mostly. With a soupcon of bullshit and a faint whiff of pretension.  So in keeping with Clean Plate Charlie's commitment to calling a spade a goddamned shovel, he presents this modest glossary of wine terms for your amusement, edificatio ... More >>

Wine Guy: Pairing with Pizza

John LinnSven Vogtland is the Advanced Sommelier at the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale, and a 13-year veteran of the craft who has recommended bottles in the sunny Virgin Islands and in far-away Vietnam. In this column, Vogtland will discuss the latest trends in wine, from what bottles and regions are ... More >>

Episode I: Attack of the Beer Clones

John LinnSven Vogtland is the Advanced Sommelier at the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale, and a 13-year veteran of the craft who has recommended bottles in the sunny Virgin Islands and in far-away Vietnam. In this column, Vogtland will discuss the latest trends in wine, from what bottles and regions are ... More >>

Interview with Beer Wars' Director Anat Baron

Anat Baron poses with brew.It's going to be a beer-filled kind of week, folks. First, New Times' Original Beerfest is only five days away. If you haven't grabbed your tickets yet to the four-hour celebration of import and craft brews, you can pick them up here. Second, this Thursday is the opening o ... More >>

A Port in Poland

Anat Baron poses with brew.It's going to be a beer-filled kind of week, folks. First, New Times' Original Beerfest is only five days away. If you haven't grabbed your tickets yet to the four-hour celebration of import and craft brews, you can pick them up here. Second, this Thursday is the opening o ... More >>

Malts & Crafts

Anat Baron poses with brew.It's going to be a beer-filled kind of week, folks. First, New Times' Original Beerfest is only five days away. If you haven't grabbed your tickets yet to the four-hour celebration of import and craft brews, you can pick them up here. Second, this Thursday is the opening o ... More >>

Planning ahead: VinItaly Miami

Baby wants Amarone Always planning ahead, I am, and this year you can skip the chocolate-covered chocolates on Valentine's Day and buy me tickets to Vinitaly instead. I know it seems like our favorite romantic occasion is months and months away, to say nothing of the MAJOR PRESENT HOLIDAY we have ... More >>

Pairings Tickets Available at a Reduced Price

Baby wants Amarone Always planning ahead, I am, and this year you can skip the chocolate-covered chocolates on Valentine's Day and buy me tickets to Vinitaly instead. I know it seems like our favorite romantic occasion is months and months away, to say nothing of the MAJOR PRESENT HOLIDAY we have ... More >>

New Age Wines for New River Whiners

Or: why a really expensive meal at Johnny V’s is good for your soul, your city, and the planet

Kiss Her For Me

Or: why a really expensive meal at Johnny V’s is good for your soul, your city, and the planet

Wine of the Times

Or: why a really expensive meal at Johnny V’s is good for your soul, your city, and the planet

Best Do-It-Yourself Wine

Let's Make Wine

Tehran Testing

Let's Make Wine

Festivals R Us

For South Florida foodies, 2003 looks to be a very happy new year indeed

Foodstuff

Florida Grape Growers Association

Foodstuff

A Sonoma County Wine Experience

A Real Brew-haha

Why can't Florida's Polish immigrants quaff their native beer? Because the state legislature won't let them, that's why.