It's hard to believe, but our baby is all grown up. Funky Buddha is turning 1 year old in June.
The Oakland Park brewery opened in June 2013 in a region not exactly known for its thriving brewery scene. In an extremely short period of time, Funky Buddha has become a trailblazer in South Florida's beer scene, with many operations like Wynwood Brewing Co. and MIA Brewing opening or in the works.
See also: Drink Like a Local: South Florida Breweries Are Creating a Craft Brew Community
Funky Buddha is also a highly successful company that's achieved many accolades and awards. The beer, which can now be found on draft at more than 400 bars and restaurants, reached its initial brewing capacity of 5,000 barrels annually in January and was named one of the top 100 breweries in the world by Rate Beer, with its Last Snow Porter rated one of the Top Five Porters in the world.
If that's not enough reason to celebrate, Funky Buddha is in the midst of a $3 million expansion, allowing the brewery to grow with new equipment, a larger space, and bottling capabilities by fall 2014. The brewery recently signed a lease on an additional 21,000 square feet of space adjacent to the original brewery, making room for office space, cold storage, and more room to brew.
"We've already grown so much faster than my expectations, but the arrival of bottles will enable us to reach a new level of distribution here in our backyard," says K.C. Sentz, Funky Buddha's general manager and co-owner. "Year one was unbelievable, but there's a lot more in our future."
To celebrate all of this good news, Funky Buddha is planning an anniversary celebration on May 31. This daylong festival will feature live music, food trucks, and dozens of Funky Buddha beers. From noon to 10 p.m., come out and enjoy a few brewskis, painting from local artists, and a bunch of Buddha's limited-release beers, tapped specially for the occasion. Here are just some of the brews scheduled:
- Hop Gun IPA
- Floridian Hefeweizen
- Crusher Session IPA Amarillo
- Anthony's Fuhgeddaboudit Red Ale
- OP Porter
- Doc Brown
- Cabana Boy
- Last Snow
- More Moro Blood Orange IPA
- Pineapple Hop Gun IPA
- Honey, I Shrunk the Braggot
- Baklava Braggot
- French Toast Double Brown Ale
- Red Velvet Cake Ale
- Vanilla Cream Abdul Jabbar Nitro
- Imperial Red Ale
- Don't Tell Reece Peanut Butter Cup Ale
- Blueberry Cobbler Ale
- Fire in Anthony's Hole (Scorpion Chile Imperial Red Ale)
- Trippel Lindy
- Small Axe, Big IPA
- Pinot Noir Barrel Iron & Barleywine
- Laird's Apple Brandy Barrel-Aged Quadrangle
- The Fluffer (Fluffer Nutter Ale)
To avoid heavy crowds, beers will be available on a ticket basis. Tickets can be purchased onsite at the festival for $5 each (credit cards are accepted). One ticket will equal one beer. Children are welcome to attend until 8 p.m., and dogs are welcome outside. If you're planning on trying out all the Funky Buddha selections that day, the Westin Fort Lauderdale Hotel is providing a special room rate of $105 per night and will host shuttles to and from the brewery the day of the event.
Follow Laine Doss on Twitter @LaineDoss and Facebook.
Follow @CleanPlateBPB
