Ever heard the term \u201ccraft beer\u201d? Chances are you probably have\u2014especially lately. As diners look for more and more variety in the food and beverages they want to try, craft beer is growing in popularity.<\/p>\n
So what is it, exactly? Craft beer is beer brewed at a microbrewery\u2014a small, independent beer brewery that can only produce up to 6 million beer barrels a year. Now, that may sound like a lot, but when you consider how much beer companies like Annheiser-Busch produce annually, it\u2019s really not that much. Craft beers, as a rule, receive smaller distribution than commercial ones, making them a little harder to find\u2014but very worth it when you do!<\/p>\n
Some breweries also allow customers and visitors to buy beer on their properties\u2014these are known as \u201cbrewpubs.\u201d Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, FL, is a great example of a brewpub\u2014it brews 11 beers throughout the year and distributes them to local bars and stores throughout the region\u2014such as Mr. Beery\u2019s in Sarasota, which prides itself on serving up the best craft beers in the area. You won\u2019t find Budweiser or Michelob on tap there, but you will find beers like Cigar City\u2019s own Jai Alai or Southern Tier\u2019s Choklat.<\/p>\n
Sarasota\u2019s Mad Crow Brewery & Grille also brews its own beer in a beautiful space in the city\u2019s Rosemary District, and then serves it up to customers at the adjoining restaurant, which features sophisticated takes on traditional pub fare. Owner Darren Fehring brews new beers every week and claims that every beer appears once and that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n
Speaking of food, beer is all well and good by itself, but it\u2019s even better when paired with a great bite. How to decide what food goes best with your beer? Here are some tips from craftbeer.com (a.k.a. craft beer mecca):<\/p>\n
But the biggest tip I can give you when it comes to craft beer? Experiment! Find what you like best\u2014nd when you do, crack open a bottle with good friends and just enjoy!<\/p>\n
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Ever heard the term \u201ccraft beer\u201d? Chances are you probably have\u2014especially lately. As diners look for more and more variety … <\/p>\n