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Intuition Ale Works signs with J.J. Taylor FL

17 Feb

Jacksonville, FL – J.J. Taylor and Intuition Ale Works announced today their new distribution partnership. The Jacksonville-based brewery’s beers will be introduced to Central Florida beginning March 3 during Tampa Bay Beer Week.

The expansion represents Intuition Ale Works’ first foray outside their home market of Northeast Florida. “We’ve been deliberate about making sure we can supply our home market of Jacksonville before branching out to other areas of the state” says Ben Davis, owner and brewer of Intuition Ale Works.

Davis says J.J. Taylor targeted the brewery after hearing buzz in the craft beer world and making trips to Jacksonville to taste their portfolio of beers. Once the distributor won the 2011 Craft Beer Distributor Achievement Award at the Great American Beer Fest in Denver, Davis knew it was a great decision to partner with them. “We did our due diligence and J.J. Taylor’s reputation precedes itself. A lot of our friends in the brewing industry are represented by J.J. Taylor and we are excited to work with such a highly respected distributor to reach some of Florida’s most discerning craft beer drinkers.”

“We are extremely proud to have Intuition Ale Works as a key part of our craft beer portfolio” said Matt Abdoney, Lead Account Manager of Specialty Brands for J.J. Taylor. “Interest in Florida-brewed beers has been growing for some time amongst craft beer drinkers in Central Florida and we feel Intuition Ale Works is brewing some of the best beers in the state.”

During Tampa Bay Beer Week from March 3rd to 10th craft beer enthusiasts will be able to enjoy People’s Pale Ale along with other selections from the Jacksonville-based craft brewery. After the inaugural launch, J.J. Taylor will distribute People’s Pale Ale as the core brand with plans to increase options in the future.

Just last week Intuition Ale Works announced that it was the first craft brewery in the state of Florida to can their beers. The brewery will work closely with J.J. Taylor to manage distribution of People’s Pale Ale initially to draft accounts and later cans as production allows.

Bigfoot Sighted in 2012!

9 Feb

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot is likely the most iconic Barlywine in America, or the World?  He is a beast of a beer, brimming with flavor from the massive amounts of roasted malt and spicy hops; brewed in the Barleywine style with a rich, bittersweet body and whole-cone Pacific Northwest hops.

This morning Bigfoot has been sighted in a handful of better beer outlets around Central Florida.  He will only make his annual appearance for a very limited time.  It is told that Bigfoot ages with grace, but we ask that you please not be “that guy” that hordes the Bigfoot and doesn’t share the experience with others.  Bigfoot is simply too magnificent an animal to be caged to only one location!

Sam Adam’s Whitewater IPA

30 Jan

“What is the next fashionable style of beer going to be?” is the question that most beer-geeks often ponder.  A few years back we saw Farmhouse ales and Saison’s make a big leap into the market, then Sour ales became all the excitement and finally the mass geek popularity of the “Black IPA.”  But what’s next?  What will be that next style that garners a lot of consumer excitement or commercial success?  Boston Beer thinks it will be yet another hybrid of styles and we think they are on to something big!

You may have already had a pint on draft as there are a select number of J.J. Taylor accounts that are getting to sneak preview Sam Adam’s newest offering to consumers, Sam Adam’s Whitewater IPA.  The year round 6pks are just a few days away from the official release, yet bottles can already be found in the Spring Brewers Choice variety 12pks.

Sam Adam’s Whitewater IPA is the best of two worlds…or is it three?  This hazy brew combines the refreshing wheat character of a Belgian-style White ale with the crisp and spicy hop flavor of an IPA.  American and Australian hops (Australian Topaz, American Chinook, Cascade, Simcoe & Citra) pack a piney citrusy hop punch in this unique beer.  Boston Beer took the combination to yet another level with the subtle addition of apricots, which provide a slight sweetness to balance the bitterness of the hops.  All this majesty and we have what I’m going to dub as a “Summer IPA” at just 5.8% abv.  Sample it and let us know what you think!

2012 Cigar City Brewing Beer Calendar

23 Jan

Last week Cigar City Brewing released its 2012 Beer Calendar.  Check out the below to see when your favorite beers from Tampa’s finest brewery will be making their debut (click picture to enlarge).

Sculpin IPA is an Award Winning Beast!

27 Oct

There is truly a lot of awesome beer being brewed in the US these days! Today’s American Craft brewers are unquestionably setting a global precedent for innovation of styles and brewing techniques.  One brewery clearly leading the charge is Ballast Point Brewing out of sunny San Diego, CA, recently winning “Small Brewery of the Year 2010” at the 2010 World Beer Cup and then back to back medals for their Sculpin IPA at the 2010 & 2011 European Beer Star Awards.  Starting out 19 years ago as Home Brew Mart, Yuseff (the master brewer) and his brewing staff have had some time to do a lot of experimentation.  They currently brew 40+ unique beers and continually have the industry buzzing about what wild brew they are working on next.

Regardless of Ballast Point’s constant expansion to increase beer production, the demand for their beer has continued to far outpace supply.  This week the LA Weekly put out an article, “The Top 5 IPAs in the World”… where Sculpin IPA again takes reviewers choice!

“Sculpin IPA is a slippery sea monster with its 70 IBU hop sting!  He comes and goes from the FL marketplace several times a year like a bolt of lightning.  The 22oz bottles are more often seen on store shelves, but Sculpin IPA on draft is a rather rare and prized indulgence. Keep your finger on the line and stay alert!”

Some other award-winning Ballast Point Brewing beers to wet your whistle in the meantime… Calico Amber Ale / Pale Ale / Big Eye IPA / Wahoo Wheat / Black Marlin Porter / Tongue Buckler Imperial Red / Sextant Oatmeal Stout NITRO

Avery Brewing Lands in Cans!

9 Oct

We are thrilled to announce that this week J.J. Taylor FL will be launching 4 brands from Avery Brewing Co. in 6pk CANS.  Central Florida will now have even more flavor options to choose from when headed out on the water, camping or just everyday consumption.  We continue to boast that for short-term beer packaging, caned beer is far superior for stability of product.  Not to mention, it’s better for our environment and certainly one of the hottest trends in the Craft beer industry today.

Most of you are likely familiar with Avery’s three flagship brands already: Avery IPA, Avery White Rascal and Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale.  However, we have an all NEW brew to introduce to you; Avery Joe’s Premium American Pilsner!  Joe’s Premium American Pilsner is a 42 IBU/ 4.7% abv, beautifully bitter and dry Pilsner with an abundance of floral German Noble hops.  It’s uber sessionable and utterly AmeriCAN!

Contact J.J. Taylor FL today to find out what retail location’s near you are selling the new Avery Brewing Cans.



J.J. Taylor Wins 2011 Craft Beer Achievement Award

3 Oct

This past weekend Craft Brewers, Distributors and beer geeks from all over gathered in Denver, Colorado for the 2011 Great American Beer Festival.  Not only is GABF about sampling quality beer but it is also a beer competition.  Brewers from all over submit their beers to a blind tasting and are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals for those that best represent specific beer styles.  J.J. Taylor made the trip out west to support the many Craft Breweries represented at this year’s festival, but also to receive an award of our own.

Each year the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) and the Brewers Association (BA) hand out awards to craft beer distributors who actively market, sell and promote craft beer.  And this year J.J. Taylor is honored to have come home with the 2011 Craft Beer Achievement Award.

Pictured left to right: Jay Martin – Vice President of Operations, Pete Marer - Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Matt Abdoney – Lead Account Manager of Specialty Brands, Joe Burns – Director of Specialty Brands

Congratulations to Boston Beer, Rogue Ales, Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales, Tequesta Brewing Co, Pabst Brewing Co, Oskar Blues, Miller Brewing, Bell’s Brewery, The Bruery, Florida Beer Co, Cigar City Brewing, Flying Dog Brewery, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co and the many others that brought home medals at this years festival.

Craft Beer Distributor Achievement Award 2011
J.J. Taylor Distributing Florida

Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company
Pabst Brewing Company, Woodridge, IL

Category:
7 Chocolate Beer – 30 Entries
Silver: Samuel Adams Chocolate Chili Bock, Boston, MA
Bronze: Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock, Boston, MA

Category:
9 Specialty Beer – 24 Entries
Gold: Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Newport, OR
Silver: Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu, Milton, DE

Category:
10 Rye Beer – 36 Entries
Silver: Tequesta Brewing Bock in Bock, Tequesta, FL

Category:
11 Specialty Honey Beer – 32 Entries
Bronze: Dogfish Head Midas Touch, Milton, DE

Category:
24 Aged Beer – 36 Entries
Gold: Bell’s Expedition Stout, Galesburg, MI

Category:
26 Smoke Beer – 43 Entries
Gold: Rogue Smoke Ale, Portland, OR

Category:
29 Bohemian-Style Pilsner – 42 Entries
Silver: Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Longmont, CO

Category:
32 American-Style Lager, Light Lager or Premium Lager – 55 Entries
Gold: Old Milwaukee Light, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Bronze: Pabst Blue Ribbon Light, Woodridge, IL

Category:
33 American-Style Lager or Cream Ale or Lager – 31 Entries
Gold: Red Dog, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Category:
35 German-Style Märzen – 58 Entries
Bronze: Samuel Adams Octoberfest, Boston, MA

Category:
36 American-Style Amber Lager – 58 Entries
Bronze: Florida Beer Florida Lager, Melbourne, FL

Category:
47 English-Style India Pale Ale – 46 Entries
Gold: Samuel Adams Latitude 48 Hallertau Mittelfrueh, Boston, MA

Category:
51 American-Style India Pale Ale – 176 Entries
Silver: Oskar Blues Deviant Dale’s, Longmont, CO

Category:
57 Extra Special Bitter – 43 Entries
Gold: Cigar City Minaret ESB, Tampa, FL

Category:
64 German-Style Sour Ale – 13 Entries
Silver: The Bruery Hottenroth Berliner Weisse, Placentia, CA

Category:
66 German-Style Wheat Ale – 23 Entries
Silver: Sierra Nevada Weizenbock, Chico, CA

Category:
81 Scotch Ale – 39 Entries
Bronze: Oskar Blues Old Chub Scotch Ale, Longmont, CO

Category:
82 Old Ale or Strong Ale – 35 Entries
Gold: The Bruery Papier, Placentia, CA

Category:
83 Barley Wine-Style Ale – 42 Entries
Gold: Flying Dog Horn Dog Barleywine, Frederick, MD

Head on over to the GABF’s website for a full list of the 2011 winners.

More Innovation Brewed at Sierra Nevada

16 Aug

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. seems deep in a state of renaissance the past few years and it has been really amazing to experience as a beer lover.  Sierra Nevada, a brewery that pioneered the American Craft beer movement 31 years ago, is again in exploration and inspiration manner of brewing and building.  It seems one marvelous all new beer after another has been emerging from the Chico, California brewery for the past 4 years.  If I can recount the timeline correctly; Sierra Nevada Harvest series, then Torpedo IPA, Keller Weise, Glissade, Hoptimum, the 30th Anniversary series, Tumbler, Ovila Dubbel, Beer Camp 12pk, and now Ovila Saison and batch #2 Life & Limb… yeah, I would declare the brewers at Sierra Nevada are in concentrated inspiration mode!

We at J.J. Taylor have presently released the Ovila Saison, the second installment in the Abbey trilogy and Batch #2 Life & Limb, the Dogfish Head Brewery collaboration brew.  They are both limited offerings, and will only be found at supporting Sierra Nevada accounts.

 The Ovila series of Belgian inspired ales is a rich collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and the monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux.  The newest release, Ovila Abbey Saison is 7% abv and brings the centuries-old monastery brewing tradition to America.

Ovila Abbey Saison is complex and contemplative-but also refreshingly dry and drinkable.  With earthy and spicy aromas, this rustic Saison has note of green grass and a faint citrus tang.  The body is light and layered with fruit and spice accents and a dry, peppery finish.  A portion of the proceeds from this ale go toward the restoration of the historic Santa Maria de Oliva chapter house on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux.  This medieval building stood for nearly eight centuries in Spain.  William Randolph Hearst purchased the monastery in 1931 and planned to use the stones for a castle even grander than his famous San Simeon.  Although Hearst’s plan crumbled, these historic stones will rise again in a California Cistercian abbey.

 

 

 

Life & Limb is a limited release collaborative brew from two of the most bold and innovative brewers / brewery proprietors to have ever occupied America’s Craft brewing community, Ken Grossman, owner of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Sam Calagione, owner of Dogfish Head Brewery.

Life & Limb is a 10% ABV strong beer that defies style characteristics-brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman “farm” at the brewery in Chico.  The beer is alive with yeast-a blend of both breweries’ house strains-bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, and naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska; it is the first beer we know of ever to use birch syrup in the brew.  If stored under good conditions, this rich, full-bodied beer should age well for years. Life & Limb is available in limited 750ml bottles and limited draft.

Avery 18th Anniversary Dry-Hopped Rye Saison

9 Aug

Established in 1993, Avery Brewing Co. was an American pioneer in the extreme beer movement. Just yesterday 8/7/11, Avery celebrated their 18th Anniversary as a Craft brewer.  On the Avery website, I particularly enjoyed Adam Avery’s video blog about Hog Heaven and how it was the beer that really changed and possibly saved his brewery.

Currently available in J.J. Taylor’s market you will find draft and 22oz bottles of Avery 18th Anniversary Dry-Hopped Rye Saison.
For this year’s celebratory brew, Avery decided to focus on the characteristics that certain yeasts bring to the party. Each of the five Belgian yeasts selected for their 18th Anniversary Dry-Hopped Rye Saison adds its own unique aspect to the flavor and aroma to the beer.  The hefty addition of rye helps dry this beauty out and lends another spicy component to the flavor.  And for added complexity, a variety of Bravo, Hersbrucker & Tettnang hops! (8.2% abv / 42 IBU)

Keep your eyes peeled for this new one-time only Anniversary offering from Avery, and keep alert in the coming weeks for a BKT blog posting about the 4 styles of Avery 6pk CANS that will soon be available to select supporting Avery accounts!

ESTAMINET Pils wins Gold Medal

1 Aug

Possibly the most esteemed award one can win in the brewing industry is a gold medal at the Brewing Industry International Awards. 
The awards are held in London, England every 2 years and draws the most elite of critics and judges in the global beer spectrum. In 2011, there were 796 beers entered for judging at the Brewing Industry International Awards. Palm Breweries newest beer in their lineup, and only Lager they brew, ESTAMINET Pils was found to be the pinnacle of all Lagers. The brewers at Palm must have created a wonderful beer, as ESTAMINET Pils won a GOLD medal in the “Class 3 Lager” category. We at J.J. Taylor FL are fortunate to be chosen as the test market in the US for this new and prized Pilsner.  (Full List of Winners Here)

ESTAMINET Pils owes its premium quality to the selection of the best natural ingredients: soft water, 100% high quality summer barley, distinctive yeast, and the very precious Saaz hops. Slow, traditional bottom fermentation, a brewing process based on an original recipe and maturation for a full six weeks of lagering make ESTAMINET a true Belgian Premium Pils. (5.2% abv. & 21 IBU)

The name ESTAMINET is derived from the Spanish soldiers that marched into Belgium in the 17th Century. The Spanish militia were always seeking a pleasant Inn to rest, seeking; tasty drinks, hearty meals, and a welcoming atmosphere. The lively serving wenches were an added attraction. For this reason “Esta Minetta” or “there are girls” was the code for the “better Inns.” From this the beer’s name, ESTAMINET is resulting.

ESTAMINET Pils is now available in 20L kegs and 50L kegs, in the Florida market only.

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