For just $5 you will get to sample brews from Cigar City, Holy Mackerel, Inlet, Dogfish Head and Brooklyn.  Plus you will get to talk to representatives from Cigar City, Holy Mackerel and Brown Specialty.  You can ask questions about the beers or ask Phil what it’s like being a FAU fan this year.  Okay probably don’t want to ask that question but still.

Then after the tasting and discussion you can stick around to watch and awesome documentary about craft beer and some of the people that make it.  And Whole Foods has a great hot meal selection so you can pick up some dinner as well to enjoy with the flick.  Should be a great night overall.

Whole Foods Market – Boca Raton
1400 Glades Rd. Suite 110
Boca Raton, FL 33431

But Garrett is a very outspoken person too.  Maybe more so than any other people in the craft beer community.  So it stung me when I heard about the things he said about Cigar City about a year ago by saying that their Maduro Brown tasted like “dime store chocolate” and that their Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Brown Ale was a blatant rip off of Brooklyn’s one time brewed Cookie Jar Porter.  Despite that he was dead wrong on that accusation it didn’t need to be said.  Where is the community in saying something like that?

Now Mr. Oliver has opened his mouth again about things that really didn’t need to be said in this interview with Craft Business Daily.

Conversely, I run into some craft brewers who say, ‘We don’t get respect from the local press.’ And, well, could that be because you’re dressed like a small child? And you’ve been trying to disabuse people of the idea that you’re little kids playing with fun toys? And you’re a professional. Well, all these little things matter. How do you communicate?

This to me is absolutely absurd.  Okay so you want to dress in a suit and straw hat at every engagement you go to, fine.  That’s your choice to do so.  But we all don’t have to follow suit.  Pun intended?

Him being a music fan I would think he would understand that.  Punk rock took the world by storm in the 80s by not conforming and not dressing the part that musicians in the past made it seem you had to do.  They didn’t give a fuck and did what they loved.  They showed their passion and art through the notes that they played.  Not in the threads that they wear.  The same rings true for many craft brewers as they show their passion in the suds that they brew.

I can name numerous craft brewers that I never see in suit and tie at events.  And many of them are from some of the biggest breweries in the country.  So are you saying these people don’t deserve respect for their product just because they want to wear a t-shirt and jeans?  Because they want to wear flip flops instead of loafers?

I’m sorry Garrett but step down off that soap box.  Like I said if you want to wear your suits then go for it.  But don’t for one second think that because other brewers don’t want to that it makes them or their art inferior.

Tonight at Coffee District they will be hosting a Brooklyn Brewery Night with special guest Mike Vitale, vice president of Brooklyn Brewery.  Chung took this on short notice but is going to have some pretty good stuff available for the event.  On tap will be the following:

• Brew Masters Reserve Main Engine Start
• Brew Masters Reserve Cuvee Noir
• Brooklyn Lager

He will also have a number of Brooklyn beers in bottles as well.

• Black Chocolate Stout
• Monster Ale
• Local 1
• Local 2

And if swag tickles your fancy there will be free raffles for Brooklyn gear.  You know you love free stuff!

As always the event is free to attend and you just pay as you go.  Mike Vitale will be happy to talk with you and answer any questions you have about the brewery.  Things get started around 6 pm so head on out and have some beers.

Coffee District
325 NE 2nd Avenue #104
Delray Beach, FL 33444
561.455.0541