Ft. Myers Brewing Company, Ft. Myers, Fla.

Ft. Myers, Fla.—Ft. Myers Brewing Company knows how to make tasty beers. They are located about an hours drive south of Tampa, on the West coast of Florida. And in keeping with the sustainable model of all breweries in Florida, they give their spent mash to a local farm, Circle C Farm, for an animal feeding treat.

A $6 flight from Ft. Myers Brewing Company, Ft. Myers, Fla.
Copyright 2015 by Helen A Lockey

Also in keeping with many breweries in Florida their tasting room and brewery is located in an industrial park located in the gateway area of Ft. Myers near RSW airport. The entrance doors look out onto a parking lot and grassy field.

I visited them back in August just as they were remodeling their tasting room.

I ordered a flight of beers, for $6, served in plastic cups. The styles I got were Saison (6.9 ABV), Tamiami Tan (5.8 ABV), Hefeweizen (5.7 ABV), and City Of Palms Pils (4.2 ABV).

Before I review the beers, I have to mention that what is mildly bitter to most people is very bitter to me.

The saison, a Belgian Farmhouse ale, had a sweet caramelized hop flavor that gradually transformed to sour and finished bitter.

The Tamiami Tan, a brown ale, had an interesting smell that reminded me the delicious aroma of sweet, black sticky rice. The scent also had hints of caramelized hops. The flavor matched the smell except it ended with bitter bite.

The Hefeweizen, a wheat style ale, was a lighter beer than the Tan but still had some great flavors of toasted coconut and floral hop.

The City of Palms Pils was the lightest of my pick. It started out slightly sweet and ended slightly bitter but overall was the best refresher for the heat of the day.

Ft. Myers Brewing Company tasting board in August 2015,
Ft. Myers, Fla.
Copyright 2015 by Helen A Lockey

I plan to go back to this brewery next time I am in town and try some more beers.

If you want to try some Ft.Myers Brewing Company beers then you’ll have to visit them at: 12811 Commerce Lakes Dr. #28, Fort Myers, FL 33913

Phone (230) 313-6576

Note: They are a dog friendly brewery.

Hyppo Beer Pop, Intuition Ale Works, Jacksonville, Fla.

Jacksonville, Fla.--Every consider dipping your frozen pop into a glass of beer. It makes a delicious dessert. At Intuition Ale Works they've taken the idea one step further by including their beer in a pop.

Intuition Ale Works And Hyppo beer pop collaboration, Jacksonville, Fla.
Copyright 2015 by Helen A Lockey

Intuition sells The Hyppo Artisan Ice Pops (A St. Augustine based company that locally sources ingredients) that have combination of local fruit and their beer.

The idea costs you $4 for a frozen pop and a free, taster glass of the same beer in the pop if it's available on tap.

I bought the Pear Honey Badger ice pop and got a taster glass of Honey Badger Imperial, Belgian-style saison made with local honey.

Micro-brew dipping glass for Hyppo Beer ice pop,
Intuition Ale Works, Jacksonville, Fla.
Copyright 2015 by Helen A Lockey

I unwrapped my pop, dipped it into the freshly poured glass of micro-brew, and slid the dripping dessert into my mouth with a slurp. Mmm, the combination of flavors and textures was delicious, incredible and amazing.

If you want to get in on this action then you'll need to get your body to Intuition Ale Works at 720 King Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204 Phone (904) 683-7720

They're open five days a week and closed on Sunday and Monday.

Red Roc Cravings Food Truck, Cape Coral, Fla.

Cape Coral, Fla.--Red Roc Cravings food truck uses locally sourced ingredients as much as possible. Owner Chef Hector Cordero, Ft. Lauderdale Arts Institute trained, has two restaurants in Toledo, Ohio and one Tex-Mex style food truck in Cape Coral where he says he is semi-retired.

Red Roc Cravings' Chef Mexi burger with cilantro and salsa, Cape Coral, Fla.
Copyright 2015 by Helen A Lockey

I got introduced to Chef Cordero's food outside of the Ft. Myers Brewing Company. He told me he sources from Cape Coral farmers Market in the growing season and believes strongly in using as many local ingredients as possible.

The meat was hand shaped, according to Cordero, and deliciously juicy. It was topped with a runny-in-the-center fried egg, house made ketchup, fresh cilantro, onion, fiery salsa and creamy shredded cheese.

Red Roc Cravings Food Truck, Ft. Myers, Fla.
Copyright 2015 by Helen A Lockey

It beautifully accompanied the Ft. Myers Brewing Company beer flight I was drinking.

To find out more about Red Roc Cravings food truck you can go to their FaceBook Page
or call (419)705-9927 to find out where they'll be next.

Delicious Slurps, 19th Americas Food & Beverage Show, Miami, Fla.

Miami Beach, Fla.--Delicious drinks were everywhere at this year's Americas Food & Beverage Show. One standout, crafted by Felipe Villanueva, Executive Chef at El Gran Inka Restaurant, took a different spin on a Peruvian Pisco Sour cocktail.

Passionfruit blended pisco sour cocktail by chef Felipe Villanueva, El Gran
Inka Restaurant, 19th Americas Food & Beverage Show, Miami, Fla.
Copyright 2015 by Helen A Lockey

Traditionally this cocktail is made with pisco (Peruvian grape brandy), lime juice, angostura bitters, simple syrup and whipped pasteurized egg whites.

Glasses of passion fruit and chicha pisco sour cocktails,
created by chef Felipe Villanueva, El Gran Inka Restaurant,
19th Americas Food & Beverage Show, Miami, Fla.
Copyright 2015 by Helen A Lockey

Chef Villanueva created a passion fruit pisco sour and a chicha pisco sour (made with Peruvian purple corn).

My favorite cocktail by chef Villanueva was the Passion Fruit Pisco sour as it was beautifully tart, sweet, creamy, clean and refreshing. I had trouble just stopping at one glass.

I look forward to trying more creations from this chef at El Gran Inka Restaurant in Key Biscayne, Fla.