CRAFTS FOR A CAUSE

11th Annual Fish House Craft Beer Festival Benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters of NWFL

by Morgan Cole

The Fish House Craft Beer Festival will return for its eleventh year. Held each year on the Saturday before Father’s Day, this annual event brings together dozens of breweries and beverage makers from across the region under one roof.

This year’s Craft Beer Festival will take place on June 14 from 3 to 6 pm on the Fish House Deck in downtown Pensacola.

The festival will showcase an impressive variety of local and regional breweries, offering beer enthusiasts and curious newcomers alike the opportunity to sample more than 50 different creations.

As in years past, a portion of the event proceeds will be donated to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, a local nonprofit dedicated to creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

“We love putting on this event because it benefits an amazing cause. Being able to showcase and support not only local breweries, but the beverage community as a whole is so important to us,” Great Southern Beverage Manager Dean Clark said.

From established local favorites to some exciting new additions, this year’s beer fest features an amazing lineup of craft breweries, including Pensacola Bay Brewery (Pensacola, FL), Perfect Plain Brewing Co. (Pensacola, FL), Props Craft Brewery Company (Fort Walton Beach, FL), Ghost Train Brewery (Birmingham, AL), Ology Brewing Co. (Tallahassee, FL), Braided River Brewing Co. (Mobile, AL), Doc’s Hop Shop (Pensacola, FL), Urban South (New Orleans, LA), Victory Brewing Company (Downingtown, PA), Grayton Beer Company (Grayton Beach, FL), Wicked Weed Brewing Pub (Ashville, NC), Swamp Head Brewery (Gainesville, FL), Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, MI), Fairhope Brewing Company (Fairhope, AL) and more.

“This event is designed to allow the public to taste a large variety of handcrafted beers with an opportunity to sample a number of styles to determine preferences,” Clark explained. “Beers from microbreweries, crafts and specialty bottled beers will be available for tasting.”

The event will also feature spirits tables showcasing a variety of smallproduction vodkas, rums and bourbons from regional and national beverage companies like Rollins Distillery, Asesinato Tequila, Bushwacker Spirits, Meili Vodka, St. Augustine Distillery, Bulleit Bourbon, XXI Martini, The Botanist Gin and more.

“At Great Southern, giving back to Pensacola is something that has always meant so much to us. We have been partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida for this event for the last decade. Our Craft Beer Festival is such a fun way to give back and reach so many people that might not know the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Being able to work alongside an organization that invests so much to empower the children in our community, while also being able to showcase the beverage community as a whole, is something we are so incredibly proud to support,” Great Southern Marketing, Public Relations and Event Coordinator Taylor Dawson said.

Tickets to the Fish House Craft Beer Festival are on sale now for $40 (plus tax) and can be purchased online at greatsouthernrestaurants.com/shop, or at the Tackle Shop located at the front of the Fish House.

Tickets include access to all of the beers and spirits, as well as a souvenir beer glass. Individuals must be ages 21 and older to attend and IDs will be checked at the door.

The 11th Annual Fish House Craft Beer Festival will take place on June 14 from 3 to 6 pm at the Fish House Deck Bar located at 600 S. Barracks St. in downtown Pensacola.

For tickets and complete event details, visit greatosuthernrestaurants.com/shop or call (850) 912-6622.

To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, visit bbbsnwfl.org.