Jacksonville Beer Tour

Well, we recently went to Jacksonville for some training for work until I can brew full time!  In the down time inadaze and I gulped down some most excellent beer from local micro-brewerys.  First stop was Seven Bridges Brew Pub.

This is a local brewery in Jacksonville, the biggest that we attended.  Seven Bridges has 3 locations (2 in FL, 1 in GA).  The wait staff was wonderful, they started us of with 'sampler' which contained their 5 major beers and the one seasonal brew. 

The Southern Flier Light Lager (far right) and Southside Pils Lager (second from right) where not to my liking...they tried to hard to cater to the Bud Light crowd.  However, The Toll Tender IPA, and Rye IPA (third from right, and the one that isn't in line) were fantastic with the Rye IPA winning by a hop!  Both had wonderful malt sweetness that was not over powering and hop flavor to die for!  The Rye IPA has a citrusy hop aroma, and is silky smooth in your mouth with a drop kick of hoppy goodness!   Both were magnificent and classic examples of the style!  Toll Tender B- Rye IPA B+.  Moving on, (4th from the right) Sweet Magnolia Brown, this brown had a sweet caramel malty aroma.  The flavor was nutty and sweet, with a med/full mouth feel, with light hop bitterness and slight pecans in the aftertaste (this was the inadaze0 favorite).  Lastly we have the Iron Horse Stout, black as coal, tan head, smelled of coffee, chocolate, and molasses.  Chocolate and raisins swirl in your mouth, with slight hop bitterness on the back end.  A classic example of a very drinkable stout!  Seven Bridges knows what they are doing, they have won several medals at contests such as The Great American Beer Festival!  

Moving on to Bold CITY!!!

Unfortunately we did not get to tour Bold City, but thanks to the Aloft in Tapistry Park and the WXYZ Lounge we were able to enjoy several pints of Duke's Cold Nose Brown and Killer Whale Cream Ale

Duke's Brown is a smooth aromatic brown ale, caramel, sweet maltyness and nuts are present.  This ale is a light bodied and smooth.  Easy to sit at the bar and throw back pint after pint!  Wonderful Brown by any one's standards!  Killer Whale is a lighter, less hoppy ale that would be better suited for some one new to the craft beer world.  Very smooth, not much aroma, but did have some nice malt and hop flavors. 

Now onto my favorite place of the trip!  Intuition Ale Works!  Down in one of the not so savory parts of Jacksonville, King street.  Please do not let that deter you from checking this place out if ever in Jacksonville.  Just look for:

Upon entering the tap room, the room is nice rough cut lumber is used for the walls.  I instantly felt right at home, I've been waiting to get here since November when I found out about IAW.  I had my eyes dead set on the I-10 IPA.

The aroma of has a slight pungent hop aroma, but not over powering.  The flavor is all hops!  Piney, citrus wonderful hops, smooth and wonderful.  The IPA also has a  slightly sweet malt backbone that battles the hops on every sip! A-...

The King Street Stout, was hands down the best stout that has ever passed my lips.  Smooth, malty, sweet, chocolaty.  WOW...8% ABV it packs a punch, but you wont know it until it's got you!  I loved this place because it's nice to go into a bar and the bartender knows what Special B, Citra, 2Row, and Columbus are.  They take pride in their product and it show!  Service, A++ and the beer was impressive! I10 IPA A, and the KSS A+!!!

We had so much fun in Jacksonville.  I almost can't wait to have to go to training again!

Cheers!