Brewsletter April 2024
Florida Avenue Brewing Co. SPRING IS HERE, LET’S CHEERS TO BEER!
It’s hard to believe that spring is here already, and every year it brings change! Let’s dive in and see all of the exciting new things happening across all departments here at Florida Avenue Brewing Co. From new hires across all departments, top selling items, a beer week to remember, and MORE…lots is happening with our company and we are grateful that you’re a part of it!
Taproom News
With spring arriving, so do changes here at Florida Avenue Brewing Co. Wesley Chapel! 
It’s with great pleasure that we announce the following changes to our management team in Wesley Chapel!
Congratulations to
Monroe Brown, promoted to Wesley Chapel General Manager
Chelsea Cromer, promoted to Wesley Chapel Service Manager
Amanda Derby, promoted to Vice President of Operations
The Wesley Chapel taproom is still looking for a 4th Service Manager and soon, we will be welcoming a new Private Event Sales Manager to oversee all private events booking at BOTH taprooms.
We had 2 news hires this last quarter in Kelly Kozler for server and Nick Loden for host.
Both have been incredible additions to our team and we couldn’t be happier to have them part of our Florida Avenue family!
Some pretty cool Wesley Chapel menu facts…
We had our first beer festival and it was kind of a big deal…just sayin’
Our first-ever Kaleidoscope Beer + Art Festival on March 8th was an absolute BANGER of an event. This was the first of it’s kind for us here at Florida Avenue, and we couldn’t thank everyone enough for all of their hard work on this massive event. From the planning stages, to execution, we really saw our team step up in all departments to give our SOLD OUT crowd an experience that only Florida Avenue Brewing Co. could give them. With breweries and guests attending from all over the southeastern United States, we presented our beer garden, patio, and Brewers Hall at the highest level and put Kaleidoscope on the map as a premier event during the world famous Tampa Bay Beer Week. We are already working on next year, so if you have any thoughts, we would love to hear them!
Tampa Taproom went ALL IN for Tampa Bay Beer Week!
From our Tampa GM Christian Henry: “Tampa Bay Beer Week was a great success for us down in Tampa. The highlights of the week were our collaborations with Mikerphone Brewing from Chicago and DSSOLVR from Asheville, NC. Our very own Vinny Guisto collaborated with Mikerphone to create a delicious cookies and cream stout called All 4 Da Cookiez companied with a 90’s theme event that had the taproom almost at capacity. The very next evening we welcomed DSSOLVR and a refreshing and crushable Italian Pilsner called Vindicated, perfectly suiting our Emo Themed night that had the tasting room packed out with attendees singing their hearts to their favorite tunes curated by our very own Nate Pappadaddio. Overall, two great nights that is helping carve out programming at our Tampa Location! Thanks for all involved that made these events happen! “
Production News
Luminescence takes home bronze for best Hazy IPA in the state!
Every Tampa Bay Beer Week starts with Brewers Ball and Best Florida Beer awards and this year we celebrated with our beloved Lumi taking home bronze for Best Hazy IPA in the state! An obvious reminder on why Luminescence is our number one seller in the taproom this year!
New Employees/Spotlights
We installed 3 new beautiful shiny 120 bbl tanks in the brewery to handle our increased distribution demand. To date, our largest tanks were 90 bbls, so these are quite the addition in our brewery.
🤔 Now let’s put that into a quick little perspective…our 1/2 bbl kegs that we serve our beers out of in the taproom are the equivalent to 124 16oz pours. So with knowing that, 1 bbl is the equivalent to 248 16oz pours…these new tanks are holding LOTS of beer.
In addition to new tanks and equipments, we’ve got some new faces that have joined our ever-growing production team!
Meet our new Production Teammates:
Stephen Bishop Jones, Cellar Operator
AJ Shuman, Packaging Operator
Greg Caro, Packaging Operator
Walker Barrett, Cellar Operator
Special Congratulations to Chris Barnfield (Logistics Coordinator) and Jeremy Harrell (Lead Brewer) on their promotions! Way to go, guys!
Public Event News
Shamrock Shakedown is a hit again!
Our 2nd annual Shamrock Shakedown took place at both of our taprooms, shortly after our massive beer fest, Kaleidoscope and we didn’t miss a beat! Special thanks to everyone who helped make this another successful year!
General Knowledge Trivia | Every Tuesday Except The Third Tuesday (Themed Trivia) | 7:30pm – 10pm | Tampa
Our Tampa taproom has been running their weekly general knowledge trivia on Tuesday nights and it’s been a massive hit! As we continue to build this weekly programming, we encourage all of our team members not scheduled to make it out if possible and support our Tampa taproom with your friendly faces and shared love for craft beer. Christian will personally thank you, shake your hand, pat your back, and give you the Seminole Heights salute.
Craft Brew Comedy | Wed 04.17.24 | 6:30pm – 10pm | Wesley Chapel
Craft Brew Comedy returns on Wednesday, April 17th in Wesley Chapel! Our host with the most, Chuck Glass will be presenting 2 new talents for the evening in Jacoby Bruton and Barry S. Naylor. Our comedies are always a party with a solid mix of new and returning guests, which is a great opportunity to capture new regulars! As always, a 21+ crowd brings an appetite and THIRST. At only $15 a ticket, it’s an easy date night for your taproom guests!
Star Wars Trivia Night | Tue 4.23.24 | 6:30pm – 10pm | Both Locations
Our Star Wars trivia night is back on Tuesday, April 23rd at both locations, with doors opening to Brewers Hall at 6:30 in Wesley Chapel. In the past, this has been one of our busiest trivia nights and brings all types of folks to the Ave! It should be a fun night full of intergalactic madness and dead parrots, jedi mind tricks and lumis, sith overlords and…well you get the idea. See you all there!
LAB NEWS
Brought to you from the lab by Ami Parrino
Quality Corner: Yeast Management at Florida Avenue Brewing Company
Yeast management is a critical aspect of our brewing process at Florida Avenue Brewing Company. We rigorously monitor yeast throughout the fermentation process for several reasons:
Consistency: Yeast activity directly impacts the flavor, aroma, and overall quality of our brews. By closely monitoring yeast performance, we ensure consistency across batches.
Quality Assurance: Effective yeast management is essential for maintaining high-quality standards. Monitoring yeast health allows us to detect and address any deviations or abnormalities promptly, safeguarding the integrity of our products.
Optimization: Understanding yeast behavior enables us to optimize fermentation conditions for maximum efficiency and productivity. By monitoring yeast activity, we can adjust parameters such as temperature, pH, and nutrient levels to achieve desired outcomes.
Risk Mitigation: Regular yeast monitoring helps mitigate the risk of off-flavors, contamination, and stalled fermentations. Early detection of issues allows us to take corrective actions, minimizing product wastage and ensuring consistent output.
Cell Counting:
Cell counting is a fundamental aspect of yeast management. We count yeast daily in each actively fermenting tank and in samples of yeast slurry for pitching into a new brew. There are three metrics that we track:
Density: We determine yeast density to ensure the appropriate pitching rate, optimizing fermentation kinetics and promoting consistent fermentation outcomes.
Viability: Viability testing assesses the proportion of live yeast cells within a population. Maintaining high viability is crucial for ensuring efficient fermentation and minimizing the risk of off-flavors.
Vitality: Vitality testing evaluates the metabolic activity and health of yeast cells. Healthy, active yeast cells are essential for achieving desired fermentation results and producing high-quality beer.
By incorporating robust yeast management practices, we uphold our commitment to brewing excellence and delivering exceptional products to our customers!
Sales News
We scored 1,606 new points of distribution in Publix, putting us statewide with our brand.
Big Boy Blue has hit the market – check your local convenience stores it’s starting to make its way into some independently owned ones!
Luminescence 19.2oz cans will be at the Mid Florida Amphitheatre for the 2024 Concert Season!
House of Blues in Orlando has both Dead Parrot & Luminescence 19.2oz cans.
Yardhouse Tampa has You’re My Boy Blue on tap!
Sales to the market are up 42% versus Q1 2023!!
Kitchen News
We have two new hires that came on during this last quarter,
Austin Cockey, Steward
Miguel Bolivar, Line Cook
April Dessert Special in Wesley Chapel
Carrot Cake $10
Topped with cream cheese frosting, candied pecans, and a Passion of the Heights caramel drizzle
