Brewsletter July 2024
Florida Avenue Brewing Co. IT’S SUMMER!
Summer is here and it’s not playing any games! The heat is on and we’re keeping our cool with continued growth and new things company-wide!
Taproom News
Florida Avenue Brewing Co. Wesley Chapel!
We’re thrilled to welcome some fantastic new members to the team!
- Carly Maye fully takes the helm as our Bar Manager, ready to whip up creative cocktails and ensure a smooth bar experience. Although she will be taking a short leave of absence here in a moment to bring a small one into the fold. We look forward to all the possibilities she will bring to the table
- Josh Smith adds flair to our bar team with his skills. He is coming along nicely and really seems to bring his best attitude to the table. Lots of potential here!
- Sam Burdick-Decker joins our waitstaff, bringing a warm smile and top-notch service to our guests.
- Jai Austin is our newest addition, taking over as an events staff Shift lead. Her passion for events and growing expertise is sure to be an asset.
👏 A Round of Applause for Andrea Mavroides 👏
We’d also like to extend a big congratulations to Andrea on his well-deserved promotion to Service Manager!
Sales Recaps & Holiday Success Stories:
We’re proud to say our celebrations for Juneteenth, Memorial Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Easter were all resounding successes! Each event saw exceptional execution and strong profitability, reflecting the hard work and dedication of our team.
Consistently over the course of the last period we hit our 5% package beer sales goals thank you all FOH employees in your contributions here!
GED team you also saw great success in driving sales higher than last year for this past quarter! With Miriam on the team keeping our books full, we have a bright future ahead for sales growth here! Additionally, with the full integration of the events team into the FOH management we are seeing more flexibility, proficiency and in turn profitability in our offerings here. Thank you Gabi, Sebastian, Manuela, Steven and Maddi for your continued excellence in this transition period. You have all been a big help in this process.
📈 Driving Sales with Fresh Initiatives 📊
Innovation is key at our establishment! We recently rolled out three new sales initiatives, with even more exciting possibilities on the horizon.
1) We’re excited to announce the launch of Uber Eats on our platform, offering a convenient way for guests to enjoy our delicious food at home. Since integration we have seen a major increase in online ordering, almost doubling our previous takeout orders.
2) Our Monday sales are seeing some significant growth in part thanks to exciting initiatives like “Free Play Mondays” which have seen fantastic guest engagement. It goes to show we are more than just a Restaurant!
3) Additionally, we debuted our new $20 three-course dinner option last Monday, we are hoping to grow it to be a popular choice for guests in the area!
BUT we aren’t stopping here we have more ideas in the pipeline just polishing up get ready for more!
Beverage UPDATES:
We’ve refreshed our cocktail, wine, and non-alcoholic beverage menus just in time for summer! Explore our new seasonal offerings and snag a refreshing bottle of Cream Soda on your next visit.
*teaser*… secret secrets are no fun… unless you tell everyone. Secret menu dropping next quarter. make sure *not* to tell anyone.
🫐🫐 Next month, I’m Blue, da ba dee da ba da 🫐🫐
Blueberry Month is our next sales initiative. You are going to see a whole bunch of blueberry themes taking over the taproom for the month! Let us know any ideas you might have to help piggyback on our food and drink offerings!
We’re excited for what’s ahead and look forward to continuing to serve you with top-notch food, drinks, and service!
From our Tampa GM Christian Henry:
Down in Tampa we’ve had an exciting start to the summer with the introduction of a few public events unique to our location.
In the beginning of June, we kicked off our Jukebox Bingo which combines the old game of chance with music from a variety of years and genres, giving our patrons an opportunity to win 4 different prizes throughout the night! With a pretty packed tasting room, what a turn out it was!
Additionally, on June 28th we began our special beer release program called “The Vault Series”. With the help of our brewer Vinny our goal is to bring back popular beer release favorites from the past that helped put our brewery on the map in this neighborhood! Our first release, Never Too Late For Summer is a Watermelon & Lime Berliner Weisse that did very well for us for years in our old tasting room! We’re pumped for what’s to come with this series!
Finally, we’ve been searching for a way to do a unique brunch that would draw interest from the community and now we look forward to introducing our Yacht Rock Themed Brunch. This event launches July 28th, boasting a great brunch menu put together by Chef Alex as well as specialty brunch themed beers & cocktails all over the sounds of Hall & Oates, Steely Dan & The Doobie Brothers! We’re very excited to build these events that are unique to our neighborhood and hope to continue providing a good experience to all our patrons only the way Florida Ave can! Cheers!
From Tampa Brewer Vinny:
I’d like to mention to the team that we are excited to launch the “Vault Series” in Seminole Heights.
With that, I would encourage anyone to suggest recreating one of their favorite old school Florida Ave/Brew Bus beers!
Feel free to share ideas with Vinny Giusto at [email protected]
We plan on brewing the employee special releases soon, starting with Maria.
Events News
From our Event Sales Manager, Miriam “Mimi” McCargar:
Hello fellow beer lovers!
I am very excited to be a part of such a welcoming team! This quarter I was able to get to know so many of you and I look forward to meeting and getting to know you more!
This quarter we sold a total of $84,171 in revenue in events. As we head into our slow season, I am getting out into the community to promote our event spaces. I recently joined SWEL (Suncoast Wedding and Events Leaders) and these networking events help me tell others about our space and the fantastic beers we have brewing. We are already booking for the holiday season and the leads will not stop. I look forward to booking, booking, booking!
Craft Brew Comedy | Wed 07.17.24 | 6:30pm – 10pm | Wesley Chapel
Craft Brew Comedy returns on Wednesday, July 17th in Wesley Chapel! Our host with the most, Chuck Glass will be presenting 2 new talents for the evening in Jeff Klein and Helen Keaney. 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!
Lord of the Rings Trivia Night | Tue 7.23.24 | 6:30pm – 10pm | Both Locations
Journey to Middle Earth on Tuesday, July 23rd at both locations, with doors opening to Brewers Hall at 6:30 in Wesley Chapel. This is our first Lord of the Rings trivia nights since Wesley Chapel was born, and we are expecting it brings all types of folks to the Ave! It should be a fun night full of hobbits, orcs and dead parrots. See you all there!
LAB NEWS
Brought to you from the lab by Ami Parrino
Off the Ave, I am teaching the “Principles of Quality” course for the USF St. Pete Brewing Arts Program. The Brewing Arts Program is a specialized educational certificate offered by the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, designed to provide comprehensive training in the science and business of brewing. This program combines online coursework with hands-on experience, equipping students with the skills needed to excel in the brewing industry. One of our newer employees, AJ Shuman, is a graduate who completed his internship for the program with us!
Style Spotlight: Kölsch
Kölsch, a traditional beer style hailing from Cologne, Germany, boasts a rich history dating back to the early 20th century. The style was officially defined and named “Kölsch” in 1918 by the Sünner brewery, although similar beers had been brewed in the region for centuries. This unique hybrid beer combines the clean, crisp characteristics of a lager with the fruity, slightly estery notes of an ale. Kölsch is typically light in color, with a delicate balance of subtle malt sweetness and a gentle hop bitterness, offering a refreshing and smooth drinking experience. Known for its bright clarity and effervescence, Kölsch is a perfect choice for those seeking a light, flavorful beer that embodies the best of both lager and ale brewing traditions. Try pairing our Double Headed Gator with the BLT Salad or Buffalo Cauliflower!
Quality Corner: DMS
Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) is a natural byproduct of the malting and brewing processes, originating from the breakdown of S-methylmethionine (SMM) in malt. It imparts sweet, corn-like, or vegetal flavors and aromas, such as those reminiscent of cooked corn or creamed corn. While trace amounts of DMS can be acceptable and even contribute to certain beer styles, excessive levels are considered an “off-flavor.” DMS is primarily produced during the malting and boiling stages. During the malting process, SMM converts to DMS, which can be boiled off during brewing. However, if the boil is insufficient or the wort is not cooled rapidly enough, DMS can remain in the beer, leading to undesirable flavors.
Our team closely monitors DMS levels throughout the brewing process, ensuring that proper boiling times and rapid cooling techniques are employed. By maintaining strict control over these stages, we minimize the presence of DMS, resulting in a clean and well-balanced beer. Understanding and controlling DMS is crucial for maintaining the high quality of our beer. By focusing on precise brewing conditions and vigilant process management, we ensure that our beers exhibit the desired flavors without any unwanted characteristics. It’s this dedication to excellence that defines our commitment to crafting outstanding beers for everyone’s enjoyment. Cheers to the art and science of brewing!
Kitchen News
Join us as we welcome our new Sous Chef, Jeff Jabot!
We are looking forward to seeing everything he will bring to the table…get it?