The "Best of Florida" awards. The festival coincides with a state-wide beer competition administered by Best Florida Beer Inc. Winners were announced at the festival.

Tom Moench (l) of Unique Beers of Orlando with Mike Kelly (r). Unique is primarily a distributor of eclectic beers, but also contract brews several of its own.

Brian Gustafson, co-editor and sales manager of the new Tampa Bay-oriented Suncoast Suds, Wine & Spirits publication set to debut in March.

Gary Melchin (l) and Doug Blythe (r), members of the Dunedin Brewers Guild homebrew club, start a kettle of brew as part of the club's day-long brewing demonstrations.

The material presented on this site is based on information believed to be correct, but is subject to change at anytime. If you have an update, correction, suggestion or any other contribution, please send it to us at: updates@beersouth.com. We welcome your input. (c) 1999 - 2003 by Beer South. All Rights Reserved.

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Updated: 2/7/03

Keep up with southern beer news and events. Subscribe to the Beer South Buzz our free mid-monthly brew newsletter.

2003 Florida Brewers Guild Festival January 18, 2003 - Centro Ybor in Tampa, Florida While the cool weather proved that every day in Florida can't be ideal, festival organizers showed that continuing improvements in event continuity, promotion, and brewer considerations do create a festival that is rapidly becoming the ideal Sunshine State beerfest.

The material presented on this site is based on information believed to be correct, but is subject to change at anytime. If you have an update, correction, suggestion or any other contribution, please send it to us at: updates@beersouth.com. We welcome your input. (c) 1999 - 2003 by Beer South. All Rights Reserved.

Patrick Jones (l), brewer for the Gordon Biersch brewpub in Miami, gets a request for a big sample from local beer afficiando John Reisinger.

The 7-year-old festival, which formerly traveled around the state, was held for the second year in Tampa, now the event's permanent home.

Centro Ybor is set in the heart of the Ybor City district and features big name eateries and nightspots.

Matthew Cox, brewer for the Big Bear brewpub in Coral Springs FL

Beer enthusiast Ron Schmitz (r) pours for Buckhead Brewing's original Tallahassee FL brewpub.

Mark Heyward, brewer of Charlie & Jakes Brewpub in Melbourne FL with volunteer Brenda Conti (r).

Sunshine helped keep volunteers Lily and Kirk Decker a bit warmer as they helped nearby Dunedin Brewery.

Franz Rothschadl (c) and Tracey Caley (l), brewers for Hopper's three Tampa-area brewpubs, alongside brewery  supply representaive Alan Sheppard (l).

Gary Melchin (l) and Doug Blythe (r), members of the Dunedin Brewers Guild homebrew club, start a kettle of brew as part of the club's day-long brewing demonstrations.

Brian Gustafson, co-editor and sales manager of the new Tampa Bay-oriented Suncoast Suds, Wine & Spirits publication set to debut in March.

Beer tasters line up to enter the event, which, despite unseasonably chilly weather, doubled attendance from 2002.

The husband and wife team of Cathy Schulz and Ken "KK" Koenig are the driving force behind the festival

Loree Perry (l) and Christee Bond (r) sold raffle tickets as a brewer's guild fund raiser. A wide variety of items were donated by participating breweries.

The Hops brewpub chain, founded and based in Tampa, sent a large contingent of brewers to the festival. Pictured are Alan McKittrick (l) of the Brandon and Lakeland units, Mark Ewing (lc) of Bradenton and St. Petersburg, with Brian Mankin (rc) and Bob Haa (l) of the Carrollwood and Fowler Avenue locations.

Glen Angel from Indian River Brewing in Melbourne FL stood tall among the crowd.

Chris (l) & Melissa (r) O'Conner of nearby Plant City hold a slew of items they'd already won in the raffle. By day's end, the lucky couple had won even more stuff.

Steve Fried, formerly a brewer for McGuires Brewpubs in Pensacola, shows his new project, Micro Masters, which creates private label beers.

Brewer Stu Thurmond and wife, Sue of McGuire's brewpub in Pensacola FL

Brewer Stu Thurmond and wife, Sue, of McGuire's brewpub in Pensacola FL

Robt Bernys, founder and brewer of Orlando Brewing Partners, a newly formed microbrewery.

Jonathan Gottlieb, co-owner of Palm Beach Brewing, a contract brewery based in Jupiter FL.

Ron Raike (l) of Maine's Shipyard Brewing Company. Ron was formerly the brewer for their Orlando airport micro before it closed, and is now the company's Florida representative. He's pictured with Jon Cheek (c), a partner of Orlando brewing Partners and Mike "Earthquake" Hennessy (r).

Vincent Pelosi (r) brewer for the Sarasota Brewing Co.

Buz Brown (r) brewer for Spanish Spring Brewing in the Villages as Lady Lake Fl, with former Hops corporate brewer Ed Bullen (r).

Tom Moench (l) of Unique Beers of Orlando with Mike Kelly (r). Unique is primarily a distributor of eclectic beers, but also contract brews several of its own.

The "Best of Florida" awards. The festival coincides with a state-wide beer competition administered by Best Florida Beer Inc. Winners were announced at the festival.

Kris Meyer (l) of Ybor Brewing Company with Kristen Shoesmith (r). Hats, sweaters and coats were the dress of the day when temperatures dipped into the 40's and 50's, cold by Tampa standards.

Best of Florida winners (top, l-r) presenter Ed Canty, Bob Haa - Hops/Tampa, Randy Petty & John Houseman - Yuengling, Matt Cox - Big Bear, Franz Rothshadl - Hopper's, Kris Meyer - Ybor City, Mike Fouch - Best Florida Beer Inc., (bottom, l-r) Buz Brown - Spanish Springs, Madison Roane - McGuire's, John Doble - Tampa Bay Brewing, and Jim Flovin - Dunedin.

Representative Tony Gonzalez (l), lab manager Randy Petty, and brewmaster John Houseman of Yuengling's brewery's in Tampa FL.