Every beer has a story. That’s the slogan of 5 Branches Brewing. And once you walk into their taproom, you know it’s true. This is where people come together to reminisce and share stories over a damn good beer.
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Friends Ramey Simpson and Jerry Brown opened 5 Branches in November 2019. The name pays homage to the five branches of the military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. As they neared retirement after careers in the military, they decided to launch a brewery. Ramey is an Air Force Veteran of 24 years. Jerry is a 27-year Army Veteran still currently serving.
On the day we stopped by, we had the opportunity to meet Ramey. From the first moment, you realize the great pride he has in what they do. And this pride comes out in the quality of their beers. Evidence of this comes from winning Gold at the World Beer Cup. “The Most Prestigious Beer Competition in the World!” This global competition is held every two years by the Brewers Association. The association is dedicated to small and independent brewers.
The World Beer Cup recognizes brewing excellence in over 100 categories. Judges are internationally recognized brewers, consultants, industry suppliers, and writers. Each has years of experience in the industry. They will taste around 30 beers in any one session. The judging is blind with no brand knowledge of any kind provided. Entries are judged solely on their merits.
“A world-class beer that accurately exemplifies the specific style, displaying the proper taste, aroma, and appearance.” – A Gold Medals minimum standard.
As always, we had a tasting flight. This is the best way to sample multiple beers without over-indulging. And, like always, it’s hard to pick a favorite!
Doggin’ Wrench – Imperial Stout
This is their award-winning beer. Beating over 100 other entries in the British-Style Imperial Stout category. The award speaks for it better than I can.
Giggle Shark – IPA
A nice and hoppy IPA! Not heavy in the least. This is the type of beer that would get the stories going. Sitting around with your friends and having a couple of these will get you talking.
Knife Hand – Hazy IPA
If you know, you know. The perfect beer to bring out your knife-hand. Have you ever noticed military members don’t usually point with one finger, but with their whole hand? This is called the knife-hand. This can be to discipline those under your command or emphasize a point. Either way, you usually don’t want to be on the receiving end of one. That is unless we’re talking about the beer. Then, the receiving end is the perfect place to be.
Hipster Salad – Strawberry Basil Ale
The name drew us in for this one. The taste made us come back for more. Very light and refreshing. After walking around in the heat, this beer will cool you down in a quick minute. The uniqueness of strawberry and basil was a pleasant surprise.
5 Branches Brewing is a veteran-owned brewery in the heart of Tarpon Springs. The owners are committed to supporting the veteran community. They exhibit this by donating to veteran charities and projects.
Discover more to do in Tarpon Springs in our full article.
See more of Tarpon Springs and the interview with 5 Branches Brewing below.