Northern Pinellas County, Florida has numerous breweries from which to choose. You can have a brewery “pub” crawl and hit plenty within a few miles of the Alternate US 19 Route running through Dunedin, Palm Harbor, and Tarpon Springs. (Tip: Check on the county’s Jolly Trolley to travel safely or stroll along the Pinellas Trail.)
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Today’s tasting was at de Bine Brewing Company. Located along the Pinellas Trail and Alt. US 19 in Palm Harbor, the brewery has a clean, industrial feel. Concrete and exposed conduit serves as a backdrop for a large taproom. Separated by a steel door is the stairway to the fermentation room. A few more tables are set up next to garage doors for a panoramic view of those passing on the trail, obviously jealous of your ice-cold beer.
Their tasting flight card has space for 4 beers, but the bartender allows you to write any additional samples you’d like below the fourth line. Each 5 oz. pour is charged individually and their chalkboard menu has the price. We sampled five during our visit; 3 IPA’s, a Gose, and a Stout.
First up was a New England IPA, “All The Cool Kids”. Both light in color and taste, this has a smooth finish. At 6.7% ABV, it falls into the average alcohol content for beers (usually between 4% and 7%) allowing you a couple without it sneaking up on you.
Next, was an unexpected treat. The “Watermelon”. A marGOSErita. I’ve heard of a Gose, which is a top-fermented beer style from Goslar, Germany. Coriander and salt are characteristic of this beer and it is made sour by inoculating the wort with lactic acid bacteria before primary fermentation. But not a “MarGOSErita”. My guess is the name is a fun play on words. Either way, this light and crisp beer is refreshing on a hot, humid day. This also was the lowest ABV of the day at 4.5%.
Our third choice starts the climb from the average ABV percentage to the upper end of a beers alcohol content. “I’ll Have That” American IPA has a nice caramel color with a slight aftertaste. It is stronger than the first at 7.4%. While good, I would put this as a “one-and-done” beer. The aftertaste was a little too much for me.
The strongest IPA listed on their menu, and the second strongest beer offered, was the “Triple Wide” triple IPA. At 10.3% ABV, you wouldn’t want too many without something to eat. A very tasty beer that was a lot smoother than I expected for a triple. I anticipated a more “hoppy” and bitter flavor, but it had a nice finish. I would definitely enjoy this with a nice steak!
To close out the trip, we went dark. An Imperial Stout. The “Raspberry Pepper Vanilla” perfectly balanced the spice of the pepper with the sweetness of the raspberry and vanilla. It was also the strongest beer offered on the menu at 11%. I would recommend this as an after dinner beer to serve as “dessert”. Maybe the “Triple Wide” with my steak and this to close out the meal.
The order of our flight (although not planned) followed a 5-course “meal”. From the cocktail hour to an appetizer, salad, main course, and finished with a dessert. If you’re in the area and have the time, I would encourage you to visit de Bine Brewing Company. It is well worth it. As always, please enjoy responsibly and have a plan.
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