Veterans United Craft Brewery Three-Year Anniversary Block Party, Aug. 19

Linda Johnson is a BUZZ Contributing Writer and founder of the beer and travel website, BrewNymph.com, covering all things Florida beer from news to events. She is the first female Level 2 Certified Cicerone® in the Jax area, one of six in the metro area, and the only Level 2-certified independent beer writer in the state. 

 Veterans United Craft Brewery celebrates its Third Anniversary with the “End of the Block Block Party,” on Saturday, August 19, beginning at 1pm. The event features a number of small-batch beers brewed especially for the occasion, such as Passion Fruit IPA, Maple Tap Amber Ale, Cacao to Cacao Chocolate Ale, Grapefruit HopBanshee IPA, Blood Orange IPA, Blueberry Blonde Ale, Wild Strawberry Wheat Ale, Blood Orange IPA, and Orange is the New B. In addition, the brewery will re-release a few fan favorites, including Cup O’Joe Oatmeal Espresso Stout and Flying Squirrel Nut Brown Ale. Music will be provided by Shane Myers and The Snacks Blues Band. Mission BBQ Food Truck will be on site. Guests can purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a growler gift box, with the winner being announced around 5pm. The brewery has obtained a special permit to allow beer outside of the tap room for the day.

With its military-themed tap room, Veterans United regularly holds charitable events to benefit veterans and military service organizations. One of those is the “Kongs for K-9’s” program, in collaboration with the Military Working Dog Team Support Association, held every September. For each “Kong” dog toy collected, the Kong Company donates a matching toy. Last year, the count reached 80 Kongs, with 160 being sent to troops in the field. The tap room offers beer specials during the Kong toy drive to promote the event. The brewery has also worked with several Humane Societies in connection with sponsored pet adoptions. “In addition to the great reception that we have received for our beers and the brewery, our involvement with charities has been very rewarding,” says Founder Ron Gamble.

Veterans United started canning two of its core beers, the Raging Blonde Ale and HopBanshee IPA, during its first year, with retail distribution around the Jax area. A few months ago, the brewery released its Scout Dog 44 Amber Ale in cans, and those will be available on Publix shelves soon, says Gamble. Currently, Veterans United beers are distributed in Tallahassee, Gainesville, Ocala and as far south as The Villages. Gamble adds that plans are already underway for additional expansion into the western Florida Panhandle, and the brewery is looking at distribution into the Daytona area also. Veterans United operates a 20-barrel brewhouse, with five 40-barrel fermenters and a 40-barrel brite tank. Coming online in the brewhouse within the next week or so is the brewery’s sixth fermenter.

Veterans United Craft Brewery is located at the end of an industrial complex, at 8999 Western Way #104 in the Southside area of Jacksonville. (The reason for the “End of the Block” Block Party name.) Many of the staff are military veterans or members of the Service. The tap room is open four days a week: Wednesday/Thursday: 3-10pm; Friday: 3-11pm; and Saturday, 1-11pm. Brewery tours take place hourly on Saturday afternoons from 1:30 to 4:30pm.

Cheers!

Linda Johnson, Certified Cicerone®

(Excerpted from www.brewnymph.com)

(cover photo by Linda Johnson)