Heads Up, Jax! Craft Beer Happenings Weekend of July 28; Wicked Barley Anniversary

Hey, Jacksonville! As we head into the last weekend of July (where did the month go?), one thing is for certain: things are still heating up around here! Jaguars training camp public practices are underway, and the Florida back-to-school sales tax holiday is a week away. August is right around the turn of the calendar page.

Keep your cool and head out to some of these fun beer events around town this weekend:

Saturday: Wicked Barley Brewing Company celebrates its Second Anniversary with a huge party inside and outside in the beer garden, starting at 11am. Three bands will play during the day, beginning at 11:30am. A special tap list includes a number of new beers for the occasion. Bottles (22 oz. bombers) of the new Guava the Grouch, a Guava Orange Blossom Mead, will be available for purchase. For the barrel-aged fans, 25 oz Crowlers of The Morning After, a Barrel-aged Coffee Stout will also be on sale. Bee Friends Farms will be on the grounds with samples of local honey from 1-2pm. The Beer Garden will also feature a “Shandy Bar,” with summer-flavored fruit beers. Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company will offer juice samples between 6-9pm. If you’re looking for a VIP experience, check out the VIP ticket option which includes unlimited beer sampling, a meal ticket, brewery access, and a special swag bag. VIP tickets are available at www.wickedbarley.com/product/vipticket. Congrats to Wicked Barley! For a look back at the first anniversary and the construction and opening, check out this story with an interview from last year.

More Highlight Happenings:

CASK Homebrew Club Jax hosts its annual First Coast Cup beer competition Friday and Saturday at the Four Points Sheraton Jacksonville-Baymeadows. Tickets for Saturday’s awards banquet are available in the link.

Friday Night Jams, at Atlantic Beach Brewing: if you play an instrument, bring it, play it, and get a free beer, 7-10pm. Also: check out the Shark Week Beach Costume Party on Saturday, 3-6pm.

Barks & Brews, Saturday, 1-4pm, at Hyperion Brewing, Main St.: $1 from each beer purchased benefits FUR Sisters.

Monday: Kanine Social, the new downtown doggie daycare/craft bar/dog park, opens for day care services, at 9am. Opening of the craft beer/wine/coffee bar is pending while awaiting final licensing approval.

For more events, including tappings and such, be sure to visit www.brewnymph.com for a daily list of local happenings around the breweries and craft beer bars.

Cheers!

Linda Johnson, Certified Cicerone®

www.brewnymph.com

(cover photo by Linda Johnson)

Linda Johnson is a BUZZ Contributing Writer (beer!) 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 (since 2015), one of seven in the metro area, and the only Level 2-certified independent beer writer in the state.