Celebrate National American Beer Day, The Best Way

The Waterfront Brewery

While the wee-little ones are excitedly carving pumpkins, preparing for pillowcases full of candy, and making last-minute costume adjustments – the older generation knows the real holiday actually takes place this week.

Let's put all Halloween festivities aside; the real ringer of October holidays is National American Beer Day. There’s never a wrong day - or way, to enjoy a beer. However, on Friday, October 27th Happy Hour takes on a special beverage, and there are few excuses for not popping a top on a cold one to celebrate. 

Might we also recommend Key West’s very own Waterfront Brewery?

That’s right, just off of Caroline Street and, as it’s namesake says, smack dab on the water’s edge this brewery has gained a reputation for some of the best pints under the palms. The bright blue building is a hard one to miss and the crowds never seem to thin – for good reason!

Ah…just in case you get lost on the KW docks, the KW brew is just a stone throw from The Hindu and the iconic setting for the launch of our Castaway line.

Good beer isn’t even coming close to doing these suds justice - neither is great beer, awesome beer, or our favorite beer - because the drafts at The Waterfront are nationally recognized, award-winning, crafts brews.

That’s right; brew master Justin Stine has been stocking his trophy case over the past few years with wins at the Florida Beer Championships for fruit brewing and specialty ales with the Key Lime WITness and the Crazy Lady Honey Blonde Ale in 2015. Stine is no stranger to high-praise though having won several awards in the past for his work at other breweries including Cigar City in Tampa.

These days Waterfront has nineteen signature beers on tap – with several new taps coming over the next few months. Just in case you started your holiday celebration a little bit early, here’s the scoop on their most popular pints:

• Key Lime WITness – one of the breweries first and best beers, this Belgian Style Witbier boasts an ABV of 5.6% with hints of cardamom, white pepper and of course, key lime.

• Crazy Lady – another award winner, this Blonde Ale is brewed with local honey and the local honeys say it’s the most “drinkable” – which is never a bad thing. It’s got an ABV of 5.5% with a generous taste of honey, heavy hops, and some caramel.

• Pallina – this is a lower alcohol choice when it comes to Waterfront’s selection but certainly, holds its own in flavor. Don’t let the 3.8 ABV fool you; the Pallina packs a mouthful of toasty malt, caramel, toffee, and molasses.

• Truman Double IPA – one of Key West’s biggest fans also occupied the Oval Office at one point. That’s right, this rich and hoppy double IPA is named for President Harry Truman, who frequented the neighborhood for many years. It boasts a head of state-level ABV of 9.5% with distinct wheat and hops flavor.

• Lazy Way IPA – the perfect middle ground in a long list of distinct beers this is a medium-bodied IPA with a bitter and malty taste. A true American IPA with an ABV of 7.2% and a piney/hoppy/earthy profile.

• Boat Day – this is Waterfront’s answer to their customers’ all day drinking needs. The perfect nautical option to pack in your cooler, crack open on a dinghy, or sip casually yacht-side. Whatever your vessel might be, this Session IPA has an easy to drink ABV of 4.7%.

They also have a pilsner, an amber rye lager, a Belgian tripel and numerous seasonal variations available throughout the year.

So as you can see, no tricks and just treats this holiday weekend at The Waterfront Brewery – so why not stop by? We can’t think of a better place to celebrate National American Beer Day than dockside with an award-winning pint.

Happy drinking!