We recently visited Palm City Brewing again, and it was obvious that they have a pretty solid lock on being one of the most family-friendly breweries in the Southwest Florida area. There was a few tiny little newborns, and plenty of elementary school-aged children, and nobody was concerned at all.
Everybody was welcome, and Palm City has a wonderful kids area for them to play it as well. All of this is great, since Mom and Dad need a drink on occasion, you know?
Of course, ambiance is one thing, and having good beer is completely different. Luckily, the latter is in strong supply there as well. I have been on a lighter ale kick for some time, and San Carlos Proper (Golden Ale, 5% ABV, 20 IBU) seemed especially appealing to me. It’s got a nice, light golden hue, and a flavor that is strong with 2 row and maybe even a touch of honey malt on the back end. Light noble hops keep everything very crisp and clean very easily drinkable.
My wife, however, has always been a stout and porter fan, and I got her 1001 Nights (Milk Stout, 7% ABV, 25 IBU), their nice and luxurious milk stout. It’s got a wonderfully velvety texture and a rich smoothness that goes down nice and easy, with a great back end of cocoa and coffee notes.
For those of you that listen to the Florida Beer Podcast, I had a great interview with Ron, brewer & taproom manager at Palm City. He actually gave a little bit of background on both of these beers, and a very interesting explanation as to the reason behind the naming of 1001 Nights.
He also did not want me to be completely dry during the interview, so I took him up on his offer of a pint of Hidden Agenda (Kolsch, 4.5% ABV, 25 IBU), one of my absolute favorite styles and something for the lighter golden ale kick that I’ve been on recently. It was quite delicate and very flavorful, with only the slightest hint of a biscuit backbone and a touch of hops bringing in a tantalisingly tasty citrus feel, in both the aroma and the flavor.
The interview is up now on Episode 10 of the Florida Beer Podcast. If you’re listening to it on the drive down Interstate 75, and you’re passing Alico Road, you would do well to take a quick detour and enjoy some great beers from my friends.
Yes, you can bring the kids as well.