Love Thy Neighbor Spotlight: Best Brews on the Block vol. 1

Come for the art. Stay for the beer.

There’s little we love more than an ice-cold beer on a hot Miami day. So we’re appreciating—and getting to know—the fine breweries that quench our thirst and make Wynwood a better place.

Check out our interviews with J. Wakefield Brewing—Wynwood’s only independent, family owned brewery—and Concrete Beach Brewery—an impressive 20-barrell social hall with a small-batch roster on tap.

Concrete Beach Brewery

What’s the story behind Concrete Beach?

We were founded in 2013 as new artisanal craft beer brewery project from the co-founder of Magic Hat and the founder of Boston Beer Co. Today, we have an artistic array of classically brewed ales and lagers that complement any occasion.

Why Wynwood?

Because we are big believers of making art and drinking beer! Wynwood is such an artistic neighborhood, and we serve as a creative gathering space for the community. We’re proud to be part of the craftspeople within this area—and take great pride in our beer.

Top three favorite flavors?

Our top three are Havana Lager, Sola IPA and Stiltsville Pilsner.

Where can your beer be found?

Our social hall and brewery is located at 325 NW 24^th Street. For a list of bars, restaurants and retailers that sell Concrete Beach in your neighborhood, check out our beer finder.

Anything else we should know?

We’re gearing up to celebrate our 4-year anniversary on Saturday, May 18^th and have a lot of surprises in store. In addition to our anniversary, we’ve started planning for our 2^nd Annual SOLA FEST—a music festival highlighting local-Miami talent. It will take place in August and we’ll be announcing more details soon. We hope you’ll join us! Follow us @Concretebeachfl to stay in the loop.

J. Wakefield Brewing

What’s the story behind J. Wakefield Brewing?

It’s the brainchild of founder Johnathan Wakefield—an accountant turned brewmaster after receiving a “Mr. Beer Kit” from his wife. His exotic and eccentric concoctions earned him a following and in 2013 he was invited to brew at Tampa’s Cigar City. He then left his accounting career—and Tampa—behind, returning home to Miami to pursue his real passion and open his brewery in 2014.

Why Wynwood?

It just seemed like a natural fit for us to be in the art community—and we weren’t wrong. You can always find creative patrons in our taproom, enjoying our unique, inventive brews—many often sipping as they sketch. We also chose Wynwood as our home because from brewing to branding, beer-making is a pretty creative process. What better place for inspiration than Miami’s hub of creative-commercial endeavors?

Top three favorite flavors?

Our rarest, limited beers—Orange Dreamsicle (which just dropped this March), Desperado, and It Was All A Dream.

Most well-known brews?

Big Poppa, which is a delicious coconut, vanilla and coffee imperial stout. Our signature Florida Weisses Miami Madness—brewed with mango, guava and passionfruit. And DFPF, a dragon fruit and passion fruit Berliner which will now be available in bottles.

Where can your beer be found?

Our taproom, of course, which is right in the heart of the Wynwood, located at 120 NW 24th St. We’re also locally distributed by Gold Coast Distributing, and by Cavalier Distributing throughout the rest of Florida. You can always use our beer finder and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Anything else we should know?

We recently participated in Cloudwater Brewing’s Family and Friends festival in Manchester, United Kingdom, and poured some rare and exclusive beer at Other Half Brewing’s Pastrytown Festival in Brooklyn, NYC. And up next, we’ll be pouring at Sprung! 2019 here in Miami on April 6^th!

And if you’re a fan of—or curious about—Florida Weisses, Pastry Stouts, and other off-the-wall beers, J. Wakefield Brewing is for you. Follow @jwakefieldbeer, and @thekingofallpattah, wherever social media is consumed!

There you have it—cheers friends!