Florida rain

I'm awoken by torrential rain. Christ, it’s really pissing it down is heavy. It pounds the roof noisily. A bit annoying, as I hadn't planned getting up this early.

I potter around my room for a while. Matt is picking me up around noon. I really hope the rain has finished by then. The rain is so heavy, even the short walk to Matt's truck would drench me.

Luckily, the rain is done when Matt turns up. It's noticeably much cooler than yesterday. I’m not complaining. I was roasting my nuts yesterday.

Matt is taking me around some breweries. We start at Pompano Beach Brewing. Basically, because it's one of the few that's open this early.

It's a bit of a shed inside. Empty, other than a clutch of people at the bar. What to drink? An IPA, maybe. I plump for Curse of the Bird, An American IPA. By that, I guess they mean West Coast IPA. That's certainly what it tastes like. A straightforward, citrussy-bitter IPA.

Matt is a really nice bloke and we chat away merrily. Quite a bit about hops. I realise just how out of touch I am with recent developments.

I notice that they have another IPA, Purgatory. So, I have one of those next. It's pretty similar to the other one.

The plan is to go around a few breweries in Fort Lauderdale. So that's where we head next. To Tarpon River Brewing.

It's pretty weird looking inside. It's basically an industrial shed, with the brewing kit running down one side. On the other, there's a single-storey building inside the shed. Matt tells me this was some requirement to be able to serve beer. Though there are also seats outside it, which is where we are. It's all very strange. There's a nice breeze blowing through. Which is handy, as it's warming up. 

I ask the waitress if they have a Stout. She doesn't understand what I mean. I end up getting a coffee Brown Ale.

We eat and I get an IPA. I go for a burger. With extra bacon. Bacon improves every meal. As it does in this case.

There was a bit too much coffee in the Brown Ale for my taste.

Soon, we're off again. This time to Invasive Species, located in a bright yellow, single-storey building. Todd, who was at my talk yesterday, is waiting for us at the bar. We get ourselves a table. What to drink? I opt for Migration, cold IPA. Someone told me about them the other day. It's an IPA fermented with a Lager yeast. It just tastes like any other IPA to me.

Slightly weird decor, what with the stuffed animals and skulls. Are they making a point? That's your fate if you're an invasive species.

We can't hang around too long. I've at appointment for a Covid test. Without it, I won't be able to get on the plane back to Amsterdam. Oh, the joys of travel currently!

The test takes about 5 seconds. I'll have the result by 11 PM tomorrow. $149 it cost. Fucking hell. But, as it means the difference between getting on the plane home and not, it’s a price I have to pay.

We end our crawl at 3 Sons Brewing. Another barn-like industrial space. They're showing the Superbowl. I order an Imperial Stout with coconut and vanilla. It's quite tasty, if a little sweet. That doesn't stop me ordering a second and a third.

We eat tacos as the Superbowl rumbles on. Dead good tacos, mind. Best I’ve had in a while. Seafoody, spicy, citrussy. I wish I’d opted for three rather than just two.

It's getting quite late and I'm feeling a bit knacked. We leave when the game ends.

Matt has been a brilliant host. Showing me around the area and it's breweries. It's been a whole lot of fun. We say our goodbyes when he drops me at my hotel. hopefully I'll be back again sometime in the future.

A soothing draught of whisky brings the day to a close.



Pompano Beach Brewing Company
3200 NW 23rd Ave Suite 500,
Pompano Beach, FL 33069.
https://pompanobeachbrewing.com


Tarpon River Brewing
280 SW 6th St,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.
https://tarponriverbrewing.com


Invasive Species Brewing
726 NE 2nd Ave,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.
https://invasivespeciesbrewing.com/


3 Sons Brewing Co
236 N Federal Hwy #104,
Dania Beach, FL 33004.
https://www.3sonsbrewingco.com