There’s no place like home for the holidays. Those immortal lyrics crooned by the great Perry Como are true. But if you’re not home for the holidays because you’ll be on vacation (not a bad second option), there’s no place like the Middle Keys. The celebrating isn’t confined there to Christmas and New Year’s.
The Florida Keys Craft Beer & Bubbly Festival in Marathon—an outdoor food, drink and live music event—is Sunday, December 27, noon to 7 p.m. at Marathon Community Park, Mile Marker 49. There’s no cover charge at this popular Florida Keys festival, unless you want to upgrade to a VIP pass. Otherwise you’ll be able to buy all the beer, wine and champagne you want by the glass, enjoy munchies from a great array of food vendors and listen to an exceptional all-day lineup of entertainers.
The beers
As categorized by BeerAdvocate™, RateBeer™ or BeerMenus:
From Aviator Brewing Co., Fuquay Varina, NC
• MadBeach, an American pale wheat ale
From Bulmers Ireland (C&C Group), Clonmel, Ireland
• Magners Pear Cider, a fruit-vegetable beer
From Ballast Point Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
• Big Eye IPA, an American IPA
• Sculpin IPA, an American IPA
From Cigar City Brewing, Tampa, FL
• Florida Cracker, a Belgian-style wheat ale
From Due South Brewing Co., Boynton Beach, FL
• Caramel Cream Ale, a cream ale
From Florida Avenue Brewing Co., Tampa, FL
• Florida Avenue Ale, an American pale wheat ale
• Florida Avenue India Pale Ale, an American IPA
From Funky Buddha Brewery, Oakland Park, FL
• Hop Gun, an American IPA
From Inlet Brewing Co., Jupiter, FL
• Monk in the Trunk, an organic American amber-red ale
From Islamorada Brewing Co., Islamorada, FL
• Channel Marker IPA, an American IPA
• Islamorada Ale, an American blonde ale
• Sandbar Sunday, An American pale wheat ale
From Kona Brewing Co., Kailua Kona, Island of Hawaii, HI
• Castaway, an American IPA
From Magic Hat Brewing Co., South Burlington, VT
• #9, a fruit beer
From The Native Brewing Co., Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Native Lager, a pale lager
From Narragansett Brewing Co., Providence, RI
• Narragansett Lager, a pale lager
From SaltWater Brewery, Delray Beach, FL
• Screamin’ Reels, an American IPA
From Sea Dog Brewing Co., Bangor, ME
• Blueberry Wheat Ale, fruit beer
From Stieglbrauerei zu Salzburg GmbH, Salzburg, Austria
• Stiegl Radler Grapefruit, a fruit beer
From Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR
• Omission Lager, a gluten-free American pale lager
From Vermont Hard Cider Co., LLC (C&C Group), Middlebury, VT
• Woodchuck Amber Hard Cider, a fruit beer
The wines
Reds
From Brancott Winery, Marlborugh, New Zealand
• Brancott Pinot Noir 11
From Campo Viejo Winery, Rioja, Spain
• Campo Viejo Garnacha, (Grenache)
From Graffigna Wines, San Juan, Argentina
• Graffigna Centenario Malbec
From Jacob’s Creek Winery, Barossa Valley, Australia
• Jacob’s Creek Shiraz Reserve
From Kenwood Vineyards, Kenwood, CA
• Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
From O Wines Winery, Woodinville, WA
• O Wines Red Wine Blend (Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah)
From Snoqualmie Vineyards, Paterson, WA
• Snoqualmie Cabernet Sauvignon Naked
• Snoqualmie Merlot Naked
From Tormaresca Winery, Minervino Murge, Southern Italy
• Tormaresca Neprica (Negromaro, Primitivo, Cabernet Sauvignon)
• Tormaresca Primitivo
Whites
From Brancott Winery
• Brancott Sauvignon Blanc
From Santa Cristina by Antinori Winery, Florence, Italy
• Antinori Santa Cristina Pinot Grigio
From Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, Woodinville, WA
• Chateau Saint Michelle Dry Riesling
From Jacob’s Creek Winery
• Jacob’s Creek Moscato
From Kenwood Vineyards
• Kenwood Chardonnay Sonoma County
From Snoqualmie Vineyards
• Snoqualmie Chardonnay Naked
From Tormaresca Winery
• Tormaresca Chardonnay
From Villa Maria Winery, Marlborough, New Zealand
• Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Private Bin
The champagnes and sparkling wines
Chile
From Miguel Torres Winery, Curicó
• Santa Digna Estelado Rosé (Mission)
France
From Penrod Picard USA, imported from Bordeaux
• Café de Paris Pear Sparkling Wine
• Café de Paris Pomegranate Sparkling Wine
Italy
From Col de’ Salici Winery, Veneto Region
• Col de’ Salici Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Extra Dry
Spain
From Campo Viejo Winery
• Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva
• Campo Viejo Cava Brut Rosé
United States
From Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
• Michelle Brut
• Michelle Brut Rosé
From Kenwood Vineyards
• Kenwood Brut Yulupa
From Mumm Napa Winery, Napa, CA
• Mumm Napa Brut Prestige
The food vendors
Arepas Las Gorditas: South American grilled cornbread patties with a variety of fillings; the specialty, called the Pabellon, includes white cheese with beef, beans or plantains.
Cheeseburger Baby: Angus hamburgers and cheeseburgers (including the Baby’s Fave, a bacon cheddar-cheeseburger with fried egg served with hand-cut pickles); turkey and veggie burgers; chili cheese fries.
Crazydilla: Gourmet tacos and quesadillas (including the Cuban, the Mex, the Caprese, the Reuben, the Cordon Bleu and the Buffalo).
The Original Greek: Authentic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, specializing in Megas Yeeros™.
Palate Party: Farm-to-table gourmet appetizers like Mushroom Risotto Balls and sustainable seafood entrees like the Soft Shell Crab Sandwich.
Parabas Grill: Beef, grouper and crab cake sliders; mahi, grouper, chicken, pork and cheesesteak tacos; fish and chips; deserts like Habañero Key Lime Pie and Coconut Rice Pudding.
Tacos Veracruz: Taco varieties including grilled chicken, grilled beef, ground beef, chorizo, beef marinated in pineapple sauce and flank steak with mild chili; also burritos, quesadillas and tamales.
The entertainers
Noon-1:20 p.m.
Eric Stone Band: Eric Stone is a veteran performer of pop, rock and country with 11 studio CDs and a “best of” to his credit.
1:40 p.m.-3 p.m.
Adrienne & Injade: Singer-songwriter Adrienne Zolondick built a loyal fan base from Boston to Key West and now joins one of her regular collaborators, guitarist-vocalist David Tortoriano, in a new band gaining traction on the airways.
3:30 p.m.-4:40 p.m.
John Bartus & Storm Watch: John Bartus, a singer-songwriter and guitarist, and a former actual mayor of Marathon, has opened for musical legends like Tom Petty, Kansas, Clarence Clemons and Edgar Winter.
5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Myles Mancuso: In 2010, the guitar education website truefire.com rated Myles Mancuso one of the top 7 guitar prodigies in the world—when he was 14. A multi-instrumentalist, he’s equally comfortable playing the top clubs in New York City and hopscotching the Keys.
VIP tickets
VIP ticket purchases benefit the Marathon Chamber of Commerce’s Scholarship Program and Marathon Rotary Club. Ticket holders get free access to the VIP tent and unlimited food and drink, plus coupons for beers outside the tent and more.
Enjoy the holidays the Keys way, at the Marathon Craft Beer and Bubbly Festival.
Photo Credits: Beer in Focus, regan76, Table of Champagne, and Erk Cleves Kristensen via cc
