Today is the Day: Cigar City vs City of Tampa

Well that's right today is the day that Joey and his crew go in front of the city for approval to keep the doors of the tasting room open.

The hearing is open to the public so head down if you can.

Date: Thursday December 2nd
Time: 10:30 AM
Location: 315 East Kennedy Boulevard (Downtown)
City Hall, 3rd Floor
Tampa, FL 33602

If you can't then you can always watch it online by clicking here: Watch CCB vs Tampa

I am staying optimistic about this all considering the voice that has been made in Tampa by all of the beer lovers around the United States! Thanks for your support in the matter!

Well with fingers crossed and a bottle of Jai Alai in my back pocket I will wait and listen for the final result.

GOOD LUCK CCB!

Happy Thanksgiving Craft Beer Style

Happy Thanksgiving My Loyal Readers!

I hope that you and your family/friends are having a wonderful day!


While you getting ready to sit down and eat your yummy Turkey Dinner, I figured I would give you all something to think about.

What are you Thankful for this year?

Yep, looking back on the year a lot has happened. Infact, a year ago to this date myself and Dos sat down with the idea to keep a simple journal of beers which we have tried and write about them. Crazy how an image can turn into something like this.

I personally am thankful for family and health, but also for little things such as:
The Friends I have made in the past year: who would have thought beer people (aka people that call their drinking problem a "hobby" would be so nice!)
The Cigar City Brewing Company: Great Beer just 3 hours away! Please remember to sign their petition to save the tasting room! Click Here ---> SAVE CCB!
The Funky Buddha: Great Beer just 5 minutes away! Boca's first real microbrewery!
The experiences I have had because of Beer: GABF, Social Media Meetups, United We Drink's Bi-Weekly Podcast.....just amazing memories!
You, My loyal readers!: Why you read? I honestly don't know...but THANK YOU!

So What Are YOU Thankful For In The Past Year That Is Beer???? Comment Below!

Sign the Cigar City Online Petition

So a lot of people have been writing me on here and on facebook asking how they can help Cigar City save the tasting room besides calling, emailing, and writing the City Council of Tampa.

Well now you can sign the Online Petition to Save the Tasting Room.

Simply Click: Save the Tasting Room

Let's show the City Council of Tampa Bay how large of a community we are!

BTW, our support for the brewery is not going un-noticed. Several of the City Council Members have removed direct links to their email from the website, as well as having people screen their phone calls. This means we are getting to them! Keep it up! You can follow the progress through #SAVECCB on Twitter as well as following daily updates from local #FlaBrew Members on Facebook and Twitter!

Also the brewery is taking notice. Below is part of a thank you letter from Joey Redner of Cigar City which was posted on the CCB Blog:

First of all, we are speechless at the amount of support we have received in the last 24 hours for our Tasting Room that now hangs in the balance of the Tampa City Council's decision to let us continue operating. Your continued support is what is going to keep our doors open; so please keep the phone calls, letters, and emails flowing!

Please help out and sign the petition.  We do not want to lose this brewery or our right to enjoy their beers in the tasting room!

Cigar City Tasting Room Vs the City Of Tampa

OK, well while most of you have read and followed this story yesterday, I unfortunately already had my post up for the day and was not able to post something while at my place of business. For those of you that are just getting wind of what I am talking about, The City of Tampa could potentially be shutting down the Cigar City Tasting Room!!!

WHAT?!? Why would the city of Tampa close something that is becoming a Beer Destination for travelers all around the US and heck even the Globe?! Why would they take precious tax dollars, that they would otherwise not receive from these tourist coming into their city and spending money, and throw them away?? Why?!? Well we all have our opinions and politics are well.....politics. Regardless, why be so ignorant to close something that should be highlighted by the city.

NEWS FLASH TO THE CITY OF TAMPA CIGAR CITY IS ONE OF THE BEST UP AND COMING BREWERIES IN THE UNITED STATES!!!

So what can we do to express our opinion? Well below I have included the names of the people that voted for (3 in total), voted against (3 in total), and the 1 swing vote which was on vacation when the original vote took place. EMAIL THEM, MAIL THEM, CALL THEM, SHOW THEM THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE THE CCB TASTING ROOM!

Without posting the blog posts from CCB from yesterday, there is some hope that things will work out. My partner in crime, Mike from MikeLovesBeer.com and UNITED WE DRINK, leaked last night that the 1 swing vote actually voted for the tasting room the vote previous. This looks good, but to make sure we need to make sure that all 3 non-voters change, and the 3 pro-tasting room voters know how happy we are with them.

These are the three members of Council who voted against the tasting room.

Gwen Miller
Thomas Scott
Curtis Stokes

These are those Council members who voted for the tasting room, let them know that you appreciate that they looked at evidence and fact and were not swayed by unsubstantiated claims.

Mary Mulhern
Yvonne Yoli Capin
Joseph Caetano

The 1 Swing Vote:

Charlie Miranda

Please email and mail all 7 members, also join the Facebook Group: Save the Cigar City Tasting Room!

Thanks...and Cheers!