TAMPA BAY, Fla. — Despite the pandemic, the Tampa Bay area continues to boast one of the most vibrant and active craft beer communities in the nation. Bay News 9’s Brews Dispatch checks in regularly to find out what’s happening with our local breweries, behind the bar and behind the scenes. Got any related news? Let us know.

What are Tampa Bay beer lovers doing tomorrow, Saturday, May 8? Well, we’re suspecting a goodly number of them will be celebrating the relaxing of COVID restrictions by heading to Safety Harbor’s 6th Annual Beer and Burger Throw Down in Waterfront Park. Beers from Maine’s Shipyard Brewing and local breweries will complement plenty of beefy goodness, vendors will be out in force and a portion of proceeds will benefit the Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation and the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Speaking of COVID, it pretty much killed the convenient and impulse-driven “hot bar” food concept at upscale grocery stores nationwide. So what’s the next thing in convenient market consumables? Craft beer, of course. Publix is reportedly planning on installing a taproom, called Pours, in the new store that will replace its demolished location at the corner of Gandy and Himes in Tampa. Just don’t think you’ll be able to down a pint while shopping and then pretend it didn’t happen when you get to the register.

We’re a bit behind on this, but beloved St. Pete brewery/Chuck E. Cheese-for-adults 3 Daughters Brewing added a new summer craft to its lineup in mid-April. Tropical Hefe, “a fruity and hazy German wheat crafted for drinking by the water during Florida’s sunniest months,” is available on-location now, and might be in your favorite local-loving restaurant or beer purveyor by the time you read this. Wheat beers are a crushable summer staple and 3 Daughters is a favorite, so we expect this to be a welcome addition to Bay area coolers.  

And finally, you know it, you love it: Cigar City Brewing’s universally lauded Jai Alai IPA recently took third place in a blind taste test conducted by UPROXX, a culture and lifestyle site that’s made a name for itself in the beer ‘n’ booze niche. India Pale Ales remain among the most popular craft styles in America and Jai Alai holds strong as one of the most popular against newer and more widely distributed crafts; “To be honest, this is my go-to IPA and I’m surprised it didn’t finish even higher than third,” said freelance food-and-drink writer Christopher Osburn.