No vacation is complete without beer and with the proliferation of breweries and brewpubs in every state, good beer is within a short drive of most of the population of the United States. I make it a point to seek out new beer adventures everywhere I go and a recent trip to south Florida brought me to a brewpub known for its organic brewing process and great ocean front views. The brewery is Organic Brewing, located on the Hollywood Boardwalk.
Naturally Brewed
Organic Brewing, as its name indicates, specializes in organically- produced beers. The brewery stresses the use of all- natural ingredients, both for the betterment of the planet & its people and in support of the progressive nature of the local community. All beers are brewed using organic certified malt and hops with no filtering or pasteurization.
I visited Organic Brewery with one main goal in mind: To enjoy the fresh, natural taste of beer brewed according to USDA organic certified requirements. Organic Brewing normally brews/sells four different beers, but the wheat beer was out of stock when I visited, so that left only three beers to sample: Russian Knight Stout, Belgian Ale, and German Pilsner. Among the three, I liked the German Pilsner best, with the Belgian Ale coming in second. The pilsner had a very nice biscuit and yeast profile and since I usually go for ales, the fact that a pilsner ranked as my favorite says quite a bit for the quality of this beer.
I was a little disappointed that Organic Brewing had only three beers available to try, but I made the best of the situation. I learned that Organic Brewing does offer other beers on a seasonal/periodic basis, including a brown ale, British IPA, and others. One of the brewery’s personnel told me that there are almost always four beers on tap at any given time so visitors should expect a quarter of hand crafted beers for sampling when they visit.
A Brewery with a View
Organic Brewing is located on the Hollywood Boardwalk and this is certainly one of the brewpub’s top appeals. Sitting on the patio, guests have an open, windowless view of the sandy beaches leading directly to the Atlantic Ocean. The busy boardwalk is sometimes overloaded with pedestrians so it’s a great place for people- watching, too. The location is a great asset, but it’s also somewhat of a problem because it can take quite an effort to find a place to park. I had to circle around multiple times before a parking spot opened up. There are places where you can park for a fee of about $5 to $10, but if you’re like me and hate to pay for parking, you may find yourself devoting up to half an hour or more looking for a place to leave your vehicle.
Service Takes Time
I found Organic Brewing a decent place for beer and a good place for food. But one issue that kept coming back was the service. The wait staff took a little too long to come to our table for the initial order and took a little longer than expected to return to the table to check on us. Even at the end of our visit, it took too long to get our bill. More attentive service could have easily resulted in a one or two additional sales of beer, but the wait staff just couldn’t seem to get things right.
Plan Your Visit
Nothing beats a great glass of beer. A great view can make a visit to a local brewery even better and Organic Brewing is certainly an establishment that has taken advantage of the natural views to complement its natural ingredients. The main brewery offers tours and tastings every Saturday afternoon and there are plenty of other places to visit and dine/drink along the Hollywood Boardwalk. A little more attention to customer service would make Organic Brewing even better, but as it stands, it’s still a decent place to visit for all natural beer, great views, and ocean breezes.
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