Zito’s Beer of the Week: Neon Bear Hug
As much fun as it would be to continue grieving my producer, he is on the mark with these IPAs. Most have an alcohol content level of 7% ABV (alcohol by volume). Like last week's pick, this one is packed with citrus flavors and has a soft citrus orange taste. In their words, the Neon Bear Hug is "AN ELECTRIC BOUQUET OF TROPICAL & CITRUS FLAVORS." Unfortunately, I think you didn't taste that much of the citrus. It honestly felt like it was a Miller Light of IPA's you barely notice it's an IPA but your drinking it because it's cheap. It wasn't bad, I didn't feel the urge to chuck the can out immediately, but I didn't feel like it was something I would go out of my way on.
If I had to guess, I would say it's probably the cheaper of the Goose Island chain to make, but it still got me buzzed after a few more than the Voodoo Vice. So added with the taste and the price, this one gets my Chug It! So pick up a cheap pack and tell your friends they are drinking the finest craft beers.
It’s time to try a new beer this week to find the greatest beer of all time. This week we are trying another IPA because, apparently, my producer is a millennial jobber with no taste for anything else. The last time we did the Vodoo Vice, I thought it was good enough to Chug It! Now, if beer gets my seal of approval, then it earns the Chug it! seal, or if it’s complete garbage, it gets Pour it Out! So the Neon Bear Hug is on the chopping block now.
As much fun as it would be to continue grieving my producer, he is on the mark with these IPAs. Most have an alcohol content level of 7% ABV (alcohol by volume). Like last week’s pick, this one is packed with citrus flavors and has a soft citrus orange taste. In their words, the Neon Bear Hug is “AN ELECTRIC BOUQUET OF TROPICAL & CITRUS FLAVORS.” Unfortunately, I think you didn’t taste that much of the citrus. It honestly felt like it was a Miller Light of IPA’s you barely notice it’s an IPA but your drinking it because it’s cheap. It wasn’t bad, I didn’t feel the urge to chuck the can out immediately, but I didn’t feel like it was something I would go out of my way on.
If I had to guess, I would say it’s probably the cheaper of the Goose Island chain to make, but it still got me buzzed after a few more than the Voodoo Vice. So added with the taste and the price, this one gets my Chug It! So pick up a cheap pack and tell your friends they are drinking the finest craft beers.
Highest Rated Beer In Florida
If you drink beer—any beer—you’ve likely heard of the craft beer revolution, and you likely fall into one of two camps: IPA warrior or lager loyalist. The great thing about a beer-related revolution is that there is no wrong side. Whatever your preference, cheers to you.
The burgeoning brewery business is indeed a revolution by many counts. According to the Brewers Association, the number of breweries in the United States grew 390% from 2010 to 2020—all while beer consumption, on average, was declining. As of 2019, more than 90% of California’s population lived within 10 miles of a craft brewery.
Like all revolutions, this, too, began as a desire for change—as an overthrow of the old and the monopolistic. In 2010, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors (formerly MillerCoors), two of the largest beer companies in the world, comprised roughly 77% of total beer sales in the U.S. In 2020, that share was 60%, with smaller brewers claiming a larger share toward the end of the decade.
With a taste of the innovations and variety coming out of craft breweries, consumers are demanding a higher quality product, and are willing to pay more for it. Over the last decade, beer prices have increased by 33%.
The increase in the number of microbreweries, taprooms, brewpubs, and craft breweries, the sector has also led to enormous job growth over roughly the same period, with a 55% increase in the number of brewery employees. The industry was hit especially hard by the shutdowns and social distancing restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic. On-premise spending accounted for 50% of the craft beer industry’s total sales in 2019. In 2020, the industry took roughly a $6 billion hit and eliminated more than 22,000 jobs.
Another important byproduct of the explosion of the craft beer industry is the sense of community it has fostered. Supporting small businesses like local breweries and taprooms is a way for people to connect over and about beer, to appreciate the renaissance of the millennia-old tradition of brewing.
If you’ve ever been curious about which beers are most popular in your home state, we have the answer. Here is a list of the highest rated beer in Florida using ratings from BeerAdvocate. 3 of the 10 beers on the list are made by J. Wakefield Brewing.
Jeff Zito or just "Zito" as he is known to his friends, was born in Summit, NJ. Zito is the afternoon personality and program director of 987 the Shark. He has been with Beasley Media Group since 1999. Zito aspired to be a professional golfer and attended Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI majoring in PGM (pro golf management). Yes, that is a real major! After college, Zito was an assistant golf professional at the Meadows Country Club in Sarasota. Zito is an avid Bucs fan who likes to paddle board and can sometimes be spotted around the Bay area drinking a margarita. You can read his content about Tampa Bay sports, lifestyle, and celebrities’ first jobs.
