Name:
Jacob
Where do you live?
Coral Gables
How long have you lived in the area?
Going on 31 years.
How often do you come to the market?
Almost every Sunday.
Do you have a market ritual? If so, please describe.
We find our usual parking spot. We walk past the fish. My daughters love to say Hi to them. The way to start the market is with a Sapodelicious. Also, my daughter loves the Rainbow – she’s a fan of all the colors. After that, we walk down and say hi to Jason and Mel at Babe Froman. We pick up some bacon and Italian sausage. It is one of their new items and is the best Italian sausage in Miami for any pizza. My wife likes to get an arepa. Then, we walk down and say hi to Laura, and pick up produce for the week.
A favorite activity I enjoy with my kids?
We like to go fishing or walking the trails around Miami looking at birds and native plants. We always bring our Bird Cards and Fish cards. The kid’s grandparents are the illustrators and artists of the cards. We use them whether we’re on the boat or walking through the mangroves or everglades. We can look at them and say – look, that’s this bird or this plant.
What are the cards?
They are plastic waterproof cards that have all the local species listed. For example, if you’re walking through a trail, you’d bring a Bird Card that has everything from a bald eagle, to an osprey to a cardinal. They are hand illustrated and very well done. They help me when I am fishing to know if we can eat something we catch. Their cards are available all over the world.
What’s the area’s best-kept secret?
The cinnamon buns on 232nd and Krome. The original chefs, of the buns from Knaus Berry Farm, relocated there and are still using the original recipe. I think they are a little bit better – especially without the three-hour wait.
The most romantic spot around:
There’s a little cottage at the lighthouse on Key Biscayne. There are two rocking chairs at the cottage where you can sit, have a glass of wine and look out on the bay.
Also, at the restaurant at Grove Isle – there’s a table in the middle of some bushes out by the water. When you’re there, it seems like you are the only two in the world.
Most-frequented local restaurants and what dish to order:
For a pasta – in the new Brickell City Market there is a hand made pasta station. Their Bolognese is phenomenal.
I really like the gator fingers at Lokal – owned by Matthew Kuscher.
A new hidden gem is Shelly’s in South Miami. And on Tuesday, you can get their whole fish collar for $20.
As someone at the heart of the beer movement in Miami – What have you seen as the beer scene has changed over the last few years?
Around 2011 we started to see a change. There was a push, in 2013, towards local craft beer with the opening of Daddy Brews, followed by Wynwood brewing and MIA. Then, we started seeing local chefs communicating with the brewers. We started sharing sources and discovering so many local fruits. Now, there is a whole movement towards eating and supporting local and there is a real community around it.
(For our wedding, we asked Jacob if he would brew us a customer beer showcasing our fruit. – Instead of one beer, Jacob came with a 12-tap beer wall.) Thank you again Jacob! What was that process like?
That was one of the best experiences that I’ve had in my brewing career because it gave me the chance to learn about the fruits that you had to offer and how to incorporate those flavors into what we were brewing. I remember talking about the coffee caramel flavors in mamey and how that would go into a porter.
Do you remember your favorite of the 12?
One of my favorites was the lychee honey pale ale. Also, one of my favorite beers I’ve made with LNB fruit was the ‘Jacked up IPA’ made with jack fruit. After a few attempts, I realized that by using the rind instead of the pulp, you could get the juicy fruit flavor without the sticky latex.
What are your favorite bars to go to?
The happy hour at Spillover in the Grove is amazing. In Wynwood, Box Elder is a beer bar and there’s a great patio out back. Also, the cocktails at Shelly’s are fantastic.
What are your favorite beers right now to drink?
The Patrick Swayze IPA by Lincoln’s Beard. J Wakefield’s – Hop 4 Teacher is probably the best in the market right now. It’s a very refreshing North East style IPA with a lot of citrus.
Who’s doing something special nearby in the craft brewing movement right now?
There’s a Spanish Marie Brewery over by Tamiami Airport. Also, Windmill Meadery is opening soon on Krome.
The Redlands, FL changed some of the laws so that you can have unlimited production for a distillery or brewery if you also have a 5 acre winery. This hasn’t happened anywhere else in the country. So, I could see a whole lot happening in the Redland.
What good events are coming up?
The Grovetoberfest beer festival is coming up.
Is there a question that you would like to ask the LNBs?
When will you open a distillery?
(A+W) This is a dream. We are investigating.