Friday's here, so it's time for beer.

Every Friday, so long as the creek don't rise, this beer enthusiast will take a look at a Florida beer that, hopefully, should be readily available in a local shop or on tap at your favorite bar.

Sometimes a beer comes along with an idea in it that seems so simple, you wonder why brewers don't do it more often. This week, that beer made itself known while perusing the aisles in search for a Florida brew. I gravitated towards something that was familiar, yet excitingly different.

Many of you may already know of the honeycomb labelled Orange Blossom Pilsner offered by Tom Moench of OBP Brewing in Orlando. Somewhere along the line, in that constantly churning brewers brain, Tom decided to make the Pilsner with only half the water. Same amount of fermentables, but half the water volume. What came out of the tanks is Orange Blossom Pilsner (Squared).

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courtesy of B.C. Tacos

Food trucks have come into their own these last few years. No longer are they the ignoble "roach coach" of yesteryear, but gourmet mobile dining establishments. LIVE! with Kelly and Michael is noticing that fact and they are on a nation-wide hunt to find ten food trucks worthy of national recognition on "LIVE'S! Truckin' Amazing Cook-Off."

Much like our own Readers' Choice Poll (reminder, you only have until May 29 to vote, so get on that!), LIVE! is crowdsourcing their winners. After an initial round of voting they have narrowed the entires down to 20 finalists and Florida is representing with not one but two local trucks; our own B.C. Tacos Food Truck and Miami-based Ms. Cheezious.

See also:
- B.C. Tacos Up For Best Food Truck Taco of the Year
- Tastemaker 27. Brett Chiavari of BC Tacos
- BC Tacos Food Truck Opens Cafe in Davie

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Photo Courtesy Brustman Carrino PR

We're not sure if you've heard, but butchering is kind of a big deal right now. Across the country butchers are teaching novices how to properly handle a nice piece of meat.

We prefer watching the professionals to getting our hands dirty. There's just something about watching a man--or woman--working and cutting away at hunks of animal parts. Primal, really.

Well, for those of you wanting to check out some mano-a-mano meat carving, Whole Foods is starting up its regional butchering and fishmonger--sorry, but the fish thing is slightly less exciting--face-off next week.

See Also:
- Whole Foods Coral Springs Launching Craft Beer Tap Bar
- Meaty Question: Are Butcher Shops a Dying Breed?
- Onto the Kill Floor: Here's What it Looks Like to Watch a Pig Turned Into Pork

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Things are growing in Loxahatchee. That's where Jodi and Darrin Swank of Swank Specialty Produce grow some of the most beautiful and desired vegetables and herbs on their hydroponic farm.

Though farming isn't easy in South Florida, the work pays off. The produce from the farm, which includes 200 varieties of vegetables, edible flowers, and microgreens, can be found in nearly every South Florida farm-to-table restaurant.

Jodi Swank personally delivers the goods to the toniest kitchens, starting with Miami in the beginning of the week, then working her way up to West Palm beach on Thursday. Not a restaurant? Swank also sells direct to the public, in season.

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Sweetwater Brewing

You may have noticed a little extra tie-dye on your tap handles as of late, as Atlanta's signature Sweetwater Brewing has made its way down to the South Florida market. The 15 year old brewery has made a push into southeastern markets in the past few years, with an expansion of their brew house to handle more than 250 barrel batches, and an aim to be stocked in nine states by the end of 2013.

Owner and 'big kahuna', Freddy Bensch, is definitely a boss to rival any of the 'cool boss' stereotypes you might have seen. With his seasoned tan, wrap around sunglasses, shorts and flip-flops, it would seem as if he'd be more at home on the boat than in the brewhouse. This demeanor is no act, though. As we sit down to talk, he makes sure that we both have something to whet the throat; a couple of pints of 420 Pale Ale.

See also:
- Florida Beer Company Took Over Riverside Market, Beer Lovers Drank Local
- Five South Florida Food and Drink Events This Weekend: Beerfest, Suckling Pig Dinner, and More

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Looking for more beer?

FYI: it's still craft beer week. While we're assuming you're starting to get worn out from all of the lovely craft beer events taking place daily, we would suggest you pull it together and rally. The weekend is here and there are still plenty of fun food and drink events. Whether you want to pour out your soul to strangers or just keeping on drinking, we have a list of events for you this weekend.

See Also:
- American Craft Beer Week Events Across South Florida
- Whole Foods Coral Springs Launches Craft Beer Tap Bar
- Tilted Kilt: New Breataurant Opens in Hallandale (Photos)

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Micah Kvelt

Broward and Palm Beach Counties have been starting to pick up the pace in terms of interesting mixology programs.

Unfortunately, it's still hard to get a drink in a laid-back setting.

For those of you looking to chill out while sipping on a delightful cocktail, there's 3rd &3rd. The relaxed bar is full of easygoing--yet attentive staff--who can mix up a damned good drink. We decided to chat with 3rd & 3rd's Erik Smith about Scarlett's, Ernest Hemigway, and cleanliness.

See Also:
- Bartender Q&A" Valentino's Cucina Italiana's Iliya Dimitrov on the $500 Cocktail and the Dangers of Showing Off
- Mixologist Iliya Dimitrov on How to Make the Perfect Negroni

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Tilted Kilt via facebook

Tilted Kilt welcomes you.

Oh, Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery. You describe yourself as the "best looking sports bar you've ever seen", but we're guessing that you're not talking about your Irish pub theme or your wooden bar.

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Before Cleve Mash became one of Palm Beach County's nightclub and restaurant owners, he was just an 18-year-old boy manning the door at his favorite South Florida nightclub. Sure, he wasn't old enough to be a bouncer -- but no one else knew it. Back then, he imagined opening his own club in that very spot. And, after a lot of hard work and dedication, those dreams came true.

Mash began his career in the biz at the age of 26, opening the downtown West Palm Beach nightclub, the Monkeyclub, with investment money from his father.

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Grabbing pints of Florida beer

Tucked into the center of deeply residential Fort Lauderdale, Riverside Market has made a name for itself in the past years as the place to go if you're looking for craft beer from around the world and want to enjoy it in the most casual of settings, outside the stereotypical tiki hut.

The eclectic mix of craft beer enthusiasts from all walks of life make coming here feel like it's some secret club you've heard from your friend's friend's cousin; like a speakeasy from the days of Prohibition. It's anything but secret, however, just hard to find.

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