Following an exhausting day comprised of guiding our future voters, as Betsy DeVos, who is less prepared than Oscar the Grouch, was confirmed as Secretary of Education, I followed a friend/colleague to a new place she was raving about, telling me this would be our new hangout spot: the Union Beer Store.  Hanging underneath an old I Love Calle Ocho sign, the storefront is quite humble. The tinted windows were a little confusing making us think maybe it was closed, but to our good fortune, it was not.

We were greeted by Jake, the bartender, a representative from Doral’s M.I.A Brewery and Tony from North Coast Brewing, located in Fort Bragg, California, just a little drive outside of the Napa/Sonoma area.  Union has an intimate feel, detailed with wood, a huge whale, and cool signs such as “Don’t be a Dick” that hovers near the snack area. We tried some of the North Coast brews one of which I simply adore: Old Rasputin, a dark Russian Imperial Stout style beer while my friend had the Old Stock Ale 2016, a wonderful brown ale with some interesting caramel notes.  Both beers are meant to be sipped, which we most certainly did as we chatted with Jake and Tony, while nibbling on Sriracha popcorn that was amazing.

 

Shortly after we met the owners, Cici and David…both who may look familiar when you meet them:  while CiCi started the Miami Brew Bus that takes interested folks to nearby breweries. David was part of the founding staff at Lokal in the Grove and later went on as a partner to manage Kush, Lokal’s sister restaurant in Wynwood.

As a huge fan of all the aforementioned spots, particularly Lokal, I immediately felt right at home. This would be our new hangout: wonderful ambiance, an awesome staff and music set at a perfect level to engage in conversation which we enjoyed for quite a while before going home with an assortment of sensational brews.  Go check out Union soon! Here’s their info:

1547 Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street), Miami, Fl 33135

Cici@unionbeerstore.com
David@unionbeerstore.com

and hey, follow them on FB while you’re at it…

Union Beer Store’s Facebook page