Tap Handle #728: South Beach - South Peach Shandy (Venus)

October 10, 2019

Tap Handle #728: South Beach - South Peach Shandy (Venus)

Tap size: 13"
Rarity: less than 10 seen, fragile, nanobrewery, contract brewed
Mounting: internal 3/8" nut

Many thanks to one of my club members and Devon of South Beach Brewing Company for their assistance in obtaining not just one South Beach tap, but 4! This tap, referred to as "Venus" by the brewery, is their standard tap that is used for most beers, as it has a sign in the center in which a magnetic label can be placed. The overall design involves an abstract woman made out of pieces of fruit, ocean waves, normal body parts, and a strategically placed palm tree; although I don't know the origin of the character, the fruit is obviously a reference to the various Florida fruits used in South Beach beers. What I do know is that the character that appears in their logo (and which you will see on all the taps) is "Frank Sunatra", their mascot and the face of the brewery. In the brewery's words:

"Always smiling, you can find him sunning on the beach surrounded by coconut palm trees, blue skies and the beautiful blue colored ocean water. In case you need to find him, his GPS coordinates are always with him and if those don’t work, just follow his compass. When you greet him just remember to smile and buy him a beer."

Here, Frank Sunatra appears in the brewery logo at the top of the tap. At the bottom of the tap is a small sign that I believe reads "S 28.1 W 80.7". It's a little tough to be sure that what I've written is correct due to the artistic styling of the numbers. I also can't make any sense out of what the numbers mean; I originally thought it might be latitude and longitude values, but that would be located off the west coast of South America and is far from the brewery. For now it's a mystery, and if I find out more I will update this post. In summary, the tap is fantastic, truly a work of art based on the color and composition. A few have hit the secondary market but the price has been all over the place. The tap is a bit fragile, as all the exposed edges are prone to chipping.

Click through to read more about South Beach Brewing Company, their South Peach Shandy, and to see more photos of this fruitful tap...

South Beach Brewing Company was founded in Miami Beach, Florida in 2017 by Lorenzo Borghese. Born in Milan, Italy to a wealthy family, Borghese lived in New York City for 17 years. His time in the Big Apple included working in a corporate job. Borghese also starred in the ninth season of ABC's "The Bachelor" in 2006. Later he attempted to start a brewery in Brooklyn, but after the brewery deal fell through, he moved to West Palm Beach, where he lived for three years before moving to Miami Beach. While living in Florida, he met and became friends with his brewery partners. Among South Beach Brewing's founders is Fred Forsley, president and founder of Maine's Shipyard Brewing Company and owner of Sea Dog Brewing Company, whom Borghese considers a mentor. Borghese downplayed his own background from the start, insisting that the brewery was focused on a positive attitude and hanging out with friends, not his family or celebrity status.

Although he was not a homebrewer or brewmaster, Borghese felt that he was a beer consumer who knew what tasted good. He also recognized that while there are plenty of happy hour drinks and session beers, there was nothing made specifically for brunch. He attended many brunch parties, and though there were mimosas and Bloody Marys, there were no beers that he felt fit the brunch menu. Seeing a unique opportunity, it took Borghese and Sea Dog head brewer Bobby Baker a year and a half of trials before they were satisfied with three different recipes for brunch-oriented beers: Strawberry Orange Mimosa, South Peach Shandy and Sunset Blood Orange IPA. All incorporate local Florida citrus (including the famed Florida orange) and are infused with electrolytes - similar to the one that naturally exists in coconut water - to counteract the dehydrating effects of the alcohol. In addition, all varieties are served with a pineapple wedge; Boeghese calls pineapple "the international symbol of hospitality; it means friendship and family.” Most of South Beach Brewing's beers are brewed at Clearwater's Sea Dog Brewing Company, which Shipyard owns, while South Beach's own two-barrel nanobrewery in Miami Beach focuses on experimental brews like coconut lagers and espresso stouts brewed with Cuban coffee.

The nanobrewery is located in the 2,200 square foot brewpub, which also features a dining area. Former Boca Raton-based restaurateur Karl Alterman (Big City Tavern in Boca, Falcon House in Delray Beach) created the beach-bar fare, which included hamburgers, hot dogs and weekend brunch. Prior to the opening of the brewpub, South Beach poured their beers at local art and food events. It was in one such place that they met Miami Beach artist David "Lebo" Le Batard, who agreed to design the brewpub's logo and the beer labels, as well as the artistic design of the brewpub's interior. After officially opening, South Beach signed with a distributor, which allowed them to get their beers into the hands of retailers throughout Southern Florida. In 2019 South Beach began canning its award-winning Blood Orange Sunset IPA. Recognized by Forbes.com as one of the country’s top ten summer fruit beers, Blood Orange Sunset IPA has been well-received since its launch and by popular demand was released in bottles in 2018; it then continued to gain traction from West Palm Beach down to the Florida Keys. Increasing requests for the beer at glass-free and poolside locations led to the release in cans. Sales had increased by over 300% year to date, and with the introduction of cans, are expected to continue to climb dramatically.

South Peach Shandy is made by South Beach with refreshing top notes of citrus followed by sweet middle notes of pure peach nectar. Brewed with 100% pure peach juice and their proprietary electrolyte, their Shandy goes down as memorable as a South Beach sunset. For the ultimate experience, they recommend serving this delicious Shandy with a fresh slice of Pineapple. This brunch beer can be served at all times of the day, and is especially made for the beach or at the pool. They go well will everything, but recommended food pairings are steak and eggs, waffles, french toast, and hamburgers.