Welcome to Scott Joseph's Foodster Awards for Independent Restaurants.
Bowigens Beer Company of Casselberry has been voted Best Microbrewery in our Foodster Awards for Independent Restaurants and will be awarded the Platinum placque.
Hourglass Brewing, the Longwood beermaker that recently announced a second location for Orlando, took second place for the Gold.
Red Cypress Brewery of Winter Springs was third, just squeaking ahead of Titusville's Playalinda Brewing Company.
Best Microbrewery was one of the most hotly contested of all our Foodster Award categories. Seeing as how it there have been so many small breweries opening in Central Florida lately, that shouldn't come as a surprise.
In placing her vote, Maria DiCesare said, "Bowigens has the best rotating selection of craft beers in the area! I love going there and always trying something new as well as enjoying their staple brews which are consistently delicious. Plus the staff is super friendly and always suggests the best new beers to try!"
Dan Dominguez added, "Bowegins Beer Company is by far the best Florida Brewery I’ve been too. They do a wonderful job of producing quality beer and usually have a TON of their own beers on tap! Very impressive."
Farris Riggsbee voted for Hourglass "because they have Michael DeLancett, one of the most dedicated Brewmasters in The microbrewery business. His dedication to the micro cause is unmatched." While Robert Persons stated simply, "Hourglass is the best by far."
In all, more than 30 businesses vied for the title of Best Microbrewery Foodster Award.
It's hard to think of a food & beverage category that has seen a more explosive expansion locally than microbrewing. It might sound like an oxyrmoron, but microbrewing is big.
The nominees listed below are leaders in the microbrewing movement and take the art of handcrafting beers and ales quite seriously (while still having a bit of fun).
To vote for your favorite, check the box next to the name and then click the VOTE button at the bottom of the list of nominees. You may vote for only one nominee and you may vote only once. After you have voted, the VOTE button will no longer appear on the page.
You may write in the name of a business that you'd like to nominate. But remember: The Foodster Awards are exclusively for independent businesses, defined as having three or fewer locations -- no chains. Any nominees that don't meet that definition will be removed from the list. Also, do not write in the name of a restaurant or lounge that is already named in the list -- by doing do you may actually reduce the number of votes that business might receive because only the votes on the first listing will be counted.
And after you vote, leave a comment below telling us why you like your nominee (be sure to tell us who you voted for or we won't know who you're talking about). We may use your comment when we announce the winners.
Polls close on this category on Wednesday, Nov. 29. The winner will be announced in the Nov. 30 issue of Scott Joseph's Orlando Restaurant Guide's e-letter.
