Photo by Cristina Isabel Rivera The company is famous for keeping mum re- garding opening dates, announcing a new store only days before it opens its doors. Trader Joe’s also “announces” its immi- nent arrival to a neighborhood through its Fearless Flyer newsletters, which are mailed to residents who live near a Trader Joe’s store. The monthly mailer includes store specials, recipes, and amusing facts about the grocer. Until the big day arrives, Miamians will have to schlep to one of Trader Joe’s existing locations for their fix of Two Buck Chuck wine, vegan tzatziki, and Speculoos cookie butter. Trader Joe’s. 3191 NE First Ave., Miami; traderjoes.com. LAINE DOSS ▼ DOWNTOWN MIAMI BREW BUS AND THE GABRIEL TEAM UP FOR CUSTOMIZABLE BREWERY TOURS No doubt about it: Miami’s craft beer is growing, evidenced by an increasing number of brewery openings, large-scale beer festi- vals, and even the birth of an official Miami Beer Week. As the craft beer community continues to grow, so does the tourism surrounding it — and one hotel has taken note. Last month, as a kick-off to the inaugural Miami Beer Week, the Gabriel Miami launched a new tour in collaboration with Miami Brew Bus, offering guests their very own beer concierge service. But hotel guests aren’t the only ones who can participate, Miami Brew Bus owner A.T. Molina tells New Times. The general public is welcome, too. Miami Brew Bus officially launched in 2020 but was quietly derailed by the pan- demic. When business began to gain momen- tum in early 2021, Molina says, he began looking for ways to reach a new clientele. Now hotel guests and locals alike can head to the Gabriel in downtown Miami for a special summer brewery tour that’s fully cus- tomizable. Molina says the tour collaboration was a knee-jerk response to the question often Your beer concierge awaits. asked by craft beer-loving tourists: “Where can we get good local beer?” “The hotel likes to support the local com- munity whenever it can, so they decided to launch a service to make it easy for people to explore the city’s breweries, the ultimate lo- cal business,” says Molina, who serves as a guide through the local brewery scene. “We get a reputation for the mojitos and margari- tas, but we also have an amazing community of local business owners with our breweries. I’m very proud to show people not only our breweries but also the different neighbor- hoods in Miami.” The service is available seven days a week for hotel guests and locals alike. Pric- ing varies depending on the type of package and the number of people on the tour, rang- ing from $75 to $150 per person. Each tour can accommodate anywhere from a half dozen to as many as 50 people. Tours can be booked by visiting the Miami Brew Bus website. Along the way, Molina provides thought- ful recommendations for beer and food pairings as guests navigate the city’s exotic local flavors. Stops include craft beer spots across Miami-Dade, including neighbor- hoods like Wynwood, Brickell, Doral, and Little Havana. Molina even goes one step further, ensuring tour guests have the op- portunity to meet the brewers themselves, ask questions, and learn directly from the brewery staff. While weekend tours include three stops, a daily weekday tour includes two breweries. Tours begin and end at the Gabriel, with a stop at Union Beer Store in Little Havana. A local VIP tour also rolls out in a vintage VW microbus, which can fit seven passengers and offers more customizable pick-up and drop- off options. “It’s really an authentic Miami craft beer experience. We have a great growing craft beer scene, and I’m excited to be able to share that with people,” says Molina. “You have great breweries all over the city, and you want to experience them; this is a great way to do it.” The Gabriel Hotel. 1100 Biscayne Blvd., Miami;786-577-9700; miamibrewbus.com. NICOLE DANNA 13 13 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | miaminewtimes.com | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | NEW TIMES MIAMI NEW TIMES MAY 26 - JUNE 1, 2022 MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008
