Creative Loafing has what they call a “Beer Club” which seems more like a marketing vehicle but may turn out to be something worth while. The first one that I went to was at Fly downtown. They had a few beers that seemed like leftovers from a recent beer show but they did include some winter ales from Rogue and other craft brewers. The next Creative Loafing Beer Club event is Friday, June 13.

It doesn’t look too promising judging from their beer selection:

Shocktop Belgian White

Landshark Lager

Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen

Michelob Porter

Why do you need a beer club to try out four Anheuser Busch beers? Well, actually Widmer is actually only partially owned by AB. But if this club was actually run by beer enthusiast, I think they would have ventured to select at least one interesting craft beer or a beer you couldn’t find waiting for you at every bar and supermarket in the area. If you think that Shocktop comes close to being a Belgian ale, you really need to try a Belgian ale. And it’s not about being a “beer snob”. There are lots of small breweries across the country that make excellent, inspired and amazing beers that have character. Why go for the “one size fits all-boring but correct” beer?

I do plan on going, though, but not for the beer. The venue for the event is the Retreat at 123 S Hyde Park Avenue. The place used to be the Mouse Trap. It was gutted and renovated by Rick Calderoni, owner of the Green Iguana. Check out this story about it in the St. Pete Times. It looks like he’s done a great job and I can’t wait to see it.

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