A new beer and cigar lounge will open its doors on 72nd Street in the Brownsville area in Miami in June of this year. The owner, Carlos Padrón, aims to combine two similar passions: “We want to promote the lifestyle and the spirit of beer and cigar lovers alike,” he says. “Even though the beer brewing process is not as time consuming, it’s still somewhat similar to manufacturing cigars. I hope that this will allow craft beer enthusiasts to discover cigars and vice versa.“
Padrón worked in the cigar business for 21 years where he was the Miami operations manager and family consultant for Plasencia Cigars. It is with the support and the blessing of the Plasencia family that he branched out to this new business. “Nestor Sr. is like a godfather to me. I’m the sole owner and operator of the lounge, but he’s given me plenty of advice. He really is a partner in everything I do.”
The lounge is called The Family Cigar Shop. It will hold about ten to twelve people and will have an outside sitting area. There will also be a dedicated bar area called The Tasting Room with the brewery on site. This combination might be the only one of its kind.
“Quesada organizes an October Fest each year and Perdomo has a line of cigars that pairs especially with beer. However, as far as I know, nobody in the cigar world owns a brewery and nobody in the beer industry has such a close connection to cigars“, says Carlos Padrón. Even though the official opening date isn’t until June, Padrón is launching his first two beers next month. „We are brewing up a wheat saison called La Finca Miami and an amber called Freedom Tower Amber. They will primarily be sold in kegs at bars and restaurants, but in the third or fourth quarter of this year we will also start selling bottles.”
On the cigar side, it’s mostly going to be Plasencia related brands. “I’m going to focus on the brands that have helped me throughout my career and I’m lucky that Plasencia is making a number of good ones.” There will be tastings, but not exclusively with his own beer and Plasencia related cigars. “The goal is to educate people about craft beer and cigars, as well as to show the intricacy and passion that goes into their production. I have already approached other local beer manufacturers about hosting events at their bars. Some of them did seem quite interested.“
The Tank Brewing Co.
5100 NW 72nd Ave, Bay A1
Miami, FL 33166
T +1 305 992 8628
thetankbrewing.com
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