Michael Schwartz Unveils Michael’s Genuine Home Brew
Michael Schwartz, the James Beard award-winning chef/owner of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, has debuted a beer sure to please craft beer geeks all over the 305. Schwartz has put his fresh, simple and pure philosophy into a bottle and on-tap with Michael’s Genuine Home Brew, a classic American Ale. He inspires our palettes with food we love to eat, so it's only natural he would bring us a craft beer we love to drink along with it.
The beer’s conception was put into motion about a year ago in Alabama when a chance encounter between Schwartz and Back Forty Beer Company’s Brew Master Jamie Ray lead to a few sips of the company’s current four portfolio beers. Ray, who is fortuitously a South Florida native, proved to be the brewer equivalent of Chef Schwartz with an ethos of using quality, sustainable ingredients.
Today, Michael’s Genuine Home Brew is craft-brewed in Gadsden, Alabama and is made with Sem-Chi rice and cane sugar, marking the first time Florida-grown ingredients are used for the grain bill of a commercially marketed beer. The resulting beer is a classic golden-colored American Ale, light bodied with a dry finish and a substantial mid palate featuring a citrusy sweetness, hint of floral hops, and a dry finish, coming in about 5% ABV. “We wanted something that we could drink with our food that would go with the wide variety of flavors on the menu,” says Jackie Sayet, brand director at The Genuine Hospitality Group. "A beer that's also refreshing for Miami's warm climate was also important."
Beer lovers will be glad to know that Home Brew can be enjoyed at different locals throughout Miami. Aside from Harry’s and Michael’s Genuine, the beer is also available at The Room, Clarke's Irish Pub, and The Federal Food, Drink & Provisions. It's no surprise that Home Brew has had a warm welcome in the community and plans for wider distribution are already in the works. "Of course, for us, it was really important that it is great product and it’s not just about the hype," says Sayet. "People have been tasting it and really enjoying it."
Coming in at 22 ounces per bottle, Home Brew is not only ideal for sharing, but the communal approach to drinking lends drinkers the opportunity to sample different styles of beer. Plans to switch things up and introduce seasonal flavors in the near future are being brainstormed, but for now, Michael’s Genuine Home Brew is the front-runner. “It’s a very sessionable beer, very easy to drink, and it’s sort of a nice start to go out with,” says Sayet.
