Mark DeNote doesn't teach his middle school history students about beer. But he did write Florida's history of "the drink of the working class" in
The Sunshine State is known by the country's craft-beer communities as a place mostly devoid of good brew. But DeNote writes that, at least starting in the 19th Century, Florida was providing post-Industrial Revolution workers their soul-soothing suds, and beer production in the state survived well past the years of Prohibition. Who knew about all that?
Even some beer-industry pros are unaware of what has been literally brewing here and continues to bubble up every day. But DeNote, a Tampa-area English and history teacher by day, lays it out in his book.
So if you're a Florida beer noob, or even a seasoned beer trader, . What you learn might surprise you (or at least arm you with good bar lull fillers).
And if you hear this interview with Mark DeNote, you might get more questions right:
