Friends of ours went on vacation to south Florida and, being avid beer fans, they tried as many local beers as they could. On the way out of town, they stopped by a liquor store to bring us a few more brews from Florida.
One of them was Funky Buddha Nib Smuggler porter. They mostly purchased it because of the name, and because I'd be a fan of the '80s-inspired label, but it turned out to be an interesting beer, too.
This 6.3% ABV porter is a dark, heavier beer with mild carbonation. It's made with dark chocolate from South America, along with vanilla, and both flavors come through pretty clearly.
Being a porter, it was slightly bitter (no doubt enhanced by the chocolate) and, despite what you may think, it really wasn't sweet at all. There was a mild milk chocolate flavor in aftertaste, and was actually a little dry.
To be honest, I liked it, but I don't know that I would drink it again. My friends really liked it though, so don't let me sway you. We've been hearing good things about Funky Buddha, so if I ever get to South Florida, I'd be interested to try their other beers.
Bottom line, a good beer for the casual fan and beer geek alike. This one's a seasonal, so you'll have to wait a few months for it to return.
So what local beers have you tried when away from home? Let us know in the comments below & feel free to tag those breweries to show them some love.