ORLANDO, Fla. — Beer runs in the family for Tom and Nick Moench. The pair put their heads together, mixed their techniques and knowledge to brew Inoculated Orange Blossom Pilsner (IOBP) in time for Father’s Day.
The new refreshing sour beer is a take on Tom’s classic honey beer, Orange Blossom Pilsner (OBP). Nick took his dad’s recipe and added a custom blend of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae), Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) and Pediococcus pentosaceus (P. pentosaceus) grown by Inoculum.
Tom, founder of Orange Blossom Brewing Company, began homebrewing in 1978 when it became federally legalized. One of Florida’s first craft beers, known as OBP, was born 10 years later in his garage. The beer industry has drastically changed since then, which Nick can attest to. His dad’s pilsner is older than he is.
“I’ve been passionate about craft beer for more than 40 years and have been around to see the industry develop from the ground up,” said Tom. “What makes it even more special is watching my son take craft beer to another level for generations to come.”
Nick is the owner of Inoculum Ale Works, Florida’s first sour-only production brewery, and a taproom in downtown St. Petersburg will open June 16. In the Inoculum lab, which includes a DNA sequencing machine, Nick produces the yeast and bacteria needed to create his sour beers in-house.
“We grow new microbes and use them to ferment our sour beers. Each batch tells its own story. This collaborative beer starts with the strong foundation of my dad’s OBP. It’s something new that appeals to both craft beer lovers and sour aficionados alike,” said Nick.
IOBP is 5.5% ABV and will be available on draft at select Central Florida pubs and in cans at Inoculum’s new taproom starting June 16. The price for a 4-pack will be 15 dollars.
About Orange Blossom Brewing Company
Orange Blossom Pilsner, one of Florida’s first craft beers, was brewed in 1988 by Tom Moench in Orlando. In 2014, Orange Blossom Brewing Company partnered with Brew Hub in Lakeland to expand production. Along with the pilsner, offerings include OBP Squared, Toasted Coconut Porter, Back in the Day IPA and Weisse Weisse Baby. The beer is available in 1,800 locations across Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina. For more information visit OrangeBlossomBrewing.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Inoculum Ale Works
Inoculum Ale Works, makers of Drex The Lactosaurus Rex, Kuebiko, Mother Ursa, Dreamcatcher and Spectrally Macabre, was founded in 2015 by Nick Moench. Inoculum is Florida’s first full-production sour-only brewery and is located in Spring Hill. A taproom in St. Petersburg will open in mid-June. For more information visit InoculumAleWorks.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram.