I had no idea I would have so much fun at the

Independent Bar's Cheers to Belgian Beers! event Tuesday night, where distributors and brewery representatives handed out samples of Belgian beers for $1.50 a pop.

Brewers may have the sexiest job, but distributors and brewery reps need some love, too. After Tuesday night's event, I have a real appreciation for them.

As the sun set behind the Independent's converted garage on Florida Avenue, the reps lined up their Belgian beers, which included many Trappist offerings. That means monks are making them, as they have for centuries. And it usually means they're good.

A few beers being served up Tuesday are brand new to the United States, including a particular offering from Brewery Wolf, which I was told made its U.S. debut at the Independent.

Read the original story here!

"You won't find a three-course tasting menu at The Independent, unless you count a few small plates and three different craft brews. What you will find is an exceptional array of serious beer, a relaxed and casual neighborhood atmosphere, and pub fare that has no right to be as good as it is. Whether it's grilled cheese or bratwurst, every dish has more going on than you'd first expect, from poppy seed vinaigrette to onion jam -- all made in-house."

Thanks to Melissa Russell of Examiner.com for this nice feature! 

Owner Veronica Vellines opened the bar in October 2009 after seeing the success the original bar had in downtown St. Petersburg. A few months later she opened the café. Vellines relies on the quality of her products to bring in the crowd by serving vintage, rare and seasonal beers as well as various wines. When choosing what coffee and espresso to serve, she decided on the local brew Kahwa Coffee Roasting, a roasting company in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The espresso has a smooth finish and compliments the fresh pastries the Independent prepares. The drink menu offers lattes of various varieties as well as teas. The café is also known for their tasty fare from Bavarian pretzels, veggie burgers, a gourmet cheese platter and grilled beer bratwurst. Their most popular menu item is a grilled cheese sandwich made with Gouda and spiced pears.  

Continue reading on Examiner.com Urban cafe serves more than just coffee - Tampa Bay Barista | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/barista-in-tampa-bay/urban-cafe-serves-more-than-just-coffee?cid=db_articles#ixzz1qtcbsMPZ

By JEFF HOUCK | The Tampa Tribune 
Published: December 28, 2011

#6. "Indie" grilled cheese sandwich at The Independent Bar and Café in Tampa. One of the area's great nighttime hangout spots, the Independent makes its sandwich with pears sautéed in honey and creamy gouda that oozes from between slices of pressed rye bread. So intoxicating is the creamy flavor, you may want to call a cab for the ride home.

The Indie Grilled Cheese / Independent Bar Tampa Menu Item.

The dishes restaurant critic Brian Ries is still dreaming about.

The past year wasn’t an easy one to sum up. Restaurants opened, restaurants closed. Food trucks hit town with a vengeance. Iconic spots like Mise En Place and Mad Dogs and Englishmen celebrated serious anniversaries (25th and 20th, respectively). But in the end, what I remember the most (always) is the food. There are some things I ate that I just can’t shake, that keep me up at night with cravings or just got under my skin, including some food I first tasted years ago that still comes back to haunt me with delicious withdrawal.

And now I'll have to spend the next week rounding up another portion of each. Stupid top 10 list.

Chris Ponte’s steak frites burger at Burger 21. What happens when one of the Bay area’s best chefs plants his culinary flag in a burgeoning fast food chain, serving burgers no less? Something awesome. Brioche bun, airy but sturdy. Sweet red onion jam, garlic butter, French fries. And, of course, a beautiful hand-packed patty griddled crisp on the outside, just this side of raw on the inside. For $7. Burger 21, 9664 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, 813-475-5921, burger21.com.

Bo tai chanh at Restaurant BT. B.T. Nguyen has found her footing as a chef in her new, smaller space on MacDill, that elegant Vietnamese fusion expressing itself in items like the Bo tai chanh. A take on steak tartare, she blends coarsely ground beef tenderloin with peanuts, basil, cilantro, garlic, lime and chilies. Powerful stuff, but the meat shines through the strong heat, bright acidity and fragrant herbs. Restaurant BT, 2507 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa, 813-258-1916,restaurantbt.com

Mushroom and shrimp puff soup at Restaurant BT. There’s no rule that says I can’t pick B.T. twice, right? The broth at the base of this soup is the kind of thing you could drink three times a day, every day, never wearying of its rich but delicate flavor. The incredible roasted shiitakes are carried by the elegant eggplant in the soup, while the scattered hunks of crab serve almost as subtle seasoning, transforming a delicious broth into a well-composed symphony.

*Grilled cheese at the Tampa Independent. Built on toasted rye with a base of gooey Gouda and tender-crisp slices of pears poached in honey and dusted with five-spice powder, each bite combines fat, sweet, crunchy and soft in almost perfect harmony. Plus, beer. The Independent, 5016 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-341-4883, independenttampa.com

The Style issue/ Creative Loafing/ August 11th - August 17th, 2011 

The Independent in Seminole Heights Tampa - an old gas station converted into a beer snob haven and cafe' - has become a local institution for musicians, artists and two wheeled inthusiasts. Krystian Lokuowski and Monique Peck hang out at the bar in casual but distinctive looks from the Disco Dolls, a West Tampa boutique-salon run by sisters Leigh Anne Balzekas and Kristine Bush with stylist Maxwell Maisano. Accesories by Arjuna Living. Velo Champ Provides the bikes; on the left is a Linus Gaston 5 and on the right a Civia Loring. 

discodolls.com velochamp.com independenttampa.com 

If your idea of a good beer is Busch Light, you'll have an opportunity to expand your horizons this week. If you're already a connoisseur of hoppy ales and smooth porters, it's time to order a cold one and enjoy. Monday begins American Craft Beer Week, and Tampa taprooms and breweries will be in full swing.

American Craft Beer Week is a nation-wide event promoting small breweries. For these human-scale operations, brewing beer is less of a business and more of an art.

“America's craft brewers are artisans,” according to Tim Myers, of Strange Brewing. Rather than working in other media, “they're working in beer.” American Craft Beer Week has been held each spring for six years, and this year there will be celebrations in all fifty states.

The Independent is your local craft beer headquarters.

“We are having an event every night of the week,” said Veronica Vellines, owner of the popular Seminole Heights pub.

In celebration of American Craft Beer Week, The Independent will host nightly events starting Sunday. Details are available on the pub's website, but be sure to stop in on Tuesday. The pub will feature local brews from around the Tampa Bay Area, including Cigar City Brewing, Dunedin Brewery, St. Somewhere Brewery and Swamp Head Brewery. There will be a raffle drawing at 10 p.m.

http://seminoleheights.patch.com/articles/central-tampa-beer-lovers-unite

Several years ago when Veronica Vellines was an attorney working in Munich, her husband Johnny was a student of Europe's boutique bieres. In the late 1990's they relocated to New York and he used the knowledge he'd gained in Germany working for a beer distributor.

Called to the warmth and slower pace of Florida, they settled in St. Petersburg where Johnny sold beers to distributors and Veronica practiced law. When the law in Florida changed to allow bars to sell metric-sized beers, he found the distributors reluctant to buy the unfamiliar European brands.

Johnny and Veronica decided to go directly to the beer drinkers and sell

them the foamy brews from overseas. In 2005, they opened their first Independent bar in St. Petersburg. Soon after they bought Rex, a bar in St. Petersburg specializing in American craft brews.

The latest in the Vellines family operation is Independent bar in the Seminole Heights area of Tampa. Judy, Tamara, and Charity spent a lovely afternoon in the former gas station one recent afternoon. Sitting at an outside table, they sampled the coffee and espresso drinks the bar offers. Later in the day, they moved inside to try some beers. They chose St. Peter's Gluten Free Sorghum and Mermaid Pilsner, two of the hundreds of beires available in the cozy, casual bar.

Independent also offers a light menu of sandwiches and soups and wines by the glass. Each day they have 3 to 4 reds, 3 to 4 whites and a sparkling variety. Bluegrass and country bands play outside several nights a month. Veronica opens the garage door to let the outside in. If you're in Tampa, try it. You'll like it!

CREATIVE LOAFING WEEKLY

BEST NEW RESTAURANT 2010
The Independent, Seminole Heights

In spite of the economy, there were many potential contenders for this coveted award. However, there was only one new spot that combined all the qualities that signify a great restaurant: good atmosphere, fine service and food that is far better than a diner might expect. Surprisingly, that restaurant was a beer bar where food wasn’t even on the menu for the first six months. Thankfully, The Independent Seminole Heights has Christopher Tolan in the kitchen putting small but meaningful touches on a simple menu of exceptional bar food, making each dish into something special, creating an experience that both suits and transcends the humble nature of the restaurant. 5016 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-341-4883