HISTORY OF GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE BEER WEEK
Greater Fort Lauderdale Beer Week was founded in 2019. With a growing roster of breweries and craft beer bars, the county needed a beer week of it’s own. First held in September of 2019, Greater Fort Lauderdale Beer Week started with 40+ events for its inaugural year. This is a grassroots event that continues to grow and evolve as time goes by. The goal is to offer a curated calendar of events year-round with emphasis on originality, creative, palate and mind expanding and educational events. Greater Fort Lauderdale Beer Week is organized by a very small independent team. We are not corporate, we are craft.

Frances Antonio-Martineau

Founder, FemAle Brew Fest®
Founder, Greater Fort Lauderdale Beer Week
Board Member | Pink Boots Society 
Chapter Leader | Girls Pint Out- Fort Lauderdale

Frances founded the Fem Collective in 2016 with the goal of building a network of female entrepreneurs in her local community. In 2017, she came up with the concept of FemAle Brew Fest which combines her mission for women empowerment and her love for craft beer. 

The FemAle Brew Fest has been recognized as one of the first craft beer festivals in the country to help promote more diversity within the industry; which has earned Frances numerous recognitions, including being named one of the recipients of the Brewers Association - 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Grant. 

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Luis Cotto

Craft beer enthusiast who loves and supports our local South Florida craft breweries and restaurants.
Founder, @beardbrewsandfood
Co-Founder, @thecraftinators

Born and raised in New York City, I have been a beer enthusiast since early 2000. I first started my adventure with German Märzens, Witts, and pilsners. While visiting a friend, I had my first local craft beer from Brooklyn Brewery. I remember drinking clean and crisp pilsners, which opened  my eyes to the industry. 
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While living in NYC,  the number of breweries and events were limited due to ancient liquor laws. I made it a mission to try to visit all without destroying my liver. Once they were lifted, I was determined to add craft bars and pubs onto my hit list. This was the beginning of the Beard Brews and Food ideology. 

Beard Brews and Food was developed to help friends identify great local establishments, which in turn helps support our local businesses.
I would plan after-work/happy hour events with a group of friends to explore new craft beer watering holes. I would also help friends plan their outing, regardless if it was a pub, beer bar, wine bar, or restaurant…anything with booze and food! I would help friends develop an itinerary based on their personalities.

Beard Brews and Food took off once I moved to South Florida in 2016. I shifted my attention to supporting the mom-and-pop shops within The Greater Fort Lauderdale Area. I revamped my business model and made it my passion to review anything craft-related. 

Today, besides reviewing beers, I design can labels for breweries throughout South Florida. I also do social media marketing and develop events for our local establishments to help boost their revenue.

Let's have a beer together and chat about brews and food!