Beers, burgers and brownies stole the show at BrewFest

Isabella Perez and her fellow hospitality students at FIU are still full of excitement after their big win as best brewery at the 13^th annual North Miami BrewFest. The craft beer festival,, which started more than a decade ago on the Biscayne Bay Campus to benefit Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and its brewing science program, has since grown into a hub of creativity, culture, camaraderie and now, student achievement.

The annual festival, known for spotlighting local eateries and South Florida craft beer innovators, draws crowds eager to sample bold flavors and celebrate the artistry behind brewing and gastronomy. Every year, attendees vote for their favorite exhibitors and crown the People’s Choice Award winners.

Local craft brewers return to 13th annual North Miami BrewFest.

This year, for the first time ever, students took home two of the three top categories. In first place for best brewery wasn’t a brewery after all, but students from the Bacardi Center of Excellence and its student club called the FIU Bartender’s Guild. The group started working on their beer cocktail creations months ago, reflecting the diverse talent on display at BrewFest. This year’s other first place winners include:

• Best Brewery: FIU Bartender’s Guild
• Best Eatery: La Birra Bar
• Best Dessert: Chef Christian

Burgers and wings took home top awards for Best Eateries.

Alumni-owned businesses and local breweries also took home the hardware, including Brewsaki and alumni-owned Rocketeer Beer in second and third place, respectively, for Best Brewery. In the best eats category, La Birra Bar took home first place for the third year in a row, but it might be worth paying a visit to second-place Ty’s Hometown BBQ to try out their award-winning wings or to Fin’s Kitchen, a food truck that took home third place for its’ blueberry and Haitian-rum glazed wings.

Fan favorites Temple Street Eatery and Wan's also returned this year as did other alumni-owned breweries including Tripping Animals, Conscious Brewing and Black Pit Brewing. More than 30 breweries and 20 eateries took part in the event.

“I’m grateful to keep representing culture, flavor and community, one brownie at a time,” said Chef Christian Barruos-Brens, a junior studying in the Chaplin School. His signature Cafecito brownies took home first place for best dessert. Local bakery, Be Pastry, came in second place for their perfectly crunchy churros topped with chocolate or caramel and baked with love.

These bakers and chefs took home top prizes for Best Desserts.

These awards underscored the festival’s spirit of community, giving recognition to those who captured the crowd’s imagination and palate, like Laura Rodriguez, whose craft creation, a Mango American Ale, was an ode to her abuelita.

“The Philippine mangoes I used in this recipe are from my grandma’s house, so the beer is close to my heart because it’s like I put a little bit of myself and my culture into it,” said Rodriguez, who showcased her beer as part of Brew FIU, an FIU student club, focused on brew science.

Rodriguez, set to graduate next summer, aspires to become a general manager in the restaurant industry and used BrewFest as an opportunity to showcase a lineup of beers and fermentations that blended technical skill with personal storytelling.

Her Toasted Coconut Turkish Coffee Stout was a crowd favorite. Infused with cold-brew Turkish coffee and coconut, the stout evoked the flavors of an Almond Joy: rich, mocha-like and indulgent. “I didn’t realize it came out so great,” Rodriguez admitted with a smile, reflecting on the surprise success of her creation. 

Rodriguez’s brewing journey began months before the festival and, having just participated in her last edition, she is grateful for the experience. “It feels bittersweet, but I’m excited to end on a great note because these are all of my passion projects that I’ve been able to bring to life,” she said.

“I’m very grateful for every opportunity I get here because it furthers my career and gives me real-life experiences. I’ve made so many friends here that will be my friends for the rest of my life.”