A Neighborhood Transformed By Craft Beer

INTUITION ALE WORKS

Fomer winemaker and Jacksonville native Ben Davis opened Intuition Ale Works in 2010, joining Bold City Brewery as the second craft brewery opened within the King Street District.

Image Credit: Laura Evans Photography

Image Credit: Laura Evans Photography

Jacksonville was the birthplace of the ‘six-pack’ when William Ostner’s (since closed) Jacksonville Brewing Company debuted a handled sack designed to carry six bottles of beer. Carrying on this proud tradtition, in 2012 Intuition became the first craft brewery in Florida to can their beers for statewide retail distribution. Ironically, canned beer was the impetus for Ostner unkowingly inventing the ‘six-pack’ nearly 70 years prior to Intuition’s canned beer offering. When steel prices normalized after WWII, large breweries were able to afford the large capital expense required to obtain canning equipment. Ostner’s ‘six-sack’ was a way to position his bottled beer in a more convenient and affordable package versus the larger breweries producing canned beer that sold in retail establishments primarily by the case.

Image Credit: Laura Evans Photography

Intuition is the largest craft brewer in Jacksonville by volume, producing nearly 7,500 barrels of beer annually. With production capabilities now maxed out at their King Street facility, a new, 21,000 sqaure feet production facility, tap room and rooftop beer garden is under construction in downtown Jacksonville. The new facility is expected to triple Intuition’s beer output when fully operational.

Image Credit: Laura Evans Photography