Lobster Omelettes, Parade Lights & Hakuna Matata: Beer 4993 in Key West
From the Desk of JT, the Beer Logger (B-Logger)
- Mission: Having a blast, with beer!
- Beer #: 4993 Ale
- Location: Key West
- Beer: Hakuna Matata
- Brewery: D9 Brewing Company
- Vibe: Parade weekend chaos with tropical flair
- Mood: Sun-soaked, slightly buzzed, fully committed to the moment
🎄 A Christmas Parade Worth Traveling For
Some trips you plan.
Others are inspired by a story… and maybe a little island-state-of-mind dreaming.
A few months back, I was listening to Kenny Chesney on No Shoes Radio, and he told a story that stuck with me.
Dinner on Duval.
Christmas lights glowing.
Watching the Key West parade with none other than Jimmy Buffett.
One of those “you had to be there” nights.
And I thought…
👉 Why not try to recreate it?
Minus Kenny. Minus Jimmy.
But definitely not minus the fun.
✈️ The Crew Assembles
This wasn’t a solo mission.
This was a six-person, full-send weekend:
- Ted & Sandy Wood
- Mike & Sue Adams
- Lori & yours truly
Three couples. Zero chance this stays “low key.”
And if you’ve ever done Key West right… you already know:
👉 The plan is simple
👉 Start with a plan and then toss it
👉 A few planned stops were easy to add to the plan (Blue Heaven, La Trattoria, Latitudes), and Ted was happy there were many others that never saw the itinerary
🍝 Duval Street Dinner: Nailed It
I did my homework.
Tracked down the spot from Kenny’s story:
Called ahead. Reserved a front patio table for six.
And let me tell you…
They didn’t just deliver — they absolutely crushed it.
We had:
- Front row seats to the parade
- Plates that didn’t miss
- Drinks flowing like we were locals
And the parade?
One of the best I’ve seen.
Lights, energy, island creativity — all rolling right past our table.
Not gonna lie…
For a moment there, it felt like we nailed the assignment.
🍳 The Day That Set It Off
Before the parade magic, though… we had to properly warm up.
First stop:
The lobster omelette?
Loaded. And I mean loaded.
Like someone in the kitchen said, “Let’s not hold back today.”
From there, we rolled into:
👉 Dante’s Key West Pool Bar & Restaurant
A place that can only be described as:
👉 Equal parts pool party
👉 Equal parts “this might get out of hand”
👉 100% fun
Beers in hand, sun overhead, games, music, and just enough chaos to know the day was trending in the right direction.
🍺 Beer 4993 Ale: Hakuna Matata at the Tiki House
Somewhere between “we should slow down” and “another round sounds right,” I carved out a quick moment to log Beer 4993.
Location:
Because even in the middle of a legendary weekend…
👉 I stay on mission.
🍻 JT’s Take – Beer 4993 Ale
Hakuna Matata — and yes, the name fits the moment perfectly.
- Flavor Vibe: Fruity, slightly playful, easygoing
- Drinkability: High — no overthinking required
- Mood Match: Elite — this beer understood the assignment
This wasn’t a “let’s dissect the hops” situation. Nice job by D9 Brewing!
This was:
👉 “grab it, sip it, smile, keep moving”
And in Key West?
That’s exactly the energy you want.
🗺️ The Blur of Great Decisions
The rest of the weekend?
A highlight reel.
We bounced through:
- Hank’s Hair of the Dog Saloon
- General Horseplay
- Hog’s Breath Saloon
- Southernmost Brewpub
- Louie’s Backyard
- The Rum Bar
And even took the ferry over to:
👉 Latitudes
Because apparently this trip needed a “let’s casually boat to lunch” moment too.
🏈 Packers Win = Cherry on Top
As if the weekend needed anything else…
We posted up at:
👉 Jack Flatts
And watched the Green Bay Packers take down the Chicago Bears.
Now that is how you close a weekend.
🍻 JT’s Rating: Beer 4993
3.75 / 5.0
Fun beer. The right name for the moment. Perfect setting.
Not trying to be a masterpiece — just trying to make your day better.
Mission accomplished.
🎉 Final Thoughts: Do This Trip
Let me save you some time:
👉 Go to Key West for the Christmas Parade weekend.
Bring:
- Good friends
- A flexible schedule
- And a willingness to say “yes” to just about everything
Because somewhere between Duval Street dinners, tiki bar beers, poolside chaos, and football wins…
You’ll find yourself in one of those weekends you don’t forget.
And maybe — just maybe — you’ll recreate a little magic of your own.
Cheers. 🍺
#supportlocal and #drinklocal.
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