Deep celebrates 8 years of beer this weekend with 4-day bash| Around the Brew Bend

It was 2016, but we remember it like it was yesterday.

A Facebook message came into our "Request" folder — you know the one where people who you AREN'T currently friends with try to reach out and message you?

The name? "Ryan LaPete" — which was a name we didn't know at the time, but soon would.

And the message was simple: "Hey, this is Ryan LaPete. I'm opening a new brewery in Tallahassee called 'Deep Brewing' over off Centerville Road. We aren't open yet, but we are going to hold a soft, invite-only sneak preview this coming Saturday and someone suggested I reach out to you since you're a big craft beer fan. We'll be open all day from noon until we run out. No charge for the beer, just doling out samples and getting feedback. Hope you can make it. And feel free to bring a friend!"

It's not every day we get a message offering us FREE beer, on a weekend, at a new brewery that no one has ever been to before. So of course the reply was, "Great to meet you. Sounds great. Say less! We're in!"

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Getting to know Ryan LaPete

So we went - and keep in mind, this was still a FULL year before the Tallahassee Beer Society was even formed in 2017 - and we met Ryan for the first time. And over the next 5-6 hours - yes, we stayed THAT long! - we got to know his beer and a little more about him.

He was born in Brooksville, but raised in Tallahassee. He graduated from Lincoln High School, went to Florida State (which is when he also started learning to home brew) and earned his Bachelor's Degree. After graduation, he left the area and began a career in underwater diving in South Florida.

But the rigors of the profession were tough and Ryan and his wife, Marsha, and somewhere around 2012 or 2013, he began tossing around the idea with Marsha, his brother Blair and their parents about moving back to Tallahassee and opening a craft brewery. "Papa" Frank LaPete owned a well-known local construction company, after all — LaPete Construction — in Tallahassee, and they knew they could build out their space easier than most.

And just like that, Deep Brewing Company — a play off of Ryan's years as a diver - was born.

Expansion in the works

Now, fast forward eight years later, and Deep not only holds the honor as Tallahassee's 3rd-oldest brewery (behind Proof - 2012; and Lake Tribe - 2015), they're also still thriving, growing (and soon expanding; more on that in a second) eight years later.

And this weekend, they're going to cheer to 8 years of beer with a HUGE 4-day anniversary celebration that kicks off Friday, Aug. 30, and stretches into Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 2.

And across the four days, there will be more than a dozen new beers to hit the Deep taps, 2 new can drops and one barrel-aged bottle release.

There's a LOT going on, so we'll run through the plans day by day:

Day 1, Friday, Aug. 30 (noon-10 p.m.)

• Return of SHALLOW END Florida Lager (draft & cans)
• Deja Vu Tally Venezuelan food truck will be on site
• Deep is giving away 88 FREE Deep 8-year Anniversary Cookies with their primary logo and anniversary logo on them (1 per person, first-come, first-served)
• Live music from local solo artist Chris James from 6-9 p.m.

DAY 2, Saturday, Aug. 31 (noon-10 p.m.)

• Eight all-new, never-been-brewed-before Deep beers tapping (and all 8 will also be available in 19.2 oz resealable cans to-go):
• Bob F’rapples: Applie Pie Imperial Sour
• When In Doubt, Power Out: Lemon Meringue Hazy IPA
• Mellow Submarine: Crispy Treat Dessert Ale
• Clothing Optional: Cinnamon Pilz
• Snack Lunch: PB&J Imperial Sour
• Below’n Away: DIPA w/ Citrus and Carolina Reapers
• Sinking In: Imperial Bear Claw Donut Stout
• 24 Karrot: Carrot Cake Dessert Ale
• Food trucks for Day 2 include The Wingman and Murillos Filipino Food Truck
• Live Love Macaron has made 8 new macarons to pair with all 8 of the Deep releases on Saturday
• Local farm-raised oyster company, Osceola Oyster Company, will be on hand shucking and serving both raw and grilled oysters

DAY 3 - Sunday, Sept. 1 (noon-8 p.m.)

• Bourbon Barrel-aged bottle release: JOY IN DARKNESS Chocolate/Coconut/Almond Imperial Stout (available both in bottles and and draft)
• Food from PJ Subs
• And any anniversary beers that made it through Saturday will be available Sunday

DAY 4 - Monday, Sept. 2 (noon-8 p.m.)

• Deep is calling this day "Fall Spices Tap Takeover." There will be a can release - PUMPKIN SPICE LAGER - and feature a "Fall-like" taplist, including: Pumpkin Spiced Lager, Vejigante - Coquito Hard Seltzer, Sunkin Pumpkin - Saison w/ Pumpkin Spices, Falling In - Glazed Donut Coffee Porter
• Big Whipp’s Kitchen will be on site for food
• Dessert vendor 221B Baker's Treat will be set up and selling their locally baked desserts

And just like Saturday, any anniversary beers that made it through Saturday & Sunday will be available Monday

Canniversary

PHEW! That's a ton going on! And we understand if you wanna take a quick break, stretch your legs and grab a glass of water before we wrap up!

Deep does this event every year they turn a year older and always on Labor Day weekend, calling it "CANNIVERSARY" because of how beer new can and draft releases they put out during the 4 days. And it's always a great time.

Some of the beers you try this weekend you may never see again — or at least not until years later. And some may just garner such great feedback, Deep has been known to add those to the regular rotation — just like they did during that soft opening 8 years ago.

As for that "expansion" talk we mentioned above? Well, soon, Deep plans to move into a bigger building right there in the same complex as their current 2524 Cathay Ct. location, but just up the hill. Deep 2.0 will be located directly off Centerville Road and is slated to begin construction soon with an opening date tentatively set for the first half of 2025. And it's super exciting to see that progress unfolding for one of our local breweries.

It's been a heck of a journey for Deep Brewing and Ryan and we congratulate them on all their success. Can't wait to toast to them on Friday … and Saturday … and Sunday … and Monday, too!

Danny Aller is the co-founder, along with Matthew Crumbaker, of the TLH Beer Society. Reach the Beer Society on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or email tlhbeersociety@gmail.com .

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Deep celebrates 8 years of beer this weekend with 4-day bash| Around the Brew Bend