On Saturday Miami's fourth-ever Beer Snob Bicycle Pub Crawl took well over a hundred cyclists from Zeke's Roadhouse on Miami Beach to The Filling Station in Downtown Miami, stopping at various spots along the way to refuel with beer, not gas. The popular ride is very relaxed, combining the consumption of fancy microbrews with a bit of exercise. Most importantly, it's a great time to meet new people and bond with old friends. Organizers Gary Mendenhall and Rydel of The Miami Bike Scene host the ride about twice a year, making an effort to see everyone have a good time. Right before sunset, Niteside asked Mendenhall a few tough questions, like what's his favorite beer and what kind of bike does he ride. You might learn something from this congenial beer snob.
Beer Snob Bicycle Pub Crawl's Gary Mendenhall Talks Shop
Are you from Miami?
I'm from the midwest. I moved here from Saint Louis, Missouri like ten years ago.
Can you name a few of your favorite beers?
I would have to say Brooklyn, Dale's Pale Ale, and Pilsner Urquell.
What kind of bike do you ride?
I ride a little bit of everything. This is my urban bike. It's just my single speed. I don't ride it fixed. It's just ride it free wheel. I also do mountain biking. About three seasons ago, I did the Florida State Series and I raced single speed off road and I took third overall in the state. I like to do all kinds of cycling. Biking is part of who I am.
When did you start riding? Have you been serious since you were young?
I think it's been since I was a kid. But I've been in the industry now for 17 years.
What's your job?
I work for a bike distributor here in South Florida, J&B Distributors. We do our own brands like Origin 8 and Sunlight. I've been here now for eleven years, and I love Miami.
What's your favorite part about doing the pub crawl?
My favorite part is just meeting everybody and seeing that everybody is having a good time and enjoying things that they probably never would have experienced if they'd never ridden their bike to it.
What's your Miami watering hole?
I live in Homestead, but coming to Miami. My favorite watering holes would have to be, in downtown, the Filling Station, and in South Miami, Titanic.
