12.09.2025

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69º | 10% chance of precipitation

Sunrise 7:09 a.m. | Sunset 5:34 p.m.

Tides | Old Tampa Bay | High: 9 p.m. | Low: 12:58 p.m.

Clearwater Beach | High: 4:09 p.m. | Low: 9:06 a.m. + 8:13 p.m.

Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

How big is Jai Lai

A look at the Cigar City Brewing taps. | Photo via Cigar City Brewing

Cigar City Brewing’s Jai Alai IPA — otherwise known as “the best beer you probably can’t pronounce” — with notes of orange peel, clementine, and light caramel is arguably Florida’s most famous beer. But we wanted to dig into its backstory + its lasting popularity.

A painting of a Jai Alai Court more than a century ago.

The backstory

Cigar City Brewing’s former owner Joseph Redner named the brew after the centuries-old sport Jai Alai.

“I had attended games as a young man at the old Jai Alai fronton in Tampa off of Gandy Boulevard,” told us in an email. “I always thought of IPA as a very intense style of beer and thought the game which is also pretty intense and the name matched the IPA style.”

Redner also liked that the name “kind of subtly hinted at our Florida roots as Jai Alai was a well known sport in Florida in the 1980s.”

Adobe Express - file (6).jpg — What type of Jai Alai IPA is your fave?

The sales

The locally-grown IPA is now a national brand, sold in 49 out of 50 states, according to Jack Farris, the brand director of Jai Alai/Cigar City Brewing. But we’ll let the sales data talk.

How well does it sell?

Events

Tuesday, Dec. 9

Wednesday, Dec. 10

Thursday, Dec. 11

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News Notes

Development

Al Lang could soon host Spring Training games again. Tell us more. Well, St. Pete leaders are considering a three-story, 36,000-sqft addition to the facility, with a rooftop restaurant and bar, lockers, and concessions. And one idea is to move the Rays Grapefruit League games there. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Coming Soon

Add this spot to your to-dine list. Giancarlo’s Cafe & Spirits opened yesterday in North Hyde Park. The family-owned spot serves “Espresso All Day,” plus sandwiches, wine, salads, cocktails, and burgers. What else is on the menu? (Tampa Bay Times)

Real Estate

Tampa plans to sell the downtown Tampa Police headquarters. City leaders will soon request proposals for the site, with the starting bid for the land set at $36 million. Mayor Jane Castor called it a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine a key parcel in the heart of downtown.” (Tampa Bay Times)

Mailbag

Not one, but two of our readers wrote in to suggest the Flan Factory’s Cuban sandwiches should make the Michelin Guide — so they must be good. But, we’d argue these spots should make the cut too.

Watch

“The Pitt,” “Severance,” and “Pluribus” are among Time Magazine’s top 10 TV shows of 2025. With the cost of streaming services going up and up, we’re planning to watch them on the couch this winter with a local lunch deal in hand.

Active

Healthy eating, going for walks, and gardening. Those are three things that a group of centenarians credit for their long life in a new UnitedHealthcare survey of 100-year-olds. Another common factor was keeping an active social life, and there are plenty of ways for older locals to do that in Tampa Bay.

Sports

The Bucs fell to the Saints over the weekend. Now, unpack the key moments, missed opportunities, and what the performance means for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ trajectory with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

The Buy

Searching for stocking stuffers that aren’t candy but won’t break the bank? These five under $20 options are our go-tos:

🎀 A set of silk hair ties that prevent knots and breakage.
🧤 This pair of waterproof winter gloves that are touchscreen-friendly.
🚽 While it may cause some chuckles, this toilet bowl night light is a great practical gift.
🕯️ A pair of rainbow drip candles that start white + become colorful as they burn.
📚 This 4.6-star rated rechargeable reading light with nine brightness modes.

More stocking stuffer ideas this way

Answered

We recently asked “What’s the name of the Jacksonville developer leading the new Rays’ ownership?”

A Rays game at Stenbrenner field. The floodlights are on, the stands are full, and we are looking from behind home plate. Players are on the field, ready for a pitch, with a cloudy but bright sky above.

It appears innundating you with Rays updates this year — and last year, and the year before that — has paid off. Most of you (55%) correctly guessed Patrick Zalupski is at the helm.

The biggest TBAY stories of 2025

The Wrap

I didn’t realize this, but just like hurricane shelters, most domestic violence shelters don’t allow pets. Luckily, CASA Pinellas allows its clients to bring their beloved pets too.

Support the nonprofit’s services by shopping a pet-themed holiday market at Green Bench Brewing Company this Thursday, Dec. 11, from 6-9 p.m.

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