Hail Dale kicks off JDub's beer tour

There are several ways to judge whether a band has "made it." Sure, there are the traditional benchmarks — a loyal fan base, steady record sales and good concert attendance — but all of that goes out the window as soon as you can tap a keg of your band's very own custom-brewed craft beer.

After releasing their debut EP, "Smoke it Off," last summer, gritty Southern rockers, Hail Dale, have rocked the Sarasota music scene with their beer-soaked, high-intensity shows, channeling the guitar-driven spirit of ’70s rock. Their musical chops and rowdy sensibilities have captured the attention of fellow musicians, music lovers and now, the local beer scene.

This Saturday, July 5, Hail Dale will celebrate the official release of its own custom beer, Hail Dale Pale Ale, brewed by JDub's Brewing Company. 

Bonding over a mutual love of beer and music, the band and brewery collaborated to develop a recipe for a white-oak-aged pale ale, which is currently on tap at the brewery.

"Im proud of it, because to me, everything they've done so far is gold," says Garrett Von Räd, the band's guitarist and co-vocalist. "They've already worked with Cigar City,and they have great distribution — their Up Top IPA is everywhere. We're honored they wanted to do this with us."

To properly celebrate its release, the band will play a series of shows across the state, with each venue selling a keg of the band's namesake brew at the gig. The mini tour begins at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 5, at The Whiskey Barrel, with Physical Plant and Buffalo Wizards. Full tour schedule can be found here.