Craft Brew Fans Bid Farewell To Seminole King Of Beer Greg Rapp

SEMINOLE, FL --As the annual Tampa Bay Beer Week ended last week, Tampa Bay brew lovers also bid a sad goodbye to an old friend.

Greg Rapp, founder of Rapp Brewing Co., 10930 Endeavour Way, Suite C, in Seminole, died at the age of 60 after a three-year battle with prostate cancer.

Rapp, a graduate of Largo High School and the University of South Florida, began his fermenting career as a winemaker but graduated to making craft beer more than 15 years ago, paying homage to his European heritage. His great-grandfather, Rudolph Rapp, owned and operated a brewery in Mohrungen, Germany, around the turn of the 19th century.

In 2012, Rapp built a 6,400-square-foot micro-brewery, which included a 650-square-foot tasting room. The Rapp Brewing Co. tasting room has long been a favorite hangout of craft brewers who meet there to exchange ideas and sample one another's latest brews.

Over the years, Rapp Brewing Co. has grown to produce 1.5 barrel batches daily on its direct-fired custom-built two-barrel brewing system. Rapp was a fan of this brewing system, maintaining that the kettle caramelization was key to the flavors of his artisanal ales and lagers.

Rapp Brewing Co. also boasts 80 barrels of fermentation capacity spread over 44 fermentation vessels, allowing the beer maker to create a variety of beers. The brewery now has 40 beers on tap in addition to wines, meads and ciders.

Rapp produced such unforgettable award-winning brews as Der Strummelpeter, Wild Thang, Gose, Biere de Garde and the barrel-aged Russian Imperial stout.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Rapp's daughter, Candi, announced the family's commitment to continue where her father left off.

"The world has lost an amazing man today ...," she said. "We plan on continuing his legacy of Rapp Brewing Co. in his honor, vowing to brew on! Prost!"

She added that she hopes her dad will continue guiding them from beyond.

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