This week I finally visited the all-new Voodoo Brewing Company, a popular beer chain that opened its first location in North Florida in Jacksonville. The only other Voodoo locations in Florida are in Fort Myers and St. Petersburg. This brewpub was founded in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and has become a beloved brand across the country ever since.

Voodoo operates in states including Texas, California, North Carolina, South Carolina and Ohio.

The Jacksonville Voodoo branch took up a long-vacant space in a popular area. Once a restaurant, this two-story property with arched facades was the perfect spot for a new brewery, increasing Jacksonville’s beer options.

My sister and I joined my best friend and her co-worker for an after-work drink. I ventured to try a green sour, perhaps one of Voodoo’s most iconic drinks. Called Lacto-Kooler, this unique sour has ruined all other sour beers for me. While I normally don’t opt for sour beers, my best friend kept raving about it; I had to try it, and I was more than pleased. I also tried the Empty Calories beer, a light American lager that was crisp and refreshing.

My sister loved the Congaree & Penn cider, a drink not on Voodoo’s year-round menu but rather on the local on-tap menu. She doesn’t like overly sweet ciders and thoroughly enjoyed this ale. Voodoo Brewing Co. also features house-made cocktails, of which my sister had the Watermelon Sour, a gin-based concoction with watermelon, lemon and dragon fruit powder rich in antioxidants. It came with a watermelon slice garnish.

Voodoo also boasts a food menu, but we only came for drinks this time around. That said, I fully intend to come again to try more drinks and dishes.

— Aoife O’Riordan, associate editor