In the heyday of craft beer, hipsters (as they were called in the ancient 2010s) would line up for hours outside breweries waiting for new releases. Nowadays, people will only wait hours for beer if it comes with a meet and greet with their favorite weatherman.
Last year, at one of multiple tastings for Crooked Thumb’s “Rule #7” citrusy IPA, fans waited four extra hours to meet the man who made the rule, Denis Phillips. The iconic WFTS meteorologist’s Rule #7, “Don’t freak out unless I’m freaking out,” has been around since 2012 when Hurricane Isaac was heading toward the Bay Area.
After Hurricane Irma hit in 2017, the suspenders-sporting weatherman was honored with his very own beer. And just before hurricane season starts again, he’ll grace fans at Crooked Thumb with that TV-worthy smile for at least a couple of hours this weekend.
UPDATE 5/21/26: This story has been updated to correct that “Rule #7” started in 2012 ahead of Hurricane Issac.
New Tampa Unplugged: Mixtura – A Multicultural Journey in Sound
Time Sun., Nov. 1, 3-5 p.m.
Location New Tampa Performing Arts Center, 8550 Hunters Village Road, Tampa
This article appears in May 07 – 13, 2026.
