Florida

Otto & the "littl'un" have fun in the sun, but still find time to ramble around the brewpubs of Florida. But first a touch of history; Florida is a state in the southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south by the Straits of Florida. Florida is home to the bluest of seas, year-round sunshine and pristine beaches. The whole family can enjoy cultural attractions, unparalleled natural beauty, not forgetting the world’s most famous theme parks. With great shopping and premium entertainment, Florida truly has it all. Updated May 2022.

Obviously I can not list all the breweries and bars but I will give you the low down on the ones we visited and a few we've been recommended (List Form). I hope it will be of some use to you planing a beer vacation?

So lets start with West Palm Beach:

Civil Society Brewing Co. 425 Kanuga Dr, West Palm Beach

For starters, IPA heaven! Secondly, the downtown location is just spectacular, easily the coolest brewery environment in Florida.? Great job guys!

Steam Horse Brewing, 1500 Elizabeth Ave, West Palm Beach

Super chill brewery here with a pretty ideal setup for watching football or whatever you're looking for. Beer is ok, but again, great place to kick it on a Sunday.

Accomplice's Ridiculous Cider Company, 1027 N Florida Mango Rd #3, West Palm Beach

Easygoing brewery offering ciders, beers on tap plus wines and an outdoor food truck option.

Brewzzi, 700 S Rosemary Ave, Ste 212, West Palm Beach. (possibly closed)

This is located on the second floor of a mall. It has a large indoor dinning area and you can see the brewery behind a glass enclosure, there is also an outside bar and a balcony area, which over looks the plaza. 

They brew 6 delicious lagers and a seasonal beers. The beers were OK to good with the wheat beer being the best on the day. They brew an award winning dark ale but unfortunately they had sold out on our visit. Brewzzi is Florida's most awarded brewery, including Gold and Silver medals at the Great American Beer Festival. Always Brewed-On-Site, their German-style lagers go well with the menu.

Ookapow Brewing Company, 1142 Old Okeechobee Rd Bay 12, West Palm Beach,

A small hard working brewery. Nothing pretentious here. Brews are made in smaller batches with interesting flavor combinations. If you like something today, it may be gone tomorrow and so is the opposite true.

BJ’S Restaurant & Brewhouse, 1807 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. West Palm Beach.

Only opened in 2014? Quite a big place. A good place to grab some bar food, watch a game, and drink a nice variety of brewpub ales.  Friendly staff well worth stopping in.

Tallahassee (The state capital):

Proof Brewing Company, 1717 W Tennessee St, Tallahassee.

Without a doubt the biggest and best selection of beers in town. 50 taps that can include anything your taste buds desire, be sure to try the house brews, they’re world class. Upstairs has a sports bar feel with a very large TV. Downstairs feels more like an industrial pub with a very cool vibe. No food available in the bar, but they allow you to bring in your own. Service is great, and staff are very knowledgeable about the beers on tap.  A must visit place. Also at:

Proof Brewing Company - Production Facility, 644 McDonnell Drive, Tallahassee.

Proof has expanded from its small brewpub to this larger production facility. Situated in a trendy area with a beautiful tasting room and large outdoor seating. The bar is well done, with a cool vibe. The crowd is slightly older than the other location, which isn’t a bad thing. Definitely a must stop in Tallahassee. Plus growlers for all the occasions!

Ology Brewing Co [Midtown], 118 E 6th Ave, Tallahassee

Great small place to hang out, chill and have a few great brews and sours. Very cool relaxed venue. Pet friendly.

Ology Brewing Co [Power Mill], 2708 Power Mill Ct Suite A, Tallahassee

A nice brewery experience! Good selection of delicious beer, and great patio. They have distilled beverages as well. No food.

Oyster City Brewing Company Tallahassee, 603 W Gaines St Suite 7, Tallahassee

What an awesome place! Live music 🎶 , local brews 🍻, beautiful outside patio☀, what more could you ask?? Their beer selection is small but varied and delicious! (For once, it's not just IPAs and Sours!) The staff is super nice, the bathrooms are clean and parking is easy. A definite must go!!

DEEP Brewing Company, 2524 Cathay Ct #2, Tallahassee

A small little brewery tucked back in a shopping center with great brews and a cool, minimalist space. Has a cute little outdoor area and food trucks on weekends. Definitely worth checking out!

Momos Pizza, 1410 Market St, Tallahassee.

Wow a Pizza place that does awesome pizza that now also brews their own beers. What more can person ask for? Service is always polite and friendly, and the knowledge of the servers has gotten better. A must stop in Tallahassee, seeing as there aren’t a whole lot of brewpubs in Tallahassee. Their house beer is solid, backed up with a selection of southern micro’s.

Fools Fire Brewing Company, 415 St Francis St UNIT 112, Tallahassee

Great to see Fool's Fire finally making their own space! While the space is relatively small and every inch of space that isn't filled with seating or the bar is packed with brewing equipment, it feels like a homey spot to spend an evening. You can sit outside here. Good luck Fool's Fire and hoping to see you guys continue to grow!

Lake Tribe Brewing Company, 3357 Garber Dr #4, Tallahassee

Really cool top notch, local, family-run brewery focus on good times, good people, and good beer. Outdoor seating next to a forest, A/C seating inside the actual brewery, family and dog friendly.

Jacksonville:

Aardwolf Brewing Company, 1461 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville.

A massive taproom, located in a large industrial building, with an open bar area with plenty of tables along with the extra long bar, plus a couple of back rooms, one of the back rooms has 2 long benches and a TV. Outside table available as well, lots of schwag available, huge and clearly visible draught list, friendly staff, most of the beers were excellent quality, they brew an impressive range of styles and seem to be pushing the envelope in Jacksonville. Overall, great beer, chill place, definitely worth a stop.

Intuition Ale Works, 720 King St, Jacksonville.

Probably the top brewery in Jacksonville? It is right near a residential area, the entrance is hard to find? The clients seem like friends, not customers! The brewery is pretty small, a short bar and a few tables. They have a lot of beers on tap maybe 15? Can be tough to find for an out of towner, but a solid experience with a great fun vibe is your reward for making the effort.

Bold City Brewery, 2670 Rosselle St, Jacksonville.

The beers from Bold City are decent. Not the most progressive beers out there, but solid. The bar space is nice, like a proper no-frills American bar. Located in a slightly shady neighborhood, so take care!

Bold City Downtown, 109 E Bay St, Jacksonville

A local Jacksonville family making great beer for our community. Great company, sound advice on beer choices and good discussions about Jacksonville punk rock.

River City Brewing Company, 835 Museum Cir, Jacksonville.

Awesome location on the water across from downtown Jacksonville. Thirty years, three name changes, and a couple bankruptcies ago this was a kick ass place to go... a real hot spot popular with the downtown yuppie crowd. Now the establishment is your run-of-the-mill gimmicky microbrewery that makes 4-5 of their own beers just to say they do. Brewing equipment is old and un-kept, the beer is served force carbonated with no head formation. The food is pricey but can be top of the heap at times? Lots of room for improvement.

Wicked Barley Brewing Company, 4100 Baymeadows Rd, Jacksonville

This place is a real find! They have an amazing atmosphere here. I highly recommend you sit out back. It almost seems magical and like you've stepped back in time in the best ways. Animals are welcome and children are playing in the grassy knoll in the middle of the tents where there's corn hole if you feel like playing. There's a marvelous man made beach area to sit and drink at after your meal and a mini boardwalk leading to the wonderfully lit and beautiful back dock full of wildlife and great for smokers. They accommodate large parties without bothering the other guest. The employees are friendly and the food comes lightning quick. I enjoyed my appetizers and I'd definitely go back to try more. This place is great for a date as well!

Veterans United Craft Brewery, 8999 Western Way #104, Jacksonville

Really very nice neighborhood beer factory and tap room. Great Craft Beer on the tap and friendly service. You can bring your own food or order to be delivered. Board games galore for when you want to add some competition to the night. I love nostalgia so them having old war photos is such a cool idea when you want to appreciate the brave men and women who fought for this country.

Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery, 9735 Gate Pkwy N, Jacksonville

A classic American eats accompany beers brewed in-house at this rustic-chic spot with a beer garden.

Bottlenose Brewing. 9700 Deer Lake Ct #1, Jacksonville

Man what an awesome place! 50 taps of house and local brews are paired with a menu of elevated pub fare in hip, laid-back place.

Seven Bridges Grille and Brewery, 9735 Gate Pkwy N, Jacksonville.

This is a CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries (Gordon Biersch, Rockbottom etc) joint. Generic suburban strip-mall location, generic suburban "family fare" feel to the place, with beer added. Two pool tables and enough old creepy drunk regulars to keep it interesting. This place certainly isn’t a highlight of the Jacksonville beer scene, but I suppose it’s worth a visit if you want to tick beers from a brewpub.

Hyperion Brewing Company, 1740 N Main St, Jacksonville

This place is great! Great beer selection (and excellent quality), friendly staff, and great atmosphere. The patio is perfect for watching sports and they have heaters for cold weather (and fans for the summer). Don’t miss it.

Lemonstreet Brewing Co. 2100 Dennis St, Jacksonville

This is a hidden gem. With cool art and graffiti, the owners have turned a warehouse style into a social gathering environment. This is a family-friendly establishment where children can play while their parents relax and enjoy a beer, a game of darts, or simply sit and talk. The fact that pets are permitted is a nice touch. With a cool graffiti stand. Definitely worth a shot! Warning: limited parking.

Fishweir Brewing Company, 1183 Edgewood Ave S, Jacksonville

A spacious and trendy taproom! Great beer selection. Try the King of the Hill hazy IPA. Friendly staff as well! Large outdoor backyard which is rent-able for events.

Tabula Rasa Brewing, 2385 Corbett St, Jacksonville

Craft brewery located next to McCoys creek, close to the Beaver St farmers market and the rail yards. Cool rustic outdoor area with disc golf, and plenty of seating for friends to meet and children to run and play. Oh yes and the beer is good!

Dunedin:

Dunedin Brewery, 937 Douglas Ave, Dunedin.

A craft brewery located in the gulf coast  Scottish heritage town of Dunedin. Inside is a thin bar serves as the partition between drinking/dining area and the brewing equipment. A short bar in the front, but there’s several tables. There is some seating outside on the patio with sunbrellas. Great, friendly, interested service. Prices are decent. Their pub food is very good. They make their own buffalo wings sauces. The fact that it is the oldest craft brewery in Florida is worth a few points alone.

7venth Sun Brewing, 1012 Broadway, Dunedin.

A cozy little tap room with a nice out door area. Service is awesome, giving lots of tasting and advice. They have approx 10 beers on taps, all nice and fresh. Pricing is pretty decent. A great place to hang out, cool vibes. Walking distance to Dunedin brewery.

Woodwright Brewing Company, 985 Douglas Ave, Dunedin

Great beer! Fantastic atmosphere rustic styling in a backyard style hangout with hand made woodwork and a permanent food truck with German food and plenty of great vegan options. Live music. Also pet friendly.

Cueni Brewing Co. 945 Huntley Ave, Dunedin

A great brewery  located in the heart of Dunedin right off the Pinellas Trail. The beers are smooth. Very Belgian influenced. Try the flight and pick as many as you'd like. The owners are very friendly and passionate about their brewery. Definitely a must do, with friendly staff definitely an excellent spot to hang out and have a few beers!

HOB Brewing Co. 931 Huntley Ave, Dunedin

Sunshine, Beer and amazing staff, throw in a killer food truck and well it can't be beat for an amazing time day, night, or weekend out! It is just a great place to hang out with friends and your dogs. The selection of beer is huge and tasty. Don't miss this location on your travels down the trail or into Dunedin!

Caledonia Brewing, 587 Main St, Dunedin

A very open floor, cool trendy atmosphere inside. Lots of great beer options to choose from. Cool atmosphere, the staff and a fun selection of t-shirts to choose from! If you find yourself in Dunedin, definitely worth a visit.

Soggy Bottom Brewery, 660 Main St, Dunedin

They really treat you like family here! They have great beer, you can try as many as you like for free. They have several of their own brews as well as plenty from nearby local breweries and a few wines on tap as well. There's food nearby and they allow you to bring it in or order it to their bar and are just super friendly. Darts, pool and great music! They have amazing night life as well, with games, and a variety of activities for all ages! The bartenders are great too! Very down-to-earth!

The Waterfront Brewery, 201 William Street, 33040 Key West

A large, cavernous 2-level brewpub and very American style that could fill a small country on a busy day. A lively place offering house-brewed beers and a diverse range of American and regional dishes. it's cool to sit by the docks and watch the boats. They have a large selection of house brewed craft beers available in numerous styles. Remember during happy hour it's 1/2 price craft beer.

The Cafe, 509 Southard St #6835, Key West

A chill spot adorned with local art serving globally inspired veggie and seafood eats, plus beer and wine. One of the best restaurants on the Island, and probably one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the country!

Capt Tony’s Saloon, 428 Greene St, Naval Air Station Key West

An old-school pub frequented by Hemmingway fans back in the day, now hosting festive theme-night parties. This place is super cool and eclectic. Filled with old chains, graves, the "Hanging Tree" and an assortment of patrons' dollars and bras! A parrothead's pilgrimage! Definitely worth a stop if you are a fan of Buffett. A Dive bar its best. Their claim to fame is the Oldest Bar in Florida.

Hog's Breath Saloon, 400 Front St, Key West

Key West laid-back tropical atmosphere watery-hole with live music on a covered outdoor patio plus dancing. Hog Breath won't disappoint! Always a local's and visitor's favorite Dive Bar hang out.

Green Parrot Bar, 601 Whitehead St, Key West

An institution since 1890, this watering hole features a jukebox and frequent live music.

Bone Island Brewing,  1111Eaton St, Key West. {CLOSED 2016}

Nothing not to like about the place or the brewmaster Jim Brady and his sidekick Cole Mayer who runs Cole’s Peace an Artisan Bakery & Deli were you can pick a sandwich, tropical salad, or cup of soup to pair with your choice of brew. It is just a very "bare bones" of a place. If its quiet who may get a tour of the brewery by Jim? Try a flight of their beers, the stout and hefe are very good. This place has great potential.

The Porch, 429 Caroline St Door Number 2, Key West. {CLOSED 2018}

The best beer oriented place in the keys with 12 taps and +50 bottles to choose from. A very pleasant atmosphere, relaxed and comfortable. Coolers with excellent large format and single bottles for takeaway or on premises consumption. A great the porch for chilling out on with a great beer while watching the hordes crowd the bars on each adjacent corner, in total peace. Very friendly staff. The prices are very fair.

Orlando: Next off to Disney World, but fear not because on the Boardwalk there is a brewpub;

Big River Grille and Brewing Works, The Boardwalk, Walt Disney World Resor, Orlando

Part of the Gordon Biersch (who have another outlet in Miami) chain of brewpubs. It does 4 reasonable brews and good food and is some where to chill out with out the hustle and bustle of the main resort.  You can see how beer is brewed!  This micro-brewery offers a glimpse into the beer-making process and provides samples of its award-winning handcrafted ales.

Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour & Brewery,  2810 Corrine Dr, Orlando.

Located in an older strip mall, upon entering it’s hard to believe the big open, tall ceilinged place is actually located in that strip mall. Well worn spot, though does give it quite a bit of character. The layout is a big circular bar in the middle, with tables spread around, particularly in the back part of the bar. In addition to the house beers, there was one served on cask and 30 beers on draft. Limited and import beer seems to be the focus, and the list is indeed impressive. Service is friendly, and knowledgeable. Good crowd, certainly a place not to miss in Orlando.

Orlando Brewing Company, 1301 Atlanta Ave, Orlando.

This place is nestled in a weird place to have a bar in a warehouse in an industrial area of Orlando. It really is just a Brewery and Tap Room, that’s it! The beer choice is amazing, 21 on tap, 8 of them from OBP.  Good happy hour prices and not a bad place to pick up a few new beers and try new somethings.

Sideward Brewing Company, 210 N. Bumby Ave. Suite C, Orlando, Florida

Ten10 Brewing Company, 1010 Virginia Drive, Orlando, Florida

Ellipsis Brewing, 7500 Tpc Blvd #8, Orlando, Florida

Half Barrel Beer Project, 9650 Universal Blvd Suite #143, Orlando, Florida

Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company, 1300 Alden Road, Orlando, Florida

Rockpit Brewing, 10 W Illiana St, Orlando, Florida

Gatlin Hall Brewing, 4721 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, Florida

Dead Lizard Brewing Company, 4507 36th St, Bldg C, Orlando, Florida

Deadwords Brewing, 23 N Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, Florida

Hourglass Brewing At Hourglass District, 2500 Curry Ford Rd Ste 4, Orlando, Florida

Whisper Creek Farm: The Brewery, 4040 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando, Florida

Park Pizza & Brewing Co. 6941 Lake Nona Boulevard Suite 100, Orlando, Florida

Brew Theory Taproom, 400 Pittman St, Orlando, Florida

Broken Strings Brewery, 1012 W Church St, Orlando, Florida

Tactical Brewing Company, 4882 New Broad Street, Orlando, Florida

Brewlando, 6820 Hoffner Ave, Orlando, Florida

Persimmon Hollow Brewing, 227 N Eola Dr, Orlando, Florida

Quantum Leap, 1312 Wilfred Dr, Orlando, Florida

Motorworks Brewing Orlando, 131 N Orange Ave Suite 106, Orlando, Florida

Miami:

Titanic Brewery and Restaurant, 5813 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Coral Gables.

In the Coral Gables area of Miami near to the university is the Titanic brewpub, this is an excellent pub with good quality food at a reasonably price. Beware the pub can be busy at the weekend and a little boisterous. There are two rooms, one has a longer bar and the other room has tables. On our visit we had a choice of 6 beers and 4 guest taps, we had 2 samplers, that came on a tray that resembled a porthole. The best beer was the Belgian Wit beer that came in at 6.5% and was nice and spicy with a sharp finish. A close runner up was the Porthole Porter a 5% dark fruity brew.

Big Bear Brewing, 1800 University Drive, Coral Springs.

On our visit they had a massive selection of 12 beers, the weakest of which was 5%.  The average was around 6.5% luckily we had a designated driver so we could indulge ourselves in these potent brews.   Again the Belgian wit beer was one of the best, also the stout was full of dry toasty coffee notes. Great decor, lots of wood, Staff are friendly. This brewpub has won quite a few awards and I would recommend it to any one to visit, and they do good food as well.

Wynwood Brewing Company, 565 NW 24th St, Miami.

In the ghetto! Wynwood Brewing is at the forefront of the transformation of the city. Their beers are very good and there were a few dozen on tap when we were there, which is a really impressive array for a small start up brewery (2013). All brewed on premises, you can see the brewery fermenting tanks behind the bar, all served by enthusiastic and unpretentious staff. The place itself still feels brand new and needs to get some age under its belt to feel lived in, but I was super impressed overall with the simplicity of the design and colour scheme. A "DJ" spinning mellow tunes at volumes loud enough to not hear everyone but soft enough to have a conversation. A food truck parks outside, where you can get some food to have with your beers a great idea. 

J. Wakefield Brewing, 120 Nw 24th Street, Miami, Florida

M.I.A. Brewing, 10400 Nw 33rd St, Miami, Florida

Concrete Beach Social Hall, 325 Nw 24th St, Miami, Florida

Veza Sur Brewing, 55 Nw 25th St, Miami, Florida

Unseen Creatures Brewing, 4178 Sw 74th Ct, Miami, Florida

Lincoln's Beard Brewing Company, 7360 Sw 41 St, Miami, Florida

The Tank Brewing Co. 5100 Nw 72nd Ave A-1, Miami, Florida

Est.33 Thai Craft Brewery & Kitchen, 701 S Miami Ave, Unit 412a, Miami, Florida

Cerveceria La Tropical, 42 Ne 25th St, Miami, Florida

Nightlife Brewing Co. 1588 Nw 7th St,, Miami, Florida

Beat Culture Brewery, 7250 Nw 11th St, Miami, Florida

Focal Beer Café, 7235 Ne 4th Ave, Miami, Florida

Spanish Marie Brewery, 14251 Sw 120th St Ste 108, Miami, Florida

Tampa and Bay area:

Tampa Bay Brewing, 1812 North 15th St. Tampa.

Located in a 100 year old renovated horse stable in the historic Ybor area, it has 12 taps + cask conditioned ale and great sea food. The place has a great brewpub vibe about it. They have a great sized indoor bar, plenty of tables around it and another exterior bar with plenty of seating. A great layout for a place with good weather year round. Overall, a really great place to visit when traveling to the area and especially when in Ybor City. Highly Recommended.

Cigar City Brewing, 3924 West Spruce Street Suite A, Tampa.

A nice and big comfortable tap room next to the brewery in Tampa. They have a good selection of tap-room only beers, a lot of one-offs. The bartenders can have an attitude at times! Well worth a visit if you are a Beer Geek in the area.

Note they have a few other locations that are well worth going to;

Cigar City Brewpub, 15491 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa

Cigar City Airport Pub - Airside C, 4100 George J Bean Pkwy, Tampa.

Cigar City Cider and Mead, 1812 North 15th Street, Tampa.

A great little place with a cool vibe, offering an a beer alternative! Nice and friendly staff. Time to chillout and watch the world go by. 

Six Ten Brewing, 7052 Benjamin Rd, Tampa.

A new brewery set up in 2014. Be part of the brewing process. Do a tour and drink some beers with the makers right in the brew house.

Yuengling Brewery, 11111 North 30th St. Tampa.

One of the US's oldest craft breweries built in 1958. They do Free tours at 10am & 1pm Mon - Fri, followed by free sample's, though a limit of two each. Nice, sort of standard brewery tour. I’d go again if I had the chance, nice place. Some draughts and bottles available of standard and seasonal stuff.

Ybor City Brewing, 1600 East 9th Avenue, Tampa.

Tampa Bay's first micro established in 1995, is Florida’s oldest brewpub! It's housed in an old cigar factory built in 1894. They serve up 12 house beers; and generally have six guest taps from other local breweries. In addition to house beers, every Thursday at 4pm they tap a cask-conditioned ale.

Angry Chair Brewing, 6401 N Florida Ave, Tampa, Florida

Coppertail Brewing,  2601 E. 2nd Ave., Tampa, Florida

Southern Brewing & Winemaking, 4500 N. Nebraska Ave, Tampa, Florida

7venth Sun Brewing - Tampa, 6809 N Nebraska Ave, Tampa, Florida

Garagiste Meadery, 1506 N. Florida Avenue, Tampa, Florida

Zydeco Brew Werks, 1902 E. 7th Ave, Tampa, Florida

Magnanimous Brewing, 1420 N Florida Ave, Tampa, Florida

Hidden Springs Ale Works, 1631 N Franklin St, Tampa, Florida

Brew Bus Brewing, 4101 N Florida Ave, Tampa, Florida

Ulele Native Inspired Foods And Spirits, 1810 North Highland Ave, Tampa, Florida

Woven Water Brewing Co. 456 W Columbus, Tampa, Florida

The Wild Rover Pub & Brewery, 13921 Lynmar, Tampa, Florida

Tampa Bay Brewing - Westchase Production Facility And Taphouse, 13937 Monroes Business Park, Tampa, Florida

Bay Cannon Beer Co. 2106 W. Main St., Tampa, Florida

Rock Brothers Brewing Company,1901 N. 15th St., Tampa, Florida

81bay Brewing Co. 4465 W. Gandy Blvd. Ste. 600, Tampa, Florida

Carrollwood Brewing Company, 10047 North Dale Mabry Highway (In Brass Tap), Tampa

I hope you found my guide to the brewpubs and bars in Florida useful?

Now you just need to get yourself out there and start the beer adventure for yourself!

A good web site to check out is Florida Brewers Guild.

Keep spreading the word, cheers to beers, Otto.