MICROBREWERIES IN FLORIDA

By  Mike Miller March 11, 2023

In recent years, the popularity of craft beer in Florida has skyrocketed, and with it, the rise of microbreweries.

Microbreweries are small-scale breweries that produce beer in limited quantities, often with unique flavors and styles that are not commonly found in larger commercial breweries. 

Mike Miller, Open AI Images

Microbreweries, also known as craft breweries or boutique breweries, are typically independently owned and operated, producing small batches of great beer using traditional brewing methods.

Unlike larger commercial breweries, microbreweries focus on quality and flavor rather than mass production.

This allows for experimentation and innovation, with brewers having the freedom to create unique flavors and styles that reflect their personal taste and expertise.

This striving for the absolute best beer is what makes them so popular with beer connoisseurs.

The history of microbreweries dates back to the 1970s in the United States, when a small group of homebrewers began experimenting with traditional brewing methods and creating unique flavors.

Mike Miller, Open AI Images

The movement gained momentum in the 1980s and 1990s, as more people became interested in craft beer and the culture surrounding it.

Today, there are thousands of microbreweries around the world, each with its own unique style and approach to brewing.

One of the reasons why microbreweries have become so popular is the consumer demand for high-quality, locally sourced products.

Indian Pale Ale, aka IPA
Mike Miller, Open AI Images

As people become more aware of the environmental and social impact of large corporations, they are turning to smaller, independently owned businesses that prioritize sustainability and community involvement.

Microbreweries often source their ingredients from local farmers, use eco-friendly production methods, and support community events and organizations.

This creates a sense of community and authenticity that is often lacking in larger commercial breweries.

Another reason for the popularity of microbreweries is the sheer variety of beers available.

While larger commercial breweries often focus on a few core brands, microbreweries are free to experiment and create unique flavors and styles.

This allows beer drinkers to explore a wide range of flavors, from traditional styles like Indian Pale Ales and stouts to more experimental flavors like sour beers and fruit-infused brews.

Many microbreweries also offer tasting rooms or taprooms, where visiting beer lovers can sample different beers and learn about the brewing process.

Here are some of the best breweries in Florida we think you will enjoy.

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NORTHWEST FLORIDA MICROBREWERIES

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APALACHICOLA

Oyster City Brewing Company has a quaint taproom and an outdoor beer garden in addition to a variety of traditional and experimental beer types.

PENSACOLA

Perfect Plain Brewing Co. is a small brewery and restaurant in Pensacola that serves a selection of beers, including IPAs, lagers, and sours. In addition, they provide a complete food menu including burgers, sandwiches, and other pub foods. Its taproom is spacious, has an industrial air, and features a terrace that is pet-friendly. Also, they offer a separate area for events and private gatherings. 

Relaxing at Grayton Beach Beer Company
Grayton Beach Beer Company

SANTA ROSA BEACH

Grayton Beer Company is a small brewery that specializes on using sustainable and local ingredients to create a variety of distinctive and excellent beer types. Its taproom has a lot of sitting choices, a warm, rustic ambience, and is a dog-friendly area. 

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NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA MICROBREWERIES

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GAINESVILLE

First Magnitude Brewing Company is a craft brewery that creates a variety of traditional and novel beer types, including Siren Sour and Drift English Mild Ale. There are several indoor and outdoor sitting choices in their taproom, which has a lively and laid-back environment as well as a changing menu of food trucks. 

Swamp Head Brewery has a sizable taproom and an outdoor beer garden. They serve a variety of traditional and experimental beer varieties. 

Halpatter Beer Selections
Halpatter Brewing Co.

LAKE CITY

Halpatter Brewing Company provides a selection of traditional and cutting-edge brews, as well as seasonal and limited-edition brews. For a rich, malty taste with undertones of caramel and chocolate, try their Loxahatchee Red Ale.

TALLAHASSEE

Ology Brewing Co. is an experimental craft brewery with a focus on fragrant, hoppy IPAs. They also have a small food menu and a selection of sour beers, stouts, and barrel-aged brews. Its taproom has a slick, contemporary aesthetic with plenty of natural light. 

Proof Brewing Company has a small taproom, an outdoor beer garden, and a variety of traditional and creative beer genres. 

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NORTHEAST FLORIDA MICROBREWERIES

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JACKSONVILLE

Aardwolf Brewing Company is a craft brewery that creates a variety of avant-garde and experimental beer varieties, including Saison Vautour and White Russian Imperial Stout. Its taproom has a trendy and laid-back ambiance, many of sitting choices, and a changing menu of food trucks. 

Brave City Brewery, is a family-run business that manufactures a variety of traditional and avant-garde beer types in flavors including Killer Whale Cream Ale and Duke's Cold Nose Brown Ale. Their taproom has a lot of sitting choices and is warm and inviting.

Intuition Ale Works is a craft brewery that creates a variety of traditional and cutting-edge beer styles, including I-10 IPA and Jon Boat Coastal Ale. There are many places to sit in their taproom, which has a fun environment with live music and food trucks. 

Veterans United Craft Brewery is a veteran-owned brewery that provides a variety of traditional and cutting-edge beer types, including tastes like their Raging Blonde Ale and Buzzin' Bee Honey Rye Ale. Its taproom has a laid-back vibe, many sitting choices, and a terrace that welcomes dogs. 

Wicked Barley Brewing Company
Wicked Barley Brewing Company

Wicked Barley Brewing Company is a small brewery and restaurant that features a variety of beers, including IPAs, lagers, and barrel-aged brews. Also, they provide a complete food menu that includes sandwiches, wood-fired pizzas, and other pub classics. Its taproom is spacious, rustic, and features a terrace that is pet-friendly. 

JACKSONVILLE BEACH

Engine 15 Brewing Company is an artisan brewery that creates a variety of traditional and hopped beer types, including Nut Sack Double Brown Ale and Nutsack Peanut Butter Porter. Its taproom has live music, a culinary selection, and a relaxed, industrial ambiance with ample of indoor and outdoor seating. 

Southern Swells Brewing Co. is a craft brewery that creates a variety of hop-forward and experimental beer types, including Whale Shark Wheat IPA and Unicorn Farts Sour Ale. Its taproom has a large array of seating choices, a modern industrial environment, and a changing roster of food trucks. 

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CENTRAL EAST FLORIDA MICROBREWERIES

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FORT PIERCE

Sailfish Brewing Company is an artisan brewery that produces a variety of tasty and hopped beer types, including the White Marlin Witbier and Tag and Release IPA. Its taproom has ample of indoor and outdoor seating and has a lively nautical feel. They also have an operation in nearby Vero Beach. 

Playalinda Brewing Company Hardware Store Location
Playalinda Brewing Company

TITUSVILLE

Playalinda Brewing Company has a large taproom and an outdoor beer garden in addition to a variety of traditional and experimental beer types. The have two locations: the Hardware Store and the Brix project. 

VERO BEACH

Walking Tree Brewery is a sizable brewery that  produces a variety of traditional and avant-garde beer genres. Walking Tree Brewery provides a laid-back, inviting taproom with ample of seating choices, with an emphasis on sustainability and community. 

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CENTRAL FLORIDA MICROBREWERIES

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LONGWOOD

Hourglass Brewing has a comfortable taproom, an outdoor beer garden, and a variety of traditional and creative beer types. 

OCALA

Infinite Ale Works provides a selection of traditional and experimental beer varieties, as well as a comfortable taproom and outdoor beer garden. 

ORLANDO

Brew Theory - is an industrial-chic brewery known for its experimental brews, which are made using unusual ingredients and methods. For a caffeine boost, try their cold-brewed coffee-based Imperial Stout.

Dead Lizard Brewing Company provides a selection of traditional and innovative beers with an emphasis on taste and quality. A popular favorite is their Fruity Lizard IPA, which has a tropical theme with flavors of mango, guava, and pineapple, some being unusual in Central Florida.

Cask & Larder is a craft brewery and restaurant that creates a variety of traditional and innovative beer types, including Love Below Chocolate Porter and 5 Points IPA. There are several indoor and outdoor sitting choices, a complete menu of Southern-inspired cuisine, and a pleasant, rustic ambience in their taproom. 

Ellipsis Brewing is a tiny, family-run brewery that creates a variety of inventive and delectable beer flavors. Ellipsis Brewery is ideal for folks who like the offbeat, with tastes like their Apricot Sour and Cold Brew Coffee Porter.

Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company
Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company

Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company specializes in IPAs, lagers, and other beers.  They provide a changing menu of food trucks in addition to flatbreads, sandwiches, and other pub cuisine on their menu. Its taproom is spacious, has an industrial air, and features a terrace that is pet-friendly. 

Orange Blossom Brewing Co. is renowned for creating a variety of delectable, simple-to-drink beers that are ideal for sipping on a hot day. Their taproom is warm and inviting, with a relaxed ambiance and a variety of board games to keep you occupied. 

Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour and Brewery is a craft brewery and beer bar that serves a broad range of international guest beers in addition to a rotating selection of house-brewed beers. Its tasting room is spacious, has a laid-back atmosphere, and offers both indoor and outdoor dining. 

Sideward Brewing Co. provides a variety of avant-garde and experimental beer varieties in addition to a snug, compact taproom with an original, industrial-chic aesthetic. Each of their beers is jam-packed with distinctive tastes and smells because to their emphasis on utilizing local and seasonal ingredients. 

WINTER GARDEN

Crooked Can Brewing Company is an artisan brewery that creates a variety of traditional and novel beer types, including McSwagger's Own Amber Ale and Domestic Bliss Coffee Blonde. With a large selection of indoor and outdoor seats, live entertainment, and a complete restaurant menu, their taproom provides a warm and rustic ambiance. 

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CENTRAL WEST FLORIDA MICROBREWERIES

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BRADENTON

3 Keys Brewery is a craft brewery that creates a variety of traditional and novel beer genres in flavors including Tangerine Dreamsicle IPA and Magik Dragon Belgian Dubbel. Its taproom has a large selection of indoor and outdoor seats, live music, a food menu, and a friendly, laid-back ambiance. 

Motorworks Brewing is a big, welcoming brewery with a wide selection of traditional and experimental beer varieties, a sizable outdoor beer garden, and a number of food choices. 

CLEARWATER

Big Storm Brewing Company is a small brewery that creates a variety of traditional and cutting-edge beer types, including Wavemaker Amber Ale and Tropic Pressure Florida Ale. Its taproom has a nice, laid-back environment, many of sitting choices, and a changing menu of food trucks. 

DUNEDIN

7venth Sun Brewery - With sites in Dunedin and a second location in Tampa this Dunedin brewery provides a variety of innovative and experimental beer varieties in addition to inviting taprooms and outdoor beer gardens. 

PLANT CITY

Two Henrys Brewing Company - has a comfortable taproom, an outdoor beer garden, and a variety of traditional and experimental beer types. 

SARASOTA

Big Top Brewing Company - This craft brewery provides a variety of beers, including IPAs, stouts, and sours. They also provide a variety of wines and ciders, as well as a culinary menu including pub classics like wood-fired pizza. Its taproom has a circus atmosphere, with artwork and furnishings that are reminiscent of bygone touring acts. 

Calusa Brewing is renowned for its innovative and experimental beer varieties, as well as its outdoor beer garden and food trucks. 

ST. PETERSBURG

Cycle Brewing is well-known for its award-winning brews, which include special and limited-edition brews, as well as its welcoming taproom and outdoor beer garden. 

Daughters Brewery has a large, kid-friendly taproom and an outdoor beer garden in addition to a variety of traditional and experimental beer genres. 

Green Bench Brewing has a taproom with a large selection of indoor and outdoor seats, live music, and a complete restaurant cuisine in a comfortable and relaxed ambiance. 

TAMPA

Angry Chair Brewing is renowned for its inventive and distinctive beer tastes as well as its dedication to quality and community. 

Cigar City Brewing is a craft brewery that creates a variety of tasty and creative beer varieties, like Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout and Jai Alai IPA. Their taproom offers a complete restaurant cuisine, a bustling, industrial ambience, and several indoor and outdoor sitting choices. 

Coppertail Brewing Company
Coppertail Brewing Company

Coppertail Brewing Co. is a big and welcoming brewery with a variety of traditional and experimental beer varieties, as well as a sizable outdoor beer garden and a choice of food options. It is situated in Tampa. 

Hidden Springs Ale Works is a craft brewery that creates a variety of inventive and unusual beer types, including Blueberry Vanilla Donut Lactose Sour and Donut Stop Believin' Brown Ale. Their taproom has a lot of sitting choices and is warm and inviting. 

Six Ten Brewing is a craft brewery that produces a variety of beers, such as IPAs, stouts, and sours. They are renowned for their limited-edition and seasonal brews, which often include distinctive tastes and ingredients. Its taproom features plenty of  seats, a cozy neighborhood vibe, and a changing menu of food trucks. 

Tampa Bay Brewing Company has a sizable taproom and an outdoor beer garden in addition to a variety of traditional and experimental beer varieties. 

TRINITY

Escape Brewing Company has flavors such as Strawberry Blonde Ale and Vanilla Cream Ale, and is renowned for its inventive and original beer types. Their taproom is warm and welcoming, with an emphasis on socializing and unwinding. 

WEEKI WACHEE

Marker 48 Brewery serves a diverse range of traditional and avant-garde beer types, as well as a fluctuating number of guest taps from other nearby brewers. They have a large selection of indoor and outdoor sitting choices in their taproom, which has a rustic, industrial feel. 

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SOUTHWEST FLORIDA MICROBREWERIES

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CAPE CORAL

Eight-Foot Brewing is a small-batch artisan brewery with a homey, neighborhood vibe. Along with a variety of beers, such as IPAs, stouts, and sours, they also sell wines and ciders. Its taproom hosts frequent live music events and has outdoor seating.

FORT MYERS

Fort Myers Brewing Company is renowned for its assortment of traditional and innovative beer varieties, as well as its roomy taproom and outdoor beer garden. 

Bone Hook Brewing Company
Bone Hook Brewing Company

NAPLES

Bone Hook Brewing Company is a popular destination for both residents and visitors. It offers a wide selection of traditional and experimental beer varieties, as well as a large outdoor beer garden and a choice of food options. 

PUNTA GORDA

Fat Point Brewing has a quaint taproom, an outdoor beer garden, and a variety of traditional and experimental beer types. 

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SOUTHEAST FLORIDA MICROBREWERIES

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BOCA RATON

Barrel of Monks Brewing - With an emphasis on premium ingredients and dedication to the craft of brewing, this brewery specializes in producing classic Belgian-style beers. 

BOYNTON BEACH

Devour Brewing Co. has a large, dog-friendly taproom and an outdoor beer garden in addition to a variety of inventive and experimental beer varieties. 

Due South Brewing Co. provides a selection of traditional beer genres in addition to cutting-edge and experimental beers. 

DELRAY BEACH

Saltwater Brewery is a small brewery that values the environment and specializes in unusual beer varieties including Screamin' Reels IPA and Raspberry Reef Fruit Ale. Live music, food trucks, and a relaxed beach vibe can all be found in their taproom. 

FORT LAUDERDALE

Invasive Species Brewing specializes in creating experimental, one-of-a-kind beers utilizing cutting-edge brewing methods and uncommon ingredients. Its taproom has a welcoming, speakeasy-like ambiance and includes a shuffleboard set and a dining space outside. 

LauderAle Brewery
LauderAle Brewery

LauderAle Brewery is a tiny, family-run brewery that creates a variety of traditional and avant-garde beer types. Their taproom is warm and welcoming, with a relaxed ambiance and a selection of small dishes and snacks to go with your brew. 

MIAMI

Beat Culture Brewery - this brewery specializes in Sour beers and employs a range of fruits, spices, and other ingredients to produce distinctive and complex taste profiles. Another well-liked option is their Hop Life IPA, which has a well-balanced mix of citrus and piney hop characteristics.

Biscayne Bay Brewing Company serves a selection of traditional and avant-garde beer types, as well as pizza and empanadas, in addition to a pleasant taproom and a wide range of culinary choices unique in South Florida. 

J. Wakefield Brewing is renowned for its innovative and experimental beer varieties, such as its widely-liked Dragon Fruit Passion Fruit Berliner Weisse, as well as its comfortable taproom and outdoor beer garden. 

The Tank Brewing Company
The Tank Brewing Company

The Tank Brewing Co., has a pleasant taproom and an outdoor beer garden in addition to a variety of traditional and experimental beer genres. They also conduct brewery tours.

Wynwood Brewing Company is renowned for its award-winning brews, such as La Rubia blonde lager and Pop's Porter, as well as its dedication to community and sustainability. 

MIAMI BEACH

South Beach Brewing Company is a craft brewery with an emphasis on light, pleasant beers that go well with the beach lifestyle. These beers, which are offered in cans and on draft at their taproom, are produced with all-natural ingredients like honey and orange peel. 

OAKLAND PARK

Funky Buddha Brewery has a large taproom and an outdoor beer garden in addition to a variety of inventive and experimental beer genres. 

POMPANO BEACH

26 Degree Brewing Company has a quaint taproom, an outdoor beer garden, and a variety of traditional and experimental beer types. 

Odd Breed Wild Ales focuses on crafting wild and sour beers using conventional brewing methods and local ingredients. For dividuals who like the offbeat, tastes like Cerasus Mix Cherry Sour and Kriek Sour Ale are ideal. 

FLORIDA KEYS

Islamorada Beer Company has an expansive taproom and an outdoor beer garden in addition to a variety of traditional and experimental beer varieties. https://www.islamoradabeerco.com/

Mike Miller, Open AI Images

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