American Craft Beer Week is May 10-16, 2021 and as a craft brew lover, I thought it was only appropriate to share my top 10 favorite Florida breweries! If you follow me anywhere else, like YouTube or Instagram, you’ve probably heard me say, “this is one of my favorite Florida breweries!” I say it a lot and I genuinely mean it. I love everything about breweries – the community, the beertenders and brew masters with passion, the atmosphere, and of course the beer! I’ll be the first to tell you that I can’t choose a favorite. So many of them are “my favorite” and my list of favorites will probably be ever-changing. But with that being said, here are my 10 favorite Florida breweries (you know, as of today).
Florida Keys Brewing Co / Islamorada, Florida
The Florida Keys are bound to be included in any “best of” compilations I make about anything in Florida and this is no exception. It’s no secret that the Florida Keys are our special place and Florida Keys Brewing Co captures the Florida Keys atmosphere so incredibly well. From the laid back tie dye theme to the live music most nights, you know you are in paradise the second you step foot inside this place.
Anecdote Brewing Co / Indian Rocks Beach, Florida
The location of this brewery is incredibly special to us. Located in sleepy (but super fun) Indian Rocks Beach, this brewery is a perfect addition to the community. They have a big screen TV for all of the big games and often have events, like yoga on Sunday mornings. We usually stop in for a drink and then take a beer to go. With a convenient location right across the street from the beach, it’s a great place to stop in before or after your beach day. I also appreciate their ability to adapt – they opened right in the middle of the pandemic!
Good Liquid / Bradenton, Florida
We absolutely love their beer here. And with several pages of options, you will, too! My husband is always so excited to see a long list of sours while my favorite is their raspberry jalapeño cream ale. I typically get a flight and love everything I’ve tried. I think that what sets them apart is how welcoming their beertenders are. I really appreciate that they make sure you know you are welcome and that they are happy to see you there. Good Liquid also serves food, so it’s a great brewery to choose if you’re hungry!
Big Top / Sarasota, Florida
They serve one of my favorite beers, Hotter Blonde, which is a blonde with jalapeño and honey. This was the first hot/spicy beer I ever had. I fell in love and I’ve never been quite the same ever since! They only brew it once a year, so we always stock up when they’re brewing it. My husband loves every sour he’s ever tried from here, too. They often partner with other local businesses to create fun and unique beers. One of our favorite collaborations was with Five-o Donut Co when Big Top used their donut glaze in their recipe! Big Top is a popular place with locals and it can definitely get busy on the weekends, especially when they have fun events.
HOB / Dunedin, Florida
HOB serves peanut butter beer! Need I say more? Their Peanut Butter Blonde is one of my favorite beers of all time. I tell all of my friends about it fearing I may be hyping it up a little too much, but as it turns out, there is no such thing. My friends always end up loving it just as much as me! Their brewery is located in the heart of Dunedin (a charming town I love so, so much) and right on the Pinellas trail. If you’re unfamiliar, the Pinellas trail is a 45 mile trail good for walking, biking, and more so that really puts HOB in a great location. Their huge outdoor area is a great place to gather with friends and they just added on with additional space.
Hop Life / Port Saint Lucie, Florida
We absolutely love Hop Life’s great beer and great atmosphere – both indoors and out. What more could you want?! Whenever we visit, I am stumped on what to order because they have so many great options and each sounds as good as the last. They always have good IPAs and I enjoy their shandys on a warm day in their outdoor space. I think perhaps my favorite, though, is their key lime colada milkshake IPA. It tastes just like key lime pie and you can even get it half beer and half slushee form. Trust me, it’s the way to do it! We’ve been lucky to visit on days where the temperature is perfect for utilizing their outdoor area and it is the best outdoor space. They have a really nice covered outdoor area with some beautiful plants. They also have a food truck most days.
Marker 48 / Spring Hill, Florida
Marker 48 is a newer find for us, but we are absolutely in love. They have over 25 taps! I tried 4 different IPAs, all of which I absolutely loved and for non-beer lovers, they also make sangria and cider and sell local wine. They have different food trucks that rotate, which is a great opportunity to support multiple small businesses. Their outdoor beer garden is such an amazing atmosphere with several different unique spots to sit.
Alafia Brewing / Gibsonton, Florida
This might be one of the most underrated breweries. We didn’t know it existed until we drove by but we feel that everyone needs to know about it. Alafia Brewing serves a wide range of beer – they have a little bit of everything, so if you like craft beer you will like Alafia Brewing. I liked all of the beer I tried, but what made it even better was the entertainment. We were surprised with a drag queen show the Sunday we visited, which was a blast. They also have trivia, yoga, karaoke, and more! Their beertenders were down to earth and we loved chatting with them.
Cotee River Brewing Company / New Port Richey, Florida
We love the location of this brewery in historic downtown New Port Richey. Cotee River Brewing Company features rustic decor focuses on the Pithlachascotee River (Cotee River for short). They don’t serve food, but you’re welcome to bring your own in. We highly recommend a sub from heroes. The bartenders were extremely welcoming. We visited shortly after Thanksgiving and will be returning for their pumpkin beer every year around this time. It was served with a sugar mix on the rim which only made it better.
Miami Brewing Co / Miami, Florida
I found Miami Brewing Company when I was brand new to craft beer. I tried their Big Rod Coconut Blonde Ale at my friend’s wedding rehearsal dinner and have loved this brewery ever since. I was so excited to visit on one of our trips to the Keys and now we stop here regularly on our way down to the islands. We love the wide-open feel of their space, I love all of the beers I’ve tried there, they have fun games (my husband especially loves the basketball arcade game), and best of all they have fun events. Last time we were there, it was country night. They had line dancers who taught some fun line dances and it was a blast! They have tons of events, so make sure to check out their website for an updated calendar!
There are so many great Florida breweries. I’d love to hear your favorites – so tell me, what are your favorite breweries in Florida?
