2024 Brewery Guide for Best Breweries Tampa St Pete FL

Introduction: Best Breweries Tampa St Pete

Hey there, fellow beer lovers! I’m excited to share with you the 2024 Best Breweries Guide for Tampa and St. Pete, FL, highlighting the top 25 breweries in the area, with 15 in Tampa and 10 in St. Pete.

Get ready to embark on a thrilling adventure through the Tampa Bay Ale Trail, covering areas from Brooksville to Sarasota and Lakeland to Clearwater. With 83 breweries to visit and collectible prizes to earn, this guide is your ultimate companion for exploring the vibrant craft beer scene in Tampa and St. Pete.

Join me as we dive into the best breweries in Tampa St Pete has to offer, from the hoppy delights of Cigar City Brewery and Angry Chair Brewing to the refreshing Beach Blonde Ale at 3 Daughters Brewing Company.

We’ll explore the newest breweries, savor the wide variety of beer at 7venth Sun brewery, and enjoy live music and food trucks at the tasting rooms and beer gardens of Coppertail Brewing and Green Bench Brewing Co. Get ready for an unforgettable journey through the craft beer gems of Tampa and St. Pete!

The Rise of Craft Beer in Tampa and St. Pete

The Tampa Bay area has a rich history of craft beer, with around 100 breweries across both sides of the bay. The local craft beer industry is known for its unique local beers, and craft beer tourism is popular. The documentary “Tampa Beer: Crafting the Bay” tells the full story of local craft beer, from the first brewery to the growth of the modern industry.

Did you know that the first commercial beer brewery in Florida, the Florida Brewing Company, was founded in 1897 by cigar maker Vicente Ybor at the site of an ancient spring in Tampa?

Tampa Bay was not interested in Prohibition and continued to have a vibrant beer culture. The Tampa Bay History Center is featuring an exhibition called History By The Pint: Beer and Brewing In Tampa Bay until Aug. 11, 2019. The Zest podcast explored Tampa Bay’s craft beer origins with historian Rodney Kite-Powell.

The modern craft beer scene in Tampa St. Petersburg started to explode in the late 2000s. Changes in the bottle-size laws in 2001 have allowed for an influx of great beers, both domestic and import, leading to the craft beer culture exploding in Florida. The Tampa Bay beer scene is now among the country’s most exciting, with an eclectic array of producers of everything from classic wheat beers and easy-drinking IPAs to monster barrel-aged stouts. Progress was slow until it wasn’t. Tampa Bay is now one of the country’s liveliest places for beer, representing an array of breweries such as:

Cigar City Brewing
Green Bench Brewing
Angry Chair Brewing
3 Daughters Brewing
7venth Sun Brewery
Coppertail Brewing Co
Cycle Brewing

Explore the vibrant craft beer scene in Tampa and St. Pete through:

The Gulp Coast Craft Brewery Trail featuring over 25 breweries in the St. Pete/Clearwater area
The Bay Crafted Pass, a free passport program in Tampa Bay
The Gulp Coast Passport, featuring 45 breweries and four distilleries
2024 Tampa PubPass offering a free beer at 25 participating bars and breweries
Tampa Bay Ale Trail 2024 covering areas from Brooksville to Sarasota, and Lakeland to Clearwater

Must-Visit Breweries in Tampa

Get ready to explore some of the most exciting breweries in Tampa! First up, Cigar City Brewing is a notable mention, known for its unique and innovative brews, especially their award-winning, hop-forward IPA Jai Alai. Offering brewery tours and a wide range of beers on tap, Cigar City Brewing is a must-visit for any beer enthusiast.

Next, let’s head to Coppertail Brewing Co., located just east of the historic district. Known for their wide variety of beers, from traditional styles to experimental brews, Coppertail offers:

Free Dive IPA, a popular choice among locals
Unholy Trippel, a noteworthy Belgian-style tripel
Night Swim Porter, a delicious dark beer
A large tap list with sours, Belgian Tripel, and Irish Dry Stout

Don’t forget to grab a bite at their onsite restaurant, serving flatbreads, sandwiches, and appetizers.

Other must-visit breweries in Tampa include:

Angry Chair Brewing: Specializing in hoppy IPAs, lactose sours, and dark stouts, with their Puff series featuring slightly sour Berliner-Weiss beers with a marshmallow flavor.
Magnanimous Brewing: Offering all styles of beer and Ginger Beard Coffee, opening at 7 AM every day but Sunday. Popular for their IPAs, especially the All That Remains, and aged imperial stouts.
Hidden Springs Ale Works: Known for unique and innovative beers, with a small tap room and a rotating selection of beers.
Zydeco Brew Werks: Located in Ybor City with a New Orleans style atmosphere, offering a wide range of beers, wine, cocktails, and a food menu.
Tampa Bay Brewing Company: Influential in the Tampa brewing industry since 1996, known for Old Elephant Foot IPA, Twisted Strawberry Fest, and Hop Silo IPA series.

So, grab your friends and embark on a fun and flavorful journey through Tampa’s vibrant craft beer scene!

St. Petersburg's Craft Beer Gems

St. Petersburg’s craft beer scene is a treasure trove of unique and exciting breweries that are sure to impress any beer enthusiast. From the spacious taproom and outdoor beer garden at Green Bench Brewing Co., known for their Belgian-style beers, to the cozy and laidback atmosphere at St. Pete Brewing Company, there’s something for everyone.

Some must-visit breweries in St. Pete include:

3 Daughters Brewing: A local favorite offering a wide variety of beers, a large taproom with outdoor seating, a stage for live music, and more than 40 taps of beer, cider, hard seltzer, and sangria.
Cycle Brewing: Known for their unique and experimental beers, stouts, porters, and barrel-aged offerings, Cycle Brewing has a small taproom with a rotating selection of beers and an industrial feel.
Pinellas Ale Works (PAW): This dog-themed brewery features dog-friendly indoor and outdoor seating, creative brews, a permanent food truck, and a 15-barrel, steam-fired brewhouse with 30 taps in their tasting room.

Other notable breweries include:

Dissent Craft Brewing Company: Friendly atmosphere, top-notch beer selection, and a dog-friendly taproom.
Avid Brew Company: A small tasting room in a hydroponic growing supply shop, offering homegrown brews and brewing supplies.
Cage Brewing: A microbrewery showcasing 17 taps with craft beer, pinball machines, video games, foosball, and cornhole.

Unfortunately, The Brewers Tasting Room (BTR) in St. Pete will close its doors permanently on May 26, 2023, after serving a wide selection of local, regional, national, and international craft beers since 2013. However, new additions like The Neon Lunchbox, a retro-themed bar and restaurant outdoors, food trucks, and picnic tables, and the reopened Welton Brewing Company & Oyster Bar in Pinellas Park ensure that the craft beer scene in St. Pete remains vibrant and exciting.

Brewery Tours and Experiences

Embark on a thrilling adventure through the Tampa Bay Ale Trail, featuring 83 breweries across 8 designated regions in its seventh edition. Completing the trail earns hikers a challenge coin, which serves as the key to a puzzle for the next year’s book. The 2024 edition of the Tampa Bay Ale Trail Passport is available for $30.00, plus sales tax, and includes a collectible challenge coin upon completion.

The Gulp Coast Passport, relaunched by Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, guides users to over 40 local breweries in Pinellas County, offering deals and discounts. Participants who complete the Gulp Coast Passport can earn a redesigned Gulp Coast t-shirt. Tours Are Us offers guided tours to participating breweries and distilleries in Tampa and St. Pete and Clearwater.

Several breweries offer unique and exciting tour experiences:

3 Daughters Brewing: Offers a variety of tours, including a general brewery tour, a sour and barrel-aged tour, a food pairing tour, and a sustainability tour.
Cigar City Brewing: Provides tours of their brewery, with options for general admission and VIP experiences.
Green Bench Brewing: Offers a behind-the-scenes look at their brewing process, with tours available for $10 per person.
Coppertail Brewing Co.: Provides tours of their facility, with general admission at $10 per person and VIP at $20 per person.
Saint Somewhere Brewing: Offers a unique Belgian-inspired brewery tour for $15 per person.
Garagiste Meadery: Provides a meadery tour for $15 per person, offering a different take on the traditional brewery tour.
Brew Bus Tours: Offers public and private tours, visiting various breweries in the area, with tastings included.

Several breweries also offer tours, usually costing around $10 to $15 per person. Florida Avenue Brewing is committed to creating beers that capture the essence of being a Floridian, with a full-service restaurant and bar, and a spacious outdoor beer garden.

Pairing Your Brews with Local Cuisine

As you explore the vibrant craft beer scene in Tampa and St. Pete, don’t forget to indulge in the delicious local cuisine that pairs perfectly with your favorite brews. While it’s sad to hear that Hao Wah, a beloved South Tampa Chinese buffet, will close on March 24, 2024, there are still plenty of fantastic food options to enjoy alongside your craft beer adventures.

Many breweries offer a range of dining options, from light snacks to full meals, ensuring you never go hungry while sampling their latest creations. Some notable examples include:

The Table Restaurant in St. Petersburg, which offers a variety of beer and food pairings, such as Saison Dupont with Spanish Cheese Selection.
Breweries that collaborate with local restaurants and food trucks to provide diverse dining options, giving you a taste of the area’s culinary delights.

So, whether you’re in the mood for a classic pub fare, a gourmet food truck experience, or a carefully curated beer and cheese pairing, the Tampa and St. Pete craft beer scene has you covered. As you embark on your brewery tours and tastings, be sure to ask about the food options available at each location, and don’t be afraid to try something new – you might just discover your new favorite beer and food combination!

List of Breweries' Location

Get ready to embark on a thrilling craft beer adventure through the Tampa Bay area! With the help of the Tampa Bay Ale Trail and Gulp Coast Passport, you can easily navigate your way to the best breweries in the region. The Gulp Coast is divided into three regions: North, Central, and South, each offering a unique set of breweries to explore. From dog-friendly taprooms to family-friendly establishments, there’s something for everyone on the Gulp Coast.

Here’s a breakdown of the breweries you can visit in each region:

Central Trail:

Tampa (12 breweries): Angry Chair Brewing, Cigar City Brewing, Deviant Libation, Florida Ave Brewing Co, Magnanimous Brewing, Ology Tampa, Six Ten Brewing, Southern Brewing & Winery, TBBC – Westchase, Ulele Spring Brewery, Woven Water Brewing Co, Wulfaven Brewing Co.
Ybor (7 breweries): BarrieHaus Beer Co., Bastet Brewing, Big Storm Brewing & Distilling, Cigar City Cider and Mead, Coppertail Brewing Co., TBBC Ybor, Zydeco Brew Werks

West Trail:

St Pete (13 breweries): Bayboro Brewing Co., Cycle Brewing, Dissent Craft Brewing Co., Golden Isles Brewing Co., Grand Central Brewhouse, Green Bench, Gulfport Brewery + Eatery, If I Brewed the World, Mastry’s Brewing Co., Overflow Brewing Co., Pinellas Ale Works, St Pete Brewing Co., Webb’s City Cellar
Dunedin (7 breweries): 7venth Sun Brewery, Caledonia Brewing, Cueni Brewing Co., Dunedin Brewery, HOB Brewing Co., Soggy Bottom Brewing Co, Woodwright Brewing Co.
Greater Pinellas (17 breweries): 5 Branches Brewing, Anecdote Brewing Co., Arkane Aleworks, Big Storm Brewing Co. Clearwater, Brighter Days Brew Co., Commerce Brewing Co. (Opening Soon – will not count against Pinellas completion), Crooked Thumb Brewery, deBine Brewing Co., Grindhaus Brew Lab, Olde Florida Brewing Co. (Closed and will not count against completion), Ozona Brewing Co., Pee-Pa’s Garage Craft Brewery, Rapp Brewing Co., Southern Lights Brewing, Troubled Waters, Two Frogs Brewing Co, Unrefined Brewing

Other Regions:

South Trail: South Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota (10 breweries)
East Trail: East Hillsborough, Plant City, Lakeland (7 breweries)
North Trail: North Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando (10 breweries)

In addition to the breweries, don’t forget to check out Rally’s on 4th, a 24/7 gas station with one of the best beer selections in the city, and Rollin’ Oats Market & Cafe, a locally-owned, natural foods market with a well-stocked craft beer selection. With so many options to choose from, you’re sure to find your new favorite brew in the Tampa Bay area!

Conclusion

The Tampa Bay area is a true paradise for craft beer enthusiasts, with an incredible array of breweries offering unique and delicious brews. From the historic streets of Ybor City to the sun-drenched beaches of St. Pete, there’s no shortage of exciting places to explore and savor the best that the local craft beer scene has to offer. Whether you’re a hophead, a stout lover, or a fan of experimental flavors, you’ll find plenty to love in the vibrant taprooms, beer gardens, and tasting rooms scattered throughout the region.

So, gather your friends, grab your Tampa Bay Ale Trail passport, and embark on an unforgettable journey through the craft beer gems of Tampa and St. Pete. Don’t forget to leave a comment about your favorite brewery in the area – we’d love to hear about your adventures and discoveries as you explore the Gulp Coast and beyond. Cheers to great beer, good times, and the irresistible charm of the Tampa Bay craft beer scene!

FAQS

Q: What is the total number of breweries in St. Petersburg? A: St. Petersburg has become a renowned destination for craft beer enthusiasts, boasting over 50 breweries in the greater St. Pete-Clearwater area, which is affectionately known as ‘The Gulp Coast.’

Q: Can you tell me how many craft breweries are located in the Tampa area? A: The greater Tampa Bay region is proud to have a thriving craft beer scene with 110 breweries, including 46 in Pinellas County and 33 in Hillsborough County.

Q: Which brewery holds the title of the largest in Florida? A: The largest brewery in Florida, which is also the oldest brewery still in operation, is the Barley Mow Brewing Co. Lager house situated in Ybor City.

Q: How many breweries can one find in Clearwater, Florida? A: Clearwater, Florida, which is famous for its stunning beaches, is home to 5 breweries. These breweries are part of the ‘Gulp Coast’ and provide a variety of unique beers and experiences for locals and visitors alike.