Responsibly Drink Your Way Around The Gulp Coast: 17 Craft Breweries To Enjoy

Big Storm Brewing Company

Founded in 2012, Big Storm Brewing has embraced its tagline of Florida Craft Beer Forecast. With beers like Palm Bender IPA, Tropic Pressure Golden Ale, and Wavemaker Amber Ale you can see the weather plays an important part in their story.

They have 6 year-round beers and a variety of special and seasonal brews. Some of their special releases are named things like 6, 7, or 8 Year Storm. Or how about a Category 1 Belgian Single? Or a Category 2 Belgian Dubbel? You see where this is going. They have Categories 3-5 Belgians. A favorite is the BROmosa Tangerine IPA. An IPA with a nice Tangerine taste and dry, hoppy finish that even “IPA haters” enjoy.

Make sure you go to the website and become a Hurricane Hunter to receive updates on exclusive events, discounts, and more. Or, use the Storm Tracker function to find Big Storm in a store near you.

Brighter Days Brewing Company

Located along the Pinellas Trail, Brighter Days Brewing Co. knows what it means to look forward to those. For some, opening during a pandemic would be intimidating. But for co-founders Jason Leonard and Aron Guten, it was just another challenge. One more hurdle to clear to bring a dream to reality. And what a dream it was.

To accommodate the closures brought on by Covid, they pivoted and closed the tasting room. Switching to a carry-out-only method, they weathered the storm. And with their location on the Pinellas Trail, they used it as the lifeblood of their new brewery. They added a 900-square-foot patio so patrons could park their bikes, walk up to the take-out window and never have to come inside.

We enjoyed their Brighter Days IPA. Because anything that shares your name has to be good. And it was! Also on tap was Luckiest Man NE Style Hazy IPA. While it was good, I actually enjoyed one of their Fruited Sours just a bit more. I say it that way because I normally do not go for Sours. But the Cranberry Orange and Summertime Magic Sours were good. The Summertime Magic has Passion Fruit and Guava.

Caledonia Brewing

Started by beer enthusiasts and friends, Caledonia embraces the Scottish heritage that runs through Dunedin. In fact, Caledonia was the name given to Scotland by the Romans. Their logo features Scotlands National animal…the Unicorn! They are housed in the historic Dunedin Times building. Dating from 1925.

The beers also reflect the Scottish heritage. From the Dragon’s Blood Red Ale to the Horned Stallion Double IPA. The Saltire Session IPA is named for the flag, which is one of the oldest flags still in use today. Make sure to try the Rat Arsed Scotch Ale. If it’s a little too strong, grab a Half-Arsed. The lower ABV version of the Rat Arsed.

Their taproom is a large open space with community tables. So you will definitely become instant friends with the others seated around you. After a few Rat Arses, you’ll be raising a glass and saying Slainte mhath! And no, it’s not pronounced anything like it’s spelled. The Gaelic pronunciation is slan-ge-var. On second thought, maybe let them say it and stick to “cheers”!

Crooked Thumb

Located in Safety Harbor, Crooked Thumb owes its name to Pinellas County. The County has been said to hang off Florida’s coast like a crooked thumb. Opened in October 2015, the taproom is a restored auto body paint shop. And that character remains with the large roll-up doors on the front.

The Shade Tree IPA conjures images of a few guys working on their cars in someone’s front yard. Where someone always has a cooler full of good beer and a radio playing good music. We visited around Girl Scout cookie time. And while no one tried to sell us any cookies (dang it!), their Girl Scout cookie-inspired beers were really good. For a few years now, Crooked Thumb brewers create beers with those legendary flavors.

A nice, laid-back atmosphere makes Crooked Thumb an enjoyable place to meet with an old military buddy, as I did. Or to just sit back, relax, and unwind. There is no food on site, but on weekends local food vendors serve up some.

Dunedin Brewery

Another brewery located right off the Pinellas Trail near downtown Dunedin. And another that embraces the Scottish heritage of the town. Open to the public since 1996 makes this the oldest micro-brewery in Florida. They have played a crucial part in the state’s craft beer scene. They formed the Florida Brewers Guild and Tampa Bay Beer Week. And have also consulted for numerous up-and-coming breweries.

This means beer lovers should head over for a flight, but you will find better beer and friendlier service in the other breweries in town. This disappoints me because they pretty much started everything for the state. Quality is subjective. We won’t always like the same things. But unfriendly service just made us go elsewhere.

Gulfport Brewery + Eatery

They started in 2019 and are committed to “Keeping it weird”! But don’t let that discourage you. It should actually encourage you to visit this brewery + eatery. They have “eatery” in their name because they consider themselves “foodies”, as well. And for good reason. Their menu had so many good choices. We settled for The Camera Guy flatbread. Roasted chicken, Carolina bbq sauce, pineapple, pickled onions, and Colby jack cheese. It tasted great!

The beer names are unique, too. The Unsteady Freddy IPA had a smooth, hoppy finish. The Tiki Tonic was our favorite of the tasting flight. Another good one is the Hippie Oasis. And I can’t forget the “Try the Orange Stuff, It’s Delicious”. I have definitely started liking sours more since moving to Florida.

The city of Gulfport is a small beach town on the southwestern corner of the Pinellas County peninsula. The streets are lined with parking spots because walking around is such a better way of getting around this town. Front porches are a mere few feet from the sidewalks. And relaxation is the order of the day. If you find yourself in this small corner of Pinellas County, you have to stop by and grab a beer and something to eat. Then stroll a couple of blocks down the road to the water.

Ozona Brewing Company

The village of Ozona is the definition of eclectic. With multimillion-dollar mansions sitting next door to tumble-down beach shacks. The whole community is about 775 households. And in the heart of it is the Ozona Brewing Company. Colorful and light-hearted, this is the place to relax and not take life too seriously. And with good beer, that’s easy to do.

Their beer is made on-site, which means it’s as fresh as can be. The downside to this is the limited number of their beers at any one given time. But what they lack in quantity, they make up for in quality. The OBC IPA can make an IPA fan out of most “haters”. The Premature Evacuation is a fruitful APA with a pretty powerful punch. I tried the Motor Boatin’ and was impressed, although it was a Blonde Ale and I prefer IPAs.

The eclectic nature of the community is a strong point of Ozona Brewing Company’s charm. From the friendliness of everyone, we met to the laid-back feel of…well, life. I wanted to grab a couple of beers and head to the beach. Set myself up with a cooler and ice, lay in a hammock, and watch the sunset. The beer and cooler, I got. Now, to find a hammock and a spot between two trees.

Soggy Bottom Brewery

On a morning in 2012, two friends were on their way to buy supplies for their homebrewing operation. It had rained the night before and the truck window was left open. As they got in, the driver told his friend, “don’t sit there, you’ll get a soggy bottom”. And that’s how these friends both decided to start and name their brewery.

They started with five signature brews. A toasted Coconut Porter. A Blackberry Hefeweizen. Amber Ale. A black IPA. And a honey Kolsch-style Ale. The black IPA was new to me but tasted good. For those of you, like me, that hadn’t heard of a black IPA, here’s the difference. A darker malt. That’s all there is to it. And it adds a roasted flavor to the beer. I recommend the Goon IPA. It’s a 9% ABV but doesn’t taste like it. It’s nice and smooth. And not too hoppy for its strength.

Soggy Bottoms’ hope was to convert folks who wouldn’t normally try beer. Their Prohibition-themed Tap Room adds character. Fitting nicely alongside the industrial aspects of the brewery. And sharing a wall with Southern BBQ, you can grab a great meal to pair with your beers.

Stilt House Brewery

Like a few others on this list, Stilt House sits just off the Pinellas Trail and a short distance from de Bine Brewing Company. It’s also a block from Historic Downtown Palm Harbor. You can stop in during your bike ride. They have everything from the lightest Lagers to the darkest Stouts. Guided by their Master Brewer, with 30 years of experience in craft beer, they are sure to have something you like.

Our flight had 6 in it. Some were seasonal and no longer available. Some are always on tap. One of which is the Notably Noble. A stronger IPA at 6.8%, it had a nice hoppy finish. Next is the Soul Candy. A chocolatey Milk Stout with a sweet finish. Maybe a little too sweet to have too many of them, but nice for a one-and-done. We didn’t have it on our flight, but their Black Lager/Schwarzbier “Montagne Noire” is an award-winning beer. It took Bronze at the 2020 Best Florida Beer competition.

Troubled Waters Brewing

Located on Main Street in Safety Harbor, Troubled Waters Brewing doesn’t want to play it safe. They want to take chances with beer and be creative. To explore different tastes and experiment with mixes of ingredients.

One example of this comes in their Costa Rican Sunrise. A Milk Stout brewed with Cafe Vino Tinyto coffee and vanilla. You might not want to drink one in place of your morning coffee, but you could replace your afternoon one. They also have a variety of SMaSH beers. (Single Malt and Single Hop). SMaSH beers are a great way to explore the characteristics of a particular malt and specific hop. These are a great way to introduce another flavor. Try the Blood Orange or the Grapefruit SMaSHes.

A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are for. When you head out to sea, you may run into Troubled Waters. But that’s when you know you are truly exploring. And that’s where you discover something new. So, in a great juxtaposition of the town they’re in, Troubled Waters Brewing in Safety Harbor is worth the visit.

Two Frogs Brewing Company

Located in Historic Downtown Tarpon Springs, Two Frogs is housed in an old drugstore dating from 1895. This father and son nanobrewery has a history of operating breweries. In fact, the head brewers’ grandfather owned a brewery in pre-Prohibition times. And, as a recurring theme on this list, it is another brewery situated right off the Pinellas Trail.

Unique names seem to go hand-in-hand with craft beer. And why not? It’s fun. And Two Frogs is no different. We tried and subsequently filled our growler with, the BluBlu. But also really enjoyed the Flamingo Soup. Another is the Ganache. A chocolate imperial Porter aged in bourbon barrels. There’s something about a good beer aged in barrels like this. The subtle notes of bourbon the beer picks up during the aging process.

Owners Chad and Michael Croake used the same uniqueness in naming the brewery, too. They are the two “frogs” that made a pun of their last name. But it doesn’t mean they don’t take brewing seriously. One taste of any of their brews and that is evident. And if you’re hungry, call in a pizza order with Back Draughts down the street and they will deliver. So you can just sit back and enjoy.

Two Lions Winery and Palm Harbor Brewery

This small-batch winery and brewery is a house. No, really. Inside you can see it was a house turned into a dual winery + brewery. It started as a passion project of the owner. She started out making and perfecting wine before branching out to beer.

As for the wine, I can’t say. I prefer beer. And I was impressed with what we had. The most surprising was the PB&J Brown Ale. It actually tasted like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The Orange Tropic Cream Ale reminded me of one of those push pops. In a good way. But I still enjoy my IPAs and they didn’t disappoint. The Hoppy Trail and Eclipse Black IPAs. And the Hops Gone Wild DIPA. All great-tasting beers. Even the Java Stout. To my surprise, coffee and beer go well together.

Hanging out in a kitchen and drinking beer is something we’ve probably all done. Making small talk with others while enjoying a cold drink is when beer is at its best. But that’s usually at our home or the home of a friend. But at Two Lions Winery and Palm harbor Brewery, that’s what you become. You may enter a stranger, but you will leave a friend.

Woodwright Brewing Company

Have you ever heard of an Optimist Pram? It is one of the most widely produced and sailed boats in the world. And it was the creation of Clark “Clarkie” Mills who was inspired by soap box derby races. So he designed an inexpensive boat for children to build at home and sail in races. Clarkie is long gone, but the building where he built these and other boats is still there. Only now, it houses a brewery. In place of saws and woodworking tools, there are kettles and fermenting tanks.

Another brewery, another good barrel-aged stout. Nice and strong at 9% ABV, this was a full-bodied stout. But you probably wouldn’t want to overdo it with them. If you’re looking to have a few, try the Dry Irish Stout. Very good, but not as strong or heavy. Refreshing and hoppy with a good finish. Our third and final beer was called Mandarina. Don’t confuse this with mandarin oranges, although there were citrus notes in the beer. No, Mandarina is a hop variety from Germany. But, either way, don’t pass up a chance to grab yourself one.

For years, “Clarkie” Mills put care and dedication into what he created in the building. When it was sold to the current owners, they too, put care into their creations as woodwrights. Later, when they decided to brew beer full-time, the same principles were carried over into it. With an atmosphere that honors the building’s origins, Woodwright Brewing Company gets it right. As “Clarkie” put it when he sold the building, “good things come from that place. It has an aura about it”. He was right.

7eventh Sun

Starting a brewery in 600 square feet is a challenge, to say the least. But when you have a background in Fermentation Science from Oregon State University, you have a solid footing. Throw in brewing for Anheuser-Busch and being the production manager for Sweetwater Brewing and you’re up to the challenge. They are double the size now, but being forced to start with small batches allowed for creating a wide variety of styles.

The Graffiti Orange Creamsicle Wheat Ale is probably my favorite of theirs. Its light, citrus flavor is perfect for a hot and humid afternoon. The subtle hint of vanilla adds to it, as well. The Headbanger IPA tastes good, but the next day, I understood the name. My head hurt! “It Puts The Cucumber On Its Skin Or It Gets The Gose Again” is only released occasionally. But when I see it, I want to try it. If only for the name. Another occasional release is “Do You Even Sudachi, Bro?”. I want to try this one because I’ve never heard of the Sudachi fruit.

7eventh Sun continues to develop recipes that compliment Florida’s sunshine. And by tapping into the many different tropical and citrus fruits the sunshine state offers. This philosophy takes brewing learned on a large scale and takes a new approach. An approach that creates many varieties of great-tasting beer.