Good bottle shops near disneyworld.

[rustynails223]

Hey guys I was just wondering if anybody has went searching for good craft beer around Disney World in orlando florida. I will be there in less than 2 weeks and would like to smuggle a bunch of good craft beer back with me. some beer I am especially looking for is jolly pumpkin, heretic, New glarus, moonlight meadery, anything russian river......anything, and all other great craft beer. If anyone else has already been on a beer quest near disney I would love to have any tips. Thanks

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Not sure in bottle shops around Disney. Epcot however has beers from each of the different locales on the world your. Drink your way around the lake. There is a brewery at the boardwalk(found out after our last trip) but haven't been yet.

 

[rustynails223]

Thanks for the info. I will definately be drinking beer around epcot. Now i just need to find some bottle shops

 

[brewcephus]

lived in Orlando for a couple years and there are lots of good beers in Orlando, but not real sure about whats actually in Disney. Like Swil said, you can drink your way around the lake at Epcot, but as far as good craft brews I'm not really sure if they have any.

If you get a chance to go into Orlando there are lots of places to get good beers, dunno if they will let you keep the bottles though as I was always when I left

 

[IffyG]

I was at Epcot a few weeks ago. Beer is available around the world showcase, but pickings are slim. The best stuff is at a stand in the Germany portion of the world showcase.

I can tell you that you won't find New Glarus anywhere but Wisconsin.

 

[reverendj1]

Drinking around the world is pretty fun. I go to Disney World just about every year. We have attempted to drink around the world several times, but it takes a LONG time. The only time we were successful was on my honeymoon. You need to plan on it taking much longer than you think, and it's best to share. I didn't really get into craft beer until after my last time in Disneyworld, so I can't say much for what was available. You have piqued my interest though, as I plan on going again in January.

I've always stayed on property and fly, so I've never had a car. One thing many people in my situation do is use a grocery delivery service, like gardengrocer.com. Looking at their website though, they don't really have much craft beer. Mostly BMCs, but some Dogfish Head, one Red Hook, and one Florida Beer.

If you are just looking for a pint in the park, Beers and Ears http://beersandears.net/wdw-beer-list/ has a good list of what's on tap. They even have an app to find beer near you (iPhone only).

As GilSwillBasementBrews said, there is a brewery in The Boardwalk resort (just a short walk/boat ride from the International Showcase in Epcot) called Big River Brewing Company. Here is an article about it, http://www.today.com/food/where-dad-disney-gets-brew-oasis-craft-beer-750875?franchiseSlug=foodmain. I'll definitely be trying this out on my next trip.

 

[NickTheGreat]

We went in December and I didn't notice the Boardwalk Brewery until we were almost leaving. I told myself that their beer was likely crappy

 

[rustynails223]

Thanks for the replies. I am aware if the beer available inside the park. Was more wondering about good bottle shops so i can fill my suitcase. Has anyone been to knightly spirits? Or any other good ones?

 

[Redbeard5289]

If you plan to drink on the Disney grounds bring your wallet. Last time my family was there we stayed at the All-Star Movie Resort. The resort had a bar next to the pool and had the big 3 on tap plus a sam adams and yuengling (sp) but I think I ended up spending about $6 for a red solo cup. The gift shop also had 6 packs of beer available to purchase at the resort but a six pack of miller lite was $30. These prices and selection were very discouraging for me during my last trip.
However, as mention previously there are quite a number of beers available at Epcot that are priced a bit better from the different country showcases around the lake. Dining at the Germany Showcase and partaking in their "oktoberfest" buffet was marvelous plus they serve you german beer in those 1 liter steins.
Another option is to go to the Boardwalk (take the ferry to it) and there besides the ESPN Sports Bar is the Big River Grill and Brewery Works. Through the Big River website I was put in touch with their brewmaster at the Boardwalk's Brewery and Restaurant who gave me a tour of his brewery and his brewing process. He then treated me to a sampler of the 6-7 beers they created and had on tap and some back story on each beer. The season bourbon oak barrel oatmeal stout was exceptional. The tour and sampler were free (at least it was a couple of years ago), you just need to contact him (phone or email) ahead of time to set up an appointment. BTW, the food at the brewery's restaurant is very well done and many of the dishes are prepared with the beer they serve.
Since Disney is promoting that family-friendly atmosphere you will be hard pressed to find designated liquor stores within their borders. But you might be able to find something at Downtown Disney or another venue that is more geared toward adult entertainment. Also don't be afraid to stop into the local gas stations and see what they offer. Many places just outside the Disney Border know how Disney operates and are willing to provide the services to Disney guests that they can find within the border, such as alcohol, cigarettes, etc.
Hope this helps your trip planning...
Sincerely,
Redbeard5289

 

[reverendj1]

Thanks for the replies. I am aware if the beer available inside the park. Was more wondering about good bottle shops so i can fill my suitcase. Has anyone been to knightly spirits? Or any other good ones?

I was thinking you meant back to the hotel. Ha. Knightly Spirits looks like a good choice. Their website says that the Orange Blossom Trail store has the best beer selection. If you are to believe their website, they sound like some nice folks. I'd just call them ahead of time, and ask them what kind of selection they have.

 

[IffyG]

I stopped at ABC Fine Wine and Spirits at 11951 S. Apopka-Vineland Rd.Orlando, FL 32836 on my way back to the highway to go home. It was about 10 minutes away from the Old Key West Resort. They had some Cigar City Stuff on hand, so I was pretty happy with it.

 

[Gdog]

I was there in January and went to a few groceries stores looking for a selction of craft beer. They mostly had BMC stuff. I had to go to an ABC store to get some cigar city and heavy seas.

 

[allenH]

If you are at Disney World, take the afternoon and drive about 45 to an hour west on I-4 and hit up Cigar City Brewery. Do the brewery tour and buy as many beers as possible to take home with you. You will not regret it. The only "trade worthy" beers we get in Florida are Cigar City and Terrapin (Atlanta, GA). Other than those, Orlando is a craft beer dead zone.

 

[rustynails223]

Thanks for all the information. I live in Alaska so going to any of the lower 48 states is a great time for me to stock up on some good craft beer that is not available to me here. Any more info is greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[tagz]

If you go to rate beer and look up locations, you can get a map and reviews of nearby bars, breweries, and bottle shops. I use it whenever I'm visiting a new city.

 

[Sbe2]

Ahh it’s come back to life, resurrecting this thread. Going to the MK in January and am looking for some beers that I can/should get while I m in the area. I usually get Jai Ali and spend time at the brewery near Epcot. Looking for some suggestions from anyone that cares.

 

[cyberbackpacker]

Hit up any Publix and try some beer from Crooked Can; if you have the time they are about 35-40 minutes from the ML and the brewery is definitely worth a visit. Their head brewer is top notch class too.