Beer in Tampa

[MI_Craig]

Headed down this week. Can anyone recommend some places for good, local brew?

 

[passedpawn]

A trip to Tampa must include Cigar City Tasting Room.

Besides Cigar City, Tampa has another brewery called Florida Ave Brewing. I've had one of their beers (don't remember which one) and it was unremarkable.

Just to the west, near the water, is Dunedin Brewery. If you are heading to the beach it's a perfect place to stop. Great eats, and great beer brewed there. Well worth it.

Probably too far, but a bit north (Tarpon Springs) is Saint Somewhere. This is a one-man-show, Bob Sylvester, and I think all he brews is Saisons. That's right. I wouldn't go there, as I don't thing there is much to see, but his beer is everywhere in the area.

 

[beersteiner2345]

Cigar City. By FAR my favorite brewery in the country. Go there. I know they are having some special event one day this week though... not sure which day.

Try their Humidor IPA, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Brown, Tocobaga Red, 110K, Maduro Brown, and anything else.

Only beer I have ever had from there that I did not feel was phenomenal was the Guava Grove.

Man I miss Cigar City. But I have an acquaintance mailing me some Active Yeast Samples for analysis that happen to have CC's logo on them.

Tampa Bay Brewing Co. in Ybor has some good beers too.

For food though, I would say The Columbia is a great "Traditional Tampa" Cuban restaurant. The Colonade is great for seafood. If you want to spend some money, Bern's Steakhouse is probably one of the best steakhouses in the world (they do have one of the biggest wine collections too, if you're into that). For Mexican food, The Tacobus can't be beat.

I lived in Tampa for 15 years, so feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Are you staying in North or South Tampa?

 

[SwampassJ]

Cigar City is the best around. Tampa Bay Brewing Company has good food, ok beer and awesome rootbeer.

 

[beersteiner2345]

Agreed... I always enjoy TBB just for their one burger they have... it's amazing. And their Iron Rat Stout is pretty good IMO.

 

[MI_Craig]

Anyone been to the Dunedin Brewery?

http://www.dunedinbrewery.com/

 

[passedpawn]

Anyone been to the Dunedin Brewery?

http://www.dunedinbrewery.com/

Too many times. Good beer, good eats. Dunedin is a cool little town with several eclectic eating establishments, so you could just eat at the Chick-a-Boom Room (live music) and walk over to the brewery for some brrrrs. Gulf of Mexico is about a 1 minute walk away. Honeymoon Island / Caladesi Island are right around the corner, and are rated in the top 10 beaches in the country.

 

[Jersh]

Definitely must visit Cigar City Brewing... They just released a new brew called Black Hole that they are only distributing in Alabama (it's a tribute to the band that their head brewer Wayne Wambles used to play in when he lived in AL) and they also have it on tap in their tasting room... It's a very limited brew, they only produced 144 cases and whatever they have on tap in their tasting room. It's described as an English porter/Belgian dubbel hybrid that was fermented with a French saison yeast... I had a bottle tonight whilst in Birmingham for business.... It was definitely a unique beer, the initial nose had huge roastiness, and as it warmed I detected some plum and then when it was close to room temp there were some serious black licorice notes... It also got more and more sour as it warmed. It was also quite highly carbonated which is different for a porter-esque beer.

Beyond that, if you're looking for a good beer-bar I would try Mr. Dunderbak's near USF, Datz Deli in South Tampa, and also the Brass Tap at either the Brandon Mall or Wiregrass Mall.

I also second the food choices that Pointer mentioned.

 

[beersteiner2345]

Good call on the Brass Tap (although pretty far from Clearwater) and Dunderbaks. Dunderbaks has passable German good as well. Can't believe I forgot that one. lol

Man I wish I could try the Black Hole. I have a buddy sending me a bomber of the Marshall Zhukov (Imperial Stout) that comes out this week. That'll probably be worth tasting too at Cigar City.

I would just go to Cigar City in a cab. lol They also usually have a guest tap for Swamphead. That brewery was 1 mile from my house in Gainesville and they turn out some fine beers as well...

 

[Jersh]

Why not have your buddy send you a bottle of the Black Hole as well? I believe they're selling it in bottles at the tasting room, that's the only place in FL that they're selling the bottles.

 

[beersteiner2345]

We'll see... already have a lot in this "order" so to speak.