Best Breweries in Tampa, FL
When it comes to trying out the best breweries in Tampa, you’re going to need a few days. Whether you’re a craft beer aficionado or enjoy the thought of trying out a creative selection of craft beers once in a while, Tampa offers a highly diverse selection to choose from.
You can expect to find everything from world-class IPAs to unconventional sours to superb stouts all over Tampa. Ready to get started? Check out this must-try list of the best breweries in Tampa for your next visit or local outing.
Cigar City Brewing
3924 W. Spruce Street, Tampa, FL
(813) 348-6363
Opened in 2009, Cigar City Brewing (CCB) is one of the older breweries located in Tampa. Even so, it hasn’t stayed stagnate in its offerings of both ales and lagers. The locals continue to select it as the top brewery in the area, and that says a lot.
It’s not just the locals, though. Cigar City Brewing wins national accolades for several of its craft beers, including the Jai Alai IPA, often sated as one of the top IPAs in the world with its orange hop intensity and unique taste.
If a darker beer is more to your liking, give their Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout a try. Considered an original pastry stout, this one is expertly brewed with a unique combination of vanilla, cacao, cinnamon, and chili peppers.
Other handcrafted beers to try include Guayabera, a pale ale, and the recent award-winning Maduro Brown Ale. They also offer seasonal brews.
Offerings here are widely distributed across approximately 40 states as well as 12 international locals, so don’t be surprised if you find you are already familiar with at least a few of them.
Coppertail Brewing Company
2601 E. 2nd Avenue, Tampa, FL
(813) 247-1500
With its opening in 2014, Coppertail Brewing Co. quickly made a name for itself, drawing in crowds for its meticulously brewed craft beers. Whether you like IPAs, sours, or stouts, you’ll enjoy the selection you find here.
This two-story brew pub located in Ybor City provides plenty of space to spread out and enjoy yourself. Leather furniture fills the space with decorative copper features and an industrial feel where you can settle in comfortably. The onsite restaurant menu includes various appetizers, sandwiches, and flatbreads to accompany your favorite brews.
With several beers on tap, you can try their Free Dive IPA, Unholy (an American Trippel style brew), Night Swim Porter, Nitro Dry Irish, or Purple Drink (a sour). Be sure to visit Thursdays through Saturdays to enjoy the 45-minute brewery tour, which comes with a craft beer to sip on as you explore and a souvenir glass to take home with you.
Angry Chair Brewing
6401 N. Florida Avenue, Tampa, FL
(813) 238-1122
A relative newcomer, Angry Chair Brewing is located in an area known as Seminole Heights. This up-and-coming section of Tampa offers unique nightlight mixed in with a historic bungalow community.
If stouts are your preference, then you will definitely want to stop in here for a while. Try their 2nd Anniversary Stout, Imperial Awakening Coffee Milk Stout, Adjunct Trail Sweet Stout, or their rapidly rising favorite, the German Chocolate Cupcake Stout.
No worries though for the rest of you, as they also offer tasty IPAs, sours, ales, and pilsners, with 16 beers on tap every day.
Named to elicit a place to escape whenever stress hits, this 1000 square feet industrial space provides a cool vibe to settle into for a while and chill.
Tampa Bay Brewing Company
1600 E. 8th Avenue, Tampa, FL & 13937 Monroes Business Park, Tampa, FL
(813) 247-1422
Known for its variety of unique ales, the Tampa Bay Brewing Company has been around since 1995. Its original location is in Ybor City, with a full kitchen menu available and lively Friday night music. The newer Westchase location includes an outdoor seating area complete with cozy fire pits to lull the evening away.
Take a handcrafted beer flight, usually of six different specialties, to discover your likes and dislikes, then settle in for a delicious beer-inspired meal. Whether you find you prefer the Old Elephant Foot, a Hoppy IPA, the Reef Donkey pale ale, or the Double Coast Lager with Lime, there’s always food items to match.
In addition to its year-long favorites, this brewery is also known for its seasonal brews, including the famous Pumpkin Ale, perfect for the cooling days of Fall.
81 Bay Brewing Company
4465 W. Gandy Blvd., Tampa, FL
(813) 837-2739
81 Bay Brewing Company, founded by three friends in 2016, is now a popular, fun destination in the Tampa area. Its large taproom is host to games galore, including darts, pool, ping pong, arcade and board games, and even corn hole. They also have it wired with big-screen TVs and decorated with incredible murals created by local artists.
As for the beer, you won’t be disappointed. Go lighter with their Coriander Orange Wheat ale, try a sour like Ocean Breathe or Santa Muerte, or go straight to the Sunk Viking, an IPA. You can also start with the darker selections offered, such as the Irish Red.
Another feature found here at 81 Bay Brewing Company is monthly special events, like the Silent Glow Yoga class, accompanied by your choice of beer, of course.
As the third largest city in Florida, Tampa continues to grow and with it its offerings of creative craft breweries. From the small to the large, the quaint to the extravagant, you’re bound to find one that fits your tastes and style.
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