With the U.S. being at the forefront of the craft beer explosion, cities like Denver, Minneapolis, and Portland all led the charge and soon after almost every major destination had a craft brewery pop up to keep up with the increasing demand. The Space Coast is no exception with some of the best craft brews Florida has to offer. Let’s run down our favorites and go on a little brews cruise.
Florida Beer Co. - Cape Canaveral
We’ll start at the top of the island at Florida Beer Co. Florida Beer Co has been brewing for over fifteen years and is the largest craft brewer in the state of Florida. Their mainstay taps consist of Key West Sunset Ale, Sunshine State FL Lager, Carib Lager, Swamp Ape Double IPA, Hurricane Reef IPA and Hurricane Reef Pilsner. Florida Beer Co also brews for Universal Studios Theme Park bringing the famous beer “Duff” from the Simpsons to life. They also brew the Hog’s Head Brew, Wizards Brew, and Dragon Scale for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. With a completely new facility completed in 2014 the tap room at Florida Beer Co is a fantastic place to start your adventure.
Dirty Oar Beer Company - Cocoa
A short jaunt down the A1A and a quick hop over the Cocoa Beach Causeway gets you to Dirty Oar Beer Company. Opening in 2017 with six beers on tap, Dirty Oar has expanded to an impressive twenty two beers on tap to ensure every palate leaves happy.
Intracostal Brewing Company - Melbourne
Opening in 2013, Intracostal Brewing Company off Eau Gallie has become a locals favorite and you can’t venture far without hearing a server raving about their Dragon Point IPA. Named after the famous dragon sculpture that used to adorn the southern tip of Merritt Island before a hurricane destroyed it, this local IPA is a West Cost style IPA loaded with hops yet balanced perfectly with many layers that linger. For the more adventurous, Intracostal brews a Peanut/Marshmellow Hefeweizen that will take your palate straight to a campfire with friends. Other offerings include their Night Rider stout, Lemon shandy, Intra Pilsner and Lager. Their outdoor/indoor seating options are perfect for whatever style brewery experience you’re looking for. The inside long bar sports stools with picnic tables and tv’s on the adjacent wall while the outside walk up bar under roll up garage doors pours pints for those looking to sit under an umbrella on their astro turfed chill patio. With The Bearded Chef food truck parked, seemingly semi permanently, patrons who get struck with the munchies can indulge in a variety of foods from burgers, to tacos, to a personal favorite, their kimchi fries.
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Hell ’n Blazes Brewing Company
Continuing south on the A1A down to Historic Downtown Melbourne we find ourselves cozying up for a pint at Hell ’n Blazes. Operating out of an 120 year-old former hardware and farm supply store, this joint is oozing with vibe. Serving up mainstay brews like Causeway IPA, Mr. Pinks Porter, and Northern Flow Lager will keep the tradition craft beer fanatics happy while their more interesting Crane Creek Cerveza with Lime and Key Lime Cider will appeal to the more adventurous. Hell ’n Blazes also sports a pretty diverse menu, serving lunch and dinner, with dishes such as brisket poutine, candied bacon, and fried cheese curds for starters and drunken chicken, brisket platter, and a vegan burger for entrees amongst your standard American fare. In the rear of the building, Hell ’n Blazes hosts a game room complete with arcade games, foosball, darts and table shuffleboard. This is the perfect ending to a day of brew cruising.