Friday, August 5th is International Beer Day! The Tampa area is quickly becoming known for its quirky brewery and craft beer scene. Here are some of the very best places to sidle up to the bar and order a tall, frosty, delectable brew and pay homage to one of our favorite holidays:
Cigar City Brewing
Tucked away in the Westshore District on West Spruce Street, Cigar City is a top destination for beer lovers all over town. Featuring a delectable variety of brews inspired by the Tampa Bay area and history, the brewery's Tasting Room is laid back and welcoming. Be sure to try the fierce Jai Alai IPA, the Florida Cracker Belgian style white ale, or Lager, a Tampa take on an American classic.
Florida Avenue Brewing Co.
An anchor of the burgeoning Seminole Heights craft beer renaissance, Florida Avenue Brewing offers a tasty menu of hometown favorites. Check out Passion of the Heights, an American wheat ale with a kiss of hibiscus, rose hips, and citrus zest - or the Florida Avenue IPA, perfectly crafted to quench your thirst in the hot and humid Tampa climate.
7venth Sun Brewery
Another Seminole Heights gem, 7venth Sun on Nebraska Avenue boasts a tempting menu of delightfully chilled brews, hand-crafted for your enjoyment. This craft brewery definitely has a great sense of humor, serving up selections like the It Puts the Cucumber on Its Skin or It Gets the Gose Again, a crisp and clean sour gose, the Cat Daddy Milk Stout, or the Do You Even Sudachi Bro, a fruity Berliner Weisse beer.
81Bay Brewing Company
Located in South Tampa on Gandy Boulevard, 81Bay is the perfect place to relax with a cold one on a hot day. A silver medal winner in the 2019 Best Florida Beer Professional Competition, their 81Bay Orange Wheat Ale is refreshing and invigorating. Or enjoy their gold medal-winning brews - Here Plums the Sun, in the Experimental Sour Ale category, and the Fort Brook, winner of the Blonde Ale competition.
Tampa Bay Brewing Company
TBBC is one of Florida's oldest and largest independent craft breweries, with an amazing selection of yummy beers on tap. Nestled in the heart of Ybor City, the Tampa Bay Brewing Company has a huge outdoor patio and bar and a renowned kitchen that serves up a stellar menu of beer-infused gastropub classics. Taste their acclaimed American Pale Ale, Reef Donkey, or the aromatic Twisted Strawberry Fest, a golden ale laden with flavors of strawberry and lime.
World of Beer
With several locations in Tampa - Westchase, and on Fowler Avenue by the University of South Florida - there's a World of Beer near you that features an extensive selection of more than 500 brews from all around the world. Ask your server for a beer pairing recommendation to go along with treats from WOB's easy-going pub menu.
Enjoy International Beer Day responsibly, of course - never drink and drive! Join 813Area for free to keep to date with all of the best places in Tampa to eat, drink, and be merry!
Cover photo courtesy of Unsplash.
