We’re big fans of the staycation here at the Weekly. Why spend all that money to pack up and go to some far-flung locale when there are so many adventures waiting close to home? For instance, you could have yourself a lost weekend – you could probably have a whole lost week – touring the region’s burgeoning brew scene. Get ready to hit the road – with your designated drivers or Uber apps, please – to experience some of the best beer Central Florida has to offer.

(Note: There are other breweries in the region that don’t have tasting rooms – some of them will be pouring at the Orlando Beer Festival on Nov. 14.)

 

Deja Moo at Hidden Springs Ale Works 1631 N. Franklin St., Tampa | 813-226-2739 This “milkstout,” a beer with added sweet and unfermentable lactose, is brewed with cocoa nibs for sweetness and chipotle peppers for that late-afternoon kick you probably need after a long week. Photo via Hidden Springs Ale Works/Facebook
Florida Avenue Brewing Co. 4101 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33603; Facebook; 813-374-2101 Drive time: 1 hour and 27 minutes Tasting Room: Taproom Flagship Beer: Florida Avenue Ale Seasonal Beer: Grapefruit Hefeweizen Photo via Facebook
Playalinda Brewing Co. 305 S. Washington Ave., Titusville, Fla. 32796; playalindabrewingcompany.com; 321-225-8978 Drive time: 51 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Bottomless Blonde Ale Seasonal Beer: Titus Villain Pumpkin Spice Ale
Central 28 Beer Co. 290 Springview Commerce Dr., DeBary, Fla. 32713; central28beer.com Drive time: 31 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Dancing Pierre, Trekker Bier, Up River Seasonal Beer: None Photo via Instagram
Clearwater Honey Cream at Pair O’Dice Brewing Co. 4400 118th Ave N. #208, Clearwater | 727-755-3423 Described as “light, crisp and refreshing” by Pair O’Dice, this beer is known for its distinctive golden color and for the hints of orange and honey that make themselves known as soon as you pick up a pint – or a can. Photo via Pair O’Dice/Facebook
Angry Chair Brewing 6401 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33604; angrychairbrewing.com; 813-238-1122 Drive time: 1 hour and 30 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Ascension IPA Seasonal Beer: None Photo via Facebook
Winter Park Beer Co. 1809 E. Winter Park Road, Orlando, Fla. 32803; winterparkbeer.co; 407-913-2739 Drive time: 15 minutes Tasting Room: Taproom Flagship Beer: Dave’s Pale Ale Seasonal Beer: None Photo via Facebook
Free Dive IPA at Coppertail Brewing Co. 2601 E. 2nd Ave., Tampa | 813-247-1500 This beer is available year-round, and according to Coppertail it pairs perfectly with grilled shrimp. Hits of citrus and pine complement its malt backbone. Photo via Coppertail Brewing Co./Facebook
Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour and Brewery 2810 Corrine Drive, Orlando, Fla. 32803; redlightredlightbeerparlour.com; 407-893-9832 Drive time: 14 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Cimarrones Berlinerweisse Seasonal Beer: Birra del Borgo Perle Ai Porci Photo by TipsoPhoto.com
Bowigens Beer Co. 1014 FL-436, Casselberry, Fla. 32707; bowigens.com; 407-960-7816 Drive time: 25 minutes Tasting Room: Taproom Flagship Beer: Bow 9 Citrus Pale Ale, Lost Anchor IPA, 7 Layer Stout, Toasted Almond Brown Ale, Green 18, Hefe’n Awesome Seasonal Beer: Broken-Hearted Pumpkin Ale, Theogenes American Style Barleywine, Strawberry Stout Cake, Mistle-toasted Xmas Porter Photo via Facebook
Ten10 Brewing Co. 1010 Virginia Dr., Orlando, Fla. 32803; ten10brewing.com; 407-930-8993 Drive time: 11 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: East-West IPA, Havakow Seasonal Beer: I Totally Can’t Even (Pumpkin ale with lineage coffee), Chronically Mismanaged (coffee-infused red ale) Photo via Facebook
Persimmon Hollow Brewing Co. 111 W. Georgia Ave., DeLand, Fla. 32720; persimmonhollowbrewing.com; 386-973-7350 Drive time: 46 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Beach Hippie, Daytona Dirty Blonde, Funky Freddie Fitz, Paddle Wheeler Seasonal Beer: Drunken Monk, Butt Stuff, Lemon Blonde, Lost Fisherman, Sassy Lil’ Tart, Sleepy Holler, Southern Gothic, Writer’s Block Photo via Facebook
ESB Brewing Company 333 N. Falkenburg Road, Tampa, Fla. 33619; esbbrewing.com; 813-990-0700 Drive time: 1 hour and 20 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Pieces of Eight, Don Bosco Seasonal Beer: Chocolate Covered Pumpkin Ale, Roasted Walnut and Butternut Squash Ale, Double Oktoberfest Pumpkin Ale, Apple Pie ala Mode Ale, Bob’s Special Stout Photo via Facebook
Three Palms Brewing 1509 Hobbs St., Tampa, Fla. 33619; threepalmsbrewing.com; 888-813-4856 Drive time: 1 hour and 22 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Brew Baby Milk Stout Seasonal Beer: Caramel Apple Stout Photo via Facebook
Big Top Brewing 6111 B Porter Way, Sarasota, Fla. 34232; bigtopbrewing.com; 941-371-2939 Drive time: 2 hours Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Circus City, Trapeze Monk Seasonal Beer: Deckins Indulgence Photo via Facebook
Orlando Brewing 1301 Atlanta Ave., Orlando, Fla. 32806; orlandobrewing.com; 407-872-1117 Drive time: 22 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Blonde Ale Seasonal Beer: Oktoberfest, Pumpkin Ale, Chocolate Girl Stout Photo via Facebook
Jai Alai IPA at Cigar City Brewing 3924 W. Spruce St., Tampa | 813-348-6363 Brewed in honor of the Basque game that was once hugely popular in Florida, this pale ale is said to pair well with the spicier dishes. Photo via Cigar City
Crooked Can Brewing Co. 426 W. Plant St., Winter Garden, Fla. 34787; crookedcan.com; 407-395-9520 Drive time: 21 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Domestic Bliss Belgian Golden Strong Ale, High Stepper American IPA, McSwagger’s Own Amber Ale Seasonal Beer: Uppercut Russian Imperial Stout, Axum Chocolate Coffee Stout
Wop’s Hops Brewing 419 S. Sanford Ave., Sanford, Fla. 32771; wopshopsbrewing.com; 407-878-7819 Drive time: 34 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Scottish Ale, Roman Red IPA Seasonal Beer: Sweet Potato Ale, Ode to Joy Christmas Ale
The Hourglass Brewery 480 S. Ronald Reagan Blvd., Longwood, Fla. 32750; thehourglassbrewery.com; 407-262-0056 Drive time: 24 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Zanloper, Prestissimo, Seminole Trail, Brown Beer… Seasonal Beer: Stupid Pumpkin Face
Intracoastal Brewing Co. 652 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., Melbourne, Fla. 32935; hiddenspringsaleworks.com; 321-872-7395 Drive time: 1 hour and 5 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: The Ghost of Annie, Watermelon Wheat, Taproot Seasonal Beer: Oktoberfestivus
Tomoka Brewing Co. 4647 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Port Orange, Fla. 32129; tomokabrewingco.com; 386-256-4979 Drive time: 57 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Mutha Fuggle EPA, Picnic Pils, McCarthy’s Irish Red Ale, Hop Quest IPA, Hazy Sunrise Wheat Ale, Lunar Eclipse Stout Seasonal Beer: Pumpernickel Porter, Seasonal Florida Weisse Releases
Bugnutty Brewing Co. 715 N. Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island, Fla. 32953; bugnutty.com; 321-452-4460 Drive time: 50 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Dark Matter Black IPA, Rhesus Peanut Butter Cup, Zombie Blood IPA Seasonal Beer: None Photo via Facebook
Cocoa Beach Brewing Co. 150 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach, Fla. 32931; cocoabeachbrewingcompany.com; 321-613-2941 Drive time: 1 hour Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Cocoa Beach Pale Ale, Not Just Some Oatmeal Stout, 888 India Pale Ale Seasonal Beer: Cocoa Beach Oktoberfest lager Photo via Facebook
Florida Lager at Florida Beer Company 200 Imperial Blvd, Cape Canaveral | (321) 728-4114 A blend of caramel, Carapils malt and two-row – this beer has a litany of awards to its name thanks to its crispness and subtle spice. Photo via Florida Beer Company/Facebook
Hop Gun IPA at Funky Buddha Brewery 1201 NE 38th St, Oakland Park | (954) 440-0046 This fruity beer delivers a mix of grapefruit and pineapple straight to your pallate – and a splash smooth caramel finishes out the flavor. If you like it enough, it’s available in bottles. Photo via Funky Buddha/Facebook
Rocking Rabbit Red at Mount Dora Brewing 405 S. Highland St., Mt. Dora | (352) 735-1111 Known as Mount Dora Brewing’s “first draft,” this brew is an Irish red ale made with Orange Blossom honey. Photo via Mount Dora Brewing
Red Cypress Brewery 855 E. State Road 434, Winter Springs, Fla. 32708; redcypressbrewery.com; 407-542-0341 Drive time: 27 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Death Roll Nitro Milk Stout Seasonal Beer: None Photo via Facebook
Reprise Brewing 1124 Pennsylvania Ave., St. Cloud, Fla. 34769; reprisebrewing.com; 224-280-9113 Drive time: 39 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Americana St. Cloud Ale Seasonal Beer: None Photo via Facebook
Swamp Head Brewery 3650 S.W. 42nd St., Gainesville, Fla. 32608; swamphead.com; 352-505-3035 Drive time: 1 hour and 37 minutes Tasting Room: Yes Flagship Beer: Stump Knocker Pale Ale Seasonal Beer: None Photo via Facebook