Guide to all the craft beer breweries and liquor distilleries in Bradenton, Sarasota

Craft beer’s nationwide popularity boom swept the Suncoast of Florida around 2014.

Fast forward to 2022, and the craft drinking scene is well-rooted around Bradenton and Sarasota. Around a dozen local breweries now offer traditional beer styles as well as niche, specialty and novelty brew types.

Some have earned top awards for the quality of their beers; and many have become favorite community hangouts.

Another recent add-on to the world of locally made libations is craft distilling. Southwest Florida boasts several distilleries that make spirits including rum, gin and whiskey.

Whatever you choose to sip, drinking local adds an extra dimension of fun to the mix. And craft lovers can also support small and local businesses, where the artistry, creativity and passion of brewers and distillers is allowed to shine through.

Here’s a round up of where to empty a glass of delicious craft beer (or spirits) in Southwest Florida.

BRADENTON BREWERIES

3 Car Garage Brewing

One of the latest arrivals to Bradenton’s craft beer scene, this brewery has garnered stellar reviews from locals and visitors for its beer offerings and atmosphere. Tasting options include lagers, stouts, porters, dunkels and ales. 3 Car Garage uses local ingredients in its creations when possible, the beer makers say.

Food trucks are on site at the brewery Wednesday through Sunday. Recurring events include live music on weekends, music bingo, run club meets, experimental beer nights and an axe-throwing night every other week. The establishment also welcomes well-behaved dogs on leashes, and kids are allowed in the brewery until 9 p.m.

Try this: The brewery’s “Beer Can Island Tropical Lager” adds a refreshing splash of pineapple and mango flavor to the traditional bottom-fermented beer style.

• Open seven days a week. 8405 Heritage Green Way, Bradenton.
• Info: 3cargaragebrewing.com

3 Keys Brewing and Eatery

3 Keys is the ideal spot for craft beer lovers who like to pair their tastings with a delicious meal. The brewery produces a wide range of ales, and there are also wheat, dark, specialty and sour offerings on the tap list, as well as housemade cider. To eat, pick from appetizers (pretzels, nachos, wings and sweet potato truffle fries among them), burgers made with locally-raised free-range beef (vegetarian offering also available), tacos, bowls, salads, sandwiches and personal pizzas.

Dedicated 3 Keys fans can also join the brewery’s Mug Club for $12. Members get to design their own unique mug with a local potter that hangs on a special wall at the brewery. Mug holders are also entitled to beer discounts and freebies, early access to new beer releases and special events.

Weekly events at the brewery include live magic, music trivia, axe-throwing and live music on Friday and Saturday.

Try this: 3 Keys’ “Suns Out Buns Out” is a juicy, hazy India Pale Ale with tropical fruit notes from a triple-threat of hop varieties: Azacca, Citra and Mosaic.

• Details: Open seven days a week. 2505 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton.
• Info: 3keysbrewing.com.

Big Top Brewer’s Collective

The former Naughty Monk Brewery has joined forces with Sarasota’s Big Top Brewing to form a new concept at its Lakewood Ranch location, now known as the Big Top Brewer’s Collective.

Naughty Monk’s beers, many of them Belgian-inspired, have been revamped and are now being produced under the moniker Naughty Monk Ale Works. In addition to those, beer connoisseurs can try creations from Big Top and other local brewers in the tap room.

Events at the brewery include live music, bingo, a runners’ club meet and arts and crafts nights. And the BubbaQue’s BBQ food truck is posted up at the brewery seven days a week offering appetizers, barbecue nachos and sandwiches and chicken and rib dinners.

Try this: “Trécouche” is a Belgian dark strong ale that shows off Naughty Monk’s know-how for Belgian brewing; it promises “hints of chocolate, dark fruit and roasted caramel” flavors.

• Details: Open seven days a week. 507 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch
• Info: bigtopbrewing.com.

Corporate Ladder Brewing

Opened in 2018, Palmetto’s only craft brewery churns out unique and inspired beers that consistently get high ratings from craft beer fans. The brewery specializes in sours and stouts, barrel-aged beers, dessert-inspired brews, hazy IPAs and lagers, but you’ll find other styles on the tap list, too.

Corporate Ladder often hosts food trucks on the weekends, and comfort food eatery TK Grill and Barbeque is located conveniently next door. Frequent events at the brewery include trivia, yoga and special beer releases.

Try this: “Back to the Drawing Board” is a happy collision between a kettle sour beer and a hazy IPA; the juicy sour IPA is brewed with peaches and apricots.

• Details: Open Tuesday through Sunday. 4935 96th Street East, Palmetto
• Info: corporateladderbrewing.com

Darwin Brewing

Opened in 2014, Bradenton’s second brewery is currently closed as it undergoes a major transition. The brewery was recently purchased by Clearwater-based Big Storm Brewing Company, which has announced a plan to move Darwin to a new Bradenton-area space in the coming year. The new digs will offer Darwin’s beloved beers paired with food offerings designed to compliment.

In the meantime, Darwin’s beers continue to be produced and offered at local taprooms and in cans at Winn-Dixie grocery stores.

• Details: Currently closed. New location TBA
• Info: darwinbrewingco.com

Good Liquid Brewing Company

Fans of this Bradenton brewery can rejoice, for there is now double the Good Liquid in Manatee County. The brewery’s original location opened on 14th Street in 2017. As of December 2021, a second location with a full restaurant is open in Waterside Place, a new entertainment district in Lakewood Ranch.

The brewery offers a wide selection of beer styles for any taste, including ales, lagers, stouts and porters, pilsners, IPAs and wheat beers. Refreshing and fruity kettle sours are a special passion of brewer Mike Krail, so you’ll always find plenty of those on the tap list.

Weekly events at the Bradenton brewery include bingo, game nights and special beer releases. The Lakewood Ranch spot’s permanent kitchen offers comfort foods elevated with a culinary touch, from appetizers like cast iron-prepared meatballs and avocado egg rolls to a wide menu of creatively-topped burgers, personal pizzas, pasta, salad, steak and seafood.

Try this: Coconut Key Lime Sour is a refreshing and Florida-ready kettle-soured ale; it won a silver medal in 2019’s Best Florida Beer competition.

• Details: 4824 14th St. W., Bradenton (open Tuesday-Sunday) and 1570 Lakefront Dr. Lakewood Ranch (open seven days a week)
• Info: goodliquidbrewingcompany.com

Magnanimous Brewing

Bradenton’s newest craft beer spot, Magnanimous Brewing, is freshly is opened and occupying the former home of Darwin Brewing just across the way from LECOM Park. This is the the brewery’s second location; the flagship opened in Tampa in Oct. 2020.

The taplist is conveniently divided into light, dark, hoppy and sour beer offerings, with more than a dozen brews to sample. Guests will find some easy-drinkers as well as more unusual and complex creations. On the light side, lagers and pilsners await. On the wild side, there are choices like the brewery’s imperial sour ales, which combine fruit-forward sweetness and tartness with an atypically high ABV for a sour. And a roster of IPAs that highlight a diverse array of hop varieties occupy the bulk of the menu.

Many Magnanimous beers are also available in cans to go.

Try this: The brewery’s “Tropical Resurrection Imperial Sour Ale” pleases the palate with a mango, guava, and passion fruit combo and promises a good buzz with an 8% ABV.

• Open seven days a week. 803 17th Ave. W., Bradenton
• Info: magnanimousbrewing.com

Motorworks Brewing

Opened in 2014, Bradenton’s first craft brewery is still revving at its location in a former car dealership.

The brewery offers a core lineup of tried and true drinks to enjoy, including many award winners. Styles include IPAs, lagers, ales, dark beers, sours, saisons and many more. Motorworks also produces a continual lineup of seasonal, specialty and experimental beers for adventuress drinkers.

Motorworks’ beer garden and taproom are home to events including live music on the garden stage, beer yoga, art events, movie nights and Yappy Hour Pet Extavaganza, a monthly pet-friendly market that raises funds for animal charities.

A food truck is on site at the brewery every day of the week, and brunch is offered on Sundays.

Try this: Adoptable Lager, a crisp golden beer made with German noble hops, is not only refreshingly delicious, but features cute mugs of real adoptable pets from Manatee County Animal Services on each can.

• Details: 1014 Ninth St. W., Bradenton
• Info: motorworksbrewing.com

SARASOTA BREWERIES

Big Top Brewing Company

Big Top Brewery now boasts four Florida locations; the original is in Sarasota.

The brewery’s core lineup of beers covers lager, wheat, amber, porter, pale ale and IPA territory, and there are also fun seasonal releases to enjoy.

Big Top is also big on events, with monthly food truck rallies and flea markets and weekly beer yoga, bingo, trivia and run club meets. A full stage with live music features popular local acts several days a week, and there’s a weekly open mic night on Thursdays.

Try this: In keeping with Big Top’s circus theme, the Hazy Sky Wire New England IPA promises “juicy flavors of grapefruit, pine, and tropical fruit with a floral aroma on the nose.”

• Details: Open seven days a week. 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota
• Info: bigtopbrewing.com

Brew Life Brewing

Touting itself as “Sarasota’s smallest brewery,” Brew Life keeps things interesting with unique takes on some well-known beer styles, as well as some easy-drinkers.

The small-batch brewery whips up many styles of ale, including red, brown, Scotch ale, farmhouse ale, pale ales and IPAs. There are also Hefeweizen, dark beer and sour offerings to try.

For food, there’s a selection of bar snacks to pick from and occasional visits from food vendors. Brew Life also offers a selection of retro arcade games.

Try this: Curuba Tropical Sour Ale is a Berliner Weisse-style tart beer featuring the intriguing taste of curuba, or banana passionfruit.

• Details: Open Thursday through Monday. 5765 S. Beneva Road, Sarasota
• Info: brewlifebrewing.com

Calusa Brewing

Opened in 2016, Calusa focuses on traditional style beers, hoppy IPAs and wild ales, a variety of ale brewed with with natural yeasts.

A selection of over 20 beers on tap includes pilsners, lagers, amber, blonde and pale ales, IPAs, sours and many wood-aged concoctions.

Calusa has a rotating lineup of food trucks on site throughout the week and offers brunch on Sundays. There’s also a weekly 5K run on Wednesdays; regular participants can earn prizes.

Try this: DHP (short for dry-hopped pilsner) takes a traditional style and updates it with the character of interesting hop varieties. The current batch features Motueka hops, a New Zeland variety with citrus and tropical notes.

• Details: Open Tuesday through Sunday. 5701 Derek Ave, Sarasota
• Info: calusabrewing.com

Sarasota Brewing Co.

This micro-brew pub and eatery offers a small selection of housemade brews to pair with lunch or dinner.

Pick from blonde and red ales, porters, an IPA and seasonal selections.

Try this: Ya Mills Honeymeade Ale draws its balanced flavor from a combination of wildflower honey and citrus-forward hops.

• Details: Open seven days a week. 6607 Gateway Ave., Sarasota
• Info: sarasotabrewing.com

LIQUOR DISTILLERIES

Loaded Cannon Distillery

Opened in 2019, Loaded Cannon is Manatee County’s first distillery. The spirit purveyors currently produce vodka, gin, rum, bourbon, whiskey and limoncello. And there are plans to add specialty rums and gin to the repertoire in the future.

The nautical-themed Bradenton tasting room is a fun place to sample Loaded Cannon’s offerings and offers a view inside of the distillery. For those who want a closer look, tours are available throughout the week by reservation or on a first-come, first-served basis.

Try this: Loaded Cannon coffee rum is a collaboration with Tampa Bay area Kahwa Coffee Roasters.

• Details: Open Wednesday through Sunday. 3115 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. #110, Bradenton
• Info: facebook.com/loadedcannonspirits

Siesta Key Rum

Siesta Key Rum produces a lineup of six rum varieties, including clear, spiced, barrel-aged and coffee-flavored.

Spirits can be sampled in the distillery’s tasting room, and free tours are available by online appointment.

Try this: Toasted Coconut Rum gets rave reviews from visitors.

• Details: Open Monday through Saturday. 2212 Industrial Blvd., Sarasota
• Info: siestakeyrum.com

This story was originally published March 16, 2022 at 5:50 AM.