Craft breweries, distilleries celebrate local flavors of The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel
LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA – What’ll you have? A pint, a flight or a cocktail? The craft beer and spirits culture, combined with our beach communities create a laid-back, welcoming lifestyle. That said, it is no surprise so many locally owned breweries and distilleries call Southwest Florida home.
Craft breweries and distilleries here in The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel possess unique styles, welcoming atmospheres and passion for the craft. Want to tour a brew house or distillery? Just ask. Who knows, your tour guide might be the master distiller or brew master.
The good news is we have a great guide to get you all of these destinations. To print your own brew trail map, click here or visit fortmyers-sanibel.com/local-breweries.
Big Blue Brewing
JoAnn Elardo, co-owner of Wicked Dolphin Rum Distillery with her nephew Dan Termini, was home-brewing in her spare time with her husband Bob when they bought a building in Cape Coral that used to be a bingo hall. She liked what they were brewing and began renovating in 2015. Along the way they changed the color of the building from pale pink to bright blue. Elardo co-owns Big Blue Brewing with another nephew Joe Termini, Dan’s twin. They use organic and local ingredients, like mangoes from Pine Island for their IPA. Big Blue’s amber ale PB & Jealousy uses peanuts and wild berries and typically sells out as soon as it is tapped.
Big Blue Brewing
4721 SE 10th Place, Cape Coral
Phone: 239-471-2777
Facebook: Big Blue Brewing
Website: bigbluebrewing.com
Bury Me Brewing
Anyone with an affinity for suds and a morbid sense of sarcasm will feel right at home at Bury Me Brewing. Beer names rooted in the macabre – including Bone Bitter, Redrum Double Red and Hell Bound Honey Brown – pair nicely with their tasting room’s ghastly, humorous aesthetic. Or, if you need libations for an offsite party, Bury Me Brewing will send their hearse to you. Yes, you read that right. They have a mobile hearse complete with functioning taps on the side to transport kegs to any event within a 50-mile radius.
Bury Me Brewing
4224 Cleveland Ave., Unit 7, Fort Myers
Phone: 239-332-2337
Facebook: Bury Me Brewing
Website: burymebrewing.com
Fort Myers Brewing Company
San Diego native Rob Whyte began brewing beer thanks to a combination of latent interest and ample free time. After his career start as a brewer on the fiercely competitive Southern California craft scene, Rob and his wife relocated to Fort Myers in 2011. Upon arriving, the couple noticed a severe lack of local breweries – a niche they intended to fill.
Five years later, Fort Myers Brewing Company’s combination tasting room and brewery serves as a popular gathering place for hopheads across Southwest Florida. On any given night here you’re likely to find live music, food trucks and an ever-present sense of community. With eight flagship beers and a rotating selection of seasonal and small batch brews, any enthusiast will find something they love.
Fort Myers Brewing Company
12811 Commerce Lakes Drive, Suite 28, Fort Myers
Phone: 239-313-6576
Facebook: FMBrew
Website: fmbrew.com
Momentum Brewhouse
In 2014, home brewers Brian and Kate Hahn took a leap of faith to establish a spot that’s as fun for kids as it is for adults. As proven by this Bonita Springs brewery, the ambience of a coffee shop can be just as enjoyable, if not more, when sipping beer. Old-school games like cornhole, giant Jenga, vintage arcade games and an assortment of board games certainly help Momentum live up to that notion. As the perfect complement to the brewery’s staple beers and rotating offerings, visitors can bring in their own food or have something delivered to the tasting room.
Momentum Brewhouse
9786 Bonita Beach Road, SE Bonita Springs
Phone: 239-949-9945
Facebook: Momentum Brewhouse
Website: momentumbrewhouse.com
Palm City Brewing
Former high school basketball coach Ryan Bowen started brewing as a hobby in 2009. His passion and involvement in the local craft beer scene helped him improve his skills and realize his dream. Palm City Brewing’s tasting room is located in a commercial park in San Carlos Park. There, his wife Marianne takes care of the marketing and finance, while Ryan brews Palm City’s four staples with the goal of having up to 18 of his own beers on tap at a time. The tasting room is kid-friendly with a play area and an outside tabletop shuffleboard game.
Palm City Brewing
7887 Drew Circle, Suite 130, Fort Myers
Phone: 239-292-6880
Facebook: Palm City Brewing
Website: None
Millennial Brewing Company
Located in downtown Fort Myers, Millennial Brewing Company is owned by Logan Roberts and Kyle Cebull, two Millennials with a dream to make a difference. Their motivation was to create a community of people committed to the art of beer making instead of a group of regulars that hang out at a bar. Their Imperial Stout, brewed with an entire birthday cake, is just one of their famous brews.
Millennial Brewing Company
1811 Royal Palm Ave., Fort Myers
Phone: 239-271-2255
Facebook: Millennial Brewing
Website: millennialbrewing.com
Old Soul Brewing
Co-founders Nicholas and Jacob Schmidt each brought a unique perspective to the table before opening Old Soul Brewing in 2014. Nicholas had spent time becoming intimately familiar with Denver, Colorado’s innovative and booming craft beer scene, while Jacob learned the fine art of homemade Kombucha. The two brothers combined their talents to create an inventive selection of ales, from an exquisite imperial chocolate stout to their innovative chai tea brown ale. Their 2,000-square-foot taproom boasts a rotating selection of their most recent creations and a surefire good time.
Old Soul Brewing
10970 S. Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers
Phone: 239-334-4334
Facebook: Old Soul Brewing
Website: oldsoulbrewing.com
Point Ybel Brewing Company
What began as a modest family endeavor in a Sanibel Island kitchen has expanded into a small brewery. Named after the location of the Gulf Coast’s first lighthouse, Point Ybel (eee-bell), the brewery’s co-owners Walt and Amy Costello consider themselves the local authorities on pale ales and IPAs. The beers are made of local ingredients, when possible, and the names
Point Ybel Brewing Company
16120 San Carlos Blvd., No. 4, Fort Myers
239-603-6535
Facebook: Point Ybel Brew
Website: pointybelbrew.com
Scotty’s Bierwerks
Scotty’s Bierwerks owner Scott Melick has been a home brewer since 1989. His weekend home-brewing passion turned into a career. Melick now oversees a 10,000-square-foot industrial-park space which is home to a 20-barrel brewing system — one of the largest between Tampa and Miami. Like many craft breweries in Florida, Scotty’s is located in an industrial park and it’s a stop on the food truck circuit. As the beer menu grows, the large custom-made tasting room can handle the crowd.
Scotty’s Bierwerks
901 East Industrial Circle, Unit 1-3, Cape Coral
Phone: 239-888-5482
Facebook: Scotty’s Bierwerks
Website: None
Wicked Dolphin Rum Distillery
This distillery has been producing true Florida rum since 2012, using pure sugarcane and other ingredients from the Sunshine State. Handcrafted in small batches, Wicked Dolphin’s award-winning rums and vodkas are available throughout Florida and even parts of the southeastern U.S. Coconut rum is one popular offering, not to mention the company’s signature spiced flavor, both of which you can enjoy during a tour and free tasting.
Wicked Dolphin Rum Distillery
131 SW 3rd Place, Cape Coral
Phone: 239-242-5244
Facebook: Wicked Dolphin Rum
Website: wickeddolphinrum.com
List Distillery
Established in 2015 as the first boutique distillery in Fort Myers, List Distillery is certified organic. Owned by Thomas and Renate List, the distillery makes Mr. Tom’s Spirits, known for their exceptionally smooth finishes. Mr. Tom’s Spirits include Habanero Honey Whiskey, Raspberry Mint Gin, Key Lime Pie Rum and Apple Pie Rum. All products are gluten free and are crafted using ingredients local to Southwest Florida. Tours are by appointment and the tasting room is open Monday through Saturday.
List Distillery
3680 Evans Ave., Fort Myers
Phone: 239-208-7214
Facebook: List Distillery – Mr. Tom’s Spirit’s
Website: listdistillery.com
Coastal Dayz Brewery
On palm-tree lined McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers, work is being done on the space that will be Coastal Dayz Brewery. The third microbrewery in the city of Fort Myers has an expected opening of early this year. Owners Gary and Lisa Bethune are from Colorado and their brewery will feature an outdoor patio with a view of the picturesque street.
Coastal Dayz Brewery
2161 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers
Facebook: Coastal Dayz Brewery
Website: CoastalDayzBrewery.com
Big Storm Brewing Co.
The Clearwater-based brewery is taking over the old Cape Coral Brewing Co. space and plans to reopen as the first Big Storm outlet in Southwest Florida. There are big plans in store, including an in-house pizza kitchen, extra seating for tastings, a merchandise wall and a station for filling growlers. Once it is open, the new owners will start looking for a space to re-launch Cape Coral Brewing Co.
Big Storm Brewing Co.
839 Miramar St., Cape Coral
Facebook: Big Storm Brewing Co.
Website: bigstormbrewery.com
https://www.bigstormbrewery.com/
-30-
