Pinellas County is known for many things from the Dali Museum to sandy beaches, to fresh, succulent seafood. Now, you really need to add the exploding, incredible craft beer scene to the list of things we can brag about. The truth is, Pinellas County is full of world-class breweries and fantastic, unforgettable beer.
In just the last ten years, St. Pete has come to be viewed by many as Florida’s top stop for craft breweries – with roughly 20 breweries, ranging from the small-scale micro-brewery, “If I Brewed the World” in the Grand Central District, to the national brewer, “Sea Dog Brew Company,” which has spread from Maine all the way to Treasure Island. Many of St. Pete’s craft breweries are located on, or close to the water, so it’s easy to enjoy a bit of bar-hopping to get out of the heat.
St. Pete isn’t the only city in Pinellas getting attention these days. You might recognize “Big Storm Brewing Co.” for its IPAs, pilsners and ales, because taproom locations span from the original in Clearwater all the way to Odessa, but the company recently earned top-honors for its distilled spirits. The New York International Spirits Competition named Big Storm as the ‘Florida Distillery of the Year’ last month.