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"Let no man thirst for good beer." - Samuel Adams 🍺
Those words seem to ring true to beer lovers across Central Florida.
Breweries have been popping up, not only locally, but across the country and have changed the cultural drinking scene by making most establishments family friendly and dog friendly.
While we would have loved to have checked out the 28 (and counting) breweries in Central Florida, Channel 9 stopped by three impressive and super friendly breweries: Ocean Sun in the Conway neighborhood, RockPit in the SODO district and the Deviant Wolfe in Sanford.
With a relaxed atmosphere, good company and excellent beer, these breweries have one common theme: It's a great way to bring the community together.
"I love the whole atmosphere, and prices are great," local Dave Garrison said.
When customers walk into Ocean Sun Brewing on Curry Ford Road in Orlando, many are happily greeted by Bailey the resident dog.
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"Dogs and beer: they've always gone together," owner Bob DeWeese said.
DeWeese brewed his first batch of beer in the mid-90s with a homebrewer he met while living in Colorado.
With 12 taps of hoppy, malty, light or dark, DeWeese wanted to brew good beer and share the beer love with Central Floridians.
"I wanted to bring locally made beer to our little corner of Orlando," he said.
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With more than 30 years of restaurant experience and his expertise in brewing beer, DeWeese opened Ocean Sun in 2016.
"The essentials of brewing are good water, good ingredients, good sanitation," DeWeese said.
Ocean Sun's regulars stop in two to three days a week.
"They have awesome beer," regular Ron Phillips said. "It's a nice place to go to talk to everybody."
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Locals not only stop in for the beer and freshly popped popcorn, they come to see resident doggo, Bailey, who is very popular with the patrons.
"I come here for the furry kisses," Shannon, a regular, said. "She's the main girl here."
So, what is the appeal of breweries, besides the craft beers, that makes them different from other drinking establishments?
Like Phillips, many patrons said they feel like there is no pressure to be anyone but yourself, which adds to the appeal of the brewery scene.
"It's like 'Cheers' but without the jerks," another local said, with a laugh.
Staff members said they not only enjoy the customer interaction, but they are all very passionate about beer.
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"I like when customers come in wanting to learn about beers," bartender Kaylie Steers said. "It's a great customer experience."
“If you're unsure of beers, they help you pick one based on likes and dislikes, and give you samples,” an Ocean Sun patron said.
Breweries attract people from many different walks of life.
“I am a school teacher and come in to unwind after work,” local Matthew Scott said.
There is plenty to do at Ocean Sun too: cornhole, darts, board games and plenty of TVs to watch. They also do brewery tours.
Take a peek inside Ocean Sun Brewing below:
Many breweries also host weekly events like Yoga and Beer at Ocean Sun, or special events like a Cheese and Beer Pairing at RockPit Brewing.
At RockPit Brewing on West Illiana Street in south downtown Orlando, co-owner Sean Burke described how he and his business partners, Chris Rock, Jeremy Pittman and Ed Clark, turned an old garage into the very cool brewery it is today.
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RockPit was "built by locals, for locals," and it's that love forOrlando and beer that helps make it unique.
In 2016, the owners tried to open the brewery in the Milk District, but they came across a garage that had auto repair equipment inside and instead decided to renovate it and make it their own.
One of the coolest details, besides the old mining picks and pictures on the wall, is the floor-to-ceiling window that was once the entrance to the garage.
"Central Florida was way behind the curve in craft brewing," Burke said. "We wanted to be a part of it and be a part of making Central Florida a mecca for craft."
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A customer was heard complimenting the Nudge, Nudge, a golden ale he was drinking, which prompted me to ask Burke how that made him feel as a brewer.
"It's great validation that what we are doing is real," Burke said.
Brewery customers talk about their love of RockPit’s details and quality of the beer.
"We love the brewing process because it's both artistic and scientific. Coming up with recipes, seeing those recipes come to life and watching people enjoy the beer we create is incredibly satisfying," Rock said.
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RockPit is also very family friendly, creating an "open, inviting, comfortable and cozy vibe," Burke said.
“We are all family guys, and we felt that it was a good fit. We want to be able to take our families,” Burke said.
Parents gather, sipping their beers or wine, while the kids play board games or cornhole outside.
"It's just fun; a community connection that goes back generations," Burke said.
With 20 taps, including seven core beers and 13 rotating beers, customers can choose to be part of the Mug Club. For $100 a year, you get a 20 ounce mug, (which stays at the taproom) with your name on it, and it comes with a lot of perks, like being the first to access new releases, certain discounts and other goodies.
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“The beer we create brings people together to laugh, share stories and spend time with loved ones. In other words, the beer business is the best business in the world,” Rock said.
Their goal is to create one new beer a week. With names like, Miner’s light (my favorite) and Gold Strike, the beers keep “the blue collar theme in mind,” (but not always) said Burke.
Interested in brewing? RockPit sells homebrew products for beer, wine, cider, mead and kombucha.
Hungry? RockPit teamed up with neighboring Cecil’s Texas Style BBQ, creating a menu just for brewery patrons.
Take a peek inside RockPit Brewing below:
Last stop: Deviant Wolfe on 1st Street in the heart of Sanford, where families and neighbors gathered on the comfy couches, enjoying their brews, while the kids played board and video games.
"The best things about our brewing community is being surrounded by friends that are willing to help and support each other. We wouldn't have been able to get or stay open without help from multiple breweries in both Sanford and the Greater Orlando area," head brewer and co-owner Matt Rolfe said.
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Greeting us with a big smile, bartender Katie B. told us a little bit about the happenings at Deviant Wolfe.
Besides Yoga at the Brewery, they have popcorn and movie night on Mondays, featuring cult classics and B.Y.O Game Night, where locals are invited to “come geek out with us,” while eating pizza.
It was easy to feel the overall good vibes of the place. Katie B. said breweries offer a great atmosphere.
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“The sense of community, good music and good beer,” she said. “I enjoy the conversation. It makes it more personable.”
The website boasts, ”We brew a broad selection of true to style beers, without sacrificing our passion for experimenting.”
They weren’t kidding. I tried the Any Way the Wind Blows Bohemian Pilsner, and the Hissy Fit, a strawberry and mango milkshake IPA, both of which were crisp and delicious.
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The consensus is breweries have something for just about everyone, with a unique touch in each beer. Locals also love the affordable prices at many breweries.
"Breweries have definitely changed the drinking landscape. You'll never find fresher beer or the ability to see the beer actually being made anywhere else," Rolfe said.
The best part, however, is you can sit, relax and sip brews made with a lot of heart and passion for creating, well, just really good beer.
Take a peek inside Deviant Wolfe below:
Check out other breweries: Central Florida Ale Trail
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