Craft Beer

[kendrick1095]

I have two questions regarding how to get craft beer in or near the villages. Any recommendations for breweries? Any places we can buy 6 packs/cases of really good beer. So far we have only seen decent beer at ABC Liquor. Please help!

[Ecuadog]

For a really great selection, you can travel to Total Wine & More (https://www.totalwine.com/beer/craft-beer/c/516516). I think their nearest stores are in Orlando and Altamonte Springs. Or you can wait until they come to Lady Lake. Supposedly going in near Miller's Ale House.

There are so many good brewers. I'm partial to Victory (PA), Lagunitas (CA), Cigar City (FL), Sierra Nevada (CA), Dogfish Head (DE), Oskar Blues (CO & NC), Founders (MI), Bell's (MI), Ommegang (NY) and so on. Total Wine has them all.

[retiredguy123]

I just had a Miller Lite. Is that a craft beer?

[villagetinker]

I am not a beer drinker, but I thought World of Beer occasionally had unusual and craft beers, some on tap, some in the coolers, no idea of 6 pack sales. I usually had a scotch and one of the very good meals.

[karostay]

Cork Screw across from Ruby Tuesdays Spanish Springs

[eyc234]

Ocala has Infinite Ale works, Clermont Brewing Co in Clermont, Sunny Pints on 44 going toward Wildwood, Chicago Fire in Leesburg, Mount Dora Wolf Branch brewing, Rocking Rabbit Mt Dora and quite a few in Sanford. Not sure about 6 pack but a lot do growlers.

[LivingTheDreamFL]

I have two questions regarding how to get craft beer in or near the villages. Any recommendations for breweries? Any places we can buy 6 packs/cases of really good beer. So far we have only seen decent beer at ABC Liquor. Please help!

The Sunny Pint On 44 is great! Thoroughly organized by style and lots of Florida beers. If you’re looking for a brewery, check out Backyard Barn Winery & Brewmaking. It’s not far at all, but you’ll never find it without looking at a map. Not all of their beers are great but they’re perfectly fine and the chicken wings they make outside are AMAZING! Otherwise, World Of Beer has plenty to choose from and the ABC on 441 has a decent stash to bring home.

[George Page]

I drink....
Lawson’s Sip of Sunshine and
Alchemist Heady Topper

World class Vermont craft beers
Tough to find here.

[Yucatan2]

There are several microbreweries in Dunedin, nice day trip.

[hotrodgirl]

Backyard Brewery and Winery on 462 west of 301. Cute place, good pizza!

[ldyrnr1944]

Crooked Can in Winter Garden about 35 to 40 minutes down turnpike from Fenny area. Also Suncreek and Clermont Brewing in Clermont. Several in Gainesville and Or lll.o ando

[crash]

There are several microbreweries in Dunedin, nice day trip.

There are 6 craft breweries in Dunedin within walking distance of each other makes a great day trip.

There is a book The Great Florida Craft Beer Guide by Mark Denote that is a good guide to craft beer in Florida.

[atmcgov]

I have two questions regarding how to get craft beer in or near the villages. Any recommendations for breweries? Any places we can buy 6 packs/cases of really good beer. So far we have only seen decent beer at ABC Liquor. Please help!

Thats about it for finding craft beers around here, see a article that Total Wine and More is going in behind Millers Ale House. None of these store seem interested in carrying craft beers.:pray:

[Roslinb]

All good points, LivingthedreamFl.
I wonder if any of those establishments you mentioned service growlers?
I just heard Total Wine is moving into the building where Earth Fare built-it is behind Miller Ale House in Lady Lake.

[Roslinb]

Total Wine is moving in behind Miller Ale House in Lady Lake.

[Travelhunter]

Cork Screw across from Ruby Tuesdays Spanish Springs

I second cork screw
They brew on premises
A+. Craft beers
Reasonable prices

[72lions]

I have two questions regarding how to get craft beer in or near the villages. Any recommendations for breweries? Any places we can buy 6 packs/cases of really good beer. So far we have only seen decent beer at ABC Liquor. Please help!

Swamp Head in Gainesville. There us a tasting room.

[Joseph524]

You can brew your own at home. I have 7 beers on tap. There is a homebrew club in The Villages Click the Facebook link

Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TheVillagesHomebrewersclub)

[tlampela@comcast.net]

Corkscrew in Spanish Springs. You can make your own.

[Bacimom]

The Sunny Pint is a great little place with lovely owners. Nice variety on tap. Get the app “Digital Pour” and you can view their current selection of beers on tap as well as the upcoming kegs.
We’ve had great beer from Infinite Aleworks in Ocala. Gainesville is our favorite day trip-can’t go wrong with SwampHead and Big Top. Since COVID-19 Swamp Head has kept their tasting room closed. They are selling 6 packs of all their beers at a drive up. Fabulous family owned operation dedicated to keeping their employees safe and employed. Follow them on Instagram to keep up with their many new releases each week. 👍🏻

[Parker614]

The Sunny Pint ... it's new, locally owned, very clean, good food too! You can buy growlers; not sure about 6-packs.

[Aloha1]

I just had a Miller Lite. Is that a crap beer?

Fixed it for ya!

[Asheville man]

I have been frustrated by the craft beer selection here in The Villages since moving here last year. Most of the bars/restaurants I go to say there is not enough demand to carry even some decent local or national styles of beer. I have been to Sunny Pint and have found a few places with good beer but it has been difficult.

There are good alternatives, as a day trip, but getting behind the wheel of a car after visiting breweries is over for me.

After reading this thread, I wonder if we had a group of folks who really enjoyed craft beer .....could we band together for a few regular social events where a local establishment brought in a few good beers and we met for a brew with a common interest? Would that stoke the fire for local places to offer just a few craft beers to get started?

Is there a club in TV for craft beer enthusiasts? I am not talking about people who brew their own beer but people who just enjoy a good IPA, porter, or stout once in a while.

With craft beer now 20+% of the overall beer market, it may be just a matter of time before it grows here in TV.

Any comments?

[Scorpyo]

I have been frustrated by the craft beer selection here in The Villages since moving here last year. Most of the bars/restaurants I go to say there is not enough demand to carry even some decent local or national styles of beer. I have been to Sunny Pint and have found a few places with good beer but it has been difficult.

There are good alternatives, as a day trip, but getting behind the wheel of a car after visiting breweries is over for me.

After reading this thread, I wonder if we had a group of folks who really enjoyed craft beer .....could we band together for a few regular social events where a local establishment brought in a few good beers and we met for a brew with a common interest? Would that stoke the fire for local places to offer just a few craft beers to get started?

Is there a club in TV for craft beer enthusiasts? I am not talking about people who brew their own beer but people who just enjoy a good IPA, porter, or stout once in a while.

With craft beer now 20+% of the overall beer market, it may be just a matter of time before it grows here in TV.

Any comments?
I'm not a beer enthusiast. Actually considering I'm Irish I guess that's an oxymoron. I prefer Johnny Walker Gold, however, I do enjoy a good lager occasionally. I really enjoyed the Kolsch beer when I used to go to Cologne, Germany. If you put 10 beers in front of me I probably wouldn't be able to recognize a craft beer. But in response to you post, being of Irish descent, I'd be willing to participate. Probably more than willing. Actually looking forward.

[jjombrello]

The Corkscrew in Spanish Springs has some good crafted beers.

[Ecuadog]

...

After reading this thread, I wonder if we had a group of folks who really enjoyed craft beer .....could we band together for a few regular social events where a local establishment brought in a few good beers and we met for a brew with a common interest? Would that stoke the fire for local places to offer just a few craft beers to get started?

...

There are already two World of Beer places that are local. Here is the beer list from the one in Brownwood.

WOB beer list (https://worldofbeer.com/locations/the-villages-brownwood/beer/)

[Homer49]

Edna’s in Marsh Bend usually has a decent selection on tap and it’s a great place to sit under the oaks and quaff.

[Psacc0]

I have two questions regarding how to get craft beer in or near the villages. Any recommendations for breweries? Any places we can buy 6 packs/cases of really good beer. So far we have only seen decent beer at ABC Liquor. Please help!

Sunny Pint was nice, down on 44

[chet2020]

I have been frustrated by the craft beer selection here in The Villages since moving here last year. Most of the bars/restaurants I go to say there is not enough demand to carry even some decent local or national styles of beer. I have been to Sunny Pint and have found a few places with good beer but it has been difficult.

There are good alternatives, as a day trip, but getting behind the wheel of a car after visiting breweries is over for me.

After reading this thread, I wonder if we had a group of folks who really enjoyed craft beer .....could we band together for a few regular social events where a local establishment brought in a few good beers and we met for a brew with a common interest? Would that stoke the fire for local places to offer just a few craft beers to get started?

Is there a club in TV for craft beer enthusiasts? I am not talking about people who brew their own beer but people who just enjoy a good IPA, porter, or stout once in a while.

With craft beer now 20+% of the overall beer market, it may be just a matter of time before it grows here in TV.

Any comments?

I feel your pain. I'm from Wisconsin and up here you can hardly drive a mile without seeing a brewery with a beer garden or a brew pub/restaurant that crafts their own beers. Chicago is much the same. I am surprised there are not more in Florida. Not that I expect Floridians to like beer as much as Wisconsinites, but still, the landscape seems wide open down here for a few breweries. If I were a younger man ...

[garyseller]

Sadly, Backyard Barn in Wildwood is closed and for sale.

[BS Beef]

I’m a smidge off topic but had to chime in with Reef Donkey by Tampa Bay Brewing Co Is a very good APA. I’d definitely suggest giving it a shot.

[Two Bills]

Our village in the UK sells the best pint of bitter in the world. Period. Full stop. No argument!!