In recent years, craft beer has surged in popularity, transforming from a niche hobby into a cultural phenomenon. It’s not just about the beer itself, though the inventive flavors and zymurgical artistry are certainly a major draw. For many people, craft beer embodies a sense of community and creativity. It gives drinkers an opportunity to savor something unique, something that has been crafted with passion and care, often by brewers who are deeply connected to the community.
While craft beer started to become more mainstream in the 1990s and 2000s, it wasn’t until the 2010s that the craze became widespread. The explosive growth of the last decade has slowed, but the craft beer industry has remained robust by continuing to evolve. Consumer tastes are always shifting, and craft breweries have learned how to adapt by embracing trends like sour beers which are intentionally tart and tangy. Drinkers have shown interest in low-alcohol and no-alcohol beers, a need that many craft breweries are happy to fill. Craft breweries are also expanding beyond beer, venturing into areas like hard seltzers, kombucha and craft spirits. The Sarasota and Bradenton area has a rich cultural scene with a strong appreciation for food, craftsmanship and the arts. It should come as no surprise then, that the craft beer scene is still thriving in Sarasota and the surrounding areas. There is an incredible array of local breweries where craft beer aficionados can slake their thirst for this buzzy beverage.
3 Bridges Brewing
Scott and Corey Harper first started 3 Bridges Brewing in 2017 as the brewpub side of a local restaurant. In 2023, the husband and wife team struck out on their own, opening the flagship location of 3 Bridges Brewing in Venice. This family-friendly, dog-friendly brewery has a bright and airy taproom with murals and local art in lieu of TV screens, as well as 1700 feet of outdoor space with picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, cornhole boards, and a designated play area for kids. The Harpers are passionate about giving back to their community and have used the grounds to host fundraising events like a beer festival last May, with proceeds going to The Twig, a local nonprofit organization that supports foster families. 3 Bridges has 22 taps available for beer, about ten of which are dedicated to their core beers like the 1765, a Czech-style lager. The rest rotate in and out regularly. One particularly popular brew is the Tropicat, a heavily fruited sour beer made with pineapple, mango and guava. If you fall in love with a beer, you can even take it home - 3 Bridges sells cans and crowlers out of their taproom. “We don’t really lean into one type of beer,” says Scott. “We love making many different styles, and whatever kind we do we focus on putting everything we have into that.” 3 Bridges also dedicates two taps to hard seltzer. The standard seltzer is 5.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) and can have natural flavors added soda-fountain style, while the disco seltzer is 12% ABV and has flavors inspired by cocktails like mojitos and Moscow mules. It’s one disco party you’ll definitely want to attend. 3 Bridges Brewing, 1765 South Tamiami Trail, Venice, 941-445-4067, 3bridgesbrewing.com.
Back Porch Brewing Company
more and more residential developments are going up every day east of the interstate. But while there’s plenty of commercial development out there, it’s not always easy to find a laid-back neighborhood hangout spot. That’s where Back Porch Brewing comes in. “Not everyone in Florida is originally from here,” says Sarah Tomaselli, who co-owns the brewery with her husband Anthony. “They’re kind of looking for their place and we want to be that spot where people can come.” Though they only opened in 2023, the Rhode Island natives have already built up a crowd of devoted regulars who appreciate the brewery’s warm and welcoming atmosphere. In addition to smaller tables for more intimate groups, the family-friendly establishment also offers communal seating so you can bring a lot of friends - or even make some new ones. They also keep plenty of fun diversions on hand, including Jenga and an assortment of board games and card games. Anthony is a chef by trade who started out home brewing as a hobby. After spending five years working as a professional brewer, he now brews the beers at Back Porch where he typically has 10-12 taps of his creations on draft at any given time. In the summer, the tendency is to focus on drinkable beers with a low ABV and you’ll see some of those on the menu year round like the Centennial Park Citra, the brewery’s signature pale ale. But in the fall, you might see more cozy beers, like a coffee stout done in collaboration with Black Gold Coffee Roasters in Venice. For her part, Sarah is a wine expert with a level 3 WSET certification, and she has curated a wine list that is leaps and bounds above what you’d typically see in a brewpub. As if that weren’t enough, the dynamic duo has also started serving up fantastic Italian-inspired bar fare made in-house. Back Porch Brewing Company, 3469 Precision Drive, North Venice, 941-218-4156, bpbrewing.com.
Inner Compass Brewing Company
In craft brewing, several elements must work in harmony to create the perfect sip. The same thing could be said for Inner Compass Brewing Company Itself. There are several family members involved in Inner Compass Brewing. Robert Carrubba, a home remodeler by trade, built out the space. His wife Susan Carrubba handles the finances. Robert’s daughter Brittany Sutherin is the General Manager. Susan’s son Rob Turner is the head brewer. Every person has a unique role to play and together they’ve built a business that’s as well-rounded as a great craft beer.
The beer menu at Inner Compass isn’t set in stone. Rob pays attention to what’s popular with his customers and isn‘t afraid to get inspired which leads to some really creative brews like the Stouts Honor Peanut Butter Milk Stout that’s sweet and creamy with a hint of underlying bitterness. Some of the beers rotate out regularly, so it’s a good idea to check the daily menu on the website before you come in to scope it out. However, there are some core beers that Rob tries to keep on hand. “We have a saison, a couple of IPAs, a milk stout,” Rob says. “The Kölsch style is probably our most popular. It’s an easy drinking ale, not quite as light as a lager, originally from Germany.” Inner Compass has thirty taps and about half of them are dedicated to their own brews. The other taps feature guest beers purchased from other Florida breweries. Doing this allows them to expand their selection considerably, offering options like sours and ciders. But it also exemplifies that community spirit that makes the craft beer industry so special. The brewery also offers a well-curated wine selection and canned cocktails as well as a menu of traditional bar fare made in house. Inner Compass Brewing Company, 10316 Technology Terrace, Bradenton, 941-900-1102, innercompassbrewingcompany.com.
Calusa Brewing
The story of Calusa Brewing is one of friendship and camaraderie, and Vic Faulk is at the center of it. Faulk opened Calusa with Geordie Rauch, his brother-in-law and lifelong friend. Their partner in the venture is Jason Thompson, who is also the head brewer. Faulk and Thompson were both in the military and fell in love with the craft brewing scene when stationed in San Diego in the early 2002. “Jason lived right across the street from Ballast Point, which at the time was a little tiny brewery with a home brew shop,” Faulk says. “We used to walk over there and have beers and hang out and talk about, when we get out what do we want to do?” As it turned out, a craft brewery of their own appealed to a lot of their interests. Faulk went on to get an MBA at the University of South Florida where he and his cohort put together a full-scale business plan for their capstone project. That business plan would serve as the model for Calusa, which opened in 2016. In 2023, the trio moved their taproom operations to a 12,000 square foot location filled with colorful murals by local artist Will Ralston. Ralston also designs the vibrant and imaginative artwork on Calusa’s canned beers. A new food concept called PigFish, a sustainable gastropub, also evolved with the new location. Calusa was one of the first breweries in Florida to champion hazy IPAs, which eventually became a major craze. Their flagship beer Zote is a hazy IPA that is fresh, juicy and citrusy, and it can be found on tap at several bars and restaurants throughout the Sarasota area. But for other Calusa beers, it’s best to go right to the source. The laid-back taproom typically has at least 20 of their own brews on tap, from hoppy beers to heavily-fruited beers to more traditional lagers, and they continue to evolve. “We’re constantly coming up with new labels and new fun styles that feature different hops and different ingredients,” Faulk says. “We’re fortunate that we’re small enough that we still release new beers almost every weekend.” Calusa Brewing, 5377 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, 941-552-8846, calusabrewing.com.
Motorworks Brewing
In Europe, it’s not unusual for breweries to be housed in historic buildingS. While that practice is considerably less common in the United States, Motorworks Brewing is carrying on the tradition. As soon as owners Frank and Denise Tschida saw the 27,000 square foot brick building from 1923 they knew it had to be theirs. The historic building once housed an automobile dealership, so when they opened their brewery in 2013 they named it Motorworks Brewing as an homage.
Because they purchased an adjacent piece of property, the Tschidas were also able to create a massive outdoor space—in fact, the brewery has the largest beer garden in the state of Florida. The garden boasts a spacious deck, turfed lawn, several cornhole boards, and life-sized Connect Four and Jenga sets, with an immense 150-year old oak tree at its heart. The beer garden is also home to a 22 foot projection screen for movies and a live music stage that is jamming every weekend. “We have something going every day of the week, whether it’s Bingo Mondays and Wednesdays, Trivia Thursdays, Poker and Texas Hold ‘Em Thursdays and Sundays,” says Josh Mallory, General Manager at Motorworks. “We also do a lot for the community. Every month we do a Yappy Hour where a local animal shelter or animal rescue will come in and we’ll fundraise for them.” And of course you can’t talk about a brewery without mentioning the beer. Motorworks has 29 taps, all of which feature their own brews. Many of the beers are award-winning like the Pulp Friction, a grapefruit IPA with lots of citrus flavor and a hint of pine and Midnight Espresso, a coffee porter with strong notes of chocolate and coffee. You can even take their beers home in the form of a six-pack, growler or keg. Motorworks Brewing, 1014 9th Street West, Bradenton, 941-567-6218, motorworksbrewing.com.
