The 10 Best Breweries in Tampa to Visit in 2024

I have been traveling to the Tampa Bay area for years now and whenever I go, one of my top priorities is checking out breweries in Tampa. The craft beer scene on the gulf coast is better than ever, and you can spend days trying different breweries and still not cover it all! Though St. Pete and Clearwater also have excellent breweries, today I am focusing on the city of Tampa’s best breweries.

Whether you are looking for a flight of unique brews or a simple pint, you can easily find that in Tampa. Food halls like Sparkman Wharf, also have local pints on tap, but I like to go to the tap rooms and try the beer from its source. As of December 2021, the following are what I think are the ten best breweries in Tampa.

Angry Chair Brewing

Possibly the best of the best breweries in Tampa is Angry Chair Brewing. I have been to this brewery many times and still can’t get enough. They offer a variety of beers, but specialize in hoppy IPA’s, lactose sours and dark stouts.

Angry Chair has developed a cult following throughout the years and often have lines wrapped around their tiny brewhouse for the latest releases. My favorite series of theirs is the Puff beers which are slightly sour Berliner-Weiss beers with a marshmallow flavor

The taproom is pretty small and adorned with some interesting looking stools in keeping with the name. Despite this, you really have to go to see the innovative beer they are creating. Regardless of your beer preference, you will find something to love here!

Magnanimous Brewing

The newest addition to this best breweries in Tampa list is Magnanimous Brewing, located in the heights. Not only does this brewery serve amazing beer of all styles, but also Ginger Beard Coffee. Because of this, the brewery opens at 7 AM every day but Sunday!

I found their IPA’s to be tasty and unique, especially with their hops combinations and flavors in the All That Remains. They make a lot of darker beers, including aged imperial stouts. You can usually find a few lighter beers as well if you are in the mood for that. The tap room has both indoor and outdoor seating and a casual atmosphere, excellent for getting out of the sun and enjoying some refreshing beer.

Hidden Springs Ale Works

Another one of my favorite breweries to get cans from is Hidden Springs. I am constantly seeing their amazing new releases in their on Instagram and am always on the lookout for them around here. I fell in love with Hidden Springs after trying Bear Lasers, a deliciously hopped IPA and enjoyed them even more after Resting Brunch Face, an espresso vanilla sour beer.

The tap room was a lot smaller than I expected, and I was sad to see many new released quickly run out on tap. However, what I have tried blue me away, specifically the Never Nude (pun intended for Arrested Development fans).

The selection was small with thirteen beers on tap. It broke down to six IPA’s, five sours, a wheat ale, and a stout. If you prefer classic beers, then you won’t find much here, but the selection always changes so you might be surprised. Hidden Springs has really taken off in the past year and I can only expect more good things from this Tampa brewery.

Zydeco Brew Werks

Located in Ybor City, Zydeco Brew Werks has a New Orleans style atmosphere, you will not find anywhere else. If you are looking for the best breweries in Tampa with night life, this place is it! Complete with two stories of bars and restaurant, this brewery feels like a trip to the Big Easy on weekends.

The tap list is one of the most varied around, with more lighter options than other breweries, including lagers, pilsners and a Kolsch. While the IPA’s may not live up to the others on this list, I found a few groundbreaking beers here like the wild yeast golden ale. In addition to beer, there is also wine, cocktails and a whole food menu! Whether you want to enjoy Zydeco as a brewery or a restaurant, you are in for a fun atmosphere and a delicious experience.

Cigar City Brewing

Cigar City Brewing is one of the first Florida breweries I ever tried and I have been a fan for quite some time. Their brewery was number one on my list to visit and I did so a few years ago. If you have never had Jai Alai, Guayabera, or Invasion, then you have to visit and give these classics a taste!

I actually got some negative feedback after I posted this review, I wrote about the brewery on Facebook last year. My review was a little lukewarm, as I was underwhelmed by the taproom and surprised by the lack of unique beers to try. I stand by it being one of the best breweries in Tampa, but don’t go into the experience with the highest expectations if you have been a longtime fan.

You will mainly see beers on tap here that you can try anywhere in the state. They also do a lot of variations on their popular beers. This is one of the best places for a brewery tour in Tampa though and a good place for a group of people with varying beer tastes. Cigar City introduced me to craft beer years ago and I think it is shifting people’s palates all over Florida still.

Coppetail Brewing Co.

Contrasting the atmosphere at Cigar City, is Coppertail’s gorgeous two-story brewpub. This brewery has plenty of places to sit and some neat copper touches along with the leather furniture. It’s definitely the comfiest place to hang out on this list.

I have enjoyed their Free Dive IPA and Night Swim Porter for a few years and I was very interested to see what else they brew. The brewery ended up having about twenty different beers on tap of all sorts of styles.

I found that I loved the sours here just as much as the IPA’s and porters they are known for. They even had some excellent more European style beers like the Belgian Tripel and the Irish Dry Stout. Coppertail Brewing Co. also has a restaurant onsite serving flatbreads, sandwiches and appetizers perfect for enjoying with beer. There’s a lot to love here, so make it a priority out of the many breweries in Tampa!

7venth Sun Brewery

I’ve been hearing a lot about 7venth Sun Brewery lately, but have rarely got the chance to try their beer. After one look at the extensive tap list, I knew we needed to visit! The brewery is unassuming, but they have a lot of indoor and outdoor space and often a food truck.

The flight presentation alone here was cool enough to make me happy. The beer is the true highlight though, and I had so many crazy flavored ones. The Cherry Pomegranate Tootsie Pop beer was the perfect mix of chocolat-ey and fruity and the grilled pineapple and mint flavored Acid Tuesday was unbelievably tasty!

I hadn’t seen many saisons and farmhouses this weekend and got my fix of that here as well. With over twenty-eight beers on tap, we barely scratched the surface! There really is an impressive range of classic beers, trendy beers and totally out of the box options. Definitely check out 7venth Sun, especially if it’s nice day to sit outside!

Ulele Spring Brewery

I hope I haven’t scared away the beer purists after all this talk of sour beers and lactose! Ulele Spring Brewery is one of the best breweries in Tampa to find classic lagers and ales. Even better, they are also a full-service restaurant that makes native-inspired food.

They usually only have about ten beers on tap, but each one tells a story. One of their first brews is the Wedding Beer. They were asked on short notice to make a beer for a friend’s wedding so they went with a lager that was already in work and added berries! It has been a favorite ever since and I found it so refreshing.

We met with the head brewmaster, Tim while dining there and you can tell how much passion he puts into each beer. He gave us ample samples and between my sister, Andrew and I, we each had a different favorite. This brewery is definitely a crowd pleaser that pairs perfectly with a nice meal.

Tampa Bay Brewing Company

Tampa Bay Brewing Company is another well known brewery on this list. Since opening in 1996, they have influenced the Tampa brewing industry in many ways. It is crazy for me to imagine how much has changed since they opened shortly after I was born! For me, it only makes sense that Tampa’s first brewery ended up being one of the best breweries in Tampa over twenty years later.

They have two different locations in Tampa, both with lots of indoor and outdoor seating and a large food menu. I have tried a variety of their beers, including the classic Old Elephant Foot IPA and the Twisted Strawberry Fest. My favorite has to be the Hop Silo IPA series, which they are always coming out with new variants.

You will find at least twenty beers on tap at Tampa Bay Brewing Company, including many IPA’s, lagers, and pale ales. You can find usually find some of their brews in stores, but its worth making a stop at the brewery if you are in town.

Woven Water Brewing Company

The other newcomer on this list which also opened in 2020 is Woven Water Brewing Company, just a few blocks north of Armature Works. We had planned to check this out on our first visit to Tampa this year, but with no outdoor seating, we figured we could not bring Kiwi. However, on our second trip over, we found out they allow dogs inside the taproom, which is so nice on a hot day!

We had a great time here trying half pints with Kiwi and enjoying the stylish atmosphere. The décor is very unique with a mix of chic, gothic and industrial vibes.

The stands out even more than the taproom with so many exciting creations. Some of my favorites are the IPA brewed with Sauvignon Blanc grape juice and the Blue Hawaiian Sour that was so smooth and didn’t even have lactose! Woven Water also brews their own hard seltzer, so if you are looking for a Tampa brewery that has more than beer, this is one of the top options.

Know Before You Go: The Best Breweries in Tampa

After trying so much craft beer from the area, these ten are definitely worthy of the title best breweries in Tampa. Whether you want unique beers, classic beers, a brewery tour, a snack, or a full meal, one of these breweries has what you want! It might be hard to fit these all in on one trip, so keep these tips in mind when you visit.

• These ten breweries are all within a five-mile radius of Downtown Tampa. If you want to visit multiple at a time, here are the ones close together to visit.
  • 7venth Sun Brewery and Angry Chair Brewing
  • Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Zydeco Brew Werks and Coppertail Brewing Co.
  • Ulele Spring Brewery, Magnaimous Brewing, Woven Water Brewing and Hidden Springs
  • Cigar City is a bit out of its way to the west of the city.
• If you go on Sunday, they have a Brew Bus, that for $10, takes you between seven breweries, including two on this list!
• All of these locations offer tasters, and most have growler and crowler pours for select beers.
• The tap lists are constantly changing, so be sure to call the brewery if you are looking for something specific.
• The breweries with food include Coppertail, Ulele, Zydeco and Tampa Bay Brewing Company.
• The breweries with a patio include Cigar City, Coppertail, 7venth Sun, Ulele, Magnanimous and Tampa Bay Brewing Company.

What’s your favorite brewery in Tampa? Let me know if it made the list!

While you are in the area you might as well read about my choices to check out in St. Pete or if you are heading inland these craft brews in Orlando.