Lost Shirt Brewing Co. Review - The Florida Travel Girl

Lost Shirt Brewing Co. is a small, but very popular brewery in Melbourne, Florida. It has a bit of a cult following by engineers that like to head there after work. However, Lost Shirt makes a wide range of beer and the brewery is fun to visit, whatever the occasion.

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Location and Atmosphere

The first time I came here was for a happy hour. This was a couple of years ago and I was shocked to find out this brewery existed. It’s location is in an unassuming spot next to a home brew supply store.

The inside is simple with a bar and a dozen tables. You can also see where all the brewing takes place in the back. When my coworker told me why she liked it, she said “it reminds her of being in a basement”, which she missed since Florida doesn’t have basements.

To me, that did not come off as high praise for the atmosphere! Thinking of basements conjured up images of me freezing in half finished basements of my friends houses back in New Hampshire.

But this was actually kind of accurate to the feeling. It is very cozy and like you are at a friends house instead of a public space. I think this is why it’s popular with groups of people since it is a lot more intimate.

The Beer at Lost Shirt Brewing Co.

I have since been back a handful of times, but it is the beer that keeps me coming, not the atmosphere. They have really out done themselves through the years. Lost Shirt Brewing Co. usually has about ten beers on tap, and many of them are stand outs.

You can get half pints for around $3 and pints for $5-$6, making it the cheapest place to drink craft beer in Brevard County. They also offer growler fills that range from $8 to $20 depending on the size and the beer. Lost Shirt also offers a few selections of wine, cider and soda, but of course the beer is where it’s at!

The Core Beers

They have five core beers on tap at all times. I have found this to be a solid lineup. It includes:

Magnetic North IPA – 7.1 ABV
East Wind Honey Gold Ale – 9.1 ABV
Stout Anarchy – 7.4 ABV
Indian Summer Ale – 5.6 ABV
The Gilroy – 4.8 ABV

My favorite is definitely the Magnetic North IPA. It is very smooth and not overly hoppy, but still flavorful. The East Wind Honey is surprisingly sweet for such a strong beer. I tend to get a half pint of it because of that. It is very unique and impressive though, so be sure to try it!

The stout, summer ale, and red ale are more on the simple side. All of them are very drinkable and tasty, but I tend to choose the seasonal over these three. For a place with not that many taps, these core beers ensure that there is still something for everyone.

The Seasonal Beers

The other five taps are rotated pretty frequently. They tend to have a few fruity ones, and a lot of the times a strawberry flavored one! The Blondes and Reds was a strawberry blond beer that I loved this summer. Now there’s an Uncharted Strawberry IPA which also has a subtle fruity flavor that I enjoy.

Suns Out Guns Out was a mango pale ale that I also loved this summer. I have had mixed feelings about mango beers, but this one was tasty without being too sweet. In addition to the fruity options, the Pumpkin beers released each fall are so good and very popular!

Another specialty of Lost Shirt Brewing is coffee flavored beers. Their Lost Coffee Brown has a crisp coffee flavor that wasn’t overwhelming. The Lost Port Coffee Amber Porter is on tap right now and has a delicious toasty flavor.

Lost Shirt always has a guest cider tap, as well as wine and handmade soda for any non-beer drinkers as well!

Food Offerings at Lost Shirt Brewing Co.

Lost Shirt Brewing has a few little snack packs available anytime, but I would save my appetite for Mustards Last Stand down the street instead. However, they often have food trucks parked outside on weeknights and weekends. There are some great local food trucks that come here so you can have dinner with your beer!

We went one night when The Bearded Chef was at the brewery. This is by far the best food truck on the Space Coast and even made my list of best restaurants in Melbourne! The Bearded Chef makes all kinds of crazy flavorful creations from tacos and fried rice to burgers and Mac and Cheese.

My parents and sister were with us so we ended up trying a ton of delicious food. On this one occasion, we ordered:

Honey Habanero Wings
Bacon Fried Rice
Carnitas Spiced Chicken Tacos
Honey Habanero Loaded Fries
The Juicy Lucy Burger

Now, I don’t mean to sounds like Guy Fieri, but “Flavor Explosion” is the best way I can describe these dishes! Everything had some a unique taste and a great balance of sweet and savory flavors. The Loaded Fries and the Wings both had spicy kick, backed up by a sweet honey sensation.

Then there was the burger, which seriously rivaled some of the best burger places on the Space Coast. The homemade pickles were a stand out for me, especially in contrast to the fried onion strings.

Fried rice is something you dotn see on the menu with burgers every day, but it really worked together, with the corn and garlic tastes.

I am also never one to pass up tacos, and these were no exception. The Bearded Chef really does a great job here making zesty tacos that did not overwhelm. Again the homemade picking and the herbs, set this dish apart from other food truck meals.

I would love to see The Bearded Chef offer a stand alone location, because I would be there regularly checking out the new creations!

Know Before You Go

Lost Shirt Brewing Co. is a lot different than the larger local breweries like Intracoastal Brewing and Playalinda, but I would urge craft beer lovers to come try it! Their small sizes allows them to experiment in ways others can’t with their brews.

It’s also an excellent spot to go with a group of friends thanks to the cozy atmosphere. Here’es everything you need to know if you plan on stopping by.

Lost Shirt Brewing Co is off W Nasa Blvd in Melbourne, FL
The parking lot is small, so you can park on the side of Industrial Road if it’s full
They are open Tuesday through Friday from 4-9/10 PM, Saturday from 1-10 PM and Sunday from 1-6 PM
Pints, half-pints, 32 oz and 64 oz growlers, and flights are offered
Check the Lost Shirt Brewing website or Facebook page to see if a food truck will be on site

I have now covered six Space Coast breweries and have five more to go! I hope these posts introduce you to what this area has to offer for craft beer. What’s your favorite Space Coast brewery?