The earliest colonists to settle Florida’s Historic Coast were often faced with the challenge of providing safe beverages. They took matters into their own hands and were soon hoisting mugs of their own grog in the form of home-made brews and libations, incorporating recipes from the Old World.
St. Augustine carries on that tradition today with a broad offering of breweries, distilleries, and wineries.
St. Augustine Breweries
Ancient City Brewing
Ancient City Brewing draws upon some of the oldest recipes for its beers. The Brewhouse is located a bit west of St. Augustine and Ancient City also offers a Downtown Taproom too. The brewery hosts frequent events and live music and offers a selection of ales, IPAs, porters, and stouts.
Dog Rose Brewing Co.
Dog Rose Brewing Co., is one of the most recent additions to the lineup of craft brewers. Opened in 2017 near the heart of the historic district, Dog Rose Brewing Co. features Hefeweizen brewed in the German style, plus IPA, red beers, lagers, and seasonal selections. This brewery offers a 5,000 square-foot tasting room and shuffleboard and darts too!
Bog Brewing Co.
This brewery is also located near the historic district of St. Augustine. Bog Brewing Co. features Belgian-style brews along with English and American-style ales, stouts, and IPAs. The taproom at this brewery also offers a relaxing atmosphere for visitors to throw back the regular brews or seasonal fermentations. And you will usually find a food truck parked out back.
Old Coast Ale’s Brewery and Taproom
Cross the Bridge of Lions to Anastasia Island and stop at Old Coast Ale’s Brewery and Taproom. All the beers served in the taproom are brewed in-house. Enjoy IPAs, red, brown, pale ales, and porters. For a pick-me-up, don’t miss their famous “Kookaburra” brown ale infused with locally-roasted coffee. Yum!
St. Augustine Distilleries & Wineries
The St. Augustine Distillery
The St. Augustine Distillery is growing a formidable reputation for producing award-winning spirits in a sustainable way. Many of their bourbons, gins, rums, and vodkas are already in wide distribution and can be purchased at some of the foremost liquor retailers. Visit the distillery just west of historic downtown in the Lincolnville district to check out the stills and casks and see how high-grade spirits are crafted. Housed in a former ice plant building dating back to 1907, the distillery offers daily tours of their facility.
City Gate Spirits
Centrally located on St. George Street, City Gate Spirits welcomes you to a tasting experience you won’t soon forget. This micro distillery crafts moonshine, vodka, rum and whisky inspired by the flavors of Florida. Indulge as you take in the stunning view of the Castillo de San Marcos and the historic bayfront.
Sailbird Distilling Company
Sailbird Distilling Company, located at 215 W. Davis Industrial Dr., specializes in Rum, Gin, Vodka and Whiskey and offers specialty flavor liqueurs. Free tours with tastings are offered Tuesdays – Fridays from 4 – 7 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.
San Sebastian Winery
San Sebastian Winery produces Chardonnay, Cabernet, Pinot, and Syrah using Florida grapes. Beyond the standard table wines, San Sebastian Winery also produces dessert wines such as Sherry and Port. The winery offers tours of the facility and has an on-site rooftop bar that serves up a menu of food, musical entertainment, and incredible views of the city.
Fun Fact: When Pedro Menendez de Aviles first made sight of the land where he would establish a settlement and claim Florida for Spain, it was on the feast day of St. Augustine, which is why the Spanish named the area “San Agustin.” St. Augustine is the patron saint of many things, including the art of brewing.
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