Brewery Review - Brewlando

Brewlando

I love me an industrial brewery! One of my favorite breweries in the world is in a very industrial strip mall. One of my other favorite breweries was started in an abrasives factory. I love me some industrial beer! As I rolled up to the industrial-looking boxy strip mall that houses Orlando’s Brewlando, I was Han Solo walking back onto the Millennium Falcon, Chewy, we’re home!

All That Shiny Metal

I really like this space. It is super roomy with tall ceilings, with the bar side having a great view into the brewhouse. There are numerous seating types that can accommodate different types of parties, from long tables, bar-type seats, comfy seating areas, and even what appears to be private conference rooms. There are just so many party types I can imagine, and as someone who has run meetings at a brewery, I see so many options for formal and informal meetings. If this is industry, we can get some stuff done at this location! 


But hey, they have beer. Of course, for a new-to-me brewery, I grabbed a flight consisting of:

• “Jernigan’s Hazy IPA” a 6/8% ABV, 30 IBU golden but nearly see-through Hazy IPA. I found this IPA to be more bitter than juicy, and it reminded me more of a West Coast IPA than a hazy. It easily could be a flagship IPA that every brewery needs, nicely in the middle of the road and doing the job of being a foundational IPA.

• “Fuji Apple IPA” is another 6.8% ABV IPA with 65 IBUs. I liked this a little more than the hazy, finding it to have a nice combination of apple, fall spices, and some hop bite. This is the second fruity IPA I’ve had recently, and I liked the effort and interesting take on the style. 

• “Golden Night“ was a must-add to the flight since Celebration’s “Storm Strong” is becoming a go-to pour for me. I’ve clearly been in a Belgian Strong mood. The Night is a 8.5% ABV, 0 IBUs Belgian Strong. It’s a little funk, a little sweet, and should be named Golden Knight due to the connection to the University of Central Florida. Brewlando is the Official Craft Beer of UCF.

• “Magic City Milk Stout” has 5.2% ABV and 27 IBUs, which I got as a nitro version. It had nice dark bread flavors that were very strong and distinct. And the nitro made it smooth and creamy.

The Flight

I will admit, the beer was all pretty much professionally made. But none of it knocked me off my socks, with tones of apple at least making me curious. And when looking at Brewlando, it makes sense why the beer was finished, but maybe not edgy and groundbreaking. Brewlando makes a lot of beer.

Food, there was a food truck out back. I’m sure there were some miscellaneous snacks at the bar. But it was what I am used to, the Midwest, not Central Florida, a brewery with no food (because often their laws don’t allow food and drink to mix).

Brewlando does have an important history and footprint for the Central Florida beer scene. The brewery is woman-founded and owned, in let’s face it, an industry of dudes. Shara Pahtak, who is not a brewer but a businesswoman, has created an impressive record with a brewery with multiple tap rooms in the area, a relationship with UCF, and the foundation of the largest brewery in the area in just a few years.


Who Drinks Here? Golden Knights fans drink here. Those who can’t decide on what seating types they want drink here. Maybe those who want a meeting space near but not at the airport could shuffle in. Those who want to visit the largest craft brewer in Central Florida need to check off this tap room location.

Brewery Review - Rockpit Brewing and Distilling

Rockpit Brewing and Distilling

A free birthday flight! Yes Please!

Rockpit Brewing & Distilling has been on my radar for a bit. Their online menus, which I find in Central Florida, are not always as accurate as I desire; consistently had a stout that I wanted to enjoy. And with them having a cocktail menu, suggested some choices that the non-beer drinkers in my path would enjoy. 

The Brewhouse

Located within a nice, reachable distance from Downtown Orlando, this is a spot that is also a comfortable commute from Universal. The building is metal-sided and garage-like, with a parking lot that has limited spots. On the day I was there, some spots were also occupied by a food truck. Inside, there’s a lot of space, tables, and a bar. The space can fit many different-sized parties with room to spread out. The best part of the space for me is the metal. With Rockpit having both brewing and distilling under one roof, it’s a lot of metal for brewing fans to stare at while sipping their pints. 

The Flight

I got a birthday flight. Rockpit has this offer on its website. The beers I mined were:

• “Stupider” is a traditional IPA with a big 7.5% ABV and 100 IBU. This is really Rockpit’s flagship IPA for me. But that 100 IBUs was a big hoppy bite that I was not expecting.

• “Yankee Savage” was the other style of IPA I grabbed, a New England Hazy IPA with a slightly smaller 6.2% ABV and 34 IBUs. This is a nice traditional hazy that does give off some beer funk.

• “Never Go Full Tropic” is the Wheat style beer you expect from a Florida brewery. The Wheat style does pop for me, with this reminding me of a banana-led version of Funky Buddha’s “Tropical Floridan.” This Wheater comes in with 5.4% AVB and no IBUs.

• “Blackstrap Con Leche” is the 6% ABV and 30 IBU Milk Stout that I was craving. You really do get the nice dark malts popping flavor with some sweetness from the lactose. Florida loves lactose in their stouts. But this is a version of a lactose-adjoined stout that really works well, as the brewery is trying to imitate a sweet coffee, and they make it work.

"Blackstrap Con Leche"

The non-beer fans in my party grabbed cocktails. And I do have to say that these moonshine-based drinks are really affordable, especially when you compare cocktail prices to theme park property. The two snagged cocktails in my group were the “Blueberry Lemon Thyme Gin Smash” with gin, lemon juice, blueberry juice, and some thyme by our gin fan. And the sweet Pina Colada fan grabbed “Toes in the Sand” with Flordia Cracker Sugarcane Moonshine serving as their local pina. The iconic scene to watch was the two drinkers swapping their cocktails, preferring each other's original choice instead of the cocktail that typically suits them.
 

"Toes in the Sand"

There are two vibes here for me. The first is local. This taproom feels like a local hangout spot. Mugs hang on the wall for regulars. Rockpit feels like everyone knows your name taproom if you visit on the regular. The second is manly. Diving deep into my mind, I used to be part of a group that was determining how to bring male customers through our doors. One recommended strategy was to decorate our location with heavily male-influenced images, like hunting. Rockpit has a miner's theme with dark woods and used metals. It’s a spot where it feels like a dude would feel super comfortable. It’s like a man cave with beer. 

"Blueberry Lemon Thyme Gin Smash"

We were there on a Saturday, and there was a Smashburger truck on site. But there is also BBQ provided by their neighbor Cecil’s BBQ., so one can grab and drink and meal. Being Midwestern, we grabbed some cheese curds, which, without seeing a kitchen on-site, I did see staff walking out a side door to grab our yummy cheeses.

Who Drinks Here? I feel like locals definitely drink here. Also, I think this is a spot where dudes can feel super comfortable. I also think if you are looking for affordable cocktails, Rockpit Brewing and Distilling is likely for you.

Venue Review - The Beak and the Barrel

Everyone loves The Beak and Barrel. But me I just like it!

I love a themed bar. I love “Pirates of the Caribbean” as a classic attraction! I should love the Beak! Sadly, spoilers, the newest themed bar in the Magic Kingdom is just okay to me.

Rummy Commands the Room! 

Let’s start with the great, theming. The Beak and Barrel is one large room broken into different sections with pirate lore. The room is divided however, with walls and windows. It is beautifully decorated with cast members who are, in general, leaning into the kitsch. Like Oga’s (yeah, we will get back to that) it also has a key audio-animatronic figure in the bird Rummy who yells out at guests and creates some fun. For history nerds, like me, it also reminds us of the Barker Bird, which I never saw. Sadly, seeing Rummy won’t be easy for everyone. At least at Oga’s I can pretty much see DJ-Rex everywhere. But yeah, the theming is great!

Butttttt

Yeah, sadly there is a lot of that here.

First, this is a setting with Oga’s rules. That means you have no control over where you are sitting. The first time I journeyed to the Beak, we started with a family on their way out who also clearly chugged their second whiskey cocktails and definitely had a pirate edge to them. They were replaced by a super chatty set of Midwesterners, who knew many of the same places that we did…but also were a little distracting to my private time in the Captain’s Cabin. The second time, we stood behind a window. Now I know what you are thinking, it’s a window! You can see everything. Nope, while the earlier table may have been far from Rummy and the action at the bar, this spot literally blocked all the action. It was opaque and gave you a view of nothing but a blur. My companion kept jumping into a walkway to see Rummy’s latest bits. It was a real mood killer despite the theme and made me keep growling. I’d rip those windows out; they are useless and give you the obscured view of a stadium event.

"Plunder's Punch"

Oga’s rules also mean you have 45 minutes and a limit of two drinks. And again, that chugged drink makes me think some folks are rushing through cocktails. Oddly enough to me, there are small pours of reserve rum, and these also count as one drink. So you can’t grab a sample of all three unless you are sharing these mighty two-ounce pours.

"Barrels Ablaze"

Second, the pre-mixed signature cocktails are good but limited. For our first voyage, my companion got the “Plunder’s Punch” a Kraken Black Spiced Rum, Blackberry, Lime, and Vanilla cocktail in a pirate skull mug for $46.  And they got it so I could have the mug, which I really do like. It was a great sweet rum cocktail, which I hope you can purchase without the souvenir. That first trip, I got the “Barrels Ablaze” which has Jack Daniel’s Bonded Bourbon, Honey, Lemon, and Chile. This is a great spicy Old-Fashioned. While it has a mix of sweetness from the honey and the bourbon, it also has a true spice, not just a Disney spice. My throat and tongue felt the burn, which made me worry for those I saw chug them. The cocktail list, to me, is a bit limited, as honestly, many of the options were not to our tastes.

"Berried Treasure"

But the beers are a dud for me. This is a place that needs a signature beer, which is tropical or rum-inspired. And instead we got, meh. I think the most inspired beer for them is like “Red Stripe Lager,” a beer that makes me think of tropical islands. But I’m not going to complain about anyone ordering a Modela “Especial Lager” as a favorite or IPA in Bell’s “Two Hearted” IPA. At least the IPA mixes up the flavor. Because the main themed beer is Victory Brewing Co.'s “Pirate’s Paradise Blonde Ale” which I anticipate as being a bland beer that tastes lightly of beer. On my second voyage, I did grab the second themed beer, Wicked Weed Brewing’s “Berried Treasure Session Sour” which tastes of a light ale mixed with raspberry, because when I think tropical, I think raspberries. Why isn’t this pineapple, or mango, or coconut flavored? I just visited Melbourne’s Hell’ n Blazes brewing and tasted their “Hurricane Repellent” Berliner Weisse, which very much tastes of a pina colada. Why isn’t this on tap? Or even a Drekker Brewing from North Dakota, which as many many great tropical sours. We need better beer.


And while I’m ranting, like Goose Island Brewing, Wicked Weed from Asheville, North Carolina, used to be a craft brewing legend. Yes, I love craft beer. But like Goose, Wicked Weed is also now an Anheuser-Busch brand. Seriously, raspberries and macrobeers!

Cook’s Corn Griddle Cakes with Chipotle-braised Chicken

Finally, or third or fourth, there are a small number of small plates. I’ve heard the charcuterie board Island Provisions can help feed a mid-sized party. We had the Cook’s Corn Griddle Cakes with Chipotle-braised Chicken. It was a warm corn tortilla that was fluffy and delicious, with the corn chicken and cotija cheese all playing nicely. It was nice to get tasty food in the Magic Kingdom. But like many of the more tasty items in this park, it was a snack.

But sadly, arrrrr, The Beak and Barrel for me is likely an infrequent visit.

Other Journeys! I recently grabbed a family member a reservation, as I’ve gotten pretty good at getting spots for parties of two! This party of two was sitting in the Map Room, where they were never able to see Rummy. They also very much disliked their drinks. And they found the “Pirate’s Paradise Blonde Ale” to be a better choice than the four cocktails they sampled. And they had a very odd interaction with the “Mermaid’s Tears” cocktail, which involves a bit of show by adding a solution to the drink, an interaction where it was essentially hinted that the cast member was roofieing them, which was not cool to the young ladies in the group. It seems very off-brand for cast members.

Who Drinks Here? Pirates and pirate fans who need to see the theming. Or if you can get a reservation and think you would like a cocktail, this is a good spot. The Beak and the Barrel is likely a must-do at least once, but your enjoyment may vary by seating. But if you are beer fan, I’m likely heading to the Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper’s Canteen to grab a “Kungaloosh.” Hey, you might even be able to walk in there! I’d also argue that the seasonal Halloween menu at Jock Lindsey’s Hanger bar has a better themed cocktail to this experience than many offered in “The Spike Trap,” a run and vanilla vodka take on a pina. I know you got to go! But you may not visit more than once.

Cocktail Review - Swine Brine

"Swine Brine"

The 2025 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is in full swing, and I’ve got no real must-drink beers. So let’s try a returning cocktail that I have skipped in the past.

“Swine Brine,” a name that I think may be a little scary to some, is a mix of Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Apple-Cinnamon Cider, Lemon Juice, and…Dijon Mustard! Yep mustard! I think that is another thing that may turn off some sippers. But should it? Oh, don’t forget it’s accompanied by a bone-in piece of smoked pork!

A Drink and a Snack

I found the “Swine Brine to start as a very pleasant apple cider, with cider and not juice being the keyword. Then the booze and the cider started to meld into a nice boozy combo that balanced whiskey tones with apple. It was a sweet boozieness. Finally, it finished with a nice tanginess from the mustard. I didn’t get the Dijon till the very end, but by gosh, it was there. It was weird to get a layered experience in a premixed cocktail. The pork was nice. It was not overly moist and could use some sauce. I did dip it into the cocktail a few times, and found the spices from the cider and lemon did give me a sauce substitute that improved the flavor.

I accompanied “Swine Brine” with the Smoked Corn Beef with house made chips. I like corned beef and the cheese mixed nicely with the chips and the beef. However, some of my chips were a bit bland and had a cardboard-like texture. So I don’t know if I would grab this again.

Smoked Corn Beef with Chip

Who Drinks This? Those who like their ribs smoked and seasoned! It is much more pleasant and less swiney than I thought it would be, with me imagining the cocktail as a solid marinade. My saucy fears were worries only, with the “Swine Brine” being a pleasant sweet spicy cocktail that felt fallish. I would drink it again, and I urge you not to be scared off by the mustard.

Venue Review - Tambu Lounge

The Tambu Lounge Sign...Hidden Behind a Check-In Desk, Lobby, and Confused Guests

We wanted to be fancy! We had guests, but they didn’t want to pay for a day at a Walt Disney World park. Yet we still wanted to be impressive and fun, so we took them out to the Polynesian Resort, thinking we could visit Trader Sam’s, have some fun, and have a nice cocktail.

It was early Saturday afternoon, and I thought, 'Yeah, it may take two hours, but we could get in by mid-evening.' Then I was told to check back at 9 p.m. to get on the list then.

The whole plan fell apart. But we still wanted a tropical drink, and we didn’t have any reservations.

Hello Tambu Lounge!

Right next to ‘Ohana on the second floor of the Poly is the Tambu Lounge. It is the bar lounge that serves the well-known meaty restaurant. In fact, it kinda oozed into ‘Ohana, with the check-in desk well in front of the sitting area in front ot the lounge and the restaurant. You can see a bar and a partition blocking the lounge seating area. When you get past the partition, you see a few tables (low and high) and bar seating. There’s also a large window where you can see out to the Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom. I don’t think that I would watch fireworks from here, but at least it’s a pleasant view. (No pictures were taken due to this being a time with friends). 

Polynesian Mai Tai

There are a number of tropical cocktails that are Disney fandom favorites. You can find both the “Backscratcher” and “Lapu Lapu” here. I had the “Polynesian Mai Tai” that mixed a nice fruity sweetness from the Orange Liqueur and the Lime Juice, but also made sure to show off the distinct Rum profile. It was nice, I enjoyed it, and it fit the mood. I won’t complain about it being well priced, well made, but also coming without a show. If you want beer, I mean, there’s the mix of Maui Brewing and Kona Brewing Hawaiian-inspired beers you can find throughout the resort. And there’s your old regular standby beers like Jai Aai and Yuengling. But if you’re drinking beer, it's because you are currently not messing with spirits. These are beers you can find pretty much anywhere, including my garage fridge right this very moment. The drink menu, obviously, is shared with ‘Ohana, but Kona Cafe shares most of the fun drinks on its menu too.

If you are heading to Tambu Lounge, it may be for a food hack. You can order the Pot Stickers, Peel-n-Eat Shrimp, and Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings found at ‘Ohana. I’ve heard tales of the off-the-menu bread pudding and noodles also being available. I mean, it’s literally right there next to ‘Ohana, so the request is reasonable. Therefore, those who have a small ‘Ohana craving can find relief at this lounge.

Who Drinks Here? Those who wanted something else drink here. Let’s be honest, it’s not the vibes and uniqueness of Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, which can be hard to get into. It’s also not outside like Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace, so you can get a respite from the heat while still enjoying tropical drinks. If you can’t get a convenient reservation to ‘Ohana, you can still order up some of this Disney favorite’s best grub. So if you’re drinking here, you likely wanted out of the heat and failed to grab another option. It’s not a bad option, but I’m guessing it’s very few drinkers’ first option.

Beer Review - Au Currant

 

"Au Currant"

Central Florida sipping is changing me, friends!  Maybe it’s wizarding magic.  I don’t like funky beers, I don’t like funky beers, I don’t like funky beers, and Epic Universe can’t change me.

Unless some magic happens, and it does!

“Au Currant” by Crooked Can is the newest Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic brew in Epic Universe.  I decided to choke down this beer, since I don’t like Farmhouse Ales at all.  Adding blackcurrants to this saison is only going to make it worse for this dark beer fan who sees this as adding fruit to bleh.  But hey, I need to drink all the potions to be fair and provide a proper sorting.  I went into this thinking it would clearly be as horrible as Polyjuice Potion when I ordered it at Bar Moonshine.  And instead, I found this to be a very pleasant, slightly funky, somewhat sweet 5.2% ABV, no-IBU, easy-to-drink experience.  The berry flavor is not overwhelming; you are not drinking a shandy, and it helps manage the funk.  I thought the non-beer drinker in my group might like the slight berry tang, but they found it to be too funky and undrinkable.  Yeah, it’s not my favorite beer at Epic, I see you Stoick!  It’s likely not my favorite Wizarding beer either.  But it was really nice and refreshing when it's super hot in Paris or other parts of Epic.

I don’t talk about Farmhouse Ales or Saisons very often.  Mostly because I dislike them, they are not my brew, or haven’t been.  But as a style, it very much fits within the Paris vibe of the Ministry of Magic.  It’s very much a popular, homemade, traditional, Western European beer that fits Paris.  If anything to be me it feels more peasant than aristocrat, as it’s a working person brew.  For some reason, I see Wizards being more landowners than those who till the ground.  But it does fit the vibe better than an English ale style that we would find over in the other two parks.  

Who Drinks This? Wizards who need to check off all the Wizard beers grab this.  Fans of slightly funky beers would enjoy this one.  “Au Currant” is not my go-to potion, but it could give me future change-of-pace sips.  

Brewery Review - Park Pizza and Brewing Company

Park Pizza and Brewing Company

We had just picked up our weekend guests at MCO and one said, “Is there anywhere to eat?”  

And I was like…”well, I think there is a brewery nearby.”  And off to Park Pizza and Brewing Company, just five minutes away in Lake Nona we went!

We’ve not spent a lot of time at Lake Nona.  We have raced past Lake Nona to the airport or other locations like the beach, but never stopped.  And I had no idea what to expect when I remembered that Park Pizza & Brewing Company was nearby.  I worried I was lost when I took an exit near the giant medical complex, a spot where I thought there was no dining or beer in sight.  But as we drove past the hospitals and clinics, an oasis of dining soon appeared.  It was not a large dining zone, but one that was somewhat secluded and cozy, and super new.  There were restaurants and dining parks nearby that I would like to explore at a later date.  Right on the corner of this little Lake Nona Town Center was the promised drink and food after our guests’ long flight.  

 

Giant Soft Baked Pretzel

 

Let's start with the pizza, as it’s the first part of Park Pizza & Brewing Company’s name.  They were really good.  Actually, let’s start with the “Giant Soft Baked Pretzel” which was nice and soft, filling up our hungry travelers.  I didn’t really notice that the beer cheese was jalapeno-hefeweizen cheese, which is a good thing as a member of my party does not like overly spicy food.  Our table grabbed The Margherita and Chicken Parm to Table personal pies, and hungry flyers dove in, loving every minute of it.  We also got a Truffle Shuffle full size, which those of us who love mushrooms dove in on with its garlic cream and cremini mushrooms.  So so good!  

 

Truffle Shuffle

Of course, to go with lunch, I needed a flight consisting of:

The Flight

 

• “”IPA”: A 6.8% ABU and 60 IBU IPA, that is honestly the flagship IPA that all breweries need.  It's what I expected with no surprise.  They do call out that it’s a Gold Metal Winner (not misspelled).  I can see how it could win contests where judges are very much rating style conformity.   

• Cielo Azul”: A 5% ABV with 10 IBU Mexican Lager advertising itself as the essence of a sunny afternoon.  To me it was a beer that tasted like beer with a very welcome light sweetness.  I could see this as a beach beer.    

• “POG Wheat”: And the Disney Adults entered the chat.  “POG Wheat” offers a drinkable 5% ABV and 10 IBUs for a hot day.  The style is listed on Untappd as a Fruit Beer, while the name hints at a Wheat, so popular in Florida.  I believe Fruit Beer is a better label since the beer does not have an unfiltered hazy look and lacks a banana backbone.  But honestly this is nice and refreshing.  

• “Coconut Ranger”: Okay, I see some interesting pairing here.  “Coconut Ranger” is a 6.8% ABV with 40 IPU IPA, that is not your typical offerings.  It has very clear IPA bitterness and coconut tones swirling around in the glass.  It was definitely the beer that caught my attention and was a little divisive as the coconut fan at the table ran away from the IPA bitterness.    

Overall this was a mix for me.  There was the beer that you expect that tastes like beer.  But we also had a beer that clearly calls out to theme park fans coming in for a vacation and a beer that I think is just “odd” to many and was my favorite of the flight.  

For those that don’t like beer, there is a menu of your cocktails with Mules, Espresso Martinis, and Aperol Spritz (which I think someone in my party ordered).  If you want a cocktail, they likely can help.    

 

Inside, was open and sunny. There was plenty of seating for a lot of family types. But it was a bit loud, feeling like a party atmosphere.  

 

The Brewhouse

Who Drinks Here?  At this point, the reasons I will return are the food and the location!  I liked the pizza and appetizer options we had quite a bit.  I in fact, have other pizzas I would love to sample.  The beer is a bonus, with a mix of the expected and some risks that I am up to sample.  The location, minutes from the airport, places it well for those drinkers flying in and out from the Central Florida area.