Venue Review - GB’s Bottle Shop

 

GB's Bottle Shop

State laws around liquor are weird. You never know what you are going to find or be able to do as you go from state to state. I lived for decades in a state that didn’t sell beer on certain days, from a liquor store. But everywhere else, drink up bro! There were limits to how much take-home beer one could take buy at a brewery if it qualified for off-site sales. Big breweries couldn’t let you take the liquid home. But they totally allowed all breweries to sell you as much THC seltzer as you wanted. State laws are weird. So as you enter Central Florida you may start to question what is and what is not allowed.

Here’s one of my happy discoveries, there are options for off-site sales that allow you to consume both on and off-site. The liquid you buy may be produced by that location…or it could be beers from breweries across the United States. I’m, finding, I love a good bottle shop/brewery refrigerator! 

GB's Glorious Taps!

GB’s Bottle Shop in Orlando is one of my favorites. The vibe is a hip tap room, though they are not producing and selling their own beers. Thought the outside doesn't scream, find your beer here!  It’s wide open, with plenty of space for friends. And best of all plenty of beer options, along with wine and mead. I had a party of four. Two of us wanted barrel-aged big imperial stouts. I had a handful of options, something that is often lacking in central Florida. I grabbed a draft of The Bruery’s “Black Tuesday”, a true big beer with a 16-hour brew that lived in bourbon barrels, bringing forth some awesome chocolate and dark fruit flavors. Truly this was not for the faint of heart with a 19.4% ABV, yes big big beers. For my second beer, I just went for a small beer that I had never enjoyed that had not kissed wood. I grabbed a Weldworks Brewing Company’s “French Toast Stout”, a sweet milk stout that brought forth maple, cinnamon, and vanilla…with its tiny 7.1 ABV! But again, there was something for everyone. Another friend grabbed a sour IPA, a style that I have never really seen. And it may have been a step too far for my companion. Maybe I will never see that style again. Our final party member snagged a Tripping Animals Brewing Company’s “Cosmic Bandito 2.0” fruited sour…which provided happiness. Again, a big tap selection with something for everyone. In our group, we grabbed beers from Florida, Colorado, and California!

 

The On-Site/Off-Site Guest Options

 

Room Temperature Beers to Go!

A big attraction here is the to-go offerings. There is a big refrigerated section, filled with beer from throughout the United States, which you can drink on-site or back in your themed resort room. And next to that is a huge selection of room-temperature cans and bottles to go. I bought three beers I had never seen on this visit, and a companion bought two. Even after I left, I was drinking my spoils at home. 

Enjoying "Lil Coconut"

Second Sips: I totally had to go back to grab a wish list draft and restock my home beer fridge. I was able to enjoy two Angry Chair Imperial Stouts. I really wanted their “Bourbon Barrel Aged Simple Math” with it’s 12 ABV of 17 months living in wood goodness. It was so coconut and worth the trip. I also grabbed a glass of Angry Chair’s “Lil Coconut” at just a small little 11.5% ABV which put out the rum and spice feels. And best of all I walked away with a four-pack of “Black Bouquet” a collaboration IPA between Phase Three Brewing and BlackStack Brewing. I truly believe BlackStack makes the best IPAs and collaborations reach the Central Florida area all the time even though BlackStack doesn’t distribute here.

Who Drinks Here? If you’re visiting a theme park, this is a great spot for you to visit to stock your room fridge. Just imagine a fun-filled and tiring day of touring a theme park. You get back to your room, grab a beer you can’t get at home, settle into a chair, and take a break from your relaxing. If you want to get away from the parks and are a hophead, the Ivanhoe area around GB’s Bottle Shop has several craft brewing tap rooms to visit. Treat yourself because you don’t know what gems GB’s Bottle Shop has stashed in their to-go offerings or on their revolving taps.