Brewery Review - Celebration Brewing

Celebration Brewing

How do we define one’s local craft brewery? What does it need to have? I have thought about this a lot due to my current need for a local in Central Florida.

So what do I need from my local? First, location, location, location…it needs to be located near where you spend a lot of your time. Second, naturally, it has to have some solid beer options. They don’t need to be unicorn beers. But you need to be able to find something enjoyable anytime you roll in. Finally, you have to feel welcomed. Yes, I know every watering hole should be that way. But let’s be honest, Oga’s doesn’t always feel comfortable, especially when they remind you of your time limit. While BaseLine is always easy and relaxing once one has a table.

Let’s start with location! While New York Beer Project is fairly close to the Magic Kingdom, there is a brewery just a smidge closer to most of Walt Disney World property. Celebration Brewing Company in Celebration has shown on my GPS as being anywhere between 8 and 12 minutes from my car sitting in Disney parking lots. It just can’t be beat for location, location, location for a Disney adult who needs to get out of the park fast, get something to eat or drink, and then get back to the action. Location…Check!

Second, let’s roll into beer. Reminder, everyone, alcohol rules are weird across states. So Celebration Brewing offers both their stable of beers and guest taps from across the U.S. I can report that, well, I’ve had a lot of them. I can’t report on second sips…as I’ve had eight Celebration beers, some with multiple pints, and counting. I’ve had flights and pints, with my general list so far:

A Celebration Flight

• “Storm Strong” is my unexpected favorite Celebration brew so far. It’s a big 9.5% ABV Belgian Strong Ale with 30 IBUs, and despite Belgian beers not being a favorite for me, a Strong can really sell me. This beer balances sweetness with a light funkiness dialed in. I would love to see what this would do in a barrel!

• “Superdelacashilistickrushelanidocious” is impossible to spell but is a gentle and approachable New England IPA with 35 IBUs and 6.7% ABV. It’s a nice place to start if you want to sample IPA, with a Disney Adult-loving name (which will be a recurring theme).

• “Front Porch IPA” is a piney IPA with a bite at 6.1% AVU and 68 IBUs. It’s got a bit which makes it a little less approachable for the new IPA drinker. But, I would argue this is the flagship, resin-packed IPA that every brewery needs.

• “Back Porch” is a Double IPA with 8.8% ABV and 70 IBUs. This is a blend of hop bite with a fruity aftertaste, with a little more punch for the IPA drinker who wants it to feel like Christmas on their palate.

• “Old Dogs New Trick” continues our IPA run, with an anniversary beer brewed with Ten10. It’s 9.5% ABV with 21 IBUs. And we have a new type of IPA, with the Milkshake IPA, which uses lactose to smooth out the bite along with blackberries. The description calls out soft vanilla, in an IPA, and I was like yeah this is going to be weird (in a bad way). No, this was different in a good way. It does a very nice job of balancing pine flavor with the sweet berries.

• “We Wants the Redhead” at 5.3% ABV and 21 IBUs is Celebration’s required Red Ale. It’s a malty beer with a little hop punch. For the newer beer fan in my group this is their go-to…but I think it’s because of the Disneyfied name!

• “Four Corners Kolsch” is a style that I don’t usually dig, at 5% ABV and 21 IBUs. For a hot day, it was very light and refreshing with some hop and spice flavor. It wasn’t just purely clean as you often expect from a Kolsh but something that had flavor. This is a good hot day beer, not that there’s ever a hot day in Florida.

• “Posh Porter” is a 6.7% ABV with 40 IBUs using Posh Pretzels and advertising the tones of chocolate. It is a nice porter that is very malty to me with some slight sweetness.  

As you can see, the beer names rely heavily on their closeness to the theme parks, Celebration’s community, and Orlando’s history. These names make it a little more fun for me, even if I can’t always spell them.

But that’s not all! Did I mention the guest taps? I’ve gotten a nice spread of guest beers here, including:

"Storm Strong"

• “Green Power” a solid Imperial IPA from New York’s Other Half Brewing Co., with 8% ABV and no IBUs. It’s a highly rated national beer that was hazy, fruity, and not overly hoppy. I find that many locations, including Celebration, tend to have an Other Half IPA on tap.

• “Nevermore” from Woven Water in Tampa is an Imperial Stout at 8.5% ABV with no IBUs again. It’s nice and sweet with some vanilla tones, and best, and oddly enough, for a Florida Imperial Stout, no lactose. I grab lactose-free versions as often as I can.

• “Juice Lord and Savior” from Magnanimous Brewing in Tampa is a Double Dry-Hopped version of their popular “Juice Lord,” which you can find in cans and taps all over the Orlando area. So I had to grab the variant. Like “Green Power,” it was juicy by not overly hoppy.

• I said, a local doesn’t need a unicorn. Yet, here we are. “Seven Notes in Black” is one of my favorite beers I have had in Florida, which includes Tampa, my friends. It’s a giant 14.5% ABV Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with no IBUs. This treat is malty, sweet, and has a additional sweet tone from living in a Rittenhouse Rye barrels and 20-year Elijah Craig barrels. And…I will likely never have it again as Hollywood, Florida’s The Hallway Tap & Brew has closed. I would say pour one out, but it’s a waste to spill any of this unicorn. You will be remembered!

"Seven Notes in Black"

There are numerous non-beer options available. For those looking for boozy drinks, members of my party have had seltzers, wines, specialty cocktails, and they have a regular cocktail menu, where I may someday try an Old-Fashioned if “Storm Strong” is not on tap and nothing else catches my eye. Everyone at every age will find something they can enjoy with their meals and conversation. You must have a conversation at a local.

Korean Noodle Bowl

Food at Celebration Brewing feels like just as much of an attraction. A staple of the family has become the Korean Noodle Bowl, which one member of the family claims is better than the nearby noods, at a lower price. I have had several burgers, which have been filling and enjoyable with me often choosing the rotating special. And rotation is a key here, as I often don’t know what I am eating till I see the weekly special. I do have to admit, in my quest to find the best pretzel in Central Florida, I slept a little bit on “The Big Twist,” which is nice and soft, but also topped with everything seasoning, a personal favorite. It is a contender for best pretzel! 

"The Big Twist"

The setting itself is bright and full of light from the windows. There are multiple seating types accommodating numerous parties.  Finally, being in a strip mall, there's a lot of parking! 

Who Drinks Here? Me I drink here. I think Celebration is my local now! It is simply just too close to the Disney parks, has a lot of beer and non-beer options that will satisfy nearly everyone in a party. Along with the drinks, there is a nice rotation of food, where I’ve never had the same thing twice. And finally, it’s very comfortable with the air conditioning pumping and welcoming staff to parties ranging from solo drinkers to entire families sharing in celebrations at Celebration.


In fact…I may just be there tonight!

The Celebration Brewing "Beer" Sign

Brewery Review - Grove Roots Brewing Co.

Grove Roots Brewing Co.

5.2 miles and 11 minutes in the car!

I’m not a LEGO guy. I have family members, many adults who are. I’ve never been to LEGOLAND Florida. Honestly, I don’t know when I would for a variety of reasons. When I did have kids that were of the prime age, well we didn’t go. This is a place for kids, and if you want to laugh Google “adults and Legoland” to see some complaints this resort isn’t catering to adults. Hey, the Dragon’s Den has local craft beer! Clearly they want to capture the adults who bring the kids.

Please don’t take this as me hating on LEGOLAND. It’s just not currently relevant to my interests. And I applaud their efforts to provide children of all abilities an accessible resort and place to play. 

Love That View!

As I was saying, 5.2 miles. So, let's say you have worn yourself out being surrounded by kiddos at LEGOLAND, and you find yourself needing a more adult stop, Grove Roots Brewing Co. in Winter Haven could be for you with it being just 5.2 miles from the theme park. The building is largely metal construction, think Morton Building or industrial shed. But the inside is roomy, with plenty of space for youngsters worn out from brick building without really getting in the way of adults. The space is heavily decorated with orange farming posters and memorabilia. The brewery is the creation of a local, and locals are a big part of the vibe. I could see numerous thirsty citizens drinking from their own personal mugs. It felt like there were more locals than visitors on this Saturday. We were very comfortable, and we were sipping and looking straight into the brew house, which has a lot of metal, more than I expected for a hometown brewery. 

An Orange Tap Room!

So, let's talk about the beer. I only got one, there was an Imperial Stout on tap. “Nightmare Cupcake” is a big 12% ABV with no IBUs beer. It is dark and thick. The description notes a life spent in a bourbon barrel and vanilla and cocoa flavors. Honestly, I didn’t taste strong tones of vanilla or chocolate in “Nightmare Cupcake.” I found it pleasant, but more woody from the barrel than sweet. My partner in crime grabbed a peanut butter stout, “Peanut Pickers” which they found extremely pleasant. Overall, they were solid pints, the type that any local could be proud of. 

"Nightmare Cupcake"

Who Drinks Here? Winter Haven locals, this is your spot. I’ve seen your Grove Roots’ mugs with your name on it! If you are running out to LEGOLAND, and you want a side trip, it’s worth the stop. But if you were looking to stage a brewery adventure from a city like Orlando, I don’t know if I’d spent the time and miles to only visit a fine yet local brewery that is a little out of the way.

Brewery Review - Tactical Brewing Company

This is not a drill!

Tactical Brewing Company keeps popping up on my list of too-visit Central Florida craft breweries. As a lover of Imperial Stouts, they seem to be one of the few breweries that always have an Imperial on tap. And those beers generally seem to be rated fairly well. It is an Orlando-based brewery that seems to brew good beers and have something I want.

Tactical Brewing Company is located in a target-rich area for beer hunters. The building feels like you are entering an up-and-coming shopping and dining district full of activity and new buildings. It feels modern, open, and welcoming. It is not a barracks. The brewery itself has a modern feel, full of light, though a little cramped when full and loud. The founders are veterans, passionate about their beer and creating “Strategically Chaotic Beer” which could explain why an Imperial always seems to be on tap as it’s not a style for everyone! The tap room also has military embellishments and decorations in an understated manner that would welcome all beer nerds including the hipster kids. It is a nice balance of representing the brewery and its values, but not a spot only painted in greens or red, white, and blue. The bathroom, yes I mentioned the bathroom, was super clean and strategically chaotic in its decorations which made me laugh.

The Way We Rust

But, how is the beer? This was not my first stop! Being someone who advocates always drinking responsibly, I ordered just “The Way That We Rust”, a 12.5% ABV Imperial Stout with vanilla, cocoa nibs, and pecans. The battle plan was executed well, giving me a lot of sweet and nutty flavor. It was more than enough for me to say, yes, I will return to have more of their Imperials. It is nice to have an option in Orlando that is consistent with this style. My drinking companion, who does not enjoy Imperials, found “The Way That We Rust” to be sweet enough that she enjoyed it. For her enjoyment, she grabbed “Mo Muggles Mo Problems”, a Butter beer-inspired sour with a crushable 5% ABV. It may not have been my favorite boozy butter beer with some sourness coming through. But it may not be fair to compare it to a seltzer-style butterbeer, where the style adds nothing to the flavor making the brewing technique easier to camouflage. 

Haze Cult: Ahhhroma

Second Sips: I returned on a Saturday to chase down an Imperial Target. I grabbed the “Seeker in the Dark” an 11% ABV collaboration with Cerebral Brewing in Denver. I know I go around hyping bourbon barrel beers, but rum-enhanced imperials can be really sweet fun. This stout was aged on rum-soaked amburana and had flavors of toasted coconut, cinnamon, clove, and star anise. If you don’t like black licorice, well you’re wrong, but everything about matched my order of battle. I found it really sweet, and enjoyable, but since I had recently had a Bourbon County Stout Biscotti variant, I didn’t bring a bottle home. I also grabbed a “Haze Cult: Ahhhroma” an IPA with only one hop, Ahhhroma, which was solid and drinkable but not my favorite hazy.

I may not be ready to say that Tactical Brewing is my favorite craft brewery in Orlando…yet. But it has all the markers of a potential favorite that I can include in my drinking plans with it serving as an outpost where you can recon for other beer operations!

Who Drinks Here?: If you are in Orlando and want to add a beer search to your vacation, Tactical Brewing Company is a good base to launch your attack from. It is near other locations where you can continue your campaign, making it a good waypoint. The menu has a lot to offer at almost any time, including for Imperial fans like me. And the vibe is welcoming. Or if you just want to sample what the Orlando beer scene has to offer, Tactical is a good target.

I may not be ready to say that Tactical Brewing is my favorite craft brewery in Orlando…yet. But it has all the markers of a potential favorite that I can include in my drinking plans with it serving as an outpost where you can recon for other beer operations!

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.