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

Beer Review - Barrel Aged Cognac Porter

 

The 2025 Festival of the Arts at Epcot has a barrel aged dark beer….let me run as fast as I can before this festival screams to an end so I can be somewhat confused! Disney, you’re making me think too hard!

At the 2025 festival, a new booth was offered in “Fictional Victuals” which is described as “Novel Dishes Inspired by Beloved Books.” Let’s be honest, theme park adults, we love some themed food, regardless if it’s Avatar, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Minions and more. This should be a hit. But why can’t them tell us what’s inspiring the dishes. Some non-Disney descriptions list 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas as inspiring something there. But is it the Squid or Octopus or both? Is Cognac a favorite of Captain Nemo? Hey are the kids reading Jules Verne today, and is this really a happening booth. I’ll argue there is plenty of food I’d like to try to from Disney stories. I just don’t get this booth. I mean wink wink nudge nudge, the butterscotch milk shake if inspired by books feels like it should be over at Universal!

Oh yeah, the barrel aged dark beer! Let’s run to that!

Barrel Aged Cognac Porter

"Barrel Aged Cognac Porter” by 3 Daughters Brewing is giving us the festival barrel aged beer, The taste is very malt forward, providing us a dark bread, rich and malty flavor. But there is also a slight sweet tang from the barrel, which is very different than the caramel or chocolate sweetness I get from many bourbon barrel aged stouts and porters. Honestly, I think I have had cognac once, and the internet tells me that cognac flavors can be all over the place so I don’t think the sweet tang is against the brewery goals for this 0 IBU dark liquid treat from Saint Pete!

I’m still lost,on why cognac and why butterscotch at this booth! But let’s not question and just drink!

Who Drinks This? Barrel beer fans will want to give this a try, even if it’s just once. It’s good to try out the different things wood and the homes of former spirits can do to a brew. I found it interesting, but not really enough for a second pour. The nice thing about an Epcot festival is you can try and play, and this is what 3 Daughters is offering me here, the chance to have some fancy undersea (maybe) fun?

Brewery Review - Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company

Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company

It’s important to make your own impressions of a brewery. Due to vibes, taste, or offerings, you may not know if it’s a go-to or a pass until you go there yourself. I had really anticipated Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company in my head the last few weeks with their amusement park-inspired names, award-winning beer, fun happenings, and strong social media presence. Sadly for me, when I ask who drinks there…overall it’s not the best fit for me and my style preferences. 

Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company was founded in 2017 in the Ivanhoe District of Orlando, right next to Ivanhoe Park. For beer lovers, it’s within an easy walking/driving distance from other Orlando Beer spots like GB Bottle Shop & Tasting Bar. It just feels like a beer and food rich area of Orlando. One could easily make a day of it enjoying Invanhoe and other locations. The site itself is an somewhat unassuming building with a small patio to the side. But best of all it has a lot of parking. But, it also has a lot of events on site, and the parking lot was not available to us as they setup for an event later in the day. We parked across the street at a park, one we hoped we were allowed to park at and walk over.

The tap room is very well lite, but perhaps a little small. While there is a bar for seating, there were not a lot of tables which surprised me. We sat at a large table that had some fairly uncomfortable wooden seats that I did not enjoy…and maybe set my mood. It’s possible they encourage patrons to sit outside. But this space was being prepped for an event and sometimes in Florida you just want to enjoy the AC. 

The Ivanhoe Park Brewing Bar

My drinking companion enjoyed a “Pineapple Hard Seltzer” and I do mean enjoy. It was the hit of the table. Really in the land of Dole Whip, every brewery needs to have a pineapple flavored beer on the regular! This seltzer did the job, especially for someone who does not like beer as much as me.

Since I had never been here, I took on a flight. 

The Flight

• “Barrel Aged Bold Red Lip: My buddy says every brewery has their 3.25 rated Red Ale. This number exceeded that for me. The barrel really gave it a sweet mellow taste that was easy to drink and enjoy. As I look back at it now I am shocked to see a 9% ABV, as the taster went down so much easier than I expected. And it was likely my favorite beer of the flight. But I do love bourbon barrels and what they can do to beer!

• “Park Hopp’r”: From what I’ve seen this is a flagship pilsner. I found this 5 ABV beer to be a little funky. And this was the beginning of me realizing that my tastes and Ivanhoe may not be aligned. The beer reminded me of what I would remember of a “Miller High Life” which I’ve not had in at least a decade. It just didn’t fit me…despite the fact I think this is one of the best beer names in the Orlando area. I attribute this to what I view as a more Belgian flavor profile, highlighted by German hops and malts. Most Beligan style beers, or what I think are Beligan, don’t work for my tastebuds.

• “Joyland American IPA”: Every brewery needs a flagship IPA. They all generally taste the same to me, with a nice crushable balance of hops. This is a 7 ABV IPA with no IBUs? An IPA with no bittering. Tastewise, it’s a funky Pale Ale to me. Yeah, funky again! In looking over the website, the Head Brewer’s name of origin is Holland (per the internet) which totally explains potential influence. I do love the name of this beer, it’s historic and tips it’s hat to the tourist industry of the area. Joyland was originally an amusement park on Lake Ivanhoe. None of these brews have a reported IBU!

• “Tupac Skaporter:”: This porter is a great representation of the porter style. It’s rich and malty with a 7.3% ABV. This is a good example of the style, no funk, and would make every Englishman proud, at least beer drinking ones who like the style.

• “Masquerade: And we have a White Stout my friends. This was a freebie taster as it was accidentally poured and the excellent beertender wanted me to sample it. It has a 6% ABV, is sweet, and not surprising funky. The idea of a light colored stout has typically not worked for me as a style, and the funk is not for me.

Overall, Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company is not my favorite Orlando area brewery. I think for what it wants to achieve, it’s professional and making beers to style. But they are not the types of beers I generally go for as I like more crisp and shocking to me piney brews. 

Who Drinks Here? First and foremost, if you are creating your own beer tour in the Ivanhoe Park area, you will need to stop. Second, if you enjoy Belgian styles and you want something locally made, stop here. Finally, I do love the names of the brews, and if you are a parkhopper maybe you’d want a “Park Hopp’r”. I am glad that I checked it off my ride ticket, but I have other attractions I personally need to visit before I return.