With over 6,000 craft breweries operating in the United States, it’s safe to say that we’re living in the Golden Age of craft brewing. From stouts to sours, these independently-owned operations are churning out totally inventive, delicious brews—of which there’s certainly no shortage in Orlando and the surrounding Central Florida region.
Our favorite breweries in Orlando range from no-frills production floors with a few taps of super fresh brews, to tricked-out beer gardens with bocce ball, fire pits, and food trucks. Read on to learn about our picks for Orlando’s best breweries.
(Psst—be sure to check out the Central Florida Ale Trail, a beer crawl that features some of the region’s best breweries. Here's how it works: Stop in at participating breweries to get their stamps on your map—and a beer, of course. Once you’ve collected stamps from every brewery on the list, you’ll get a commemorative growler.)
Ocean Sun Brewing
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Ocean Sun Brewing, located in the up-and-coming Hourglass District, has become a mainstay in Orlando’s local beer scene. When their crew isn’t concocting O-Town-inspired brews, like the Bumby Blonde, the brewery hosts trivia nights, yoga sessions, live music, and other community events—plus, Orlando’s four-legged, furry friends are always welcome. Pro tip: Snag a beer for $3.50 during happy hour (Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) and a few pizzas from nearby Pizza Bruno. You’ll thank us later.
Deadly Sins Brewing
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Don’t let this brewery’s barebones taproom deter you. Since opening its doors in 2016, Deadly Sins Brewing has been serving up some seriously creative beers—think guava-based milkshake IPAs, coconut and coffee stouts, and strawberry shortcake-flavored saisons. Tucked away on a quiet street, Deadly Sins frequently hosts yoga classes, comedy nights, and a beloved tradition called Gluttony Wednesday, which combines trivia with diet-busting eats from local food trucks.
Crooked Can Brewing Company
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Crooked Can Brewing Company has only been around for a few years, but has quickly risen to the upper echelon of Orlando’s craft beer scene. Crafting high-quality beers with traditional brewing methods, Crooked Can’s onsite taps and tasting room feature several flagship brews, like the High Stepper American IPA, as well as countless seasonal and limited edition beers. This brewery’s gorgeous location definitely doesn’t hurt, either. Located in Winter Garden’s Plant Street Market, you can kick back and sip a freshly brewed beer underneath old oak trees and Spanish moss, or grab a snack from one of the Market’s all-natural and organic food vendors.
Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company
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One of Orlando’s newest breweries, Ivanhoe Parking Brewing Company offers locally-inspired beers (try the Café con Lactose!) in a cool, industrial, and pet-friendly taproom—as well as canned and bottled wine for those non-beer drinkers in your friend circle. IPBC doesn’t have a kitchen, but you can snack on the brewery’s free(!) popcorn or check out one of the food trucks or restaurants along Virginia Drive.
Tuffy's Bottle Shop & Lounge
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OK, Tuffy’s Bottle Shop is technically considered a cidery, but these are ciders you’ve never had before—and the bar is stocked with home brewed beers and craft cocktails, too. At Tuffy’s you’ll find some super creative ciders with ingredients like lemongrass, ginger, hibiscus, and coffee, but one of its biggest draws is the massive beer garden behind the cidery. Tuffy’s pet-friendly outdoor space is stocked with bocce ball, corn hole boards, and plenty of twinkly lights, as well as local eats—Da Kine Poke, a food truck serving up poke bowls, has a permanent spot there.
Red Cypress Brewery
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Red Cypress beers are proudly Florida-born and brewed, and the proof is in the product. Not only does Red Cypress use local ingredients, like Florida orange peels, in their brews, but they’ve named several of their beers after some of Florida’s, ahem, eccentricities, too. The brewery is constantly adding beers to the taproom’s rotation, but cans their most popular brews, like the Devil’s Chair IPA. Plus, Red Cypress hosts tons of community events, including Namaste and Drink (a yoga class followed by beers) and Beer Me Saturdays, where you can catch local food trucks and live music.
GB's Bottle Shop and Tasting Bar
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GB’s Bottle Shop isn’t actually a brewery, but undoubtedly has one of the largest beer selections you can find in the Orlando area. From tap beers, to bottled and canned beers, to meads, GB’s has hundreds of brews for you to sip while you play board games, participate in trivia, or nom on local food truck delicacies. Located on Ivanhoe Village’s Virginia Drive, GB’s is in close proximity to tons of other bars and restaurants. Our recommendation? Have a few drinks at GB’s, then head to Hideaway Bar across the street for some life-changing cheese fries. (And don’t forget the ranch for dipping.)
