With a variety of rich flavors on tap, and a willingness to experiment with ingredients and brewing methods, craft breweries are near and dear to South Florida beer lovers’ hearts.
They’re a sacred spot to order a pint, chat with others about their favorite flavors and celebrate with seasonal creations (pumpkin ale, anyone?).
With Oktoberfest in full stein-swinging mode and sports taking over TV screens, we figured there was no better month than October to ask our readers where they prefer to pull up a stool to grab a craft beer in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
The call for nominations for our Best of South Florida Dining series lasted more than two weeks (after a deadline extension because of Hurricane Milton). But now the nominations have been counted and we’re hoppy to announce our five frothy finalists, in alphabetical order:
What craft beer fans say
Boca Raton resident Ellen Hilton gave a shout-out to Barrel of Monks and its Wizard in Pink brew, which it serves during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Hilton’s other favorites are Single in Savannah and Abbey Terno.
“It is a great place to hang out with friends. The owners and their employees are so welcoming,” she wrote in her nomination form. “The beers are excellent. They do rotate different beers, so there are new offerings frequently.”
With his nomination, Ed Carifio of Coconut Creek gave us a list of what he likes about Dangerous Minds: the great selection of beer, live music on weekends, special beer-and-food pairing events and its family friendly vibe.
“Almost like walking into Cheers,” he wrote, adding that he often enjoys a Stein of Ein at the brewery.
Meanwhile, Gulf Stream has a dedicated fan in Fort Lauderdale resident Marisa Limon, who told us the brewery “has the best beer, pizza, and atmosphere.”
“All their beers are worth trying and they add new ones frequently,” she wrote. “It has a local feel while also being extremely welcoming of everyone else. Just tried a new sour that I am obsessed with called Aviation, but I believe Transplant and Hold My Beer are the OG favorites!”
About Invasive Species, Fort Lauderdale’s David Collier told us: “It’s a tough call because of how many good breweries are in the area, but if I had to pick one that hits on all styles … this is the one.”
An “independent brewery owned by Broward County natives that kicks ass in just about any style that they put out from IPAs, sours, pilsners, lagers and stouts,” he wrote in his form. “Consistent quality throughout their brews and [they] show off their experimental styles most commonly in their sours, IPAs and stouts.”
Last but not least, Hollywood resident Mark Lavallee nominated 3 Sons because “their special beers are brewed with the highest regards to premium ingredients,” he wrote.
Want to have a say in which craft beer comes out on top? Fill out the form below and select your favorite. You have until Thursday, Oct. 24, to make your voice heard. (If you can’t see the form, click here.)
Thank you for participating! And don’t miss previous votes:
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