Jacksonville Beach Beercation: A Jacksonville Brewery Tour
Okay craft beer lovers, how many of us have found ourselves sitting on the beach and grumbling as we choke down a lime spiked island lager. “If only I could get my hands on a decent IPA!” we cry out. Heck, we’d probably even accept one from the archenemy of craft beer, InBev’s Goose Island… I know I raise my hand as guilty. I love my beer and my beach.
Thankfully, craft beer faithful, here’s a beach town for us – Jacksonville Beach, Florida. My self-guided Jacksonville brewery tour will help you navigate the best of Jacksonville’s burgeoning craft beer scene.
Downloadable a free PDF of this guide to help navigate your way through the best of Jacksonville’s breweries!
Friday Evening
Your Jacksonville Brewery tour begins with a tour of breweries right on Jacksonville Beach, which is also where I recommend you stay for your beer and beach filled weekend in the Bold City.
Normally in my 48 Hour City Beer Guides, I start the itinerary out with a brewery. However, you’ll need to pick up some libations for the beach tomorrow, so stop number one is local bottle shop Really Good Beer Stop. Once your cooler is stocked for the beach, head over to Engine 15 Brewing Company. Engine 15 is Jacksonville Beach’s first brewpub. However, resist the urge to order a Frito pie alongside one of their artfully crafted American influenced craft beers as we have dinner planned for your next stop.
Zeta Brewing is Jacksonville Beach’s other locally owned brewpub (the others are corporately owned and shouldn’t be visited). While Zeta Brewing brews your American standards, look for one of their standout farmhouse influenced ales like the Ruby Beach Wheat. You can’t go wrong with anything from their scratch menu. I recommend the Zeta Burger (pimiento cheese, garlic mayo, and bacon onion jam), Blackened Mahi Nachos, or the Crispy Shrimp Po’ Boy.
A few blocks from Zeta is Green Room Brewing. Here’s where it gets a little confusing. While Engine 15 is Jacksonville Beach’s first brewpub, Green Room is the beach’s first stand-alone brewery. You can’t go wrong with any beer from the surfer-inspired brewery. I should know… I did two flights. Green Room always has eight year round beers on draft along with eight seasonal. Look for the Quetzalcoatl, an imperial red ale brewed with chocolate, cassava root, and serrano and poblano peppers
For a nightcap, visit Hoptinger Beer Garden and Sausage House. They have 60 beers on draft and a menu filled with plenty of items to fulfill those late night munchies.
Saturday
Begin the day at your leisure on the beach
Kick-start the day with breakfast at Maple Street Biscuit Company for a hearty, Southern breakfast. Then, relax a little and enjoy some time laying out at the beach or catching a wave on your boogie board. If the beach isn’t your thing, Beaches Museum and History Park offers a unique look at Jacksonville Beach’s history. The museum has several era cabins to tour and a locomotive that will bring out the kid in you.
Visit the breweries of Riverside and San Marco
After you’ve had enough sun, it’s time to resume the brewery tour by heading inland towards the trendy Riverside and San Marco neighborhoods. I suggest lunch at Kickbacks Gastropub. Their varied food menu covers everything from poutine to banh mi. However, the real star of the show is their beer taps and cellar, which are heavily Belgian influenced. If you’re lucky, perhaps you’ll get a tour of the 100k vintage bottles and kegs aging in the cellar.
Intuition Ale Works, understandably one of Florida’s fastest growing breweries, is a few short blocks from Kickbacks. I suggest ordering a flight or two to sample their wide variety of barrel aged, Belgian, sour, and American standard ales.
Almost across the street from Intuition is Bold City Brewery. Jacksonville’s first locally owned brewery is most well known for their Killer Whale Cream Ale or Duke’s Cold Nose Brown Ale. Of course, you should see what else they have to offer on the menu. Beer 30 is a bottle shop in the neighborhood with some creative taps to sip from while you peruse their wares.
The last brewery of the day is Aardwolf Brewing, one of Jacksonville’s newest breweries. Within two years of opening, Aardwolf won bronze at the Great American Beer Festival in the Belgian-Style Blonde or Pale Ale category with their Belgian Pale Ale. The brewery pushes the limits of beer with aggressive barrel-aging and sour programs. I’d suggest sticking around for multiple rounds and catching dinner from whatever food truck is onsite.
Sunday
Brunch and more beach
Brunch at Casa Marina Hotel’s rooftop restaurant is one of Jacksonville Beach’s best-kept secrets. Enjoy the ocean views alongside Chef Aaron Webb’s creative and skillfully crafted dishes. Added bonus, if you stay at Casa Marina Hotel, you won’t have far to stumble out of bed for brunch!
Spend the rest of the morning and early afternoon lounging at the beach. Or, if you prefer to sweat out your beer with a little physical activity, rent a kayak and paddle the creeks of Talbot Islands State Park.
Wrap up the weekend at one of Jacksonville Beach’s remaining two breweries
Both Pinglehead Brewing and Veteran’s United Brewing are a little off the beaten path located in Orange Park and Southside respectively. Pinglehead is also known for their pizzas. I recommend stopping at one or both on your way out of town.
Accommodations
Do yourself a favor and book a hotel on Jacksonville Beach to complete your beer and beach weekend. I stayed at Casa Marina Hotel (check out the latest reviews) and loved it. It’s central location was perfect for the beach, the rooms were spacious, and the building’s history was fascinating. However, I admit the hotel is not for everyone as there is no pool. But who needs a pool when the beach is in your backyard?
Downloadable a free PDF of this guide to help navigate your way through the best of Jacksonville’s breweries!
