Breweries to visit

[Richard English]

I will be in Orlando next year (around Thanksgiving) to attend the Association of British Travel Agents convention. I want to arrange an interesting trip for some of my customers and was contemplating trying to repeat the formula of a very successful visit I arranged this year to the Farsons brewery in Malta.

I know from this board that there is a brewery at Orlando Airport but have a feeling that this is small and wouldn't be suitable as a venue for a group of around 30 - 50.

Can anyone suggest a real beer brewery, brew pub or similar venue that I could approach that could handle an arrangement that would incolves a visit, tastings and a meal, the whole taking an afternoon?

I am expecting to pay commercial rates for this, I would point out!

[steveh]

http://www.orlandobrewing.com/

According to Beer Advocate, Shipyard brewing also has a brew-pub in Orlando. As the address is 9333 W. Airport Blvd. ((407) 825-6473), I imagine this could be the Airport pub you've heard of. There's no mention of it at their official web site, but a phone call to either location couldn't hurt.

http://www.shipyard.com/

Historically, Shipyard's beer has been very good - their Extra Special Ale has even won awards at Chicago's Real Ale Fest: http://www.shipyard.com/Press29.html

The Orlando pub may be worth looking into.

S.

And no, Steve Hamburg of CBS/RAF is not me - but we like to confuse people at home-brew competitions! ;)

[wortchillergoal]

I have been to the brewery at the airport. I don't think it is really what you are looking for. In the mean time, my brother lives in that area. I will call him and see if he has any information. He knows of a couple brew pubs near Orlando but not in the city,

[wortchillergoal]

My brother was not in but I used google ony to find out that Disney has a brew pub. I was just there, wish I knew that then. I am rushed to leave my house but I figure that would be a start for you.

[newportstorm]

I've been to the Shipyard "Brewery" at the airport. Not worth checking out - unless you simply want a pint and a Mickey magnet at the gift shop next door. The brewpub on Disney's Boardwalk is actually pretty good. I've had several of their styles over two trips and came away impressed - considering it was in the land of sterility. Beats $6 Beck's in plastic at Epcot!

I don't know of any other breweries other than the above mentioned Orlando Brewing Partners. Plenty of brewpubs, though. Use BeerAdvocate's Beerfly function to locate some near Orlando. Choose "Florida" & "Brewery"/"Brewpub". You should come up with several dozen possibilities to filter through. Best of luck.

[chazwicke]

Just an aside, Shipyard uses the famous Ringwood yeast from England. I like most of the beers they make in Maine both from the Portland Brewery and Federal Jacks Brewpub in Kennebunkport. I saw the Florida branch had a booth at the Miami International Beer Fest last winter but I was too busy sampling the cask ales to bother with it. Let me see..........Shipyard..........Harvestoun.......Sh ipyard ............Hopback...........

[chazwicke]

I just got an email regarding the next Beer Festival in Miami (South Beach) looks like they have expanded it to include more food and music. Here is the new site:

http://www.fabfest.com/

Last year they had 64 cask ales from the UK and a superb Belgian tent.