Veza Sur’s Beer Cocktail. Credit: Veza Sur
Miami’s beer scene has taken off, with several popular craft breweries opening over the past couple of years. And more places are on tap to come this fall.
Here’s what you should know about five of our favorites right now.
Veza Sur
South American flair meets a West Coast vibe at this casual Wynwood neighborhood brewery, a dream collaboration between Colombia’s Bogota Beer Company and Oregon’s 10 Barrel Brewing Co. The 3,800-square-foot brewhouse and taproom opened in 2017 and has quickly become a go-to hangout for locals and visitors alike.
The beer cocktails are the star here, concocted monthly by the city’s famed Bar Lab team using 18 beers on tap and other seasonal flavors, like mango.
Pull up a stool at the bar with a book in hand (there’s a decent library here) or catch a live jam session on the green outdoor space. Baja Bao House, a Latin American-Asian-fusion food truck, serves buns and bowls by chef Jose Mendin.
Order this: The Tremendo Arroz con Mango cocktail is a heavy-hitter made with a beer boasting a 10.8 percent ABV mixed with sage leaves, orange peel and a peppercorn reduction.
The Tank Brewing Co.Credit: The Tank Brewing Co.
The Tank Brewing Co.
Only in Miami will you find a winning brewery/cigar bar combo. The Tank, located between Doral and Miami Springs, is massive. At 25,000 square feet, the tasting room holds 600 and seats 120, is decked out with big-screen TVs and has 16 taps pouring a mix of core brews, specialties and guest beers.
The brainchild of owner Carlos Padron, a cigar aficionado, and Matthew Weintraub, a former adjunct brewing science professor, The Tank also has a cigar shop and lounge where you’ll find top-rated smokes like Rocky Patel and Alex Bradley.
If you’re hungry, Twisted Fork Kitchen serves a changing menu of pub grub meant to be paired with beer.
Order this: La Finca Miami. The Tank won the gold medal at the World Beer Cup 2018 for this golden Belgian-style saison. Its crisp, citrusy profile provides a refreshing way to cool off in the summer.
The Abbey Brewing Co.
The only brewpub on Miami Beach, this down-to-earth spot has been a fixture for more than two decades. Open at 1 p.m. every day of the year, this is the place you stop by if you’re a craft beer lover, a fan of classic rock or are simply looking for a low-key venue to get away from the Ocean Drive crowd — the atmosphere here is decidedly laid-back and friendly.
The Abbey keeps four house beers on tap and 10 guest draft brews on rotation, which you can enjoy with a quality cigar and housemade empanada on the side. If you’ve got a non-beer drinker among your party, the no-frills bar has an assortment of rare wines, too.
Order this: Locals go for the Immaculate IPA, an Abbey Brewing Co. special house recipe, for its well-balanced hops-to-malt ratio.
The Wonders of Wynwood. Credit: Wynwood Brewing Company
Wynwood Brewing Company
The city’s first craft brewery to feature a taproom, this family-operated, art deco beer bar runs a 15-barrel brewhouse, serves five core beers year-round and has seasonal offerings in the heart of the trendy Wynwood Art District.
Art is as much a part of this brewpub’s soul as the hops; in fact, it goes so far as to incorporate local talents’ work into the design of the space, bottles and tap handles.
You can tour the brewery on the weekends and, if you come on the second Saturday of the month, it’s a lively spot to stop by during the neighborhood Art Walk. The facility even hosts its own pop-up gallery for you to peruse while you sip.
Order this: While La Rubia is the lightest beer made here, it’s also among the most flavorful (slightly bready, sweet and crisp). La Rubia is brewed with a combination of German pilsner and British crystal malts and Czech Saaz hops.
J. Wakefield Brewing. Credit: J. Wakefield Brewing
J. Wakefield Brewing
The scene here is very much what you might expect from the street-art-famous Wynwood neighborhood. It’s no surprise then that the company, which was started by John Wakefield, a former accountant and George Lucas-obsessed-geek-turned-brewer with a $50 homebrew kit, is known just as much for its 35-foot Star Wars mural as it is for its out-of-this-world sour beers.
The industrial-chic taproom is further decked out with steel and wood countertops and chandeliers made from recycled wine barrels. Tours are available on weekends, and we suggest you check it out, if only to catch a glimpse of the memorabilia and comic book lithographs from a galaxy far, far away.
Order this: La Nada (The Nothing) — a Russian imperial stout — is John’s favorite beer. It’s got a creamy feel with notes of chocolate and roasted coffee.
