Top 5 Local Breweries and Distilleries to Explore in 2019

Looking for something to do in Southwest Florida? There are plenty of local breweries and distilleries to explore, many of which feature food trucks, live music, and their own specialty drinks. Here are our top five places to go in 2019:

The List family owns and operates List craft spirit distillery. Local comedy club owner (in video above) "Captain" Brien Spina’s own brand of rum and vodka is produced here.  List distillery uses locally sourced crops and organic ingredients, and the owner created specialty products for major Hollywood stars.

Located in Cape Coral, Wicked Dolphin Distillery produces artisan rum. This family-run business makes it their goal to produce “rum to be proud of”, using local ingredients such as Florida sugarcane. Their website boasts of a gold medal in the 2014 International Rum Conference, among other prestigious awards.

Voted the best large brewery in Florida in 2016 in the Best Florida Beer Competition, Fort Myers Brewing Company strives to serve as a gathering place in the community, not just a place to drink beer. Their weekly schedule includes Trivia Night, Burger Night, Food Truck Rally, and live music.

Millennial Brewing strives to use the values of millennials to create a singular, connected community with a shared love for quality beer. Also, the company is family friendly, with kombucha on tap when you want a good time without alcohol. Dogs are welcome!

Big Blue Brewing focuses on sustainability, using source products that are biodegradable or recyclable, feeding spent grain to local cattle, and using green straws. They are Wicked Dolphin’s sister company and were voted Florida’s Best Brew Pub. They have a hearty menu with flatbreads, empanadas, burgers, and more (and they offer delivery too).

This article was written by Lexi Velte