Looking for some tasty options next fall? The Daytona Beach area has just launched the Daytona Beach Ale Trail, a collection of microbreweries and taprooms scattered throughout its iconic must-see points of interest.
Hiking the Ale Trail
Fall is the perfect time of year to try out some tasty new microbreweries and taphouses in the Daytona Beach area. These new additions provide perfect pairings for guests’ favorite foods, and the creative juices are definitely flowing.
“The Daytona Beach area is really hitting its stride as far as microbreweries go,” said Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Tom Caradonio. “We’ve added several new venues recently, and the quality is excellent. Some are combining great brews with everything from gourmet food to yoga. It’s a pretty exciting mix.”
Visitors are encouraged to add some tasty custom brews to their current travel itinerary, or dedicate several days to experience the growing “Ale Trail”. Each location has a unique atmosphere—and all are owned and operated by those who are truly passionate about their homemade brews. The offerings are diverse; some serve delicious tapas and meals, and others encourage guests to visit neighboring eateries and bring dishes in picnic-style. So grab your designated driver and be sure to use the mapping function on www.daytonabeach.com to plot your course.
Itinerary stops include:
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse was recognized last year at the 2015 North American Craft Beer Awards where it received several medals. Always on tap, look for brews like Brewhouse Blonde, Piranha Pale Ale and Berry Burst Cider.
Daytona Beach Brewing Company is a production brewery with a super-chill tasting room, a place to enjoy great craft beers while gathering with friends or making new ones over a citrusy Beach Town Pale Ale, Road Course Red Ale or a Halifax Hefeweizen.
Daytona Taproom, located in the trendy Seabreeze Blvd. Entertainment District, carries 50 craft beers on tap and is well-known for its fresh burgers.
New Smyrna Beach Brewing Company is just off Canal Street in downtown New Smyrna Beach. Enjoy the quaint digs, and sample brews like Summer Storm Hefeweizen, Disappearing Island Apricot and even Old Fort Coffee Stout.
Odd Elixir Meads is a small batch meadery located inside DeLand Abbey in Historic Downtown DeLand, Florida. Their approach to meads marries traditional techniques with a creative approach to ingredients and flavor integration.
Ormond Brewing Company is a craft brewery tucked away in Ormond Beach that specializes in unique and flavorful beers brewed on site. It has a relaxing inside tavern with a photo collection depicting the glory days of beach automobile and motorcycle racing, as well as a landscaped beer garden with a fire pit and live music.
Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company is nestled in the heart of nearby historic downtown DeLand. The backdoor of the brewery opens onto Artisan Alley, home of several great boutiques, an incredible farm-to-table restaurant and the famous Friday night farmers market. With names like Beach Hippy, Daytona Dirty Blonde and Lost Fisherman, you can’t go wrong.
Seabreeze Taphouse tops off a full liquor bar with a whopping variety of over 100 craft beers, 25 of which are on tap. You will find a good mix of American and European producers, with a healthy dose of Canadian makers thrown in.
Tomoka Brewery, an original beachside treasure in Ormond Beach, is now a dedicated ‘sour lab’ that produces ales like Mexicali Blues, brewed with lime, agave nectar and sea salt. It features a popular food menu and brews like Hazy Sunrise Wheat, Lunar Eclipse Stout and McCarthy’s Irish Red. At random intervals, you might even see the Elvis Peanut Butter Banana Sandwich Brown Ale on the menu.
Tomoka Brewing Company, Tomoka Brewery’s sister pub in Port Orange features an even larger venue with great beers and food, including delicious pizza—and the popular Eggs and Kegs Brunch.
Check out the Ale Trail for more information.
