Everything you need to know about Clearwater’s craft breweries and beer scene in one place!
There are 5 breweries in Clearwater, a city on Florida’s Gulf Coast known for having one of the best beaches in the world. South of Dunedin and west of Tampa, Clearwater breweries offer unique experiences and beers to match—crafted for you to enjoy along Florida’s “Gulp Coast.”
We’ve sipped a beer or two in Clearwater, Florida and put together a guide to help you find the best breweries in town (IMHO), a list of every brewery (so you can decide for yourself), a map and ale trail to plan your pub crawl, and plenty more helpful tips to enjoy Clearwater’s craft beer scene.
Clearwater Brewery Guide
Can’t wait? Jump down to the section most important to you!
- Best Breweries
- Breweries List
- Breweries Map
- Ale Trail
- Breweries with Food
- Breweries with Outdoor Areas
- Family Friendly Breweries
- Dog Friendly Breweries
- Nearby Breweries
Best Breweries in Clearwater (Can’t Miss!)
It’s true, Clearwater is home to several amazing craft breweries, but some rise above. If you only have time to visit a few, these are the 3 top breweries we recommend.
Clearwater Brewing Company
Clearwater Brewing is a microbrewery located in the Old Clearwater Bay area. The brewery was founded by four friends in 2017 and opened its taproom—an old gas station—in May 2019. Clearwater Brewing offers a variety of house-made brews in its 14-tap tasting room. The brewery houses its production facility, has plenty of outdoor seating , and its very own food truck on site serving tacos and pub-style food. Clearwater Brewing is also kid-friendly and dog-friendly.
Details
Limited Menu
Outdoor Area
Kid Friendly
Dog Friendly
Grindhaus Brew Lab
Founded in 2016, Grindhaus Brew Lab is a boutique brewery with a movie/lab themed taproom. All its hand-crafted beers are brewed in 1 barrel batches (or less) so that every batch is unique and ultra fresh—served in its signature 10 ounce beakers. Grindhaus does not focus on one beer style, but instead, a range of beer styles, adding new, experimental, and returning favorites every Friday. Fitting with its movie theme, the brewery shows classic movies in the “Brew House Theater” on the weekends. Grindhaus has snacks, but if you’re looking for lunch or dinner, there are several nearby restaurants.
Details
Food Trucks or Nearby
Southern Lights Brewing Company
Southern Lights Brewing is a microbrewery founded in 2015 by a small group of friends. The brewery specializes in small-batch ales and lagers, but also brews a variety of styles to appeal to a wider range of beer lovers. The brewery has a large, outdoor seating area that is dog friendly. No food, but you can get delivery or bring in food from plenty of nearby restaurants.
Details
Food Trucks or Nearby
Outdoor Area
Dog Friendly
Complete List of Clearwater Breweries (Every Single One!)
The long list of EVERY craft brewery in Clearwater, Florida.
- Clearwater Brewing Company ↑
- Grindhaus Brew Lab ↑
- Southern Lights Brewing Company ↑
- 3 Daughters Brewing ↓
- Big Storm Brewing Co. ↓
Here are 2 more breweries you need to check out!
3 Daughters Brewing
3 Daughters Brewing was founded in St. Petersburg in 2013 and has become one of the largest Florida independent breweries. In 2022, the brewery opened its second location in Clearwater. The taproom is on the third-floor with a large outdoor space overlooking Clearwater Beach and the Intercoastal. 3 Daughters has a variety of its craft beers, hard seltzers, and ciders on tap, and a full kitchen. The location features live music and events most weekends, and it’s also kid-friendly and dog-friendly.
Details
Full Kitchen
Outdoor Area
Kid Friendly
Dog Friendly
Big Storm Brewing Co.
Big Storm Brewing was founded in 2012 and has four taprooms in Florida: Clearwater, Odessa, Cape Coral, and Orlando. The brewery crafts a variety of beer styles—20 on tap in Clearwater—and is known for its many Florida-centric brews. The Clearwater location houses its main production facility, and taproom with a large outdoor patio and full kitchen. The brewery is also kid friendly and dog friendly (outside only).
Details
Full Kitchen
Outdoor Area
Kid Friendly
Dog Friendly
Clearwater Breweries Map
Finding breweries in Clearwater is easy, but getting to visit all of them is a challenge. Trust us, we know!
Once you find your favorite breweries, you can use our brewery map and ale trail below to plan your route. It marks the locations for all the area breweries to help you get from A to Z. Plan accordingly!
Clearwater Ale Trail
The Clearwater brewery map and list order below is our recommended ale trail for the best pub crawl experience. Clearwater breweries are a bit spread out, so plan to drive or use your favorite ride sharing app.
- 3 Daughters Brewing ↑
- Clearwater Brewing ↑
- Grindhaus Brew Lab ↑
- Southern Lights Brewing ↑
- Big Storm Brewing ↑
Pro tip: Consider pairing a few with your list of Dunedin breweries for a well-rounded “Gulp Coast” ale trail. If you’re hanging around the Tampa Bay area for a while, consider taking a drive over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and check out a few breweries in Sarasota and Bradenton.
Clearwater Breweries with Food
Besides exploring new breweries, we also love trying new food. Who doesn’t?!?
You’ll find that the food options vary by brewery—from full kitchens with chef-inspired dishes to simple pub snacks to nearby restaurants within walking distance. Most Clearwater breweries even have a list of rotating food trucks.
The good news is you’ll never go hungry!
Food Trucks or Food Nearby:
Clearwater Breweries with Outdoor Seating
The weather in Clearwater is beautiful year-round, which is why most breweries have outdoor seating—some more limited than others.
From cozy front-porch patios to large beer gardens and quiet spots to chill to live music venues—Clearwater breweries offer a little something for everyone.
We put together this short list to help you find the perfect outdoor spot for you.
The breweries with the best outdoor areas:
Family Friendly Breweries in Clearwater
Family friendly breweries can be tricky. We have two kids—we know how hard it can be to find a brewery that works for the whole family.
While most Clearwater breweries are kid friendly during the day, some may require or suggest no children under the age of 18 or 21 at night.
That said, most breweries are happy to host well-behaved children and have plenty of games to play inside and outside.
The most kid friendly breweries:
Dog Friendly Breweries in Clearwater
We love our four-legged friends and so do (most) breweries.
While dogs are typically permitted, most Clearwater breweries have policies that require your dog to be well-behaved, remain on a leash, and stay in outdoor areas.
We put together this short list to help you find the perfect brewery for your pup.
The most dog friendly breweries:
Bonus! Nearby Breweries
Looking for more breweries? Consider taking a day trip to these Tampa Bay area cities and discover over 80 craft breweries. Check out all of our Tampa Bay brewery guides below!
- Bradenton Breweries
- Dunedin Breweries
- Sarasota Breweries
- St. Pete Breweries (Coming Soon!)
- Tampa Breweries (Coming Soon!)
