What makes a brewpub? Is it the atmosphere? The price? The patrons? Polk Reader goes over what makes the top places to grab a good beer in the area.
1) Grove roots- winter haven, Florida
Grove Roots was one of the first breweries in Polk County. They have a 2 barrel capacity at their brewery and have over a dozen unique brews on tap. Joe Dunham started honing his skills in brewing in his early 20’s in his backyard. Over the years and hundreds of beers later, Joe has transitioned to a master brewer, winning numerous awards and pushing the boundaries in creativity. He focuses on using citrus or other Florida based crops in many of his brews. We strongly recommend trying some of his sours. The Tropical Dilemma is tart and complex with a sweet back-end.
2) Revival- Lakeland, FL
Revival is a relatively new bar that carries a multitude of highly sought after and unique liquors and cocktails. Jennie Weaver, the head bartender, and part-owner of Revival has won multiple awards for her cocktails. She has a unique style and attention to detail that is unrivaled throughout Polk County. The Moscow Mule is well-made and comes in a traditional serving mug. They also carry genuinely unique brews, including Kombucha and homemade Ginger Beer.
3) Swan Brewing- Lakeland, FL
Swan Brewing is another fantastic brewery in Lakeland, FL. Dan Thurnberg, owner of Swan They have an incredibly varied selection of beers. The vast majority are made on-site at their brewery. They carry several outside taps too but don’t expect them to carry Bud-Light or Coors, this is strictly a brewpub. They have an excellent outdoor seating area that’s dog-friendly and have live music on Fridays.
4) Beer Revolution- Lakeland, FL
Beer Revolution started out as a local bottle shop that slowly worked its way into having taps. Their current beer selection is massive, with over 20 continually rotating beer taps from breweries throughout the nation. They also have hundreds of bottles of different beers that you can drink while in the store. They just started carrying food, and their grilled cheese is fantastic.
5) Brew Hub- Lakeland, FL
Brew Hub is one of the largest contract-brewers in the Southeast. Because they are so large, they have excellent quality control when brewing and make some of the finest beers available locally. The tasting room has excellent service, and a wide selection of beers made on-site.
