Local Brew Review: Volusia
/By: Greg Adkins
“If given the truth, [the people] can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts - and beer.” - Abraham Lincoln
Who are we to argue with Honest Abe? Instead, we bring you the real facts about beer, specifically eight of this area’s coolest craft breweries. In our exhaustive search, we cast our net from Ormond-by-the-Sea to New Smyrna and west to Deland to offer you a catalogue of reasons - as if you need any - to get out there and soak up the suds. Godspeed!
Beachside Brew Pub
Location: 1368 Ocean Shore Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL 32176
Phone: (386) 947-7873
Beachside Brew Pub is like a secluded surf spot that you and like, two other buddies know about. You want to keep it hush-hush, but you’re also dying to share the good vibes. “We’re the best kept secret in Ormond Beach,” says Dan McGrane, Beachside’s General Manager and BrewMaster. “The biggest issue we have is a lot of people don’t know we’re here.” And that’s a cryin’ shame. Cause this place, located just steps from the ocean across A1A, deserves a wider - and much thirstier - audience. The brewery boasts a diverse selection of between 10 and 13 delightful drafts on tap, including The Nibs Chocolate Porter (6.3% abv), Cherry Bomb Saison (6.1% abv) and Juicy Fruit IPA (6.1% abv). Adorned with loads of surfy art, photos and videos, Beachside also has a secret spot of its own: a large rec room just down an adjacent hallway that features TVs, a pool table, two ping-pong tables and four dartboards. Be sure to drop in on this righteous beaut before the place gets too crowded. ...Yewwww!
Born on Date: 2016
Best-Selling Brew: The Kolsch: Rated “R” German lager (5.8% abv)
Food Sitch: Beachside hosts a nightly crop of rotating food trucks
Song Playing When We Arrived: “Paint It Black” - The Rolling Stones
You Might Not Know: General Manager and Brewmaster McGrane would bring homebrews to parties in the mid-2000s. “People started looking forward to them,” he recalls. “They’d say, ‘I’d buy this anywhere.’” The rest, as they say, is like, history, bruh
Daytona Beach Brewing Company
Location: 482 Fentress Blvd., Unit N, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Phone: (844) 352-2337
Gentlemen, start your drinking! Being that it’s just a bumper’s edge over a mile from the hallowed speedway, Daytona Brewing is the coolest craft brewery nearest to the World Center of Racing, close enough to rattle your glass on race day. But the place remains unassuming about the distinction. Instead of blanketing every stationary surface with checkered flags, they’ve opted to keep it simple. Located at the back end of a business park, Daytona Brewing’s cozy quarters feature three solid-wood tables that seat six arranged under market lights, a few items of beach-themed memorabilia and a 20-ft. bar that seats roughly eight or nine. The modest digs, however, belie the 11 bold drafts they have waiting, including Beach Town Pale Ale (6.5%) a vibrant Gingerbread Stout (6.5% abv) and the luscious Nutter Peanut Butter Porter (6.8% abv). These beers do not simply hint at flavor. Instead, they’re refreshingly explicit about it. Know that going in. If you’re in the market for a clean, straightforward atmosphere with smiling locals who enjoy flavor-forward brews, it’s time to give Daytona Brewing the green light.
Born on Date: 2014
Best-Selling Brew: Driver 8, a Blood Orange Kristalweizen (5.2% abv)
Food Sitch: Daytona Brewing sells bar snacks and also has menus from nearby restaurants that deliver. A food truck will peddle its fare once a week or so, usually on a Friday.
Song Playing When We Arrived: “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” - T. Rex
You Might Not Know: Prior to housing Daytona Brewing, the space the brewery now calls home was occupied by a church. Hallelujah! And pass the porter.
New Smyrna Beach Brewing Company
Location: 143 Canal St., New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
Phone: (386) 957-3802
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a tourist or a local,” says Jeff Snell, Manager at NSB Brewing Company, “you’re always treated like a local.” That magnanimous vibe seemed pretty evident on a recent Saturday, judging by the staff’s interaction with clientele. The crew manning the taps took time and care to explain the slight and not-so-slight differences between various brews, offering samples as guideposts for the uninitiated. And with 16 of their drafts to walk a client through, that’s some Gandhi-level patience right there. After all, with beers like Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter (5.9%), Disappearing Island Apricot Ale (5.2%) and Eureka Effect Double IPA (9.4%), it’s easy to lose your mind in a brew-topia of deliciousness. But once you settle on a pint… sip, smile and take in the space. Arguably the most well-appointed of the area’s breweries, NSB boasts brick walls, exposed wooden beams, Edison bulb lighting and a handsome wooden bench that runs along the east wall. Even the brew tanks deserve praise. Each is crafted from All-American stainless steel and is American made, which costs more, but judging by appearances, looks absolutely worth it. Bravo, NSB Brewing. We salute you!
Born on Date: 2014
Best-Selling Brew: Shark Attack IPA (7.4% abv)
Food Sitch: There’s a haul of delectable restaurants just steps away on Canal St., including Yellow Dog Eats, Jason’s Corner and Prima (try the garlic knots!)
Song Playing When We Arrived: “Alive” - Love & Rockets
You Might Not Know: Canal Street in NSB hosts a classic car show the second Saturday of every month. It’s a perfect opportunity to check out some doo-wop, some drop-tops and some tasty hops.
Ormond Brewing Company
Location: 301 Division Ave. #15, Ormond Beach, FL 32174
Phone: (386) 256-3904
In gambling terms, Ormond Brewing Company becoming a wild success was a sucker’s bet, the longest of longshots. After all, when OBC opened in 2013, the operation was wedged inside a narrow space at the end of a good-luck-finding-it warehouse complex. To stretch the odds even further, the brewery offered just one bathroom and was nestled alongside railroad tracks with trains clanging by at all hours. Not exactly a sure thing. But then something amazing happened. The bet began to pay off, thanks to dedicated staff, ride-or-die patrons and a taproom highlighting heavenly creations such as Ponce Inlet Light Blonde Ale (4.1% abv), The Dude White Russian Milk Stout (6.5% abv) and Tr-Hop-Ical IPA (6.7% abv). OBC even expanded nine months ago to nearly quadruple its original size and currently boasts around 18 beers in rotation. One constant in the OBC equation has always been the expansive deck out back featuring giant Jenga, a ring toss game and a modest stage for live music. Even the clanging of the occasional locomotive has grown endearing, giving patrons a reason to raise their glasses. All of which is to say that if you’re looking for a relaxed place with exceptional suds and friendly faces, be sure to place your bet on OBC.
Born on Date: 2013
Best-Selling Brew: Lawn Chair IPA (5.3% abv)
Food Sitch: A rotating battalion of food trucks are at your beckon call nightly
Song Playing When We Arrived: “Electric Feel” - MGMT
You Might Not Know: All the plants that landscape the outdoor space at OBC were donated by customers. I mean, how cool is that?!
Ormond Garage Bar & Grill
Location: 48 W. Granada Blvd.; Ormond Beach, FL 32174
Phone: (386) 492-7981
Part brewery. Part restaurant. Part museum. And an all-around good time. That’s the summary version of Ormond Garage, which not only features 10 of their own beers, but also a full menu of “upscale pub food,” featuring a Bourbon Short Rib Sandwich ($11), a BBQ Pork Belly Burger ($9) and vegan options, such as Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos ($9). Then there’s the history. The structure houses dozens of racing photos from the early 1900s, historical racing memorabilia and three fabled autos: a 1914 Model T Ford and a 1917 Model T Ford, both on display in the brewery’s rafters, as well as a replica 1906 Stanley Steamer Rocket race car perched at ground level. As for the taps, nearly a dozen beers from guest breweries race for attention alongside the Ormond Garage offerings, which include a Belgian Triple (9.0% abv), an East Coast IPA (6.8% abv) and a German Kolsch (4.8% abv). And if you’re in the mood to watch more modern speedsters trade paint, you can catch NASCAR and other sporting events on one of the brewery’s 11 TVs. Ormond Garage may be the most recent entry into the craft brewery scene, but it’s already making a strong run at pole position.
Born on Date: August 2019
Best-Selling Brew: Cream Ale (6.0%)
Food Sitch: Ormond Garage’s full menu has it all there for ya.
Song Playing When We Arrived: “Johnny B. Goode” - Chuck Berry
You Might Not Know: The historical Ormond Garage was originally established in 1919 but burned to the ground in 1976, shortly after which the building currently housing the Ormond Garage Bar & Grill was built.
Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company
Location: 111 W. Georgia Ave., DeLand, FL 32720
Phone: (386) 873-7350
“Drink sensibly, but get weird.” Ahhh, words to live by. And also the proud and prominent slogan displayed throughout Persimmon Hollow. The amiable staff inside this former Western Auto Parts and Supply store makes the drinking part easy with 10 of their own brews on tap, including Blackberry Lime Belgian Blonde (4.2% abv), Blood Orange Wheat Beer (5.0% abv) and Funky Freddy Fitz Stout (6.5%). It’s up to you, however, to bring the weird. Not to worry, you’ll hardly be alone. The clientele is a wide-ranging lot, from college-aged hipsters scouring Instagram to business folks nabbing a sneaky pint to white-bearded hippies looking to cool their Birks for a spell. It’s a diverse and cheery crowd, and don’t we just love that. Keeping an upbeat vibe, the vast industrial space is filled with four TVs and heaps of games such as pool, darts, pinball and Ms. PacMan. “It’s supposed to feel like you’re drinking at home,” says bartender Gentry Yancho, “but you’re definitely not drinking at home.” Instead, it hints at a far cooler, way less stressful version of Dave & Buster’s. But with tasty craft beer. Oh, and a lovable dog named Murphy. Pet him for us when you go!
Born on Date: 2014
Best-Selling Brew: Daytona Dirty Blonde (4.1% abv)
Food Sitch: Neighbors taco stand is right across the street. And if Mexi isn’t your jam, there are any number of delicious options within walking distance
Song Playing When We Arrived: -
You Might Not Know: Prior to being named after wealthy businessman Henry Addison DeLand in 1876, the city of DeLand was originally known as Persimmon Hollow, which is where the brewery gets its name.
Red Pig Brewery
Location: 101 2nd St., Unit 401, Holly Hill, FL 32117
Phone: (386) 238-9149
Despite its relative youth, Red Pig still earns a spot at the competitive trough of local breweries. Although it may lack the size and selection of some of the more seasoned sows in the area, this pugnacious piglet more than makes up for it with charm and attention to detail. Upon entering the space, the first element likely to draw you in is the bar itself - and for good reason. Crafted from Sinker Cypress dredged from the St. John’s River, this intricate, 30-ft. showpiece runs nearly the length of the taproom. And those aren’t your average pint glasses either. Red Pig employs a wider, stouter design that somehow feels more at home in your hand. Even the brewery’s logo is a work of subtle beauty, an ambigram of “Red Pig”, which reads the same upside down as it does right side up. And though the brewery offers a selection of eight beers, including Mi Coquito wheat beer (5.5% abv), Almost Future IPA (8.5% abv) and Old Florida porter (5.5% abv), they also supplement the menu with guest beers from other breweries. So, pay those fine folks a visit and slake your thirst in the taproom, at an outdoor table or make yourself comfortable in the grassy courtyard outside. Says Red Pig co-owner Angie Carson, “You can even bring your own hammock!”
Born on Date: March 2019
Best-Selling Brew: Guava Sour (6.0% abv)
Food Sitch: Food trucks supply the goods during brewery hours - and Red Pig even offers free pizza on Fridays
Song Playing When We Arrived: “She Sells Sanctuary” - The Cult
You Might Not Know: The name Red Pig is an homage to co-owner Red Carson’s grandfather, who owned Red Pig restaurant, a BBQ joint on Main Street in Daytona Beach, before he was called to duty in World War II.
Tomoka Brewing Company
Location: 4647 S. Clyde Morris Blvd Port Orange, FL 32129
Phone: (386)256-4979
It’s simple, right? Pizza. And beer. With a combination like that, how can you possibly go wrong? But to the folks at Tomoka Brewing, it’s way more than that. Any schlub can serve DiGiorno and a pitcher of Natty Light. But Tomoka ain’t goin’ out like that. Instead, they insist on seriously scrumptious pizza and a vast selection of palatable pints. We’d be remiss not to mention the downright divine gourmet pies, including the Spanakopizza (baby spinach, red onion, Mozzarella and Bulgarian Sheep Feta on garlic butter base). I mean, seriously? Now, pile on a noteworthy list of beers to wash it down - Tomoka showcases eight taps with a rotating cast of 30 beers, including Hazy Sunrise Hefeweizen (5.0%), Tom Yum Thai Gose (4.2%) and Twist of Cane Double IPA (8.9%). But don’t mistake their precision for pretense. “It reminds a lot of visitors of their little watering hole back home,” says Tomoka Manager and Brewer Grayson Lamb. “Most of the time, random strangers sit at the bar and start talking to each other. It’s a much more personal and personable experience
Born on Date: 2013
Best-Selling Brew: Oceanside White IPA (7.1% abv)
Food Sitch: Tomoka offers gourmet pizzas as well as various smothered French fry dishes and other appetizers
Song Playing When We Arrived: “First Time I Met the Blues” - Buddy Guy
You Might Not Know: Tomoka Brewery’s Ormond Beach facility was actually the company’s original brewing site. Nowadays, that process takes place at their Port Orange location, which offers a broader selection of beers. Seriously, check them out as well.
