Townies love St. Augustine for its ancient city aesthetics and waterfront charms. But what takes the city over the edge is its proliferation of excellent, top-ranking breweries. From the center of downtown out to the edges of the town, St. Augustine has multiple options for you to enjoy a pleasant, crisp, and compelling brew. And you can even see how every brew is crafted!
The below selection of St. Augustine breweries is especially interesting because each one sits in a very different part of town. By visiting the below breweries, you get to see the city’s highlights, from downtown to Anastasia Island, King St. up to SR-16.
Ancient City Brewing
Weekly specials, support for local monuments, and a public brewery all make Ancient City Brewing a big part of the culture of St. Augustine. A crew of around eight helps keep the ship afloat- and it is a big one. The taproom sits in the heart of downtown on Cathedral St, a block back from the Castillo de San Marcos fort. You’ll find a rotating door of hand-selected seasonal brews known to change weekly. There are also events, like music showcases and live paintings. But you will need to head to Sr-16 and I-95 for a tour of the brewery.
Ancient City Brewing has what it calls “The Cores.” With these mostly year-round staples, the brewery has established a firm name for itself in the city. This includes an Orange Amber Ale, the Matanzas River Red Ale, and the Castillo Coconut Porter.
My personal favorite “Core” is the Galleon’s Golden Ale, with its light and malty aroma and splash of zest. There is no bitterness, and the herbal aroma adds a dry, splendid finish. In addition, the website adds food items the beer pairs well with, which adds some extra fun to the shenanigans.
Ancient City Brewing has both a dedicated public brewery and a taproom. The Ancient City Brewery is located at 3420 Agricultural Center Dr, near the St. Augustine exit by I-95. It is open from 4 pm to 10 pm Wednesday through Friday, noon to midnight on Saturday, and noon to 10 pm on Sunday. The taproom is located at 18 Cathedral Place in downtown St. Augustine. It is open daily from around noon to 11 pm, though hours may vary. We recommend calling ahead if you plan to come early or late during opening hours.
Dog Rose Brewing
Dog Rose Brewing is somewhat new to the city. However, in just about three few years, Dog Rose has defined the Lincolnville flavor. While St. George St. downtown gets all the attraction, we locals know where the authentic brews are. Lincolnville may be seen by many as just a residential community. Still, it houses some fantastic delightful restaurants and places to hang out.
Dog Rose tends to keep it simple, trading maple or chocolate-flavored concoctions with simple back-to-basic brews. It also has one of the finest drink specials in St. Augustine– $10 fills every Monday. Shuffleboard and live music help round out the fun on any given evening.
Dog Rose Brewing doubles as an art gallery. Come for the ambiance, check out the local art, and enjoy a brew. It’s all in a day in St. Augustine. It is open Sunday through Thursday from 12 pm to 10 pm and Friday and Saturday from noon to midnight. It is located at 77 Bridge St.
Bog Brewing Company
Bog Brewing is a two-for-one. Housing both a brewery and a taproom in its near-downtown location, Bog Brewing delivers a relaxing ambiance with top-tier seasonal brews. It has done it spectacularly since its opening in March 2016.
Here, it’s all about the Belgium-style lager. But there are splashes of English and American-style stouts, ales, and IPAs.
Where other breweries, like Dog Rose, prefer to stick to a simple and proven formula, Bog likes to get a bit daring. While not every result is a winner, the fun is in trying. But the team’s innovations often soar, like with the acclaimed and beloved Smoked Datil Ale. Unfortunately, it’s not always available (don’t worry- the bartender gets asked nightly- it’s okay).
But that’s not the only peculiar brew Bog has up its boggy sleeves. The No. 5 Wild Ale is aged in French Oak and features an aroma of fresh-cut carnations and snapdragons. There is also the Oatmeal Coffee Stout, aged on 3 pounds of coarsely ground beans. We also mention the Saison Blanc- a Saison aged in Sauvignon Blanc barrels for 11 months.
Photo from Unsplash
Indeed.
And if you thought that had to be all, you would be very wrong. During weekdays from noon to 7 pm, Bog offers tacos. Tacos and beer? Just what any St. Augustine needs- and deserves. Outside taco hour, guests can ask for pretzels to help complement their bold new brew.
Bog is open Sunday through Wednesday from noon to 10 pm and Thursday through Saturday from noon to midnight. It’s located just a bit west of St. George St downtown at 218 West King St.
Old Coast Ales
Old Coast Ales is Anastasia Island’s definitive brewhouse.
Quite a few years back, St. Augustine had a charming little auto garage across the Bridge of Lions. While admirable, once sold, it was a natural fit for a new brewery. It all began with the simple yet effective Empirical IPA. It has since grown to encompass over 100 different brews, from malty stouts to crispy porters, dark brown ales, to double reds. The team eventually landed on their magnum opus- Burt’s Summer Wheat Ale, a cherished local favorite.
It’s also worth noting that Old Coast Ales has some non-alcoholic drinks and other non-beer selections. This includes wines, kombucha, and all-natural soda.
Cross the iconic Bridge of Lions out of downtown by walking, and you’ll see Old Coast Ales about a block past the bridge on the left, 300 Anastasia Blvd.
Old Coast Ales has two outdoor patio spaces, so there is plenty of open-air to relax and mingle in. The barroom itself and is the hopefully permanent home of a 100-year-old cypress given new life as an extended curved bar top.
Old Coast Ales is next to a reputable (and just frankly awesome) taco shop called Osprey Tacos. Live music is also a nightly event.
It is open from 11:30 am to 10 pm on weekdays, and 11:30 am to 11 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Old Coast Ales has its parking lot, but it is relatively small. We suggest, when available, get transportation service to and from the brewery. While practical, it’s also safe.
St. Augustine Distillery
While the above is focused exclusively on beers and brews, we would be remiss if we didn’t make a special note of the St. Augustine Distillery. It uses all-natural, all-Florida ingredients like cane sugar to craft alcohol. The distillery is perhaps most well-known for its fantastic St. Augustine Vodka. Tours are available daily- and free! And if you are wondering, yes, tastings on your tour are available- and also free!
Plan Your Next Visit
Come to St. Augustine and be sure to grab a beer at all its best breweries. But always be safe. Be sure to get transportation to and from any of the St. Augustine beach resorts. Visit our list of available St. Augustine vacation rentals for all your much-deserved and long-delayed summer vacation needs.
Where Else To Grab A Beer
While the above places to visit are all about compelling local brews and the craft of making beer, sometimes we know you want a quick drink. St. Augustine has all sorts of pubs and bars to hang out for the evening between stops at the Old Jail and the beach.
Our favorite spot to grab a beer is probably A1A Ale Works. It is home to some of the most knowledgeable drinkers in the city. They know all the best local brews. At A1A Ale Works, you can often find selections from all the major local breweries, usually in a can or bottle. It’s located at the very end of King St. downtown, 1 King St, across from the Matanzas River and Bayfront.
We don’t want you to entirely miss out on some other top pubs, like Ann O’Malley’s in downtown, right by the fort. We recommend Odd Birds across the bridge for a classic bar style, now expanded into a massive open space from its cozy downtown location.
