Oktoberfest Craft Beer Tour


Over the weekend, myself and a dozen other ladies went on the Brew Thru SRQ tour to explore the craft beer scene in Sarasota for my Sister-in-law's bachelorette party. Who knew Sarasota had such amazing breweries? It was the perfect way to celebrate with my eclectic, beer-loving SIL
 


The meeting spot to start the tour was at Mandeville Beer Garden and I was so surprised that we had never been or heard about this brewery before. They have a beautiful (dog-friendly) outside patio and inside bar/restaurant area plus a huge selection of craft beers and German-style eats.

 
From there we took off on the trolley to explore some more breweries. Our first stop was at JDub's Brewery where I tried a nice Passion Wheat beer. While I do drink some beers, I don't like heavy and hoppy craft beer but I was able to find some lighter options at each brewery we stopped at.


 
 

 
 
The staff were really incredible in terms of keeping us entertained and educated throughout the tour. Despite it being a million degrees outside, I have to say this is the most fun I've had on a brewery/pub tour.


 
The third stop was at Big Top Brewing Company, which is another hidden gem with some amazing brews especially the Key Lime Wheat and then their Pumpkin Stiltskin during Oktoberfest.



The next stop was at Calusa Brewing Company which is a huge Tap Room with a brewery attached. At this point, all we wanted was some AC to cool down in before exploring the beer menu. The Coffee & Cinn Brown Ale was a hit among our group.


 


The last stop was at Pi Craft Beer & Spirits Restaurant which is a small laid-back joint in a strip-mall but is hugely popular for their pizza and craft beers. I think they knew pizza/food would hit the spot after beer drinking during the day.

 


It was such a fun experience and a great way to celebrate a bachelor/bachelorette party for those interested in breweries and beer tasting. I'd definitely go again at another time of year since Brew Thru Tours rotate to different breweries depending on the season.

 
Is it Friday yet?

16 comments

  1. So fun, nothing like Breweries in the Fall, especially if they have pumpkin ale. LOVE these pictures!!

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  2. such a different kind of bachelorette party. Love it! Never been on a beer tour before and now you have my interest peaked!

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  3. this looks and sounds like a lot of fun. i am like you and am not into super heavy beers, so i would probably do something like this more for the atmosphere or tour than the beer lol. glad you found one lighter options. KC would love this.

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  4. what a fun tour - who knew there were so many over there? i have heard of big top though and i think that's the only one! light beer is the ideal choice to cool off in this heat.

    xoxo cheshire kat

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  5. Sounds like a really fun time. I never would've guessed Sarasota had so many breweries.

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  6. I think you and I would have all the same choices on beers on a beer tour as well, everything you tried I was like ohhhh yum! I am not a fan of hoppy either. Sounds like a great tour that you guys had!!! Who knew there were so many breweries there? My corporate office is there and I am like hmmm I wonder if they hit up these places after work? Haha!

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  7. What a fun time! I too only like light beer. I have been wanting to go to Cisco Brewers on Nantucket for like forever. Just haven't made it over to the island. I'm hoping to late this fall. It's way to packed during the summer/early fall.

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  8. What a great idea for a bachelorette party! Looks like such a fun time! I love all the German authenticness! All of those beers sound great, glad y'all had a good time!

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  9. Oh man what a fun time!! I like the trolley tour you guys did - such a neat experience! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston

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  10. That looks like a lot of fun! And something different than the usual bach fare.

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  11. Such a fun way to celebrate the bride to be, and you know I'm always a fan of day drinking! I'll have to check this out next time I'm out there for the day or weekend <3
    Green Fashionista

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  12. I love the fact that they dressed up for the Oktoberfest tour! All of those breweries look like so much fun, and I love that you were able to find beers that you like at each! I'm not one for darker and more hoppy beers either!

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  13. I'm not a beer drinker, but this still sounds like a great way to hang out with friends! :)

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  14. Looks like fun! I love touring breweries even though I am not much of a beer drinker, they can be a lot of fun!

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  15. I LOVE your top!! And this tour sounds so amazing! Sarasota has some really good breweries! I've never been to JDubs but I've heard it's awesome. Glad you guys had a blast! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes

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  16. How fun! It seems like you guys packed a lot into the day! This is a great idea for a non-traditional bachelorette party.

    Tif
    www.brightonabudget.com

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