Tampa Bay Brewing Company has been pushing their luck and their limits for a while now. As co-owner and brewer David Doble says, “it’s pretty amazing what we are getting from our ten-barrel brewpub system that was designed to crank out a lot less beer than it is.” That push has lead to a move offsite into a new facility in the Oldsmar area, right on the line of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. The new facility will have many of the touches that folks have come to know and love about Tampa Bay Brewing Company with much needed brewing space.
The new Tampa Bay Brewing Company (TBBC) production brewery and brewpub will bring some changes to the company. Most importantly, the new TBBC facility will alleviate much of the market shortage in core brands Old Elephant Foot IPA and Reef Donkey American Pale Ale. The brewery construction will see TBBC quadruple production and increase from their current 3,000 barrels annually to a whopping 12,000 barrels annually. This process does not take place in a vacuum however, and the new brewery will have windows and an open door that will allow visitors to see the beer-making process even without taking the official tour. “Tours will be offered, but the place will be ‘open'” according to TBBC Marketing Manager Mike Doble.
The new TBBC will also provide a similar food and beer experience that has become the hallmark of the Ybor City brewpub. Adjacent to the brewery will be a 320-seat pub equipped with a wood-fired pizza oven, draft beer, and fully-equipped patio (much like the Ybor location).
With all of this beer, TBBC is looking to new horizons in addition to filling the accounts they already have. The brewery will be able to slake the thirsty Tampa Bay area as well as Orange county and some of its touristy neighbors. Doble says that they have been able to get beer to Disney World and some of its outposts, but they are keenly aware of the temporary beer shortage while the new place is being built.
Before opening day hits, the new pub is already set to make history. July 1st, the first day to legally pour a Florida 64(oz growler), will be a landmark around the state and TBBC is no exception. With the new growler bill passing into law, Rep. Dana Young is going to be on hand at the Westchase location to pour TBBC’s first 64oz growler. After that, the new place has committed to a summer 2015 opening timeframe with a soft opening date of July 6th. Once growler history has been made, the brewery doors will be open permanently for the verses of this next chapter in TBBC history to be written.