Tag Archives: opening soon

Grove Roots Brewing is coming to Winter Haven

Press Release:

Commercial real estate developer Six/Ten, LLC has completed a lease to pave the way for Winter Haven’s first craft beer brewery, Grove Roots Brewery (GRB). Six/Ten has begun renovating and restoring a 5,700 square-foot historic, industrial building to house the craft brewery production area, 100-seat tasting room, indoor stage and an outdoor beer garden. GRB is expected to open by mid 2016 at 300 Third Street S.W. in Downtown Winter Haven.

“We are excited about being a part of the rebirth of Downtown Winter Haven and want to help shape the vision,” said Joseph Dunham, creator of GRB. “As a Winter Haven native, I have great pride in our city and am excited to help make downtown the place to be.”

Dunham, who has always had a passion for home brewing, traded his job at an industrial engineering and construction firm to start GRB. He believes the brewery will celebrate the city’s strong connection to the citrus industry and contribute to the cultural revitalization of Winter Haven’s Downtown region.

“GRB will provide a community space where patrons are immersed in Winter Haven’s downtown culture, music, seasonal festivals, and taproom events,” said Dunham. “Our tasting room will let customers enjoy our artisanal ales while viewing the production process.”

For the past few years, Six/Ten has purchased, renovated and restored several downtown buildings in an effort to help bring new retail, restaurants and professionals to the area.

“We are all very excited to be a part of the city’s first craft brewery, and can feel a shared excitement among local residents,” said Six/Ten President Kerry Wilson. “Grove Roots will be an excellent addition to the growing number of dining and entertainment options in the redeveloping downtown core. As people have been saying for centuries, ‘we want beer!”

“The addition of Grove Roots to Winter Haven’s rapidly expanding dining, music, art and entertainment scene is very exciting. The revitalized downtown core is attracting entrepreneurs, patrons and visitors from across the county and beyond,” said Katie Worthington, President/CEO of the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce.

First Magnitude Brewing Logo

First Magnitude Brewing opening soon

This weekend, Gainesville will gain another craft brewery. First Magnitude Brewing Company has posted an opening date with more details to follow.

From Facebook:

After much hard work, planning, and brewing, First Magnitude will officially open its doors this Saturday August 23rd from 2 to 9 and Sunday from 2 to 7… stay tuned for more updates and details (including directions) throughout the week!

First Magnitude Brewing is the labor of love for four friends who decided to branch out into the world of commercial brewing. According to an article in the Gainesville Business Report, the four founders, Meg and Wells The Losen with Christine and John Denny have all made the leap into the beer business with the latter two quitting their day jobs to become full-time brewery employees. Denny, the brewer, has over 20 years of homebrewing experience under his belt and is joined by Eric Dreyer, a food scientist from the University of Florida Tasting Lab. In naming their new brewery, the friends wanted a name that would be recognizable to locals but not obvious. The brewery is then named for a first magnitude spring, the largest type of spring which discharges at least 65 million gallons of water per day, (fun fact: there are 33 first magnitude springs in Florida).

First Magnitude Brewing is located at 1120 Southeast Veitch Street in Gainesville.

Ulele Spring Brewery

Ulele receives brewing equipment

Ulele Brewpub, the next adventure for the Columbia Restaurant Group, has made one more step into the world of craft brewing: their brewing equipment has arrived from Oregon.

Brewmaster Tim Shackton and Ulele have taken ownership of a fifteen-barrel brewing system to craft Ulele’s unique craft beer to compliment the native inspired cuisine of Ulele.

Ulele is currently in construction and will open later this year in Tampa Heights, at 1810 North Highland in the Tampa Riverwalk.