Address: 2600 E Atlantic Blvd, Pompano Beach, FL 33062
Opening their doors in September 2015 (but having had established their name and location back in 2014) 26 Degree Brewing Company was the dream of it’s founders Greg Lieberman, Yonathan Ghersi, Oscar Oliwkowicz and Billy Silas who started out as homebrewers, but cemented their legacy as local legends. Their goal from the beginning was to brew world-class, craftsmen-inspired beers that are rich in tradition while celebrating life and love in South Florida, which just so happens to be their mission statement as well!
For those who are curious as to the naming of the brewery, “26° Brewing Co” was a geographical nod to the 26th parallel North which is a meridian that spans from North Miami and Lake Okeechobee. The 21,000sqft brewing facility took 12 months to gut and renovate in a space that used to be inhabited by Winn-Dixie (remember those?). The 4,600sqft taproom has a 54′ long bar and a capacity to hold 400 people at any given time. The tabletops in the taproom were built by Yonathan and Greg and are carved from reclaimed, distressed wood & the legs are fashioned from fire sprinkler pipes; there are also tabletops consisting of old FPL & Comcast wire spools embedded with brewing grain throughout the taproom.
As stated above, the co-owners (whom also started out as homebrewers) of 26° Brewing saw 100 batches (or roughly 1,000 gallons) of beer brewed in four years. It’s a lot easier brewing that capacity now that they have a 30 bbl system; but even though the volume of beer that they brew is on a larger scale, they still brew each of their beers with a specific water profile which brings out the best in each style of beer. Even more so, they brew mostly true to style beers, but aren’t afraid of stepping outside the lines and experimenting with some of their recipes.
On top of their 30 barrel system (which they plan to expand in the near future) they recently expanded their canning line to their facility and will soon be shipping out even more cans of “Captain Ron” Hefeweizen & “IPA1A” brews (currently available at Whole Foods, Total Wine and many more retailers from Orlando to the Keys!); and what’s even cooler is you can find “Joe’s Pale Ale” on tap at Flanigans as well!
And speaking of expanding, they plan on building out a full kitchen within their facility so you can have the full experience of food and drink at the brewery, but till then they have some light food options and food trucks that constantly come through the brewery and also several places around the area you can eat at while you’re drinking all their delicious beer. And to add to all that deliciousness, there were whispers of beer pairing dinners in the near future as well!
In keeping with their motto of celebrating life and love in South Florida, 26° Brewing is all about helping out and hosting events for the local community. For instance, they contract brew several brews [including beers for The Abbey (click for my blog post about them)], host puppy adoptions once a month (their taproom is doggy friendly!), and host “Painting With A Twist” events at the brewery as well. The artist (Kristin Pavlick) who painted “Abrahop Lincoln” above leads the “Painting With A Twist” events and there have been rumors floating around that she may do a “Bearded Men Of History” installation at the brewery!
Some things our tour guide (Larry Dinan, who’s side gig is the taproom manager) had told us while checking out the brewery was that they are currently working on a collab with the Shane Duncan Band, so keep an eye out for that soon.
And to add to all the brewery has going on, they are also gearing up for their 3 year anniversary Sep. 22, 2018! During the event they are going to have live bands performing throughout the day, plenty of food options available from different food trucks and they might even have an anniversary brew for everyone to sip on! And while Oktoberfest is typically celebrated in September in Germany, they will also be having their third annual Oktoberfest event at the brewery as well! They have their Marzen beer fermenting in the tanks as we speak!
If you’re looking for a dope neighborhood brewery with chill vibes, a gorgeous taproom and delicious beers you can sip on all day look no further than 26 Degree Brewing.
On to the beer!
Here Are The Explanations From The Brewery:
Flagship Beers:
Ziko’s Rage [Imperial Stout (7.8% ABV; 40 IBU)]: With a steel hook in his mouth and vengeance in his heart, Ziko the sea turtle rose from the depths of the ocean. The Loggerhead Marinelife Center took him in, nursed him back to health. While they were able to mend his physical ailments, he remained a biting force of fury until the day they released him. Boasting a roasty sweetness and chocolaty indulgence, this strong and complex stout is the perfect brew to bare Ziko’s name and is an award winner as well.
Tri-County Common [Common Lager (5.5% ABV; 28 IBU)]: Easy like South Florida, Tri-County Common embodies the laid bak lifestyle that Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach are famous for. Brewed in the tradition of European lagers, this local favorite offers a flavor profile that big beer manufacturers can’t match. A crisp yet subtle hint of malt balances the deceptively clean finish of sweet esters to create a highly drinkable light and dry beer that’s a suitable fit for any occasion.
IPA1A [American IPA (6.4% ABV; 70 IBU)]: Jump in and take a hop-fueled ride down highway IPA1A. Inspired by the refreshing breeze and scenic surroundings of South Florida’s most iconic beachside highway, this IPA is the perfect way to end any road trip. From the citrus aroma and floral bouquet to the dry, yet surprisingly quenching zest of hops, IPA1A finishes with a subtle citrus flavor and an understated malty backbone.
Captain Ron [Hefeweizen (5.6% ABV; 15 IBU)]: When Captain Ron’s steering the ship, it only takes one good eye to see you’re in for one hell of a voyage. Grab a crowler and join the eye-patch sporting, carefree captain on a treasure hunt for beer and booty. With a refreshing flavor and smooth finish this Hefeweizen is a fun, day-drinking beer that’s equally popular with craft beer connoisseurs and new craft beer drinkers.
Scotch Ness Monster [Scotch Ale (7.4% ABV; 38 IBU)]: Brewed just once as a homebrew, Scotch Ness has subtle hints of caramel and smoky flavors. True to style, the hop bittering, hop flavor and hop aroma are nearly non-existent. For reasons we cannot fathom, this style of beer (strong scotch ale or “wee heavy”) is not too popular in America but had enormous popularity in the United Kingdom dating as far back as the 1700’s.
Jared’s Batch [Amber Ale (6.3% ABV; 22 IBU)]: Brewed with love, Jared’s Batch should be enjoyed with great friends and family. Whether at the bar or at the ball game, this amber ale is always better when ordered by the round. Sweet caramel malts balance with a savory finish, each flavor complementing its counterpart like any friendship should. So grab a round. Get everyone together and toast to a bond that can never be broken.
Limited Release:
Bourbon Barrel Aged Jared’s Batch [Amber Ale (6.3% ABV; 22 IBU)]: Our Jared’s Batch Amber Ale aged for 6 months inside an Oak Bourbon Barrel.
Gose Kwervo [Gose (5.2% ABV; 11 IBU)]: Sweet and salty just like drinking a margarita! Mixed with fresh orange and lime juice to give it that perfect tartness.
Joe’s Pale Ale [Pale Ale (4.5% ABV; 20 IBU)]: This light ale is an enjoyable selection for any Florida day. Find it here and at your local Flanigan’s only!
Rotating Beers:
Pucker Face [Sour IPA (6.0% ABV; 60 IBU)]: This kettle sour utilizes a unique strain of lactobacillus which is double dry hopped with a combination of amarillo, citra and cashmere hops.
Celtic Red [Irish Lager (5.3% ABV; 25 IBU)]: This Irish Red is a malty, easy to drink lager with minimal bitterness and a nice medium body. It worked so well that St. Pat told us to keep it a little longer.
Sesh on the Beach [Session IPA (5.0% ABV; 54 IBU)]: Dry, light bodied and comes with a kick. This Session IPA has a nice mix of tropical melon, citrus and pineapple. Crisp, clear and bitter making you come back for another.
Pompano Pale Ale [American Pale Ale (6.2% ABV; 51 IBU)]: Pompano Pale is a west coast style, American Pale Ale. Smooth, drinkable and indeed hoppy. Infused with Mosaic & Simcoe hops.
Dry 95 [Brut IPA (7.2% ABV; 23 IBU)]: Think IPA meets dry champagne. This very dry, highly carbonated, effervescent beer has some tropical & citrus notes that will tingle the taste buds.
Here’s What I Thought:
Ziko’s Rage: You can definitely taste the roasted malts on this one. It’s extremely crisp, has notes of dark chocolate and has a medium to full body.
Tri-County Common: This was a crisp, smooth lager that was not malt forward, but had a nice balance.
IPA1A: Has a slight dryness to it, but has a nice balance between the hoppiness and citrus with a nice finish.
Captain Ron: Wheaty, crisp, refreshing. Goes down smooth; you can taste the clove, banana and phelonics on this one. A delicious hefe.
Scotch Ness Monster: Notes of caramel and roasted flavors. Crisp. Extremely drinkable.
Jared’s Batch: Tastes of a classic Amber Ale. Crisp, with malty biscuit notes and notes of caramel as well.
Bourbon Barrel Aged Jared’s Batch: Tastes like Jared’s Batch on crack! You definitely get notes of the scotch barrel this was fermented in and all previous notes of the Amber Ale as well.
Gose Kwervo: You got a full taste of the citrus on this Gose; had this great balance of sour and salty that was extremely delicious.
Joe’s Pale Ale: This was an extremely light beer on all fronts; super sessionable.
Pucker Face: This Sour IPA was hoppy, sour and citrusy all in one and was balanced extremely well which is a feat in and of itself.
Celtic Red: This Irish Lager was crisp, refreshing, actually pretty light and malty, but not overbearing.
Sesh on the Beach: A super sessionable IPA (as the name implies) which is light, crisp and has a nice subtle citrusy-tartness on the back end.
Pompano Pale Ale: This Pale Ale was hoppy, light, crisp and would definitely be easy to throw back one after the other.
Dry 95: With scents reminiscent of the Brut cologne that my grandpa used to wear, The Brut IPA was dry, but crisp and wasn’t too hoppy at all. Nice touch of a citrus note in it as well; extremely drinkable for brunch!
So all in all with the ambiance of the brewery, the beers we were served and the overall experience, I would give 26 Degree Brewing Company 5 out of 5 piggys!
If you loved reading about the brewery and the vibes they put out, here’s some more things to love about them! For one, they have things going on every day of the week:
Mon: They offer happy hour specials all day; all their flagship beers go for $4 and from 6pm-11pm $2 off anything to go! Tues: They have their “Spin the Wheel” Special; from 2pm-6pm whatever the wheel lands on is the special for that half hour, every half hour. Wedns: Trivia Night! Fri: Is live music night!
Samurai Piggy 