ST. PETERSBURG —
While the Tampa Bay region is considered the heart of Florida’s independent brewing scene, St. Petersburg has no craft breweries to call its own.
After years of planning, working with city officials and searching for the right space, though, three breweries plan to open downtown this year.
The friendly competitors will appeal to diverse palates, from lighter wheat beers to rich, complex pale ales. Their goals range from building a reputation among connoisseurs to becoming a regional competitor in the Southeast.
One of the biggest challenges they all face is opening in the downtown area, where space is limited and costs are high. While many craft breweries start off producing beer in remote industrial parks, where the rent is cheap, St. Pete’s future brewers have waited it out to find the right place downtown.