5 Breweries in Gainesville, FL, You Must Visit
There is no shortage of craft brews here! These unique breweries in Gainesville FL provide locals and visitors alike with unbeatable craft beer, food and weekly entertainment. Whether you are looking for a summer porch pounder or a cozy stout, you’ll be able to find your new favorite beer at one of these five Gainesville FL breweries. Before you go, be sure to check out each location’s stacked event page for live music, comedy nights, trivia, yoga and more.
In This Article
Swamp Head Brewery
First on our list of Gainesville FL breweries is Swamp Head Brewery. Swamp Head first started slinging brews from a warehouse in 2008, but an interstate project forced them to move into their current impressive 13,500-square-foot home in 2015. As the longest-standing Gainesville FL brewery, Swamp Head has established itself as “Florida’s brewery,” and has a statewide distribution.
When you visit Swamp Head, it’s easy to see how it has become such an institution. The tasting room, known as The Wetlands, pours out more than two dozen beers on tap. The brewery boasts four staple brews that are available year-round: Big Nose IPA, Forever Florida American Light Lager, Understory Hazy IPA and Lemon Days, their Berliner Weisse. Grab one of these or choose something more experimental and head to their expansive dog- and kid-friendly outdoor area, complete with a picturesque lake. While the brewery itself does not serve food, a rotating selection of food trucks roll through each day so guests don’t go hungry.
There’s almost always something going on at Swamp Head. Live music peppers the event calendar, and every other Tuesday they host free comedy shows. Of course, every Friday before Gator home games is Football Friday with music, food trucks and more.
First Magnitude Brewing Co.
As the Southeast’s first carbon neutral brewery, First Magnitude Brewing Co. is focused on the environment and supporting the community while churning out some seriously good brews. This Gainesville FL brewery is committed to educating its patrons about Florida springs, and hosts an annual 7.2K Springs Run to raise money for the Florida Springs Institute.
The atmosphere at First Magnitude is friendly and the service impeccable. Visitors can choose one of the 26 beers on tap before meandering outside to catch the Gators on the big screen or hear some live music on one of the two stages. And, if you get hungry, Gainesville’s best food trucks rotate through daily.
First Magnitude hosts some of the area’s most fun events. Come weekly for Brainaholics Trivia, get your stretch on with Brewery Yoga, and experience the fun that is Drag Bingo, held on the last Thursday of each month.
Inside the tasting room, award-winning beer awaits. We suggest you order a flight so you can taste some of First Magnitude’s unique brews, like the Best Day Ever Pineapple Vanilla Soft Serve Sour Ale, which is brewed with soft serve mix, of course. Whatever you do, be sure to try Drift Session Brown, the gold winner at the Great American Beer Festival.
Another plus — the brewery is located just along the Gainesville-Hawthorne trail, so it’s easy to bike up and grab a beer (or two).
Blackadder Brewing Company
Owners Chris and Sissy Hart put their heart and soul into Blackadder Brewing Company, and it shows. Located just minutes from downtown, this microbrewery is a Gainesville treasure. The atmosphere is Old World and cozy, complete with a warm fireplace in the cooler months. You won’t get the typical industrial brewery vibes here, as the taproom is designed to look like an Old English pub. They provide darts and plenty of board games, so bring a few friends and settle in. If you’re lucky, you will be greeted by Edmund, the brewery cat. Outside, the patio area is dog-friendly.
With its unique homey atmosphere and community events, Blackadder Brewing is the epitome of a neighborhood hangout. While they don’t serve food, food trucks park outside every evening for dinner, or you can feel free to bring your own picnic. Every Wednesday, the brewery hosts Trivia Night, with other various events scattered on the calendar like themed trivia, live music and open mic nights.
Of all the breweries in Gainesville, Blackadder produces some of the more unique brews. On tap they have 20 of their own brews, like the Rumpy Pumpy Pepper’d Porter, a porter brewed with chipotle peppers, or Wicked Child, a hard-hitting Belgian Golden Strong Ale with 14 percent ABV.
Cypress & Grove Brewing Co.
Once the historic Gainesville Ice Factory, Cypress & Grove Brewing Co. is rich with history, community and, of course, delicious beer. Two craft beer-loving husband and wife duos teamed up to open Cypress & Grove in 2017, restoring and updating the building to provide a space for the community to hang out and enjoy. The brewery still uses the deep well on property to brew their beer.
This Gainesville brewery is a 15-barrel brewing facility and it can churn out 450 gallons of beer at a time. Inside the tasting room, known as the Brick Room, guests sit at tables that were crafted from lumber from the former roof. Order one of their several beers on tap, including the award-winning Noche Mexican Style Lager and the Ka-Boom Fruit Smoothie Sour. A local favorite right now is Crane Song, a light and herbal Japanese style lager.
Like the other breweries in Gainesville, FL, Cypress & Grove’s event calendar is packed. Check their socials for events like farmers markets, live music, Silent Book Club and various food trucks pulling through each week.
Grand Scheme Brewing Co.
Last but not least, Grand Scheme Brewing Co. in Gainesville’s South Main Station is not one to pass by. The new kid on the block, this brewery opened up recently but is quickly making a name for itself as having some of Gainesville’s best beer.
The atmosphere is industrial with a nod to the railroad, honoring South Main Station’s history. Dogs are allowed indoors, and brewery patrons can meander next door to the delicious Humble Wood Fire Pizzaria for a bite to eat or stroll through the indie bookstore next door with their beer in hand.
The brewery’s operations are small, with approximately five beers on tap, but that just means it’s easy to try them all. Check their site for what’s on tap, but be sure to try them before they run out! One brew to note is their Prayer Position, a deliciously citrus hazy IPA.
After you’ve sampled the local breweries, you’ll also want to check out these great restaurants in Gainesville, FL.