Craft beer lovers can soon rejoice as Swamp Head Brewery moves to a larger location.
The brewery that describes itself as “inherently Floridian” will open at the new location in the next couple of weeks, although no official date has been set, said Swamp Head assistant bar manager Ryan Wakeland.
Swamp Head’s current location at 3140 SW 42nd Way is set to be demolished, but Wakeland said the company outgrew the smaller space months ago. The brewery will move about two miles away into a 13,000-square-foot facility located at 3650 SW 42nd Ave.
Wakeland said the new building and larger lot will give the brewery more room for growth, surrounding wetlands and parking spaces.
At the new location, there will be a 30-barrel brew system as opposed to the 10-barrel one it has now, providing space for more Swamp Head brews, he said. Swamp Head offers a variety of beer including India pale ales, oatmeal coffee stouts and honey cream ales.
Eric Portalatin, 22, said he enjoys craft beer for its unique taste and is excited for the change of location. At his apartment, craft beer bottles pack the space on top of his kitchen cabinets.
“My grandma saw all the bottles and almost had a heart attack,” the UF family, youth and community sciences senior said. “Craft beer is much more diverse than big beer brands. I like both but prefer craft because it has more genuine flavor.”
Portalatin said he is looking forward to touring the new location and continuing to support an environmentally conscious local business.
“Swamp Head not only makes excellent beer, but they also are conscious of their impact on local business and the environment,” Portalatin said.
[A version of this story ran on page 9 on 1/14/2015 under the headline “"Swamp Head Brewery to open at new location in coming weeks]
Both 32-ounce jugs and one-gallon jugs of beer, sold at Swamp Head Brewery, are legal container sizes in Florida. Lobbyists are trying to legalize the 64-ounce size beverages.
