The first image that comes to mind when you think about Anna Maria Island is, of course, beaches. The bulk of your packing will probably be bathing suits, beach chairs, and sunscreen lotion as you’ll be spending lots of time in the sand and sun, but did you know that there are several breweries near Anna Maria Island?

If you like to sample different craft beer selections, add these breweries to your list of Anna Maria Island things to do on your next vacation. Many of these breweries are among the best Anna Maria Island bars you can visit, as you can find a wide variety of new creations and existing ales! So, after a hot day in the sun, be sure to enjoy an ice-cold beverage at your choice of Anna Maria Island restaurants and breweries.

And, as always, when you visit this beautiful paradise, anywhere you want to go—be it the beach, attractions, restaurants, shops, or breweries—you’re never very far from our Anna Maria Island beachfront vacation rentals, so you won’t have far to travel to enjoy the sights, the activities, and the Anna Maria Island brewery of your choice!

The Good Liquid

About ten miles from Anna Maria Island in Bradenton, The Good Liquid Brewing Co., a husband/wife operation, is a craft microbrewery and Gastropub producing everything from year-round brews and seasonal and even experimental batches.

The Good Liquid also offers a food menu so that you can pair some of your favorite dishes with your favorite brews. What’s better with a tasty brew than wings, smash burgers, a chicken club, or shrimp tacos? Or how about a pretzel with honey mustard dipping sauce?

Light, hoppy, dark, and sour ales and beers are on tap. Try the PB & Jelly Wheat ale, Honey Rye Pale ale, Pecan Brown ale, Razzberry Jam sour, and so many others! Nearly 30 in all!

JDUB’s Brewing

Located in nearby Sarasota, JDUB’s Brewing Company is a 15-barrel brewhouse with six 30 and two 60-barrel fermenters. Try small-batch brews in the taproom and gauge what works and what doesn’t: those that do work will move up to become big batches that are distributed to Florida bars and restaurants. So, you get to be part of the birth of new beers as they are created and tested!

There’s food on hand with local Anna Maria island food trucks whenever the taproom is open for business (Thursday – Friday, 5 p.m. – 12 a.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. – 12 a.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.). 

JDUB’s also has lots of fun events; among them are:

• Craft Beer & Yoga: yoga class in JDUB’s beer garden Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
• Food Truck Rally: Local food/beer every third Saturday of the month!
• Comedy Open Mic: 4th Thursday of each month.
• Beer & Cheese Pairing: 4 handcrafted beers with 4 hand-selected kinds of cheese; check with JDUB’s for event availability. Reservation needed.
• Drive-In Movie Nights: movies on a 12-foot screen and beer and snacks in the beer garden. 

JDUB’s beer is also served at the Not Quite Friday 5K: on Thursdays at 6 p.m., run a 5K around Ed Smith Stadium and nearby communities and enjoy a brew after crossing the finish line.

Naughty Monk

Bradenton-based Naughty Monk Brewery is another 15-barrel brewhouse along with a one-barrel pilot system. Brews served in the tasting room are those created by the Brewmaster using the pilot system. Be among the first to try these new creations!

Light lagers, fruit beers, golden ales, red ales, and so much more.

Serves brewpub food with specials every week. And live music every Friday and Saturday night. Open weekdays 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. and weekends 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Motorworks

Whether you choose the beer garden or the taproom—or both—Motorworks Brewing in Bradenton is well worth the trip!

Under the shady boughs of a 150-year-old oak tree, Motorworks’ beer garden is Florida’s largest. The beautiful turfed grounds and raised decks cover 22,000-sq. Ft.! If you’re the active type, you can enjoy the beers and play on one of ten cornhole sets or enjoy games of life-size Beer Pong, Jenga, and Connect Four. Live entertainment weekly and movies on a 22-ft. screen every Wednesday.

Craft as well as seasonal and specialty beers are served. Give names like Spicy Frostbane, Raspberry Saison, Oyster Stout, Lavender Lemonade, Imperial Pumpkin Stout, or Apricot Hudson.

Offering 20-30 rotating craft beers, the taproom also has a full liquor bar and wine selection. Food from local restaurants and food trucks provide a diverse menu that you can enjoy with your selected brew. And most breweries don’t have food-to-table service, but you’ll find it here in Motorworks’ taproom.

Darwin Brewing Company

From Wednesday – Friday (4 p.m. – 10 p.m.) and weekends (Sat. 12 p.m. – 10 p.m., sun. 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.), you can step into the taproom or the beer garden at Darwin Brewing Company to enjoy from among a few core beers to seasonal and specialty brews.

Year-round offerings include:

• The Llama Mama (Roasted malt with a hint of caramel and vanilla and a sweet, creamy chocolate finish),
• Summadayze IPA (balanced hop with notes of grapefruit and citrus shining through),
• Cyan Pineapple Sour (spirulina and fresh pineapple), and
• Circa Tangerine Wheat Ale (Florida tangerines, coriander, and Citra hop in a refreshing wheat ale). 

There’s a total of 14 Darwin beers on tap and even packaged beer to go. You can also buy apparel and other merchandise in the brewery shop.

In April 2021, Darwin was voted Best Brewery by the citizens of Bradenton.

3 Keys Brewing

Another Bradenton brewery, 3 Keys, has a broad menu of light ales and lagers, IPA’s and pale ales, wheat ale, dark lagers, dark stouts, and brown ales, as well as specialty and seasonal brews. You might also be lucky enough to visit when you can try a small test batch recipe.

Pair your selected beer with food, appetizers, snacks, and desserts such as wings, cheeseburgers, pepper jack chicken sandwiches, taco plates, loaded chips, and one of many rotating dessert options.

Live music Fridays and Saturdays and Music Trivia every Tuesday 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Corporate Ladder

Since 2018, Corporate Ladder Brewing Company (so named since the founder and co-owner “ran away” from Corporate America to begin operating this brewery) has offered an extensive tap list with tongue-in-cheek names like Termination Letter, Trip Up the Ladder, Missed Deadline, and Business as Usual.

A great place to sit back and enjoy a refreshing fruited sour, barrel-aged stout, or hazy IPA while you’re taking a much-needed vacation from your 9 to 5! And you can place your order online!

Corporate Ladder is located about 11 miles northeast of Anna Maria Island and operates Tuesday – Friday 3 p.m. – 10 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m. – 11 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Stay with Island Vacation Properties

From one-bedroom villas to 3- and 4-bedroom cottages, bungalows, condos, and homes, Island Vacation Properties has a long list of beachfront Anna Maria Island rentals not only in the city of Anna Maria but in Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach as well.