Try Out These Orlando Breweries While On Vacation
In a town best known for its theme parks and golf courses, there’s yet another industry that continues to grow at a very rapid pace – Orlando breweries. Yes, Orlando is quickly making its mark not only in the state of Florida, but across the country, as a craft beer and microbrewery destination.
To name a few Orlando breweries, Orlando Brewing Company, in the downtown area, The Hourglass in Longwood, Bowingens Beer Company in Casselberry, Sanford Brewing, and Crooked Can Brewing in Winter Garden are all putting Orlando on the map. Even the theme parks are getting into the action with Duff Brewing at Universal Studios and Big River in Disney’s Boardwalk.
Redlight Brewing Orlando
At the heart of this surge in popularity of Orlando’s craft beer and microbrewery scene is Brent Hernandez, co-founder and Head Brewer of Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour and Brewery, nestled in the downtown shopping district in the Carrier Heating and Air-conditioning building on 2810 Corrine Drive.
According to Hernandez, “It’s really an exciting time to be a part of the craft brewing community in Orlando. While we’ve seen tremendous growth over the past several years, we know there’s a lot more excitement ahead for us all.”
Hernandez was quick to point out that part of Redlight Redlight’s success was in no small part a result of the friendships and bonds they have made with other craft breweries in the Orlando community. “There are a lot of great people here all doing their part. There’s Central 28, Ten 10 Brewing, Cask & Larder, and Red Cypress Brewing, just to name a few. We consider them all to be close friends of ours.”
Along with its popularity, education and knowledge has been vital to the success of Redlight Redlight. On its website, the brewery promotes its Citizen Program, a beer tasting course designed to expand their patrons’ palate and knowledge of about 100 craft beers that the brewer either makes or carries. Each participant’s progress is recorded in a series of 3 passport booklets, which the bartender who serves as course instructor stamps along the way. After the “student” completes all the passports, they must then pass a basic beer exam to earn the distinction of being a “Citizen of Redlight Redlight” which carries a host of ongoing perks.
To say the Orlando brewery is committed to only serving craft beers would be an understatement. It has never offered a mass produced “macro beer” and is proud to say it never will. Along with over 300 varieties of bottled craft beer, 24 draft handles, and two hand-pumped beer engines, they also offer a wide selection of craft sodas and an extensive list of wines by the glass.
Orlando Brewing Tours
Redlight hasn’t always housed its own brewery. The establishment got its start in 2005, when Hernandez and founding partners Dan Owens and Josie Fluri, opened as a bar on the second floor of one of the oldest buildings in Winter Park in a room that according to their website “resembled the bottom deck of a pirate ship.” Hence the origin of the Redlight Redlight name “as a nod to the building’s sordid past as a hotel of ill-repute, and a new legend was born.”
In 2008, a Bennett Road location was opened, giving the beer parlour much needed added space. It was in 2010 however, when along with good friend and business partner Richard Sherfey, Hernandez began gaining notoriety in Florida’s budding craft beer industry. In 2014, after its move to the Corrine Drive location, they were able to start brewing their own creations onsite, and “Brewery” was officially added to the flagship name. It wasn’t long before the industry took notice, awarding its “Black Morning” Belgian Sour Stout a bronze medal at the Best Florida Beer competition.
The brewery has also become an integral part of the downtown community, partnering in several activities such as the annual Zombietoberfest.
In addition to Redlight Redlight and its close-knit brewing community, we also found several other establishments during our research that are all playing their role in the greater Orlando breweries scene.
For more information and operating hours, please visit: http://www.redlightredlightbeerparlour.com/.
Just as the popularity of the microbrewery and craft beer market has grown with a focus on quality, similarly the vacation rental market has grown by fostering quality and a non-mass marketed appeal. It’s all about a happy guest or patron that becomes a loyal fan based on their shared experiences.
Orlando Vacations Homes 360 (OVH 360) is proud to say that it hand selects all of the condos and home rentals in its reservations portfolio. The company’s emphasis on quality has delivered an A+ Better Business Bureau rating and excellent customer reviews. Give the team at OVH 360 a call at 1-888-826-0551 to assist you with your vacation accommodation needs and any questions you may have.
