Pensacola Bay Brewery

I have lived in Pensacola my entire life. I turned 21 two years ago and go to downtown Pensacola frequently. Sometimes it can be boring and repetitive going to the same places every weekend and seeing the same people. A little over a year ago I heard that Pensacola was opening a brewery in the downtown historic district. I was expecting something unique and different. Since it opened, it has become one of my favorite places to go and is usually my first stop to start my night.

On November 19, 2011, Pensacola Bay Brewery (PBB) celebrated its one year anniversary. Due to its location in the Pensacola Historic District, PBB cannot serve alcohol alone. Instead, they sell glasses of beer and give you the beer for free. They have a flight of all their beers on tap that you can try if you buy one of their mugs. The flight lists the names of the beers under the glass so you know which beer you are tasting. You can also take home your favorite beer by buying a growler or bomber. The growler is a gallon jug and the bomber is a 32 ounce bottle.

PBB currently has nine beers on tap, eight of which are brewed on-site. Different beers include an Indian Pale Ale (IPA), Amber, a Porter, Extra Pale Ale, Wheat, an Extra Special Bitter (ESB), and Brown Ale. They also have a pumpkin vanilla porter, which is a seasonal beer they made for Halloween. The other draft beer is Gordon Biersch Czech pils. Gordon Biersch Czech is the only beer they don’t make. Each beer is uniquely named after Pensacola history and culture. Sawgrass Wheat, Riptide Amber, and Lighthouse Porter are just a few examples. My personal favorite is no longer available, but it is a mix of the Pilsner 1845 and the Pensacola Bay ESB. It’s called “Triple E”, and it’s named after one of the owners who created it. When the pilsner is not available, I prefer amber or IPA. The PBB also makes its own root beer and cream soda for those who aren’t in the beer mood.

When you enter the brewery tavern you will notice what I like the most about the place, the atmosphere. There is a nautical theme present with barrels used as tables, hops hanging from the ceiling, and the taps behind the bar. They play a good selection of music that is not too loud and there is always a good crowd filling the place. The waiters are very nice and sociable. They are very knowledgeable about their product and can give you an idea of ​​what you are drinking. Guided tours of the brewery are available on request.

Word has spread very quickly about PBB. Several restaurants and bars in downtown and around the Pensacola area serve at least one type of beer from the brewery. My friend was in Tallahassee about six months ago and he texted me saying he had just ordered Riptide Amber at a restaurant. He kept saying how crazy it was how fast they had expanded in such a short time. It also didn’t take them long to expand their brewing capacity. About eight months after they opened, they were already installing two large tanks at the rear to brew more beer. According to the owner, they have plans in the future to expand further to include their own bottling line and canning line.

PBB is located at 225 E. Zaragoza Street in the beautiful historic district of downtown Pensacola. If you are in the area, I highly recommend stopping by and having a beer.