Islamorada Beer Company – Brewery Review 2019

by “The Food Guy” – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine

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I was excited to return to Islamorada again and see what has changed since my last review almost two years ago.  Craft beer has become more popular over the past few years, and it seems as if new breweries are popping up all over the place.  While I’m far from a craft brew expert, I always excited to educate myself and learn more about what makes it so popular.  

Islamorada (pronounced “ila ma rada”) Beer Company, was founded in May of 2014,  and they opened their first location and are headquartered in Islamorada, FL.  After only one year in business, they announced plans to expand with a full production facility which is now located in Fort Pierce.  This new facility officially opened in August of 2016 and has the capacity to brew over 75,000 barrels of beer annually, which is equal to more than 1 million beers per year.  The beer they make compliments the Florida and Florida Keys lifestyle.  From Sandbar Sunday, No Tanlines, and Channel Marker, they are definitely put their customers in an island state of mind.  Check out some of the photos below inside the tasting room at the Fort Pierce location.

Now let’s dive right in and see what this place has to offer and what I had to drink!

Starting from the Left to the Right – Numbers below correspond to beers on the brewery menu

#1 – Sandbar Sunday (American Wheat Ale) – ABV 4.8% – IBU – 16

Tasting Notes:  The aroma of the wheat was very evident.  It was light, crisp, yet full-bodied, and the flavor was all the way through the profile.

Food Pairings:  Pulled pork, fish tacos, or chicken thighs.

#3 – No Tanlines (Citrus Wheat Ale) – ABV 4.9% – IBU – 17

Tasting Notes:  This is a combination of #1 and #2, poured like a brown & tan.  It had a light, yet bright citrus aroma, the wheat was slightly more subtle.  It again was full-bodied, and the flavor was all the way through the profile.

Food Pairings:  Steak, burgers, any type of red meat.

#5 – No Wake Zone (Blonde Ale) – ABV 5.0% – IBU – 14

Tasting Notes: The beer had a faint malt aroma, but it was a smooth, easy drinking beer with hints of key lime and coconut.   

Food Pairings:  Fish & Chips, Fried Coconut Shrimp, any seafood dish.

Starting from the Left to the Right – Numbers below correspond to beers on the brewery menu

#49 – Patch Reef (Amber Lager) – ABV 5.4% – IBU – 20

Tasting Notes:  The aroma was definitely hoppy, yet it seemed to be lighter than your typical Amber Lager, but it did not lack the true characteristics of what makes this beer so great.

Food Pairings:  Grilled Chicken or Steak, fish, burgers, or backyard BBQ.

#42 – Big Pine (Brown Ale) – ABV 5.3% – IBU – 22

Tasting Notes:  We definitely detected the aroma of coffee and chocolate, yet was very smooth and full-bodied. 

Food Pairings:  Fish, burgers, or backyard BBQ.

#31 – Snake Creek (Oatmeal Stout) – ABV 5.3% – IBU – 20

Tasting Notes: The beer had s subtle aroma of malt.  It is a full-bodied stout with a surprisingly smoky finish.

Food Pairings: Rich fatty meats such as ribeye steak, BBQ ribs, or pork belly.

Price List:

Pint:  $6.00

4 Flight:  $8.00

6 Flight:  $12.00

32 oz Growler:  $8.00 and $8.00 refill

64 oz Growler:  $14.00 and $14.00 refill

In Conclusion:

While I thought that figuring out all the different flavors at my restaurant reviews were difficult at times, the craft beer market takes that to a whole new level.  With all the different types of ingredients and different techniques used to make them, the flavors range widely as you can see above from my tasting notes.  The more I taste and learn about craft beers, the more I enjoy drinking them.  While their Fort Pierce location is not ideal because of visibility, the one good thing about it is that they have a lot of space to grow as demand for their beer increases.  Location aside, if you make great beer, people will seek you out, so I highly recommend you make the short drive down to Fort Pierce to check them out, because I know you won’t be disappointed!

 

Islamorada Website  |  Islamorada Facebook Page
 
Address: 3200 St Lucie Blvd, Fort Pierce, FL 34946
 
Phone: (305) 508-9093
 

Hours of Operation:  Monday – Saturday, from 11:00 am till 10:00 pm, Sunday, from 11:00 am till 9:00 pm

 

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