The moment you drive into Dunedin (dun-EE-din), you are immediately greeted by a sign of a man dressed in full highlands garb.
And the Scottish influence doesn’t stop there; it’s everywhere in the town. Streets are named for icons in Scotland and the British Isles, stores display regalia, and many businesses carry on gaelic names. Even the name of the city itself, gifted by the Scottish settlers that founded the town, comes from the old Gaelic name for Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh.
And then you come to the stone masonry exterior of Dunedin Brewery, the first craft brewery in the state. It may look like a Glaswegian castle, but once you step inside, it looks like you’ve stepped into a Dropkick Murphy’s music video.
Side note: I do believe Dunedin brewed for Dropkick Murphys.
They opened in 1995, and are still operated by Michael and Kandi Bryant. The brewery serves almost as a mecca for those in the Florida craft beer community. And I finally managed to go.
It’s a pretty chill place, and feels like it might have been a garage in another life. There’s a full kitchen off to the side, churning out some pretty good grub. Service is really nice, but there’s beer to be drinking. So here’s the tasting flight I got (from left to right):
Fox and Waller (Wee Heavy, 7.4% ABV) – This was incredible stuff. The beer was aged with figs, vanilla beans, and oak spirals, and comes off very complex with fig, molasses, and vanilla flavors. Big and bursting with flavor.
Brown Ale (Brown Ale, 5.5% ABV) – They advertise that 7 different malts were used in this beer, and I sure can’t identify them all. I can tell you the beer is smooth and velvety, with a wonderfully warming bready flavor.
Local Honey (Wheat Ale, 8.5% ABV) – A wheat ale made with, you guessed it, local honey. They sure let the honey play around, because this beer is big and strong. Very heady and strong, light wheat and sweet honey notes.
Apricot Peach Ale (Fruit Beer, 6.2% ABV) – This is Dunedin’s biggest selling beer. It has a juicy, ripe, fruit aroma. The flavor is sweet but light, with a light malt supporting base.
So I got there. Finally got to try their beers. I’m not sure when I will have this chance again, since they distribute very locally to them, which isn’t very local to me.
But if I ever have the chance to dust off my kilt and head to the bay area, I know where I’m going.
Drink Florida Craft,
Dave
@floridabeerblog
floridabeerblog@gmail.com
floridacraftbeerday.com
Florida Beer Blog 