USA, FL: Brew Bus to open brewery in the current location of the closing Florida Avenue Brewing in Tampa

One of the mainstays of Seminole Heights' brewing scene is shutting its doors — but another big name in local beer is taking over its space and production, The New York Times reported on December 17.

Brew Bus, the Tampa-based brewery tour company, said December 15 that it would open a brewery and tasting room in Seminole Heights in the current location of Florida Avenue Brewing Co. in 2016.

Florida Avenue Brewing is shutting down immediately, said Anthony Derby, owner of Brew Bus. But, Derby said, he plans to continue producing Florida Avenue beers.

Brew Bus brand beers are currently produced at Brew Hub in Lakeland, and Derby said he plans to continue using Brew Hub to brew his beers. Eventually, he said, both Brew Bus and Florida Avenue beers will also be produced in Seminole Heights.

Brew Bus plans to renovate the space, keeping it as a brewpub and also using it as a hub for its brewery tours. Derby said he's budgeted about $200,000 to overhaul the space — a complete cosmetic transformation as well as a new draft system and cooler.

His goal, he said, is to be open by mid-February. The new brewpub will have other local beers on tap — Angry Chair, Coppertail and others.

“The idea is to build something that’s more than a tasting room,” Derby said. “We are excited to get the project started, having my own brewery in Seminole Heights is something I’ve dreamed about for a long time. It will be nice to finally have a place to call home.”

Florida Avenue Brewing, which originally went by the name Cold Storage Craft Brewing, opened in 2010.

"Florida Avenue is one of the oldest craft breweries in Tampa," Derby said, "so we’re excited to continue brewing that brand."

18 December, 2015