GULFPORT, FL — Opening Gulfport Brewery + Eatery in June 2020, just four months after a global pandemic was declared, was an admittedly risky venture.
But after a year’s worth of planning, searching for and finding the ideal location — a quaint historic beach bungalow at 3007 Beach Blvd. S — owners Matt Acree, Echo Bartlett, Jason Toft and Donald Campbell thought it was well worth the risk.
Two years later, their gamble is paying off.
“After much planning and location scouting, our dream became reality, and we hired a fantastic head brewer, signed on the dotted line and got to work,” said the partners on their website. “We finally opened in the summer of 2020 with the welcoming vibes of our amazing locals.”
It was touch-and-go at first, particularly after the tragic death of partner Donald Campbell in the same month the business opened.
But with a commitment to brewing quality — and now award-winning — craft beers combined with a love of gourmet concoctions, Gulfport Brewery + Eatery was quickly embraced by the community.
Now, the partners are preparing to celebrate their two-year anniversary on June 18 with a weekend of new beer releases, food specials and live music.
As part of the anniversary celebration, the brewery is debuting two new 8-month barrel-aged beers made in collaboration with Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, which was recently named among the top 10 steak houses in the country.
The limited-editor two-year anniversary project, called Sacred Geometry, is a robust porter aged in Bern’s select 1792 barrels.
There are two choices: one with hints of baker’s chocolate, cherries and aged oak staves and the other with the taste of earthy wood, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and rich, sweet bourbon.
Only 200 bottles were produced and there is a limit of two bottles each per customer. Click here to order before they’re all gone.
Gulfport Brewery
The limited-editor two-year anniversary project, called Sacred Geometry, is a robust porter aged in Bern’s select 1792 barrels.
Starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, Lost Coast Oyster Co. will be shuckin’ up oysters in the Gulfport Brewery’s biergarten.
Lost Coast Oyster Company sustainably harvests oysters just south of Gulfport and is known for supplying some of the best restaurants in the bay, including Ulele and Bern’s Steak House.
Additionally, the nonprofit Marine Life Rescue and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium will be on hand in the biergarten Saturday to kick off their marine life rescue project partnership with the Gulfport Brewery.
Gulfport Brewery will release a new tropical golden ale called Save the Whales in four-packs, available to go at the Gulfport Brewery taproom and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. For every pint sold, a donation will be made to the marine life project.
Gulfport Brewery
Save the Whales is being release in partnership with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Marine Life Rescue.
Over the next year, Gulfport Brewery will release a series of beer collaborations that give back to the marine life rescue project.
Gulfport Brewery will kick off the celebration Friday with a performance by Marianne & The Professor from 6 to 9 p.m.
Singer/songwriter Wyatt Norton will provide live music Saturday from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. followed by Poly Essence, bringing feel-good music with hits from all genres and generations from 6 to 9 p.m.
Gulfport Brewery will also unveil new merchandise, including a T-shirt with the brewery’s signature trident-wielding mermaid logo.
Gulfport Brewery
Gulfport Brewery will also unveil new merchandise, including a T-shirt with the brewery’s signature trident-wielding mermaid logo.
The brewery offers an extensive draft beer menu including craft lagers, IPAs, ales, sours pilsners, ciders and porters with such colorful names as Hippie Oasis, Unsteady Freddy IPA, Martian Mallow, Leather Jacket and a Hefeweizen called Here’s Your F***ing Hefe!
In addition to its diverse regular menu items ranging from gourmet hot dogs to shrimp tacos, Gulfport Brewery + Eatery offers weekend specials that reflect the owners’ love of creative cuisine such as Creamy Jamaican Jerk Mac and Cheese with chicken and drizzled with homemade avocado jerk ranch; Grouper Nuggets loaded with sweet ‘n’ spicy coleslaw, drizzled in sweet chili sauce and topped with Cajun shrimp and scallions; and handmade masa dough bread stuffed with carnitas, queso, pico and shredded lettuce, then drizzled with jalapeño garlic sauce.
Gulfport Brewery
Among the popular menu offerings are Gulfport Brewery + Eatery’s Weiner Flights, including a bacon-wrapped dog with pineapple cilantro salsa and jalapeno, a gourmet dog with chili, shredded cheddar , red onion and yellow mustard aioli, a beer cheese dog with bacon and jalapenos and a gourmet dog with house potatoes, beer cheese, bacon and scallions. 
Gulfport Brewery
Left, Grouper Nuggets are loaded with sweet ‘n’ spicy coleslaw, drizzled in sweet chili sauce and topped with Cajun shrimp and scallions. Right is Creamy Jamaican jerk Mac and Cheese with chicken and drizzled with homemade avocado jerk ranch.
With its inviting outdoor biergarten, Gulfport Brewery provides regular live music offerings. The brewery also hosts a popular fourth Saturday boozy brunch, a Mug Club for frequent fliers, a run club and yappy hours to benefit VIP Rescue.
Hours are Monday through Thursday from noon to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.
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