Here is a success story of a BrewPub with an Attitude. Ybor City’s own BrewPub and restaurant, where you can find Great Food! (a lot of it is artfully cooked with Beer) and an unbelievable variety of hand-crafted ales and lagers.
In 1992 the Doble Family started a home brewing shop called the “Brew Shack”
The Dobles received a small Business Administration Loan of $529.000 (1) and chose Ybor City as their startup location with its rich and colorful historical past. Around the time (1898) when Teddy Roosevelt rode into Tampa with His “Rough Riders”, the building was used as horse stables. John Doble Jr. (Owner/Brewmaster) used His experience from architectural school at the University of Florida to help renovate the two-story building. The building was designed with 2 Bars, one upstairs and one downstairs. The upstairs area has a balcony overlooking 15th street (good spot for a smoke). The Brewery can produce 80 barrels a month (160 kegs) of both ales and lagers. (2) They Brew on a 10-barrel Crivellar made brewing system with 1-20 barrel fermenter and 3-10 barrel fermenters. Taking up to 3 weeks for each brew to come of age. They have designed 16 Grundy serving tanks behind the Bars that can be seen through plated glass. They also produce cask-conditioned ales in 2 British firkin casks that uses a slow natural unfiltered fermentation process served at cellar temperatures of 50 degrees.
Vicki Doble (owner/manager) (John’s mother) is the driving force behind this operation. She grew up around Beer and Bars with Her family in Northern England and knows what a true Beer should taste like. With their expertise and building completely renovated the Tampa Bay Brewing Co. opened its doors in 1997 (when was there opening date?).
Initial Key people
Victoria Doble………..Owner/Manager
John Doble ll ………...Administrator
John Doble lll (Jr.)……Owner/Brewmaster
David Doble…………..Assistant Brewer
Jon Mendrake…………Assistant Brewer
Initial Named Beers
Red Eye Ale
The Quaffer London Porter
Old Elephant Foot IPA
Extra Special Bitter
One Night Stand, Pale Ale
Strong Mon, English Strong Ale
True Blonde Ale, Kolsch
Wild Warthog Weizen
Moose Killer
and their cask version of Red Eye Ale
In 1998 to further His expertise in brewing John Doble Jr. attended the Chicago-based Siebel Institute of Technology + World Brewing Academy. (1) Their success of masterly crafted Beer and Food soon turned into a customer service special called “The Mug Club”. The Club has over 500 members, which receive a mug that they personalize to their liking. Club members also get discounts on there food and drinks. Some of their Mugs are seen hanging at the center of the Restaurant/Brewery.
In 2001 the Dobles sold the “Brew Shack” on Waters Ave., but have since reassumed ownership. On Nov. 3, 2002, the Tampa Bay Brewing Co. along with the Ybor City Brewery Co. appeared on Al Roker’s TV special “The Food Network”. (Anybody have a copy?)
Tragedy struck the Doble Family on April 16, 2003. John Doble lll (Jr.) died in a house fire at His home in Tampa. John was only 37 years old and my condolences go out to His Family and all His Friends, He will surely be missed.
What must have been a “Tough” decision and “Rough” going, the Tampa Bay Brewing Co. is back and doing very well as I can attest to on my visit Oct 8, 2003.
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