This Brewery is located at Walt Disney World complex in Orlando Florida. The wording complex is an understatement, there’s the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Disney Town etc.…. And of course Boardwalk lies in with this complex. Boardwalk is connected to Epcot, which means it’s in walking distance to each other. Boardwalk is like a large city circling part of a large lake. Most buildings are hotels with shops and eateries on the 1st floor level. ESPN has a large sports restaurant/bar at one end also, which has an amazing layout of TV’s and even a room where sportscaster’s were doing radio shows. Big River sits about in the middle of all these shops. They opened in and around 1996, (anyone know the opening date?)
Big River was founded in 1993 in Chattanooga Tennessee. Since then they have Big River’s in Nashville Tenn., (one possibly in Memphis Tenn.) and one in Greenville, South Carolina. They assumed ownership of the Rock Bottom breweries in Charlotte and Atlanta. They also own several Florida Brew Pubs which include A1A Ale Works, St. Augustine; Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery, Jacksonville; and Ragtime Tavern, Jacksonville. All of these are independently operated. Big River Breweries Inc. also bought 13 of the southeast’s Gordon Biersch brewpubs.
In 1998 Michael Jackson toured this Brewery and Shipyard at the airport and 3 others in the Melbourne area. His article was published in the Ale Street News, Aug 1 1998 and published online on Sept 13, 1999. He mentioned a beer called a nutty flavored Angler’s Amber. Does anyone have a sampler sheet from back then? Or a list of some of there named beers through out the years? The others that Jackson describes are the same brewed today.
Named Beers of Oct, 2003
 One of there earlier Coasters |
 Has blank on other side |
 Other side has same picture as middle Coaster |
First one is from Oct. 2003, notice the seasonal change to Sweet Magnolia. Second picture shows an earlier menu showing their Wowzer's Wheat (Bet that taste's Good!)
If you’re ever in the Orlando area check this place out, it has an Excellent variety of Hand-crafted Brews that are on tap yearly, one that is seasonal and one specialty brew.
I planned this trip with my Wife, who got to see La Nouba and I got to taste some really good Beer. I first checked the Disney web site for directions, since this “complex” is a City in itself, I thought I’d be prepared. I took I-4 east out of Tampa, which their directions just say to get off on exit 67 and follow signs. Okay that’s not hard, but when you take exit 67 there are no signs for Boardwalk. I ended up going right on Epcot Resort Blvd. Which took me past “West Side” “Pleasure Island” “Market Place” all of which are Disney’s Town. Well we did get to see where the La Nouba show was going to be later that night. (Westside) To make a long story short, take exit 67 and turn left as if you’re going to Epcot. (follow Epcot signs) The Boardwalk is only a short drive down on your right. Actually really easy to get to.
The Boardwalk was pretty laid back when we were there, no mass crowds or anything like that. The Brewery is located to your left as you enter around the hotel entrance. The Brewery and settings resembled an outdoor café from the outside, with seating out front and it’s blue canopy overhanging over the entrance. When we walked in the main bar was straight in front with dining tables off to the left and right. Seemed sort of post modern, sheek, 50’s style chrome, something like that. It is long and narrow with the Brewery starting off to the right and as the brewing process goes, it ends up in storage tanks well seen behind the bar.
The Brewery is all behind floor to ceiling glass partitions, making it easy to see the makings of beer. I got right to it and started to take pictures when Rich Michaels - Head Brewmaster walked up and offered to let me go inside and get some close-ups.
I got the beer sampler with 5 named beers and the 6th being their Oktoberfest. I really liked the Southern Flyer Light Lager, you could taste the lightness but still had an excellent hoppy taste. The Sweet Magnolia, I fell in love with, must be my sweet tooth, but man…..the after taste……mmmmm Good Beer! They need to bottle that! Ron said the Oktoberfest had just received an award in Denver, but my taste buds must have been thrown for a loop with the Magnolia. The Oktoberfest was very smooth and the Sweet Magnolia had a nice bite to it. I liked the Magnolia better, but Hey….that won a Gold Medal in the 1998 at the Great American Beer Festival, so Ron did an excellent job, it’s still a "winner".
After a light lunch we left and did a little exploring around the area. I wanted so badly to go back and have a full glass of the "Sweet" because of the lingering aftertaste but we were on a schedule. Will I be Back?…………………is a Frog’s Ass Watertight? I would like to go back for the Summer Seasonal, Wowzer’s Wheat, which sounds good! Leads to me wonder…..What’s the Fall and Spring Seasonal’s? Hmmmm…….Me must find out!
I look forward to learning about this brewery in greater detail in the future. Any further knowledge or maybe even pictures out of your collection pertaining to this Brewery would greatly be appreciated. Give me a Holler! (email link) I would be honored to share your thoughts and ideas about these Florida Breweries.
