More than thirty breweries currently call the Tampa Bay area home. With a history that spans a century, the brewing industry has experienced highs and lows. The end of Prohibition allowed more to join in on the brewers' art. Anheuser-Busch's emergence as a powerhouse caused a decades-long lull in craft brewing beginning in the 1960s. From the ceremonial brewing vessels of native peoples to the sleek brewhouses of modern craft brewers, the Bay area is a shining example of the developing trade. Author Mark DeNote recaps the sudsy history of beer makers in the Big Guava.
Mark DeNote is a wandering beer writer who keeps a home in Florida and an eye on the road in search of fresh, local beer. A native Floridian, Mark is a teacher at heart and enjoys talking about beer and beer history almost as much as tasting beer. Mark is the author of The Great Florida Craft Beer Guide and Tampa Bay Beer: A Heady History. His work has been featured in DRAFT Magazine, CraftBeer.com and other local publications. He edits, reports, interviews and writes the story behind craft beer.