Greater Fort Lauderdale Beer Events You Don’t Want to Miss

By Christie Galeano-DeMott

Greater Fort Lauderdale may be known for sun, sea, and sand, but the brewery scene is booming as well. We take craft beer seriously here with our very own Ale Trail that highlights our hop-tastic breweries and craft beer bars. We also have plenty of brew-centric events, from fun weekly gatherings to annual festivals like the FemAle Brew Fest and Greater Fort Lauderdale Beer Week celebrating our local hops.

FemAle Brew Fest

Created to spotlight remarkable females in the beer industry, FemAle Brew Fest has grown into a complete and inclusive event that not only serves refreshing beer, but also features fun workshops and influential speakers. Taking place on March 21, the event will be located in a new location this year at Dania Pointe.

Brews from around the state are the headliners of this festival, including several Fort Lauderdale favorites like Tarpon River Brewing and LauderAle. Overall, there will be more than 25 breweries in attendance. For those looking for more than sips, FemAle Brew Fest has a few workshops to help you get more invested in the industry. Take part in the sensory training led by Funky Buddha Brewery’s certified cicerone, Kristen Lorow-Hunter, sit in on a fermentation workshop to learn more about gluten-free brewing, or enjoy Beersgiving where beer industry veterans and novices will sit down to discuss insider tips and share their knowledge.

Greater Fort Lauderdale Beer Week 

Another annual event is our Greater Fort Lauderdale Beer Week every September. Last year’s inaugural event was a big hit, so beer week is back this year and ready to bring all of our incredible breweries and beer fans together during the city-wide brew extravaganza. Organized events and specials will be announced soon. Look forward to local breweries hosting events like beer and food pairings and pub crawls, while also featuring specials throughout the week.

Ale Trail Events & Tours

With nearly 50 breweries in Greater Fort Lauderdale alongside craft beer bars, it’s easy to find a beer to please everyone’s palate. To make it even easier to find them all, Greater Fort Lauderdale has created an Ale Trail. From lagers to porters, the map leads the way.

Several of our Ale Trail breweries host weekly events and tours for beer enthusiasts. The Fort Lauderdale brewery that started it all, Funky Buddha Brewery, offers a peek behind the curtain during its brewhouse tour. A bit further south, the Hollywood Brewing Company also offers a behind-the-scenes tour of its facilities.

LauderAle, Tarpon River Brewing, and Bangin’ Banjo Brewing host entertaining trivia nights every week, while Gulf Stream Brewing Company in Fort Lauderdale and 26 Degree Brewing Company in Pompano Beach offer a variety of rotating weekly events like bike night, comedy shows, and drag bingo.
 
Beer reigns supreme here in Greater Fort Lauderdale, so next time you’re looking for a fun activity, pull up the Ale Trail map and have fun creating your very own pub crawl. While all the breweries are easily accessible via Uber or Lyft, Flagler Village does offer the most in a concentrated area, making it easy to stroll to a few breweries and bars in just minutes. Cheers!