Swamp Head Brewery turns Gainesville into Hop City

Topics covered in this article

    See how Gainesville Rock City turns into Gainesville Hop City. Swamp Head Brewery in Gainesville, FL turned out to be an excellent choice as a road trip stop. We had a great time there. Check it out.

    As a Less Than Jake fan, you just have to make a stop when your USA road trip takes you to Florida. It is a must so you can start singing as soon as you see the signs of Gainesville, FL…..

    “Well, I'm half awake and half a world away
    All my past mistakes and every misspent day
    I wouldn't have it any other way

    Gainesville Rock City”

    On this road trip, we actually spend a few days in Gainesville so there was plenty of time to check out the craft beer scene… And the road took us to Swamp Head Brewery.

    Bar at Swamp Head Brewery
    Welcome to Swamp Head Brewery in Florida

    Info about Swamp Head Brewery in Gainesville, FL

    • Name: Swamp Head Brewery
    • Address: 3650 SW 42nd Ave, Gainesville, FL 32608, United States
    • Closest airport(s): Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) is only a 20-minute drive or start your Florida craft beer road trip at Orlando International Airport (MCO), a 1 hour and 45 minutes drive. It doesn’t matter which airport you choose as all rental car deals are listed here. Easy to plan your road trip.
    • Beer menu (in their words): “It has been our mission since day one to be Florida's brewery. We love our neighbours, but we're focused on providing our state with the beer it deserves.”
    • Accommodation nearby: go for a craft beer tasting at this brewery and enjoy the surrounding area. Check out accommodation deals in Gainesville, FL Stay for a few days on your craft beer tour. Then you'll have plenty of time to taste the beers of this brewery.
    • More info: official website of the Swamp Head brewery in Florida
    • More reasons to go there: dog-friendly, nice & relaxing place (it was easy for me to combine working and tasting craft beer) and a good selection of beers on tap.

    First impression of Swamp Head Brewery in Florida

    On a beautiful sunny day in October – are there any other kinds of days in Florida? 🙂 – I visited Swamp Head Brewery. The outside looks a bit industrial, but the fun begins when you enter the premises.

    Swamp Head is what a brewery/taproom should be. This place is buzzing and alive. The staff is friendly. It is a real pleasure to spend a few hours here, tasting craft beer and getting some work done in between (it’s a tough life but someone’s got to do it). This place is also dog friendly.

    There is plenty of seating, both inside and outside. Perfect to enjoy these sunny Florida days. Great place. And their beer selection is really good and has a nice variety.

    Craft beer tasting at Swamp Head Brewery

    When I visited Swamp Head Brewery in Florida (Gainesville), this was the tasting flight I ordered.

    • Raspberry Doughball (wheat beer)
    • Berry Jelly (Berliner Weisse)
    • Midnight Oil (oatmeal stout)
    • Dog Friends (Double NEIPA)
    • Partly Cloudy (Pale Ale)
    • Pumpkin Spice Latte (pumpkin/yam beer) – awesome, best one of this tasting flight (4.25 out of 5)

    Make sure to follow me on Untappd for more details about how I rated these beers (sneak preview: between 3.50 and 4.25 out of 5 bottle caps. It is also a great way to stay up to date on my craft beer tasting adventure.

    High score: 8.5 out of 10

    Although this brewery visit was a bit short…. The good ones are always too short… I really enjoyed it. It was a tasty afternoon. Was able to get some work done in a relaxed way while tasting their amazing brews.

    The highlight here was the Pumpkin Spice Latte (pumpkin/yam beer). Pumpkin, coffee, clover and vanilla flavours all rolled into one beer. Great stuff. I wouldn’t mind visiting this brewery in Gainesville, FL more often. I’ll definitely drop in again when I’m in the area.

    Topic:
    Destination(s): , ,

    Martijn

    Martijn is the Digi.Geek behind this travel blog, which started a long time ago as DIY-OE but was then rebranded to Travel.Geek.NZ. A traveller with a Dutch heart and Kiwi blood. Loves to explore Europe, North America and Oceania. Always on the look-out for tasty local dishes - vegetarian or vegan - and amazing craft beer breweries, while rocking at festivals or gigs in between. Check out the latest blog posts & articles created by this Travel.Geek!

    Other articles you might like...

    How to get the max out of a few days in Cologne

    If you’re planning a weekend getaway in Cologne, you are in for a treat. There are plenty of ways to stay busy. This German city is filled with wonders to look at and memories that you’ll keep with you forever. […]

    Level up in craft beer land: 8-Bit Aleworks in Arizona (USA)

    What do pixels and hops have in common? Both are equally important in Avondale, Arizona at 8-Bit Aleworks, a craft beer brewery that geeks will love. Not just craft beer geeks but game geeks as well. Craft beers with game-themed […]

    Take the stairway to hoppy heaven at Black Abbey craft beer brewery in Nashville, TN

    There are so many reasons to add Nashville, Tennessee to your USA road trip. Today, we’ll only focus on one of these reasons: craft beer. Black Abbey brewery in Nashville, TN creates (not makes) some amazing brews. Check it out.

    Wanaka: one street, two breweries, a great selection of NZ craft beers to explore

    There are many reasons to visit Wanaka on your New Zealand road trip, but we’re not going to talk about these obvious reasons now. This blog post will focus on what happens late afternoon or evening in Wanaka. When it […]

    How to experience the best Birmingham city trip

    Birmingham isn’t a city you would immediately think of when planning a UK city trip. Or is it just me? But why? It is the second-most populated city in the UK. There should be heaps to do and see. My […]

    From Greek myth to craft beer: our story of a sweet, boozy experience at an amazing brewery in Atlanta

    Visiting craft beer breweries while travelling is what makes life (and this blog) so special. Atlanta, Georgia was a multi-day stop at one of my road trips due to the Prog Power Festival. Perfect time to check out the craft […]

    Join the Discussion

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Default Avatar
    Choose an Avatar

    Scroll to Top