Why Every Beer Lover Needs to Visit Jacksonville

5. Pairing the freshest seafood with craft beer.

Jacksonville is Florida’s shrimp capital and commercial fishing has played a large part in the city’s history. The local shrimp, called Mayport Shrimp, are caught at the mouth of the St. John’s River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. These tasty shrimp can be enjoyed throughout the city’s local restaurant scene. Within the city, some of the same restaurants that craft creative dishes with these shrimp also serve beer from local craft breweries. An IPA like Aardwolf Brewing’s Nonchalant IPA and Dockside Seafood’s Bangin’ Shrimp Tacos are a match made in heaven.

3. Intuition Ale Works Underdark Release.

One of the most laid-back bottle releases in Florida, Intuition Ale Works releases Underdark, their Dungeons-and-Dragons-inspired imperial stout aged in used spirit barrels, in the early months of each year. Underdark was first released during a time when craft beer bottle releases were stressful events. In the 2010s, beer enthusiasts would have to stand in line at local breweries, sometimes for hours, and would be lucky to be able to buy one or two bottles and possibly taste the special release on draft while standing elbow-to-elbow with fellow beer lovers.

Fast forward to 2023, and Intuition’s Underdark release is a laid-back adventure – a far cry from the frenetic bottle releases of yesteryear. 2023’s Underdark is an imperial stout aged in Wild Turkey 6-year barrels, Cruzan Rum barrels, and BLiS maple syrup barrels. The beer contains 13.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) and is available in cans or on draft on the day of release and beyond. Vintage kegs of Underdark are available on draft, so enthusiasts can enjoy the current version side-by-side with last year or possibly older vintages of Underdark. Intuition’s kitchen makes food inspired by the beer, including a chili made with Underdark. Patrons drink at their leisure and brewery staff encourages DnD enthusiasts to run gaming campaigns throughout the day.

2. Fresh tacos made inside a craft brewery.

While many taquerias can have a limited beer selection, Tepeyolot Cerveceria in Jacksonville’s San Marco neighborhood dishes up authentic Mexican food at a brewery. Dreaming of an American barleywine with beef nachos? It’s possible. What about an amber lager with a zwickelbier with a meal of masa cakes? Absolutely. Salsa, guacamole, and queso with a house-made hazy IPA? Look no further. The food and beer combinations are only limited by the visitor’s imagination and what happens to be on draft at the moment.

While the draft list is a reading list unto itself, it doesn’t hold a candle to Kickbacks’ cellar list. The pub has a downstairs beer cellar that many patrons don’t even know exists. The not-so-secret cellar stores about 75,000 vintage bottles of beer that have been painstakingly aged by Steve. The best part – no secret handshake is needed to order from the cellar list, patrons simply need to ask for the cellar menu to taste any number of bottles of this liquid art.