Calusa Brewing is a family-owned and operated 8,500 8,500 sq ft brewing facility & one-of-a-kind tasting room in Sarasota. Florida’s rich aquatic heritage & culture inspires their quality brews.
Like many, time spent on the West Coast provided the inspiration to start their own operation. Owners Geordie Rauch and Vic Falck met brewer/owner Jason Thompson during their military service in San Diego, and the plan came into fruition shortly thereafter. The focus of the brewery remains hoppy beers along with a desire to increase their sour program. They currently have a blonde and an amber sour resting in wine barrels and plan on adding to those as time and space permit. While the focus remains on the aforementioned styles, other styles will get attention too, and they have two stouts peacefully resting until they are ready to serve.
So how did they come up with the name? The name, Calusa, stems from the Native Americans who inhabited Florida’s Gulf Coast near the area where their Taproom is located. They were a fierce, intelligent people who respected the water and the State’s natural resources. The owners of the brewery admire those traits and strive to walk in similar footsteps. The Calusa tribe is now extinct, so the name is a homage to their history in the Gulf Coast, and a way to make sure that they are not forgotten.
They are located at 5701 Derek Avenue, Sarasota, Florida. Derek is off Clark Road, and just a short distance off of I-75. Currently, their taproom hours are Thursday (Noon to 10 PM), Friday and Saturday (Noon-Midnight) and Sunday (noon to 8 PM). Weather permitting, they have food trucks at the brewery every day its open, and the food truck schedule is online on their website.
They currently have nine beers on tap, but will have even more down the road as they have sixteen taps available. They typically also have cold brew coffee on Nitro available, but it goes fast. They offer tasters of all of our beers as well.
Check out their website for more info, www.calusabrewing.com