Anclote Brew

Cute but tiny, maybe a dozen chairs at a gorgeous copper bar. Drew us in with a sign that said coffee and football on a chilly day. Young guy behind the bar is entertaining and hard working. No food here, but a great place to duck in for a game and a cup of coffee and a beer.

We were visiting Tarpon Springs last night for the Night in the Islands event. It was a bit chilly last night, a whopping 60 degrees, which is quite cold for Floridians (myself included). My husband happened to spot a sign in front of the plaza about craft beers, which I completely missed. So, there we were searching for craft beer, in hopes that a drink would warm us up. We would’ve completely missed the bar if we hadn’t been looking for it. It’s tucked away between other establishments in the plaza.
Inside, you will find yourself in a nice, cozy bar to have a craft brew and relax, no frills needed. It’s not a large establishment by any means but it doesn’t have to be to serve its purpose. A long bar splits the room in half and the décor is modern-​looking and tasteful with exposed brick and fish-​catching mementos. There’s outdoor seating and a few areas of indoor seating, in addition to the long bar area.
The bartender was friendly and sociable. The atmosphere was cozy and welcoming. I definitely foresee more visits to this bar whenever we are in the Sponge Docks area.

We stumbled upon this little gem on a day trip to Tarpon Springs and walking around the immensely touristy (and also historic) area. Being that we are craft beer fans, we were immediately drawn to the line-​up of local craft beers they had available on tap. As soon as we entered, we were greeted with a friendly bartender who was generous with his knowledge of the local breweries, which made for a great and interesting conversation.
My only gripe is that they don’t have more things on tap. But considering it was not a large bar and they also had to cater to the non-​craft beer-​drinking folks, it was understandable. I hope they will stick around and grow.
Time was unfortunately not our side and we only had time to share one drink before we were due to return to Orlando, but we were allowed to sample a few of them. We definitely want to return the next time we are anywhere near Tarpon Springs, and will bring our friends with us, too!

I’ve gone several times since they opened recently. A fresh new beer bar in a historic location. In the Sponge Exchange of Tarpon Springs, a building originally built in 1908, sits a friendly inviting beer bar with a beer selection that focuses on the best the local craft breweries have to offer as well as some of the better craft beers available around the country.