Fort Myers/Naples area...

[Liam1]

Going to be in between these two cities over the next week and half (staying with my girl in Bonita Springs - renting a condo down there) and was just wondering what I should keep an eye out for, bottle-wise.

I think there's a Total Wine or two within driving distance, and perhaps another few small shops in and around where we'll be able to travel to - what bottles are relatively easy to come by (or seasonal, at this point in time) that I should be looking out for? Any suggestions for new Floridian or South-Atlantic breweries I should seek out? Haven't been down to the area in a few years, and I'm only moderately familiar with Cigar City and Swamphead (to a lesser extent). Any suggestions/help is appreciated - cheers.

 

[jackl]

I was down there last month visiting my parents. It's a 'developing' scene, so temper your expectations.

Total Wine in Naples will be your best bet if you're looking for bottles. It gets less traffic than the one in Ft Myers, so stuff seems to stick around a bit longer. The CCB seasonals that I found in mid-March were Evander, Jurata, and Moongun. I haven't found any independent bottle shops with selections better than TW. Whole Foods in Naples occasionally gets limited CCB beer on draft.

Other bottled/canned FL breweries that are easy to find in the area include Intuition, Funky Buddha, and Saint Somewhere. I'm not particularly enthusiastic about any of the three (at least the stuff you'll find from them on shelves).

A decent number of breweries have popped up in the area in the last couple of years. Point Ybel and Fort Myers Brewing are probably the best of what's a pretty mediocre bunch. I know Point Ybel released a sour collab that they did with 7venth Sun in late March. Maybe there will still be some left at their tap room.

Hotter Than Helles is a great beach beer. If I were you, I'd buy a couple of six packs, relax, and enjoy the weather.