Big Storm Brewing To Open Taproom, Restaurant In Ybor City

YBOR CITY, FL — Big Storm Brewing Co. announced Monday that it has signed a lease to take over the vacant Hamburger Mary’s and Mary’s Pub locations in Ybor City.

Big Storm plans to open an 11,000-square-foot taproom and restaurant in the Centro Ybor building by the end of the year.

“We have long wanted to open an Ybor location and are excited to have finally found what we think is the perfect spot - in the heart of the district overlooking East 7th Avenue,” said Big Storm co-owner L.J. Govoni. “We are also excited to open our first taproom in Tampa, giving those who love beers a place to visit in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.”

The Ybor City taproom will be the independent craft brewer’s fifth location in the Sunshine State. In November Big Storm expanded to Central Florida, with the opening of a brewpub at Amway Center in downtown Orlando.

The taproom will feature Big Storm’s core beers, including, Bromosa, Tropic Pressure, Wavemaker and Sunny Key Lime. But Govoni said Big Storm will also brew small batches of dark and barrel-aged beer in Ybor with an emphasis on aggressive imperial stouts. He said they will install an oversized 5-barrel brewing system.

In addition, the Ybor location will feature spirits like Big Storm’s highly regarded brand vodka and the award-winning Blood Brother’s bloody marys. Last year, Big Storm purchased controlling interest of Blood Brothers, founded by a Clearwater family. In 2020, Blood Brothers received three silver medals at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Big Storm, which is also based in Clearwater, is currently distributed in five states: Florida, Ohio, New Jersey, North Carolina and Texas.

Founded in 2012 in Pasco County, Big Storm currently has four taprooms in the Sunshine State — Clearwater, Orlando, Odessa and Cape Coral

Big Storm has embraced its tagline of “Florida’s Craft Beer Forecast,” by developing a dynamic lineup of Florida favorites like Tropic Pressure Florida Ale, steeped with hibiscus flowers, and Key Lime Shandy, brewed with key lime puree.

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