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| Cigar City Brewing | |
|---|---|
| Name | Cigar City Brewing |
| Location | Tampa, Florida, United States |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | Joey Redner |
Cigar City Brewing Cigar City Brewing is an American craft brewery founded in Tampa, Florida, noted for flagship beers and regional influence. The brewery has become associated with Tampa's brewing renaissance and broader craft beer movements across the United States, with connections to festivals, distributors, and collaborations. It operates within a landscape that includes historic Tampa neighborhoods, national craft circuits, and international beer competitions.
Founded in 2009 by Joey Redner shortly after the Great Recession, the brewery emerged in Tampa near Ybor City and Tampa Bay cultural districts. Early growth involved collaboration with local venues such as The Floridian, Oxford Exchange, and regional brewers including Jai Alai IPA partners and contemporaries like Stone Brewing, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery through taproom events and shared distribution networks. The company navigated state-level regulatory frameworks involving the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco and participated in municipal revitalization efforts alongside organizations such as Visit Tampa Bay and the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. Expansion phases included taproom openings, production scale-ups, and collaborations with brewers from Belgium and Germany as well as American craft luminaries like Founders Brewing Co., The Alchemist (brewery), and Russian River Brewing Company.
The brewery is known for a core portfolio that includes an India Pale Ale that gained national attention and barrel-aged stouts released in limited batches. Products span flagship offerings, seasonal beers, experimental series, and special releases tied to local culture and sporting franchises such as Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Tampa Bay Rays fan events. Notable styles produced include IPAs, stouts, porters, saisons, and sour ales influenced by Belgian techniques and American hop-forward practices seen at breweries like Bell's Brewery and Three Floyds Brewing. Limited releases often reference Tampa history, aligning with institutions such as Ybor City Museum State Park and collaborations with restaurants including Bern's Steak House and breweries like Tree House Brewing Company and Trillium Brewing Company. Barrel programs have employed bourbon and rum barrels sourced from distilleries such as Buffalo Trace and Bacardi-connected suppliers, reflecting practices used by Goose Island Beer Company and Woodford Reserve partnerships.
Operations include production breweries, packaging lines, cold storage, and taproom spaces within Tampa industrial zones and redevelopment corridors near Interstate 275. Equipment expansions mirrored trends at American craft leaders like New Belgium Brewing Company and Lagunitas Brewing Company, incorporating fermentation vessels, a pilot system, and canning lines. Quality control measures incorporate lab testing and blind panel tastings similar to protocols at Deschutes Brewery and Brooklyn Brewery. Logistics operations coordinate with warehouse providers and distribution partners that serve Florida and interstate markets, following safety standards promoted by groups such as the Brewers Association and shipping practices aligned with carriers serving breweries like Anchor Brewing Company.
Distribution initially focused on Florida markets including Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, and the Gulf Coast before expanding into southeastern states, national specialty markets, and select international outlets. The brewery partnered with regional distributors comparable to those representing Ballast Point Brewing Company and navigated three-tier system arrangements with wholesalers and retailers, appearing on tap lists at gastropubs, sports venues including Raymond James Stadium and Amalie Arena, and retail shelves in craft-centric stores like those used by Total Wine & More and independent beer retailers. Limited-edition releases use allocation systems and beer clubs similar to distribution methods at The Bruery and Ommegang.
Beers from the brewery have been entered into competitions such as the Great American Beer Festival, World Beer Cup, and regional contests, earning medals and press coverage in publications like Travel + Leisure, Craft Beer & Brewing, and BeerAdvocate. Awards and critical plaudits aligned the brand with peers honored at the same events, including Sierra Nevada and Founders, and elevated its profile among judges and critics from outlets such as RateBeer and Untappd curators. Recognition also came via local honors from organizations including Visit Tampa Bay and civic business awards.
The brewery engages in charity initiatives, food and beverage festivals, and taproom events linked to civic partners such as Habitat for Humanity, United Way, and local arts organizations like Tampa Theatre. It hosts release parties, beer dinners with restaurants like Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe and participates in festivals including Florida Brewer's Guild events, SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, and regional beer weeks. Educational outreach and brewery tours have partnered with academic programs at institutions such as University of South Florida and hospitality initiatives at Hillsborough Community College.
The company experienced investment and acquisition interest amid consolidation trends in the craft beer industry that involved major players like Constellation Brands, Anheuser-Busch InBev, and private equity firms that have engaged with breweries such as Ballast Point and Lagunitas. Business development included scaling production, optimizing supply chains, and forming licensing relationships. Leadership engaged with industry trade groups including the Brewers Association and regional chambers like the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce to navigate growth, mergers, and strategic partnerships.
Category:Beer in the United States Category:Breweries in Florida