The founder and editor of Florida Beer News serves up the brewing history and craft brewery scene of the Sunshine State's west coast destination city.

More than thirty breweries currently call the Tampa Bay area home. With a history that spans a century, the brewing industry has experienced highs and lows. The end of Prohibition allowed more to join in on the brewers' art. Anheuser-Busch's emergence as a powerhouse caused a decades-long lull in craft brewing beginning in the 1960s. From the ceremonial brewing vessels of native peoples to the sleek brewhouses of modern craft brewers, the Bay area is a shining example of the developing trade. Author Mark DeNote recaps the sudsy history of beer makers in the Big Guava.