Lakeland makes a lot of great craft beer. Local brewers are constantly tapping their creative juices to drum up crafty collaborations, standout recipes, and fun names for their frothy masterpieces.
We’re raising a glass to seven Lakeland and Polk County-centric brews with names that draw inspiration from our local history, communities, and culture.
Straight Outta Lakeland, Swan Brewing
The local pride is bursting in this brew’s name — an ode to being a local from the brewery named after Swan City.
Style + flavor: This hoppy, full-flavored 7% ABV West Coast-style IPA has a slight caramel color and no haze. Its aroma has notes of pine, citrus, and tropical fruit and its bold flavor is bitter, juicy, and fruity.
Rome City IPA, Brew Hub
This award-winning beer gets its moniker from one of the proposed options for our city’s name. The mysterious “Rome City” was on the shortlist for the town, but “Lakeland” won out (rightfully so, if you ask us). Brew Hub describes this as “a beer to celebrate what almost was, for a reason no one knows.”
Style + flavor: Juicy, hazy, and citrus forward, this 5.8% ABV brew finds the inspiration for its flavor profile in the loud + proud Swan City itself.
Allow us to be the architect of your evening and point you toward this beer.
Photo by @dissentlakeland
Frank Lloyd Light, Dissent Craft Brewing Company
The name of this brew is a playful nod to famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, whose work made a big mark on Lakeland. Wright designed 18 buildings at Florida Southern College over the course of 20 years, making it the largest collection of his architecture in the US.
Style + flavor: Beer enthusiasts say this light-bodied, 4.2% ABV beer is crisp, biscuit-y, and toasty.
863 Light, The Florida Brewing Inc.
This beer’s name calls out the number that matters most — Lakeland’s area code. Find it on tap at Crave & Copper in Auburndale.
Style + flavor: This 4.2% ABV light American lager is slightly sweet and crisp.
This hazy IPA will have you shooting for the stars.
Photo by @frontpagebrewingco
Moon Soup Hazy IPA, Front Page Brewing Co.
Cheers to local history with a glass of this beer named after the famous Soup Romaine from Chalet Suzanne in Lake Wales. The soup was such a hit with guests that it was included on NASA’s Apollo 15 mission to the moon in 1971.
Style + flavor: This 6.2% ABV brew is packed with tropical, juicy flavors, but it’s still crisp and refreshing. Sip this for notes of pineapple + citrus along with the hoppiness.
Wakes of Grain, Grove Roots Brewing Company
This year-round draft beer’s name and lake-themed label are a nod to Winter Haven’s Chain of Lakes and those perfect days cruising through canals. The brew also won gold at the Great American Beer Festival in 2021.
Style + flavor: According to Grove Roots, this 5.4% amber ale is “bursting with boatloads of caramel malt and a touch of American hops.”
Poke County Pils, Swan Brewing
The name of this medal-winning beer is a nod to our county, but spelled a tad differently — hang around town enough and you’re sure to hear someone call it “Poke County.”
Style + flavor: This hoppy, 5.4% ABV German-style pilsner is clean and refreshing — perfect for an outdoor outing or day at the lake.
