It’s been four years since Crave & Copper first opened their doors in downtown Auburndale. The concept was born from the Florida Brewery. Established in the 70s, the Florida Brewery is the second oldest brewery still in operation in the state. Primarily a manufacturing facility, the brewery opened its doors to the public for a time, introducing a Beer Garden and Taproom at 202 Gandy Road. The brewery became a popular hangout, and when the opportunity came up to open an eate

Jacki Walston, of Adler’s Burgers fame, opened downtown Winter Haven’s only bodega earlier this year. The “Market South of Central” offers healthy and decadent options, “cuisine across cultures,” grab-and-go bites, beer, wine, and more. The chill, modern space, a former garage on Avenue C S.W., opened on January 31. Walston hails from a hospitality background. She studied culinary arts at Le Cordon Bleu and bartended for Linksters and The Wheelhouse. Walston, husband Wade, a

It is finally the time of year for sugar and spice and everything nice. For Head Baker at Craft + Kitchen, Meg Magliano, it’s time for beer and baking and boozy sweets making. “I’ve always had a passion for baking,” said Magliano. After eight years working in tech support, Lakeland resident Meg Magliano decided to make a career change and indulge that sweet tooth passion. She baked goodies as a side gig for a bit, baking for weddings, showers, and events. “I decided that I wa

It’s been about six months since Colin and Meagan Wells opened their trendy downtown beer spot, Union Taproom. Union debuted as Polk County’s first self-pour taproom concept in August, inviting Winter Haven and surrounding cities to PYOB (Pour Your Own Beer). If for some crazy reason (and it better be a good one) you haven’t PYOB at Union, here’s how it works. Guests present their ID and form of payment at the check-in counter to verify age and start a tab. They are then give

Seven hundred and fifty bottles per minute shoot down a production line outside a large window in Julie Williams’s office. One thousand cases worth of beverages will expeditiously clink down the line during the hour we talk with chief operating officer Julie Williams and chief financial officer Stacey Oakley of The Florida Brewery. These two ladies are kind of a big deal. Together, they operate the largest women-run brewery in the United States. A HISTORY OF THE BREWERY The F

What’s in a name? That which we call a beer A beer by any other name would taste as sweet – Shakespeare … pretty sure, or was it Shakesbeer? (sorry) Just the name Grove Roots evokes thoughts of a good time, seeing old friends, and making new ones. Or, as my editor would put it, “Going to Grove Roots is like putting on your favorite pair of jeans. It’s just comfortable.” The enduring roots of a Polk County orange tree branching out, connecting the community to its heritage als

For Meagan and Colin Wells, the thought of bringing people together and supporting downtown business was at the forefront when imagining Union Taproom. Union will be Polk County’s first self-pour taproom featuring 40 taps of rotating craft beer, cider, wine, cold brew coffee, and kombucha. Union Taproom has a motto – PYOB (Pour Your Own Beer). The PYOB process is simple. Guests present their ID and form of payment at the check-in counter to be scanned to verify age and start