Swamp Head. Gainesville, FL.

Okay, so the first few blogs were fun.  Now it's time to go on an adventure...well read about one of mine.  For those of you who don't know me, I am originally from a small town called High Springs, FL.  If you don't know where that is, that's okay.  It's basically right outside of Gainesville, FL aka where The University of Florida is located.  So, pretty much I grew up in Gainesville.  Good ole Alachua County is still my "home", and where my parents reside.  This weekend (I finally had a WHOLE weekend off, gotta love 8 game road trips), I made a trip up to High Springs to visit my parents, along with all of my favorite things back home.  Once I turned 21, I discovered Swamp Head at one of my favorite hometown bars (Salty Dog in Midtown).  Since then I had made it a goal to visit the brewery.  Now when I return home, its a must to stop by.

Swamp Head Brewery was born in 2008 and has made its home in Gainesville.  They are all about Florida, and being "Inherently Floridan."  Which is awesome, and a huge reason why I love this beer and this brewery.  They recently moved into their brand new brewery, and it is phenomenal.  The taproom, or The Wetlands, is there as well and has such a great feel to it.  While I've tried quite a few of the Swamp Head beers (and suggest you do the same), Wild Night is my favorite.  Connor loves it as well.  It is just one of their 5 year round beers. You can also find Cottonmouth, Stump Knocker, Midnight Oil, and Big Nose IPA on tap.  Anytime I'm home, I stop by and fill up a growler, or two, of Wild Night to take back to Lakeland with me.

This particular visit was the first time I actually got to sit down and enjoy The Wetlands.  Hot dang! I was not disappointed.  The Wetlands is such a comfortable place, and the prices are on point.  For $4 a pint, you can enjoy one of the Swamp Head brews on tap.  They even pour beers from other Florida breweries, and prices vary on those.  In the actual tap room, there are high top tables mixed in with regular height tables, as well as seats at the bar.  There are huge windows with a beautiful view of the land surrounding the brewery.  There are board games available to play, or you can even bring your own!  The bar is amazing, as it has purse hooks AND power outlets built into it.  It has such a bright and relaxing vibe.  There is an area roped off in the brewery area where you can play cornhole, life-sized connect four, Jenga, or just hang out. On the day Connor and I visited, there was even a food truck out front.  Dos Burros serves tacos and burritos, and it doesn't get much better than tacos and beer!  (Be sure to check out the Events tab on their website to see if there will be a food truck there if you visit.  It's not an everyday thing.)

Then there is the beer.  Like I mentioned before, Wild Night is my absolute favorite.  I love it and it always provides me with some great memories.  Wild Night is a honey cream ale, and since I love light beers it works perfectly for my taste.  Out of the other year round beers, I have also tried Cottonmouth and Stump Knocker.  Both of these are fan favorites and I have to say they are very good.  Cottonmouth is a Belgian Witbier, and Stump Knocker is a pale ale.  If you're into stouts, Midnight Oil is all you.  This is an oatmeal coffee stout with locally roasted coffee!  Last, but not least, is Swamp Head's IPA.  Big Nose IPA has an ABV of 7.3% and is a huge favorite among the locals.

If you can't make it to Swamp Head, but live in the Gainesville area, it's okay!  Swamp Head cans and sells their Stump Knocker and Big Nose IPA.  (Wild Night cans are in the works!)  Don't live in Gainesville?  Hey, that's okay too! Simply head on over to Swamp Head's website and see if its available anywhere in your area.  Right now, its only available in Florida, but everyone needs a reason to visit the Sunshine State!
For more information on Swamp Head and The Wetlands, be sure to check out their website!

If you're ever in town, I would definitely recommend stopping by and having a beer.  (I want you to have fun, and please enjoy responsibly!) If you've been there, tell me what you thought! There are seriously so many cool places around Florida, and I love visiting as many as possible.  I can't wait to share more of my adventures with y'all!

Until next time,
Brandt