Ok, so it really wasn't that hard to find the beer, but it was a little harder to find 'good' beer.
Some of the humans' friends play in a
volleyball tournament a couple of times each year in Ft. Walton, so we accompanied them down. I was less concerned with the volleyball than with finding what the area had to offer for beers.
McGuire's Irish Pub (33 E. Hwy. 98, Destin, FL)
Any beer search in the area should start at McGuire's. This pub has been overlooking Destin Harbor since 1996. It's parent pub in Pensacola has been there quite a bit longer (1977), but this location has a much nicer view.
McGuire's will typically have 5 or 6 of their own beers on tap, along with their root beer. Wine and a full bar are also available. We enjoyed the porter and the stout, although each could stand to be a little stronger. Their IPA is only intermittently available, but improves with each batch.
As good as the beer is, their food is the real strength. We've never had a bad meal here. If you're looking for a light (Ha!) snack, get the nachos. For $9.99, you'll have an appetizer that will easily feed the table. The ribs are smoked right outside, and are filled with smoky, meaty goodness. All meals come with their homemade brown bread, covered with honey butter. I'd love to give more dining recommendations, but my specialty is the beer. However, if you ever see filet mignon sliders on the specialty menu...buy them, and then buy another plate.
McGuire's has happy hour each day from 4-6. You can get 2-for-1 beers, wines and liquor drinks. So, that's obviously when we try to go. Mrs. Human isn't a fan of beer, but is more than happy to enjoy rum and the homemade root beer.
Be sure to call ahead to find out when the deck is open. It has limited hours, especially in the off season. I'm as big of a fan of sitting in a dark bar as anyone, but if I'm at the beach, I want to sit outside. (Do you see how pale I am? I really need the sun.) McGuire's has a great deck upstairs overlooking the harbor.
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| A McGuire's Stout Float |
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| View from the deck. |
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| The bar, overlooking Hwy 98 and the Harborwalk Village |
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Prop's Brewery & Grill (255 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Ft. Walton Beach, FL)
Prop's is a much newer entry to the Emerald Coast beer world, opening at the end of 2011 in the Publix shopping center on Miracle Strip Parkway in Ft. Walton.
We stopped in for lunch and so that the humans could watch a baseball playoff game.
Prop's has outdoor patio seating and a large indoor seating area with a nice bar overlooking the fermenters.
When we were there, they had 10 of their own beers on tap, including two seasonals (the Pumpkin Bomb Ale and the Oktoberfest). They also had 3 "visitor" taps. Across the group, we had 3 separate flights, and ended up trying most of Prop's beers. Overall, we were pretty disappointed. None were "bad", but overall they were lacking in flavor and somewhat watery. The best of the bunch was probably the Black Widow Black IPA; it had some decent flavor that built as you drank it, but isn't anything I would seek out.
On the other hand, the food was excellent. If you like handmade chips at all, get the ones here. They are the best we've ever had. They were much thinner, lighter and less-greasy than you usually find. (Try them with the bbq ranch dressing for dipping.) The pickle chips were ok, but not as successful...the flavor was ok, but they could have been cut more thinly. Everyone was happy with their meals. Two had the Smokehouse Burger, which was excellent. Others were also happy with the reuben and the fish tacos. The fries, while not as good as the chips, were still great.
Hopefully they continue to work on the beers so that they reach the quality of the food.
Beach Liquors (247 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Ft. Walton Beach)
There's no shortage of places to find beer in Ft. Walton, but if you want to look for something a little (ok, a lot) better than Bud and Natty Light, then try Beach Liquors (conveniently located in the same Publix plaza as Prop's).
Beach has well over 100 different beers available, and they're all available in singles. I've tried enough bad beers over the years that I really hate buying a six pack of a new beer. I've really been spoiled by the availability of singles in stores now. Our favorite new discovery was the
Einstök Icelandic Imperial Porter, with a slight smoky flavor that pairs well with the chocolate and coffee flavors, without being overpowering like the Stone Smoked Porter. We also picked up a few pumpkin beers that are not available in the Atlanta area, but those came home with us for later tasting. Strangely, they also had 7 Red Brick beers available...more than I've ever seen in a store in the Atlanta area.
Beach also has around 18 beers available as pints or as growlers at a small bar in the corner. Yes, you can get a drink in a liquor store in Florida. Nice! Even better...they have 2-for-1 happy hour Mon-Thurs. The pint prices seem reasonable. The growler prices seemed a little high to me (mostly around $8-10 for a 32 ounce growler). Strangely, you can't get 64 ounce growlers in Florida...another one of those weird state laws.
Along with the great beer selection, the rest of the store is filled with many wine and "hard" alcohol options. In fact, when we were there on a Saturday, they were holding a rum tasting.
Salty Duck (209 Ferry St., Ft. Walton Beach)
We ended up at the Salty Duck because one of the Human's friends wanted to watch the Bears game on tv, and there were a limited number of places in the area that had the Sunday Ticket. So, if you have to go sit in a dark bar while you're at the beach, why not go to one that has a great craft beer selection?
The Salty Duck seems more like a locals' bar, but the bartender and patrons were very welcoming when we wandered in. It's not a bright and cheery place to get your umbrella drink. It's a dark place where you can get some great beers, perhaps while watching the game and playing shuffleboard or the giant Connect Four game.
They have 39 beers on tap (not a Bud or Miller to be seen) along with a number of other bottles and cans. They had some great selections on tap, including Dogfish Head's Bitches Brew, Burton Baton and 90 minute IPA, the Breckenridge Vanilla Porter and 471 IPA, and a number of other great options.
They don't serve food, but you can bring in something from one of the nearby restaurants.
So remember, just because you're at the beach, it doesn't mean you have to drink crappy beer.
