USA, FL: Sun King Brewery to open to public in Sarasota on Friday, July 22

A nationally acclaimed brewery has revealed the opening date for its new Sarasota location, taking over the former space of another craft beer purveyor, the Herald Tribune reported.

Sun King Brewery will open to the public on Friday, July 22 at 1215 Mango Ave., which previously housed JDub's Brewing Company, now operating out of Brew Theory in Orlando. It will be the first brewery and taproom outside of Indiana for Sun King, which has six locations in that state, including one opening the same day as Sarasota.

Sun King co-founder and co-CEO Clay Robinson said their vice president of sales Joe Burns is a longtime Sarasota-Manatee resident, with the brewery starting to distribute in Florida about five years ago due to his relationship with the area. Sun King's success in the state made them look at a Florida taproom next, with Robinson now in the process of moving to Sarasota.

"We decided that it might be a good opportunity, as we are Sun King and Florida’s the Sunshine State, and people seem to like our beers down there, if we could look for an opportunity to be local,” Robinson said.

The Sarasota location will feature 10 beers on tap, including year-round staples such as the brewery's Sunlight Cream Ale, Keller Haze and Orange Vanilla Sunlight Cream Ale as well as seasonal and specialty brews. Sun King's beers have earned national acclaim, with the brewery recently crowned Grand National Champion for the second time at this year's U.S. Open Beer Championship, also earning the title in 2019.

The taproom also plans to feature food trucks, including 3 Sons BBQ on Friday and Il Petraro on Saturday of its opening weekend, as well as selling snacks from local vendors and growlers and crowlers. There will be seating for about 50 indoors and another 50 outside, with both a front and back outdoor area, along with family-friendly offerings such as board games and other activities.

Sun King's move to Sarasota marks one of several changes to the local brewery scene in recent years. Sarasota's Big Top Brewing Company has moved into the space of craft beer bar Cock & Bull as it plans a new Fruitville Commons location, also taking over the former Lakewood Ranch taproom of Naughty Monk that now operates as Big Top Brewers Collective. Fellow Sarasota brewery Calusa Brewing purchased the former space of country music nightclub and restaurant/bar White Buffalo Saloon.

In Manatee County, Darwin Brewing Company sold its brand to the Clearwater-based Big Storm Brewing Co. and its former downtown Bradenton taproom to the Tampa-based Magnanimous Brewing, which has since opened a second location there. Good Liquid Brewing Co. has closed its original Bradenton taproom, but now has a brewpub in Lakewood Ranch's Waterside Place.

Sun King's hours will be 3-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 3-11 p.m. Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday and closed Monday and Tuesday.

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