Another new member of the Barley Mow Brewing Company family is in the works. Owners Jay and Colleen Dingman — who opened Largo's Barley Mow in 2012 and The Raven, an eatery meets brewery, earlier this year — have announced that they've started developing their third concept, Sea Drift Ales & Lagers, which is scheduled to debut later this summer.
Though some details are being kept under wraps, Sea Drift features Florida nautical-style branding and is meant to reflect the Gulf Coast lifestyle. The "true craft brand" plans to roll out three core beers — Sea Drift Pils, All Hands IPA and Dark Harbor Mocha Stout — when it debuts, and with this latest venture, the Dingmans have also decided to pull Barley Mow's brews from distribution.
"It will be a little strange to no longer see Barley Mow beer out in the market, but I'm excited about what we're putting together," Jay said in a statement.
As of Saturday, a day after the Sea Drift announcement was made, Barley Mow is brewing and selling its brands exclusively at its original West Bay Drive location. The land where the original tavern is located was sold to a developer, yes. But according to Jay, business will continue as usual — at least for a while. The brewery has about a year to find a new home.
"While it is true that the 500 block of West Bay Drive is slated for redevelopment, that project is not scheduled to begin for at least a year," Jay said.
For now, the owners are focused on throwing Barley Mow's five-year anniversary bash, titled Five Years of Blood, Sweat, and Cheers. The celebration, kicking off Thursday, showcases events at The Raven and Barley Mow over four days.
This article appears in Jul 13-20, 2017.