Big Storm Brewing Co. purchases Bradenton’s Darwin Brewing, continuing statewide expansion

Clearwater-based Big Storm Brewing Co. continues expanding south with its recent purchase of Bradenton’s Darwin Brewing—cementing its position as one of the most extensive local breweries in Tampa Bay.

Darwin Brewing was founded almost a decade ago out of Darwin’s on 4th—a popular Peruvian restaurant that closed in 2015—and Big Storm plans to pay homage to its culinary roots.

The Bradenton-based brewery and taproom is known for its food and beer pairings, as well as incorporating native Floridian ingredients into their brews—characteristics that Big Storm will continue to incorporate. In a press release, Big Storm co-owner L.J. Govoni states that the company will take the upcoming year to find the perfect home for Darwin.

A spokesperson said Big Storm will continue to brew Darwin’s core beers with no changes. Since Govoni did not buy Darwin’s building, he will have to find a new location that compliments Darwin’s beers and its culinary roots. How long that takes is unknown.

The price of the acquisition was not mentioned in the press release.

Big Storm is rapidly expanding throughout the entire state, not just the Tampa Bay area. The Clearwater-based business just opened a location in Orlando, alongside its other taprooms in Odessa, Cape Coral and Clearwater.

Next year, the ever-growing brewery plans to ​​open a 11,000-square-foot taproom and restaurant in Ybor City, out of the previous Hamburger Mary’s location.

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This article appears in Dec 2-8, 2021.