Tampa skyline featuring the distinctive pyramid top of the SunTrust building, SkyPoint Condominiums, and modern glass high-rises under a cloudy blue sky. — Tampa Bay Brew Bus Credit: Tampa Bay Brew Bus

After 15 years of chauffeuring beer lovers around town, Tampa Bay Brew Bus is ready to pump the brakes.

The popular local brewery shuttle and designated driver announced it will permanently shutdown operations Sunday, May 31.

“What started as a passion project built around craft beer and safe transportation grew into something truly special because of you,” said the company on social media. “Over the past 15 years, we’ve had the privilege of hosting birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, corporate outings, brewery tours, pub crawls, weddings, and countless unforgettable events with so many amazing people.”

Owner and founder Anthony Derby launched the brewery tour concept after living in Colorado, and witnessing the craft beer explosion firsthand. When Cigar City opened in 2009 and more breweries followed, Derby recognized the potential for the Tampa Bay area to emerge as a craft beer hot spot and Brew Bus was born.

Stopping at breweries all over Tampa Bay, Brew Bus was a popular choice with Creative Loafing readers, who regularly voted it Best of The Bay’s “Best Bar Crawl.”

In 2016, Brew Bus debuted its own 15,000-square-foot brewery and terminal stop in Seminole Heights in what is now home to Angry Chair Brewing, which is currently for sale. However, that outpost closed in 2022, after the company acquired Florida Avenue Brewing Co, which is still operating nearby at 4315 N Florida Ave., in Tampa.

Brew Bus did not give an exact reason for the closure, but stated that this weekend’s Friday Nights Heights and Local Loop tours will be your last chance to ride the bus.

“You supported local breweries, local businesses, and our small team through the growth of Tampa Bay’s craft beer movement,” the post continued, “We are incredibly proud of the role Tampa Bay Brew Bus played in helping shape and celebrate this community.”

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This article appears in May 28 – June 03, 2026.