Not-So Local Brewery: Grasslands Brewing

Rest assured, dear readers, that Matt Stache did not move back down to Tallahassee and give up drinking. He's been scoping out the local watering holes and he treated me to a few of his favorites when I was there earlier this year.

Florida has long been a craft beer desert, with Tallahassee absolutely in the midst of it. We visited one of Matt's favorite nearby establishments, Leon Pub. Their menu is small font and several pages, and contains the widest selection of domestic beers I've ever seen and a large number of imports as well. But craft beer? Hardly. This is a place you can get all 3 varieties of Genesee, but not a Terrapin in sight. And local brews? Fuhgeddaboutit.

In recent years, there have been a few newcomers to the Florida brewing scene. Tallahassee is home to both Proof, in the popular Railroad Square area, and Grasslands Brewing, located on Gaines Street. We had an opportunity to visit Grasslands and meet owner Scott Hall. He sat down with us to film an episode and knock back a few beers.

Grasslands is on Gaines Street, they currently occupy 5000 sq ft of a complex that's also home to Catalina Coffee, Warhorse Whiskey Bar, and Gaines Street Pies. It's a strip that feels plucked right out of NoDa or Brooklyn. The whole neighborhood is up and coming in a way that doesn't feel gentrified. It's a thriving spot for hip small business owners. Grasslands is ever improving their tap selection and their environment. They have a small patio that's perfect for sipping a beer while beating the sweltering sun that gives Florida its nickname.

Grasslands has a fairly large offering of beers, which is something I've noticed about mew breweries opening these days. Gone are the days when you can open a brewery with 3 flagship beers. The customers demand more. I recall seeing this when we visited the newly opened Legion. They had been open scarcely a week and had 11 of their own beers on tap. This has led to some interesting specialized brews. For examples, Grasslands had both an oyster gose and an award-winning pickle gose available. For a noted pickle hater such as myself, the pickle beer can be a challenge. On the other hand, Matt really enjoyed it. For those wanting something more universal, the G-Street Kolsch is a fine example of the style. They have some exciting things coming down the pipeline soon, including a Boiled Peanut Gose.

Scott and the crew at Grasslands have managed to create an environment that is friendly and welcoming, with events regularly and a dog-friendly taproom. They may be new to the craft beer scene, but I have a feeling they'll be around for a while.




Grasslands has recently acquired a larger production system so they can brew to match demand, however they will continue to brew small batches on their pilot system. They're beginning distribution soon, so look for a Grasslands brew near you soon!

Local Brewery: Legion Brewing

The building that used to use Brodt's Music on Commonwealth Ave sat unused for some time. Until one day, in the Summer of 2015, a sign advertising a new brewery went up. It was to be called Legion. As a frequenter of the Plaza Midwood spots, I was elated to say the least. A brewery in our own backyard! A brewery that would be easy to walk to! As with all breweries, the opening seemed a little delayed, but Matt and I had a chance to visit mid-December. And we've been back several times since.

The brewery itself has a long bar and plenty of booth and table seating around. They have a little outdoor space and even a little terrace overlooking the brewing equipment. There's flatscreen TVs showing the game of the week (of course, why would it be anything but the Panthers?!) and lots of games to be found. It appears to be very dog friendly, as there's always pups to be found.

I was also floored to see the wide variety of beers available. Most new breweries come out with a few beers initially and then expand as they go. But Legion offered 11 beers from the start. A flight is definitely the right way to go, with so many beers to choose from. I enjoyed the Cranbizzle Saison and the Sparkle Party Weisse. Matt is a fan of Daisy Chain White IPA and Freedom Park Pale Ale.

I'll interject for a moment and address my enjoyment of a saison. I typically do not like saisons, but the Legion brewmaster Phil says that saisons are, "Just seasonal beers, they don't have to use the saison yeast." So his interpretation of a saison is less farmhouse, more delicious.

And boy, do the beers go down easy. They all seem to be solid examples of their individual style and they drink quickly.

I look forward to what's to come from this brewery. I fully encourage everyone out there to check it out. Make it part of a Plaza Midwood bar crawl and enjoy a night out in the hood.