Behind the bar: Unique beer and wine you can find at Wekiva Island

If you are an Island regular, you probably know exactly what you’re ordering when you belly up to our outdoor bar near Orlando. Our friendly bartenders might even already be reaching for your favorite brew or glass of vino when they see you!

But if you’re a fan, you probably also know that our 24 beer taps, variety of wine on tap, bevvy of bottles and countless cans are constantly rotating to offer guests a unique sip while they soak in the true Florida vibes by the Wekiva River.

It’s true: At Wekiva Island, we take our beer and wine very seriously. In fact, we alternate trips to Southern Tier Brewing Company in Lakewood, NY, and trips to various wineries in Napa every year.

Today, we’re taking you behind the bar for a look at some of our favorite and most unique drinks at Wekiva Island. Cheers!

Beer with local flavor

If you’re a fan of Orlando craft beer, you’ve got to make us a regular stop. At Wekiva Island, we have 24 beers on tap and more than 150 cans available at any given time. Our staff even trains with a cicerone—like a sommelier for craft beer—so they can elevate your experience.  Here are a few to put on your list next time you visit.

• Southern Tier Tooting Otter Blonde Ale—This sippable light beer is branded just for us at Wekiva Island! The brewery is based in New York, where our Island roots run deep, and we have a very special relationship with the folks up there. You can’t go wrong with a beer that bears the same name as our Tooting Otter Craft Beer & Wine Bar!
• Wekiva Riverwater—This beer is also branded just for us. It’s an amber lager, and the red color is meant to invoke the tannins you see in the Wekiva River. What could be better than sipping this while sitting in an Adirondack chair and enjoying the river it’s inspired by?
• River Bum—This aptly named beverage is ½ Kona Big Wave and ½ Golden Road Brewing Mango Cart. With a distinctly sweet flavor, it’s perfect for a sunny day.
• Local sips—We LOVE local breweries! We work with them several times a year, from events like our upcoming Otter Fest and Brew Reviews. Central 28 in DeBary, 3 Daughters in St. Pete and Blue Springs Brewing in Orange City often make our tap list and are worth a try.

Quality wine, every time

We admit it…we’re kind of wine snobs! That’s a good thing for visitors to our Wekiva Springs bar. For one, we try to ensure our wine list is going to offer you something different than you can find at your run-of-the-mill grocery store. For another, we serve many wines on tap—both preserving amazing quality and helping support our sustainability mission! Here are a few of our favorites for you to try.

• House Sangiovese—We love this one, and you won’t find a Sangiovese on many house wine lists. Hailing from Italy, this Del Buono wine has a unique peppery finish that will delight the palate.
• Crossbarn by Paul Hobbs—We offer some great Paul Hobbs bottles, if you’re looking for an elevated experience. We love that the inspiration for this series comes from the family’s farm in Western New York—just like our roots.
• House Riesling—Like the Paul Hobbs connection our house Riesling comes from the Finger Lakes region of New York. We love providing a bit of our story for you, right in the glass.

At Wekiva Island, we always want you to love what you’re sipping while you enjoy this one-of-a-kind Florida gem. If you’re not sure what you want or want to try something new, ask! Our bartenders love to share their knowledge.

You can also keep an eye on our events calendar for chances to try some new beverages—like at our yearly beer festival, Otter Fest, which is taking place Saturday, January 21, 2023. We hope to see you there, and we can’t wait to serve you soon.