What’s Brewing On The Beach?

3rd PLANET BREWING

Ten years ago, Tim McCool put his head together with homebrewer and fellow Air Force veteran Jason Doster to bring to Niceville its first microbrewery with the goal of creating quality beer and a new community hub.

As a nod to Doster’s youthful aspiration of becoming an astronaut, the pair dubbed their brand 3rd Planet Brewing. Their original nine out-of-this-world beer varieties—Dank Side of the Moon, the popular aromatic, hoppy and malty New England-style IPA, for instance—quickly took off, prompting them to expand from their original taproom, the Launch Pad, into its current location in Niceville, the Mothership.

“We wanted to take grain to glass to make a great product and see where it could go from there,” says cofounder Tim McCool. “I don’t think we expected the community, the city, and the craft-brewing community to be so overwhelmingly supportive from the beginning. But that is what we wanted, to be rooted in community while providing a family-friendly atmosphere.”

Photo courtesy 3rd Planet Brewing

With an impressive outdoor venue equipped with a stage, a fleet of food trucks supplying local delicacies, and plenty of open green space, the Mothership frequently plays host to a variety of athletic clubs, trivia night, musical bingo, and charity-driven fundraisers.

From award-winning specialties to lighter-bodied ales and lagers to more complicated pilsners and IPAs teeming with flavor, 3rd Planet caters to both the connoisseur and casual imbiber.

“We’ve leaned into the cliché of calling ourselves Niceville’s backyard,” McCool laughs. “But, we’re really blessed to be able to host all varieties of people, hobbies, as well as support small businesses and charities that directly support our community.”

IVY & ALE

Born and raised in Fort Walton Beach, longtime landscaper and entrepreneur Clint Hill found a way to marry his passion for creating curated, atmospheric spaces and small businesses with Ivy & Ale, a sustainable restaurant that also functions as both a beer garden and plant nursery.

Situated in a former residence, which Hall renovated through his experience in design and installation work, the cozy space shines through its verdant botanicals, exposed brick walls, and warm lighting, offering a relaxed venue for dinner, weekend brunches, and happy hour.

With a sommelier on staff to accompany weekly Wednesday pasta nights, the eatery boasts an impressive wine collection, but Hall is passionate about featuring a rotating tap of regional and craft brews.

“We focus on featuring breweries throughout the Emerald Coast as well as the Southeast,” Clint Hill says. “We like to highlight their brand, spotlight what they’re doing, and rotate our selection quite a bit just to spotlight different companies.”

About a year ago, Hill decided to shift the space into a more food-focused business model, taking over as head chef to incorporate yet another one of his passions: healthy, holistic cooking.

Photo courtesy of Ivy and Ale

“I wanted to lean into that farm-to-table, made-from-scratch approach because we really didn’t have anything like that in Fort Walton Beach,” Hill says.

The ever-popular chicken quarter comes from poultry sourced locally from Triple Strand Ranch in Baker. Hill said guests often opt for the maple and Dijon-glazed, wild-caught salmon, which is served over a bed of orzo with saffron beurre blanc, and enjoy crab cakes made from unpasteurized jumbo-lump crab.

“Sourcing can be difficult at times, but people who frequent the place know I’m not going to serve something out-of-season or inorganic,” Hill says. “I’m looking forward to keeping things fresh and evolving to meet the needs of our patrons.”

DESTIN BREWERY

When brewmaster Kelly Taylor’s doctor told him he was putting himself under too much distress working his job in the construction industry, he knew it was time for a change.

Taylor turned to his wife, who worked alongside him, and told her he could no longer play mediator in making everyone within the competitive and demanding world of their industry happy.

“I told her that, whenever we brew beer, everybody’s always happy,” Taylor recalls. “She agreed, ‘Let’s keep doing that.’”

From there was born the Destin Brewery, featuring The Deck and a taproom nestled in the heart of Destin that has been entertaining the town with creative craft beers, homemade fare, and good times for nearly 10 years.

Taylor started making his own beer at 19 and shares in this hobby with his wife, Chelsea, whom he applauds as an excellent cook.

“Making beer is a lot like cooking,” Taylor says. “You’ve got a recipe; certain ingredients react a certain way at certain temperatures and times; and out comes an entrée. But the great thing about being an American craft brewer is you may have a recipe, and it’s up to you to add your personality. You can stick to the parameters of a given style but then color outside the lines. You don’t have to stay true to a certain style, and that’s how we’ve become innovative over the years.

Photo courtesy of Destin Brewing

Taylor cites their East Pass IPA, which apparently rules the roost at Destin Brewery, as the perfect example. Going beyond a traditional, New England-style IPA, this concoction caters to beachgoers, boaters, golfers, and the outdoor community Destin is known for by offering a more approachable and lighter-bodied, less-bitter but still deliciously hoppy palate versus the heavier, chewier, traditional IPAs.

Popular, too, is their first-ever brew, Destin Ale, which is their version of a blonde ale. But they also get creative with creations such as the Lavender Hard Lemonade, and Don’t Hassle Me, I’m Local, a blood orange blonde.

The Deck is often packed with guests enjoying the brewery’s signature artisanal pizzas, participating in a calendar chock-full of events, live entertainment and classes, and soaking in the open-air, relaxed atmosphere for which Destin is beloved.

“When you’re there, the charm of this city is not lost on you,” Taylor says. “We see our locals on a regular basis but love when tourists stop by, too. We say at the Destin Brewery, ‘When you’re here, you’re local.’”