The Grayton Beer Brewpub is the location of the Grayton Beer Company, which maintains a brewery and tasting room. The pub serves the brewery’s fine craft beers seven days a week, making this one of the best options for a beer and a bite in Santa Rosa Beach.
The brewpub offers both indoor and outdoor dining, with the interior coming well-appointed with both bar and table seating.
You’ll find more than 15 of the Grayton Beer Company’s “grain-to-glass” brews on tap here. They’ll include some or all of the year-round beers that have established this craft brewery one of the area’s best, including no shortage of prime sun-and-sand brews tailor-made for hot Emerald Coast weather: from the session-style 30A IPA and the effervescent 30A Rosé Gose to, of course, the 30A Beach Blonde Ale. There are somewhat higher ABV beers available as well, including the excellent 1890 Founder’s Ale: a full-bodied amber that nabbed a Silver Medal from the 2019 Great American Beer Festival in the “American-Style Amber Lager/Red Ale” category.
Those perennially available staples come backed up by Grayton Beer Company’s seasonal beers as well. While Grayton Beer Brewpub regulars can certainly plow straight ahead and order a pint of a beloved brew, first-time visitors will do well going for a taster flight, which gives you your choice of four suds to sample together.
Some brewpubs drop the ball a little in the cuisine department, confident the craft beers are what’s drawing patrons and opting to coast on uncreative or middling-quality pub-grub menus. That’s not the case at Grayton Beer Brewpub, which takes pride in its ingredient sourcing and showcases more than a few welcome nods to soulful Southern cookery in its kitchen.
The starters are all quite sturdy, which is as it should be: After all, sometimes you’re not here for a full meal, but definitely want something snackable to go along with your frosty pint. From the pimento and pickles and the smoked wings to the hush puppies and the Nashville hot chicken, you’ve definitely got options!
You’ll find a variety of burgers and sandwiches available at the brewpub, plus some wide-ranging entrées: from the Gulf Shrimp Dinner and the fried pork chops to the gluten-free “Bowl Lotta Love” veggie smorgasbord. Take note that—in addition to the standard grilled, blackened, or fried preparations—you can opt for your Catch of the Day fish to be given the Nashville-hot treatment.
The sides here show a definite Southern inflection, including collard greens and mac-and-cheese.
We should also emphasize that diners aren’t restricted to beer in the beverage department, not by a long shot. There are also an array of craft cocktails mixed at Grayton Beer Brewpub—including the delightfully named Whiskey Kills All Things (in Thyme)—as well as quite a few wines. The place doesn’t skimp on the non-alcoholic drinks, either: On top of the usual options, you can go for one of the creative and refreshing muddled mocktails.
Let’s have a look at some of the top menu items at Grayton Beer Brewpub, leaving aside the aforementioned, top-quality beers themselves.
Artisan Bavarian Pretzel
This hearty pretzel is its own showcase for Grayton Beer Brewpub beer, given it comes paired with Fish Whistle IPA mustard and stout beer cheese. To say it pairs well with a pint is to overstate the obvious.
Smoked Snapper Dip
Another of Grayton Beer Brewpub’s addictive starters, the smoked snapper dip comes reinforced with vegetable crudités and an arsenal of saltines.
Grouper Sandwich
As with the Catch of the Day entrée, you’ve got four options for your Gulf grouper in this top-notch sandwich: blackened, grilled, fried, or Nashville hot. It comes slathered in remoulade and served in a brioche bun, and it’s awesome. While you can go with a side of your choice instead, it’s worth getting the grouper sandwich with the fries if you haven’t already tried them (or are ordering a separate side of ‘em): They’re better than average here.
From tap to table, Grayton Beer Brewpub is a pretty surefire choice for a good meal and a great Emerald Coast beverage.
Insider Tip:
You can also get the makings for a beach picnic at Grayton Beer Brewpub: The Brewpub Market serves goods deli-style, from the snapper dip and salsa verde to the muffuletta mix and bread loaves. Combine it with beer to-go, and you’re all set!