SeaWorld’s Beer Festival 2023

Okay, hands up all those who like beer. Now, hands up all those who really like beer. And finally, hands up all those who like LOTS of beer. Do we have your attention? Good, because we’re about to go on a craft beer extravaganza, courtesy of SeaWorld Orlando.

Yes, that’s right, this is the place to come this summer for an absolute five-star experience with an extensive range of American craft breweries, thanks to a special weekend series that SeaWorld has just announced for 2023.

The Craft Beer Festival, which made its debut in 2018, is hopping back to the Orlando Park from July 28, when guests will be able to sample the more than 100 craft brews, wines, seltzers and cocktails offered and enjoy over 15 perfectly paired dishes suited for any palate.

This year’s event will run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until September 4 and is included with general admission.

The festival is spread out right throughout the park, with both indoor and outdoor venues to sit and sip all the amazing variety on offer. There are tipples and bites in places like the Waterway Bar (right next to Infinity Falls), the Flamecraft Bar in the Waterfront area and Shark’s Bar but look out particularly for the special kiosks in front of Voyagers Smokehouse and the Lakeside Grill (formerly Spice Mill Market).

New Drinks at SeaWorld Beer Festival

Joining a host of returning favourites, the festival will also feature an array of brand-new, mouth-watering drinks and dishes, and local breweries will be front and centre among the bevy of beverage options guests can choose from this year.

Among these notables are our very own Winter Garden favourite of the Crooked Can Brewing Company (tucked away in the fab Plant Street Market), as well as Motorworks Brewing from Bradenton (and now Orlando, too) and another Orlando staple, the Orange Blossom Brewing Co.

The local brews to look out for at this year’s festival include:

• Orange Blossom Honey Pilsner
• Orange Blossom City Beautiful IPA
• Crooked Can Florida Sunshine Mango Lager
• Crooked Can Highstepper American IPA
• Motorworks Brewing Pulp Friction Grapefruit IPA
• Motorworks Brewing Midnight Espresso Coffee Porter

We’ve yet to sample the new Sunshine Mango Lager from the Crooked Can, but its Highstepper IPA is an absolute guaranteed star brew, while Motorworks’ Espresso Coffee Porter is a caffeine-flavoured dream and the Orange Blossom Honey Pilsner is as smooth as they come.

If guests are looking for something other than beer, there are several wine and cocktail options to help them cool off. Besides the many returning classics and fan-favourites, a brand-new selection of cocktails and speciality drinks will also be available at this year’s event.

Some of these new additions include the Hurricane, Summer Shandy, Strawberry Whiskey Smash, Surf’s Up, Sparkling Mojito, and Fizzy Shine.

Alongside these additions are options for the more adventurous sampler, such as the Jalapeno Margarita (Jalapeno Tequila, Triple Sec, Lime), Orchard Island (Tito’s Vodka, Milagros Tequila, Calypso Spiced Rum, Triple Sec, Peach, Pumpkin, Sour Mix), and Blackberry Peach Sangria (Tito’s Vodka, White Wine, Blackberry, Peach).

We like the sound of the Jalapeno margarita, while the sangria will certainly be on our radar, too!

Fantastic Food at SeaWorld Beer Festival

Beer most certainly isn’t the only feature at the Craft Beer Festival, though. SeaWorld has done a great job of adding tasty food samples and other delicacies each year, and 2023 looks like being no different on that score.

Perfectly paired with guests’ favourite brews will be a wide variety of mouth-watering dishes to choose from. And, while we can expect the return of the immensely popular Banana Foster Beignets and Walking Taco, they will be accompanied by a more expansive list of food offerings than ever before.

New food samples to the festival this year include:

• Pulled Pork Sliders with jalapeno slaw
• Short Rib Poutine served with cheese curds
• Pork Belly and Kimchi
• Street Corn coated in Cotija cheese and Flame Cheeto crumbs
• Wisconsin Bratwurst
• Michelada Shrimp Ceviche
• A Churro Cheesecake served with a dark chocolate sauce

We positively adored the Bananas Foster dish last year and can’t wait to try the Street Corn, Shrimp Ceviche and Churro Cheesecake menu items this time out. And beer and pork sliders? Yes, you can count us in for that, too!

For best value, visitors can purchase a lanyard upon entering the park and can choose between the 8- and 12-sample packages. Festive entertainment will also keep the party going from day to night.

SeaWorld Beer Festival Night Entertainment

Just to add to the summer scene, SeaWorld’s Craft Beer Festival will coincide with the latter stages of the park’s big Summer Spectacular entertainment programme (which we featured in our blog last month).

The park’s signature summer night event features all the array of exciting animal encounters and other attractions during day - including the fabulous new Pipeline: The Surf Coaster, which opened in May - then dance the night away to live music in Club SeaGlow.

For a limited time, guests can even catch their favourite artists performing a free concert in the Nautilus Theater, with the summer concert season featuring each of Maddie & Tae, Jesse McCartney, British dance-pop stars A Flock of Seagulls and Skillet.

Even better, each night of the Summer Spectacular (and Craft Beer Festival) concludes with the jaw-dropping firework and fountain spectacular of “Ignite.”

If you have never seen this show, it is an absolute annual highlight, a dazzling 15-minute presentation that is loaded with the Wow factor. It takes place in front of Bayside Stadium, but it can be seen at multiple points throughout the park and really brings the weekend curtain down in style.

PS: Don’t forget to make sure you have your SeaWorld tickets in advance for the best prices. See our Ticket Section on this link!

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