Gatorland embraces craft beer scene with new bar and exclusive brew from Crooked Can

To celebrate the start of Summer, Gatorland is now selling an exclusive craft beer made by Crooked Can Brewery that can only be found at the park.

The Grinnin’ Gator lager is the newest example of Florida’s attractions and its local breweries partnering together. For theme park fans, it’s an Orlando paradise on a hot day. 

On Memorial Day Weekend, Gatorland also opened the Guzzlin’ Gator Beverage Barn — an outdoor, shaded bar where the Grinnin’ Gator is on tap along with five other pours, including Orlando’s Ivanhoe Park and Orange Blossom breweries and St. Petersburg’s 3 Daughters. Other additional drinks are available in cans.

The Orlando park’s craft beer hub of the park is brand new but already Tim Acheson, Gatorland’s Director of Food and Beverage, is envisioning what comes next as he talks about expanding the menu with kiddie cocktails and dirty sodas to accommodate families with kids.

The space, located near the Legends of the Swamp show, is meant to give Gatorland guests a place to relax in the heat.

“We’re old Florida,” Acheson said “We like to enjoy. Take it easy.”

And it was a laidback, easygoing collaboration between Gatorland and Winter Gardens’ popular Crooked Can Brewery to develop the specialty beer.

Acheson approached a good friend at the brewery and mentioned they needed a beer expert’s help.

Crooked Can took the lead.

“We do alligators here. That’s our specialty,” Acheson said. “They do beer, that’s their specialty.’

Crooked Can settled on a Pale German lager with hints of citrus.

“Ultimately we wanted to provide a beer that was kind of a beer for everybody, which is why we landed on that pale lager,” said Alan Delahunt, Managing Partner at Crooked Can Brewing Company.

Acheson described it as a “summertime sipper.”

“It’s got more citrus notes to it. So it reminds me of Florida,” Acheson said. “You got a little bit of grapefruit, a little bit of orange peel.”

For Crooked Can, working with Gatorland is the latest in a long string of specialty brews for Orlando’s institutions from the Orlando Magic to Disney World’s Epcot festivals and Universal Orlando Resort. Delahunt described it as a chance to get creative and have fun telling a story with the brewery’s new partners, like the Sixth Man Lager to playful flavors for Epcot.

“We’ve done everything from a mint chocolate stout to a citrus forward IPA,” Delahunt said.

And as for Gatorland catering into the craft beer market now, expect more to come.

Acheson teased that other beer collaborations are in the works at Gatorland. 

The Grinnin’ Gator is served in a plastic cup but in the future, Gatorland will sell six-packs in the gift shop for guests to take home with decorative cans.