The Florida Brewing Company

Today
Currently, the Florida Brewing Company is home to a law firm which focuses on cases involving catastrophic injuries and insurance bad faith. The law firm has embraced the building’s rich history while its team of attorneys makes positive changes for the future of its clients and the legal system.
The building was renovated by attorney Dale Swope and contractor Joseph Kokolakis to create a productive and efficient work environment for the law firm. The team also wanted to restore the former brewery’s historic elements. The duo achieved this through a combination of original architecture and modern elements.
While the original brick walls remain untouched, several improvements were necessary for the both the visual appeal and functionality. To bring the building up to speed with modern times, Swope and Kokolaki’s incorporated elevators, lighting and telecommunication lines. As far as visual appeal goes, the southern surface and tower were rebuilt, a balcony facing Seventh Ave. was added and the old copper roof was replaced.
The building's esthetic and efficient design is well suited for the law firm located in Ybor City’s historic district.
History
Vicente Ybor and Edward Manara came to the Tampa Bay area to transform the fledgling military town into a lucrative sector of the cigar making industry in the U.S. Today, Ybor City is still noted for its involvement in the cigar business. With the undeniable success, Ybor and Manara decided to take it a step further.
The business partners built The Florida Brewing Company to capitalize on the beer industry. The brewery is six stories tall and remains the tallest building in Ybor City. It was built on the Government Spring, which originally supplied water to the military men of Fort Brook.
In its prime, The Florida Brewing Company produced 80,000 barrels of beer annually. It was the leading exporter of beer to Cuba in the U.S. and the premier brewery on Florida’s west coast. Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders even visited for a beer before leaving for the Spanish-American War.
The brewery survived the adversities of the Prohibition and the Great Depression. However, the business closed in 1961 as a result of the embargo on Cuba and the opening of the Anheuser-Busch Company in Tampa.
In the years following its closing, the former brewery served several purposes. It was used as a storage place for fresh tobacco in the 1960’s and later became a bomb shelter throughout the Cold War. However, it was abandoned for the latter 25 years of the 20th century, and the condition inevitably declined. The former brewery was no longer considered an asset, but a detriment to the redevelopment of Ybor City.
But, 1999 brought a positive change for the building. Attorney Dale Swope and contractor Joseph Kokolakis purchased the building to restore and convert it into a law firm and office space. The former brewery is a gem in Ybor City and now home to Swope, Rodante, P.A. and other tenants.

Timeline
1897- This year marked the grand opening of The Florida Brewing Company and distribution of the La Tropical line. Locals were invited to celebrate the launch with beer, barbecue and live music.
1898- Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders rode in for some brew before departing for the Spanish-American War.
1905- The brewery combined with Tampa wholesale liquor and Ybor City Ice Works.
1906- A fire, resulting from a lack of water pressure, caused $1,000 worth of damages. The Florida Supreme Court ruled against Tampa Water Works in a $25,000 judgment.
1913- Although another fire caused $10,000 in damages, production was booming and the brewery was the main distributor to 80% of the bars in the area.
1915- The Davis Bill Package, which prohibited the distribution of draft beer in Florida, was passed and caused owners to question further expansion.
1918- The Volstead Act was passed and prohibition throughout the U.S was enacted. The brewery supposedly began serving soft drinks and cereal beverages.
1928- Salvador Martinez Ybor was sentenced to six months in jail for illegally distributing alcoholic beverages.
1933- With the prohibition over, the brewery opened under a new owner, Wilbur Leavine, who renamed the brewery Tampa, Florida Brewery Inc.
1936- To compete with other beers of the time, the brewery introduced FLA 6 Beer. However, this line of ale was dropped within a year because a state law which prohibited advertising for alcoholic content was passed.
1949- The brewery introduced a new coned top can line to increases sales.
1950- Sales doubled and production reached 300 barrels or 5,000 cases a day as a result of the new line of cans, fermenting storage cellars, a warehouse and equipment.
1953- The brewery dropped the coned top can line and opted for a flat top instead.
1961- The brewery closed due to the embargo on Cuba and the opening of the Anheuser-Busch Company. Samuel Greenburg, owner of Brewers and Bottlers Equipment Corporation, bought the brewery.
1962- Greenburg sold the south portion of the brewery to Corral y Wodiska Cigar Manufacturers. The building was used as a storage place for fresh tobacco.
1999- Dale Swope and Joe Kokolakis purchased the dilapidated brewery and renovated the building.
2001- With renovations complete, the firm now known as Swope, Rodante, P.A., along with other tenants, moved in and currently call the historic building home.

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