Thirteen years ago today, Rob and I opened the doors to Fort Myers Brewing in an industrial park in Fort Myers, Florida. We thought we’d open the taproom two days a week, Fridays and Saturdays, brew on Sundays, and keep our day jobs.
We opened in our neighborhood because we both worked from home and honestly, we just wanted to meet some friends.
To give you an idea of how little we knew about running a bar, when we first opened we closed at 6pm on Saturdays. On a Saturday. There were no soft openings. No training on the point of sale system. We just opened the doors.
Good thing the plan didn’t survive contact with reality. Keeping our day jobs while running a brewery on nights and weekends was a sure path to burnout. Instead, the taproom took on a life of its own. People showed up. Then more people showed up. And then it just kept going.
Four Days, Four Stories
In February, we threw our 13th Anniversary Party. Four days. Live music. Thousands of people. Each day told its own story.
Thursday, we thought we’d ordered enough merch to last the weekend. We were sold out of some t-shirt sizes within hours of opening. That’s the kind of problem you want to have.
Friday was intense. Big crowds, Ben Allen Band headlining, and the kind of busy where everyone has to step up and do things that aren’t normally their job. Jerry was already long clocked out after a full day in the brewhouse, but when he saw we needed help he started pulling trash, helping with merch, just jumping in wherever he could. AJ came in after his son’s soccer game because he knew we needed the help. Crystal and Gina, who aren’t even on our payroll, jumped in and kept things running.
Saturday was a record day for multiple food trucks. Rock Republic kept playing 40 minutes past their set time because nobody wanted it to end. The crowd, the band, everyone was having a blast. Courtney and Cody came in on their day off to work the merch and beer stands.
Sunday was the perfect closer. Gator Nate’s Whomp Whomp collab beer was flowing, Matt and Zack brought the energy, and the Battle of the Bruces turned the whole thing into a comedy show with live music wrapped into one.
That’s not a staff running an event. That’s a family throwing a party.
What It Really Takes
What most people don’t realize is what goes into producing events like this. We start planning each major event a year in advance. The investment is significant. Live music, production, staffing, marketing, and logistics all add up fast. We don’t charge our food trucks. We don’t bring in sponsors. We make our money from the beer we brew and we pour everything back into creating experiences for our community.
We do it because it’s who we are. Events like these are a labor of love.
Stepping Back
Rob and I have a tradition. At every big event, we take a moment to step back from the chaos and just look at what Fort Myers Brewing has become. It’s always emotional. Thirteen years in, it still hits us.
We’ve earned 53 medals across the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival, US Open Beer Championship, and Best Florida Beer Competition. We’ve been told our Chocolate Stout is the only beer in the state of Florida to have won gold at all four major competitions in the same year. We were named Best Large Brewery in Florida in 2016 and 2024. We’re the US Open Seltzer Grand National Champion.
What I’m Most Proud Of
The awards aren’t the thing I’m most proud of. I’m most proud of our staff. The people who show up on their day off. The ones who stay late because they know the team needs them. The ones who’ve been with us for years and still bring the energy every single shift. And I’m proud of the people who helped build FMBrew along the way. People like Monica, who has a growing career in business, Kaitlin, who is now a nurse, and 2-Star Fred, who opened his own restaurant in Ohio.
What’s Next
We’re in the heart of high season now. St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. And after a weekend like the one we just had, the momentum is real.
Thirteen years ago, we just wanted to meet our neighbors. Turns out, we built a business and an extended family instead.
