We recently went on vacation to Miami and Key West.  Miami especially has a reputation for not being a great beer town, but we found a few winning spots that deserve to be mentioned.

The Abbey Brewing Company was a nice little brewpub in South Beach.  It’s a little bit off the beaten path (a.k.a. it’s more than a block from the beach) but well worth the trip. (have dinner at Yardbird on the same block and you’ve got yourself a pretty fantastic evening.  Make a reservation).   They Abbey has about a dozen house beers, made at a production brewery a few hours away.   The “Imperial” Stout was excellent, although it was more Sweet Stout than Imperial, with no roasted or burnt bite, but instead a very smooth finish with a slight hint of oatmeal.  They also had a very good bottle selection, with emphasis on Belgians.

The Clandestino Pub also deserves a mention.  An unassuming door on a small commercial strip, this spot had an excellent tap selection including a good assortment of local-ish breweries.  The bar was cool and relaxed, the bartender friendly and knowledgeable.  Prices were surprisingly low, and the quick appetizers made in the small open kitchen were excellent.

The Abbey and Clandestino are definitely more local haunts than tourist destinations (which is definitely our speed when on vacation).  They both were great escapes from the sun- and tourist-drenched norm of South Beach.