In an effort to continue “putting Florida breweries on the map,” the Florida Brewers Guild (FBG) worked with the Florida Department of Transportation during the 2016 legislative session to draft and pass a statute authorizing the placement of directional signs for Florida breweries.

Rather than opting for a limited highway exit sign, the new law allows “Florida Brewery” directional signs to be placed on the rights-of-way of Florida’s interstate highways, primary, and secondary roads. This expanded placement area allows signs to be located in multiple strategic spots around the brewery. These standalone signs will be highly visible, emblazoned with “Florida Brewery” and directional arrows, granting our breweries a much greater ability to guide visitors seeking their beer off the beaten path.

Due to the recent growth in the number of Florida breweries and the associated expense of the signs, however, the Florida Department of Transportation did require the new law provide some base qualifications breweries must meet in order to request this new signage. In order to qualify, a brewery must product a minimum of 2,500 barrels per year on the premises, be open to the public at least 30 hours per week and be available for tours.

The passage of the new law was in no small part thanks to the efforts of a number of pro-craft beer legislators in the Florida Legislature and an indication of the continuing commitment to help promote and encourage the growth and success of the Florida craft beer industry.