The Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company is underway in Ivanhoe Village, Florida, being only 1 out of 3 breweries in the Orlando area that can their core beers on site. Residents are in anticipation of it’s soft opening in mid-May, with founder Glenn Closson hoping to help bring the community together, take part in collaborations with other companies, and hold recurring charity and donation events.
The brewery will offer 12 tap handles, 7-8 being seasonal beers and 3 being core, year-round beers. Closson also integrated some guest local ciders into the mix, providing only the best. Closson’s 3 core beers are what really make Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company stand out.
The Toboggan is a Blonde Ale. Approachable and easy to drink, Toboggan Blonde is a delightful jaunt down a very well-rounded track that satisfies and entices. This one is a no-frills ride, wonderful in its simplicity and smooth character. Easy on the palate and medium-bodied, this style is a perfect jumping off point in anyone’s craft beer journey.
Next up is their Joyland American IPA. Named after the iconic amusement park that brought joy to the Lake Ivanhoe area in the early 1900’s, this American IPA brings joy of a mouth watering kind. American malt and hops lead the charge and a slightly dry finish allows an ample bitterness to really shine – while being supported by a malty balance.
And last, but certainly not least, is the Bungalow Belgian Witbier. Satisfying, bubbly and light, this beer is delicately layered with coriander spice and orange peel. Hops make only a scant appearance in this yeast-driven wheat beer. A slight zing from the traditional Belgian yeast strain is more noticeable in this style.
The brewery has 4 fermenting tanks on site where the beer is ultimately created through the process of fermentation. The final touches are placed on the beer by canning and packaging in kegs on site, something not too common among breweries.
Visitors are welcome to bring food from local eateries to enjoy while they taste the many beers they have to offer (we expect his brewery will be a popular destination for Uber Eats drivers). On weekends, you can expect to find food trucks on property for a delicious bite to eat.
Glenn Closson is a California native who made the cross-country trek to Florida in 2016. He’s an archetypal entrepreneur suffering from cenosillicaphobia (the phobia of an empty beer glass). He began brewing beer in his friend’s garage 8 years ago. The beer he made was special and everyone knew it. It pushed him to open up his first brewery in 2013, Beach City Brewery. He later sold the company with dreams of moving to a state with oranges and beer-lovers aplenty: Florida.
Closson settled in Ivanhoe Village and decided to start Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company in May of 2017. There are a lot of trials and tribulations to opening a brewery and some have taken years to get open, where it has taken Closson only one — an obvious tribute to his hard work and love of the craft.
The brewery couldn’t be in a better location, aiding in the reinvention of the community. Ivanhoe Village is one of Orlando’s most treasured historic neighborhoods, where coincidentally, Closson involves himself as the Vice President of the Ivanhoe Village Main Street.
Along with Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co. there is something for everyone in Ivanhoe. This indie neighborhood is filled with art galleries, vintage stores, retail shops and much more, all overlooking Lake Ivanhoe.
Water is an important aspect of Ivanhoe identity. Woven into the fabric of the city not only is Lake Ivanhoe, but a historic water park as well. Closson hopes to tribute to this history of the city by designing his brewery with an ode to water in mind.
