CRAFT BEERS and LOCAL BEERS

When many visit the islands, they envision white sand beaches, hammocks under palm trees and a cold beverage in their hand. The next time this vision becomes your reality, instead of the usual tropical drink with an umbrella, how about trying something made not far from the beauty of your surroundings while being something familiar from home—a local beer!

One of the greatest surprises for most new to our shores is just how good our locally made beers are!  There is not an overwhelming amount of them, so if you are with us for even a few days, you will have the time to give each a good try. You won’t be disappointed.

First up, are the small micro-brewery beers:

RIPPED TY’D—Located near the bridges just off Bay Street on the corner of Dowdeswell Street and …. is a genuine micro-brewery and a true gem. A stop here is well worth it. Everything about the beers here are planned and nurtured from day one until they pull you a glass. Any questions you may have about how they are made, the flavours, the process—they know and are happy to share with you.

Nothing here is mass produced and it is a labour of love for those involved—and it shows. From their light IPA’s to their dark lagers, to their fruit infused (their key lime and pineapple being this writers favourites) ales, they are all worth sampling. To keep your visit fun, there are games galore spread throughout the tasting room, a spin for a shot barrel, and of course, the room itself is worth exploring-from the huge glass windows showcasing the brewing process taking place, the cool vintage photos, to the genuine boat turned bar top—the details there to enhance your experience are hard to miss.

Although not commercially packaged, they have a canning machine to enable you to take your favourite beers with you. Or you can fill your own container. Even the labels are personal. Truly a unique and memorable experience. Be sure to purchase a t-shirt or cap to help get word out about this very special place.

PIRATES REPUBLIC—With two locations in Nassau, both their original downtown location on the waterfront, where the products are brewed as well as their new tap room at Atlantis in Marina Village, Pirates is another locally produced beer well worth a try. The atmosphere from the moment you enter is welcoming and fun.

Hugely popular with locals and visitors alike, Pirates has been making beer here for many years now and continues to grow. They also offer everything from IPAs to a dark stout, as well as seasonal and fruit infused beers (Seasonal and fruit flavoured beers are available on tap only at this time—their coconut, if available, is a must try—YUM!). Their tried-and-true mainliners are made and canned right here from start to finish.

Also available are fruit infused seltzers in a variety of flavours that are super refreshing and delicious. The seltzers as well as the basic beers also are great to grab and try on the go as they can be purchased in single cans or six-packs right off their shelves. Pirates also have a great line of t-shirts and gear that is both functional and advertises their great product!

SANDS—Mass produced and bottled on a large scale, but not yet being exported to many places, you can find a Sands beer just about anywhere in the Bahamas beer is sold. We like to think it is because their beer is so popular, they can’t keep up demand at home, let alone anywhere else. Sands brewery was started in 2007 by Bahamian Jimmy Sands—who is still the owner and who has seen the company through lots of incredible growth and setbacks. They suffered a lot of damage due to Hurricane Dorian in September of 2019 but have come back stronger than ever.

With a product line of Light Beer, Regular Beer, a lager, and a stout produced all year, as well as limited edition beers like “66 Steps”, this brewery produces a consistent, thirst-quenching line of beers that keeps everyone coming back for more. They also make an alcoholic and non-alcoholic malt beverage.

Also very popular are the Sands Radlers. Their pink grapefruit infused Radler is hard to find in the summer months as is their Passionfruit/Guava Radler as they are a go to for many local ladies looking for a tasty escape from the heat.

With the popularity of Sands products, there is no reason to leave the Bahamas without trying at least one.

KALIK—Of all the local beer choices, Kalik, by Commonwealth Brewery, has been around the longest. It is known as “The Beer of The Bahamas” by many.

First launched in 1988, this beer has grown into a behemoth, whose reach extends well beyond the Bahamas. The name comes from the sound of the Junkanoo Cowbells “Ka-lick-Ka-lick”. Besides regular Kalik, there is also Kalik light, Kalik Lime and the ones only available in the Bahamas, Kalik Gold and Kalik Platinum. The Gold and Platinum have alcohol contents of 7% and 6% respectively.

Kalik has several flavours of both their Radlers, which this writer loves the Mango, but there is also Guava, Cranberry and a Lemon. Their Platinum line is also flavoured with rum and currently offers Strawberry and Black Currant on the market.

Kalik products, like Sands, can be found just about anywhere beer is sold in the Bahamas and beyond! It is on the shelves of many markets and retailers in the United States and Canada. The brewery pumps out in excess of over 1.7 million cases (yes, MILLION) annually. Multiply that by 24 bottles or cans per case, and that is a very popular beer. Full disclosure, the brewery is partially owned by Heineken, so you know they know a thing or two about this golden beverage. It is still consistently a smooth and a very popular choice not to be missed.

One argument you do not want to get into while in the Bahamas is which is better—Kalik or Sands. People are fiercely loyal to the brand they prefer. Our suggestion is to try them all, including the Micro-brewery brands and you are sure to find a beer that is memorable to your visit and that you will think of and look forward to having again when you return the next time.