The Pub Crawler: The Brew Garden

The Brew Garden has a dozen TVs, complete with all the national sports packages, but it is not a sports bar.

It sells cigarettes and cigars and features an outdoor smoking patio, but it is not a cigar bar.

The Beer Garden also offers food, live music, karaoke and video games, but don’t put it in the same category as other family-themed restaurants or college bars.

No, the only way you can classify the Brew Garden is to call it a bar that specializes in beer.

“We have 32 beers on tap and we have 170 beers total,” said owner Savino Sterlacci.

Beer is so sacred at this place you don’t order it by size. You order the beer, and the appropriate glass is provided.

“When you talk about good beer you don’t have sizes. Because every beer, we have the glass for it,” Savino said. “The glass has to match the beer… because it has to match the taste. You don’t put champagne in a mug.”

And he should know.

The former owner of 14 World of Beer liquor store and bar franchises, Savino sold his stake in that company and opened the Brew Garden in April of 2009. He said he was ready for a change and wanted Pinellas to have a hip and trendy spot like in Hillsborough County.

“There’s no place like this in Clearwater,” Savino said.

While food and sports is not the main draw, it does feature enough of both to keep the casual patrons, i.e. non-beer connoisseurs, happy.

Sandwiches, chips and dips, an antipasto plate and various spreads are all tasty and filling, and not typical of bar food.

“We don’t want fried foods here, because that doesn’t go good with beer,” Savino said.

Live music fills the place on Friday nights, and karaoke is a big draw on Wednesday.

Beer specials, like 2-4-1 Fridays, Hospitality Night Mondays and the Brooklyn Brewery series, are popular. The Brew Garden draws large post-concert crowds from nearby Ruth Eckerd Hall.

There are small flat screens spaced throughout the interior and patio, a dart board in one corner, two video games in another, and a chess/checker board under the window.

They also offer wine by the glass or bottle.

But when it comes right down to it, the Brew Garden is all about one thing - beer.

Quick shot:

What: The Brew Garden

Where: 904 McMullen Booth Road

When: 3 p.m. to 3 a.m., Sunday to Thursday; and 1 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday

Call: (727) 797-6622. Free WiFi is available.