Chef Darwin Santa Maria successfully acquires Darwin Brewing and plans to open a new facility with a full restaurant, brewery, and distillery.

March 3, 2023
Darwin Brewing is excited to announce that the Award-Winning Chef, and James Beard celebrity chef food tour host, Darwin Santa Maria has successfully regained ownership of the brand and is planning to build a brand-new brewing facility with a full-service restaurant, brewery, and distillery. The facility, set to open in Sarasota, in late 2024, will also feature soccer fields and a live music stage.

Chef Darwin is well-known for his innovative approach to cooking and the use of unique ingredients, and he will bring that same level of creativity back to the beers at Darwin Brewing. The brewery will have a strong Peruvian influence, reflecting Chef Darwin’s heritage and culinary background.

“I’m thrilled to be back at the helm of Darwin Brewing and can’t wait to share my passion for great beer and delicious food with our customers,” said Chef Darwin. “This new facility will allow us to really showcase what we can do, and I’m confident that our beers and restaurant will become a go-to destination for beer lovers and foodies alike.”

In the coming months, small test batches of Darwin’s innovative brews will be produced off-site and will be served on draft at Darwin’s other Brewpub restaurant, “Almazonica Cerveceria.”

The History of Darwin Brewing
Darwin Brewing was founded in 2012 out of the Latin American Gastropub, Darwin’s on 4th. In 2013, the business expanded into a fifteen-barrel production facility and taproom in Bradenton. In 2016, one of the original owners, Chef Darwin Santa Maria, left the company to pursue other ventures. In 2021, Darwin Brewing was sold to Big Storm Brewing, a company based in Clearwater, FL. Recently, Chef Darwin was able to buy the brand back from Big Storm Brewing with the intention of revitalizing the company through a chef-driven approach and placing a strong emphasis on both the culinary and beer- related aspects of the business.