Kelly's Caribbean Bar-Grill & Brewery
Breweriana, Collectibles, Ephemera and Memories
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I have visited Kelly's Caribbean Bar-Grill & Brewery,
in Key West, Monroe Co., Florida, USA.
Brewery/Brewpub Location Map
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Reason for Visit: We were on vacation in South Florida, visiting points from Broward County all the way down to Key West over a two-week period. Kelly's is located right in the heart of historic Key West convenient to all of the usual tourist sites and attractions. The brewpub is located in what is known as the Pan Am building, the original headquarters of the old Pan American Airlines that operated between 1927 and 1991. Kelly's was started by and is named after the actress Kelly McGillis.
They bill themselves as the "Southernmost Brewery" but don't tell that to any of the brewpubs in Hawaii.
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Sampler Glass: Who am I kidding? This isn't a sampler glass, it's a shotglass. Any other brewpub on the planet and this would be a sampler glass, but this is Key West where excess is valued over restraint. The glass features the brewpub logo in tropical colors. A seaplane flies at 2:00. The name "Kelly's" dominates the foreground, riding gentle ridges of stylized ocean waves. The remainder of the name rims the bottom edge of the circular logo, "Caribbean Bar - Grill & Brewery." I'd maintain that this is the emphasis here in that exact order: Bar; Grill and only then Brewery. Truth in advertising. The beers, meh, the chicken wings, yah! Decent beer is nearly impossible to find down here so I suppose one should be grateful for the attempt, although flavors are definitely geared towards the tourists rather than the beer aficionados. |
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Exterior: This is the sign that hangs outside the entrance to Kelly's Caribbean Bar-Grill & Brewery. It's an inviting, laid back space. We were also treated very nicely by the waitstaff. I'm not sure what was up with that second "L" on the sign during our visit but it seems to have broken off and fallen to the left. |
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Brewing Equipment: This tank sat in the hallway just inside the entrance. I'm willing to bet that it's all for show, leading me to believe that at one time Kelly's expected a need for greater brewing capacity that could not be sustained. Now it's part of the theater and the atmosphere. |
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Bar Area: The bar looks great, doesn't it? Notice that it's totally open to the outside. It was amazingly comfortable on the perfect Spring day we visited. I wonder if the sea breezes still keep it cool during the middle of the Summer or whether they shut the windows and let the AC rule? Also notice that most of the people seem to be drinking fruity cocktails. It's got to be tough to run a brewpub in this town. |
Sample list of beers produced by Kelly's Caribbean Bar-Grill & Brewery
- Southern Clipper Wheat Beer
- Key West Golden Ale
- Havana Red Ale
Items featured on these breweriana pages are personal souvenirs of my visits to these locations, and an expression of the events and travels leading to their collection. They are not for sale or for trade.
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