ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Now that the Department of Business and Professional Regulation has clarified Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “Full Phase One” plan to reopen Florida, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri says breweries have the green light to open for business.


What You Need To Know


  • Breweries must have outdoor seating, must serve food to reopen

  • Breweries may partner with food trucks to meet food service requirement

  • Bars, nightclubs remain closed under "Full Phase One"

  • More Pinellas County stories

“If they have outdoor seating and if they have food, and even if they have a food truck that shows up that’s not part of that brewery, then they can operate,” Gualtieri explained.

At 3 Daughters Brewing in St. Petersburg, that’s all they needed to hear to open their doors.

“It was a little bit more awkward, but it’s going very, very well and we’re being received very well,” said owner Mike Harting,   

While some breweries have been able to make the transition smoothly, others have had challenges working the new rules into their business model. 

“Well, we’re working on getting food trucks here,” said Dennis Decker, owner of Pinellas Ale Works. “We do have food trucks on and off. They’re not always available or dependable in some cases, so it’s difficult to schedule our schedule around a food vendor that’s not very dependable, but we’re doing the best we can.”

Bars and nightclubs must still remain closed under the "Full Phase One" plan.​