USA, FL: Green Turtle Brewery set to open in Cycle Brewing’s former location in St. Petersburg

A British-style brewery featuring traditional brewing methods and British fare is set to open next month in the space that Cycle Brewing, St. Pete’s first brewery, has occupied for the past 12 years, St. Pete Rising reported on May 5.

Cycle Brewing will close its taproom sometime this month, but will continue to brew beer at its production warehouse at 2135 5th Avenue South.

Green Turtle Brewery and Public House, located at 534 Central Avenue in downtown St. Pete, will serve classic styles of beer such as IPAs, lagers, and porters, with a special focus on cask ales, which are traditional British beers brewed using natural fermentation and served via hand pump.

“It's the freshest beer you can have because it undergoes secondary fermentation in the cask,” said Todd Bearden, who is opening Green Turtle Brewery with his wife, Colleen. “It's not filtered, not pasteurized, and has natural carbonation. It’s alive and breathing.”

Cask ale is a living product containing active yeast, which causes it to change over time and require fresh consumption, typically within a few days of tapping.

Most cask ales are between 3% and 5% ABV, so you can have a few without getting too buzzed or feeling too full.

Using the same seven-barrel brewing system previously operated by Cycle Brewing, the team will be able to produce up to four beers at once.

At any given time, Green Turtle will have three cask ales and eight to ten non-cask ales on tap.

Bearden’s award-winning West Coast IPA, Snapasaurus Rex, and his American light lager, Lagerhead, will be available year-round. Other offerings will include English pale ales, dark mild ales, Scottish-style 60-shilling ales, and more.

“We will also have seasonal beers such as a Maibock in the spring, an Oktoberfest in the fall, Christmas beers in the winter, and lighter, more refreshing options like a key lime lager in the summer,” said Bearden.

Every Friday, Green Turtle will feature special cask ales with rotating flavor profiles.

“We can get really creative with the cask ales. For instance, we can add fresh hops or fresh fruit directly into the cask,” said Bearden.

The brewery may also offer beers from Cycle Brewing, as well as rare international brews when available.

In addition to beer, Green Turtle will offer English cider, wine, hard seltzers, and canned cocktails.

For food, Bearden will install a small kitchen at the end of the bar to serve traditional British fare such as pasties (similar to empanadas), meat pies, pickled potatoes with curry, and pickled eggs.

“Even if you don't drink, we want people to come for the food,” said Todd.

To enhance the British pub feel, Green Turtle plans on showing European football and rugby matches alongside local sports, and will also host dart tournaments.

Todd and Colleen originally considered opening the brewery in Marathon, near The Turtle Hospital, a nonprofit sea turtle rehabilitation center. The name Green Turtle Brewery was inspired by that connection.

“Ultimately, opening a brewery there would have been financially difficult,” Todd explained. “So, we started looking for breweries for sale in Florida and found Cycle Brewing.”

The couple is no stranger to St. Pete, having visited countless times to see Colleen’s parents, who reside in the Sunshine City.

The brewery is scheduled to open in June with the following hours: Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

06 May, 2025