Coppertop Brewery Company Coming to Boynton Beach

Will South Florida be the next craft beer brewery mecca? With so many new breweries set to open in the coming months, it certainly feels that way.

Especially after sampling some of the newest beers to his the local scene during the 17th annual New Times' Original Beerfest held October 25.

One of several new breweries coming to the local area before the end of 2014, Coppertop Brewing Company recently announced plans that it will be opening a full production brewery and tap room in Boynton Beach.

See also: Ten Best Meals Under $15 in Broward and Palm Beach

After a nine-month search for the perfect space, Coppertop owners Al Lettera -- one of the initial investors for Sweetwater Brewing in Atlanta -- and Matt Cox have decided on a space in Boynton Beach, part of an industrial plaza north of Gateway Boulevard.

According to its founders, Coppertop has received a warm welcome from city officials, who "actively recruited Coppertop, where other cities were resistant when it came to zoning and codes."

The brewery space will be large enough to accommodate a 10,000-barrel annual capacity, a number Coppertop would like to see in the near future. To start, the brewery wi begin producing around 2,800 barrels per year.

Brewmaster Matt Cox describes his beers as: "traditional beer styles with bold, intense flavors." He intends to offer several seasonal beers that will range from 5-12 percent alcohol by volume, which patrons can enjoy in the brewery's spacious tasting room.

Cox began brewing in 1999, and took over brewing operations at Big Bear Brewing Company in 2001. Since that time he was won numerous awards, including the prestigious gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival for his Belgian Dubbel. He has also taken Gold medals at the North American Brewers Assoc., multiple medals at the US Open Beer Championships, and multiple Grand National Champion Awards at the United States Beer Tasting Championships.

Cox and Lettera hope to have their brewing system in place by the end of October, to be fully operational by mid-November. Coppertop will start with draft selections, and will offer small runs of bottled products shortly after opening. The lineup will include Coppertop Lager (a Vienna Lager that is very malt forward with big bold flavors); Tomahawk IPA (an IPA with intense but balanced hop flavor using lots of whole leaf and signature Tomahawk hops); and a Belgian Wit (a classically brewed Wit with wheat, barley and oats and spiced with coriander and local Florida orange peels).

Coppertop Brewing Company will be located at 151 Commerce Road, Boynton Beach. Visit coppertopbrewingcompany.com.

Nicole Danna is a food blogger covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on Clean Plate's Instagram.