Just across the round about at Four Points plaza in downtown Panama city, you’ll find Panama City’s most prominent brew pub. History Class brewing Company occupies a historic brick dwelling that seems far too small to contain the tastes and attitudes that comes out of their beers and their kitchen. A rare combination for a small town brew pub indeed.
Being one of only two breweries in Panama City, I have of course partook of the libations at History Class on numerous occasions. I even ordered crowlers from the back patio during the COVID shut down, which means I’ve been sampling their offerings since they opened to the masses. And while their beer selection rotates often as small breweries do; stalwarts like the Governor Stone Irish ale and The McKenzie’s Stout continue to be some of my personal favorites. That being said, when I decided to write this post, I knew that I needed to run the gauntlet on the current menu. With my wife at my side and a flight of eight brews, I pulled up a stool and started looking for a new favorite.
- Martin Theater Wheat (5.9%): Light, middle of the road wheat. Slightly hoppy on the back note. Easy to drink, but not a repeat drinker for me.
- Wildflower Honey Kolsch (5.6%): The easiest drinker of the lot. Light, sweet and floral just as the name implies. This is a perfect summer brew.
- Jewels Hibiscus Wheat (5.6%): Somewhat tart for a wheat, but never the less light and refreshing.
- Segler’s Tropical Smoothie Sour (7.6%): Sours are a guilty pleasure and this one did not disappoint. Bright, tangy and just the right level of sour. Lighter than the typical smoothie brew, this is dangerously easy to drink for 7.6%AVB.
- Septemberfest Fest Bier (5.3%): A very balanced take on the traditional festbier, Septemberfest is light on the usual toasty malts and even more so on the doughy sweetness typically found in festbier.
- Marzen Lager (4.9%): Intense, toasty and sweet. Everything I want in a Oktoberfest style lager. At 4.9% AVB, it drinks very easy despite the richness. Definitely a new favorite.
- Governor Stone Irish Ale (5%): My typical go to brew anytime I’m at History Class, Governor Stone is a tasty Irish ale that is lighter on the toasted malts, but still has notes of caramel with a low bitterness.
- Mound Ave. Brown Ale (5.1%): I had to kick myself for passing up this brew on several other visits. This is possibly my absolute favorite. My wife described it as “fall in a glass” and I agree. It’s nutty and toasty with brown sugar sweetness; perfect for a chill night around the firepit or alongside a hearty stew on a cool (anywhere but Florida) fall evening.
As you can see from the featured pics, I did not sample everything available on the menu during my visit. If you want to know how the IPAs taste, you’ll have to plan a visit for yourself, because I absolutely detest IPAs…all of them. Considering the quality of the other History Class brews, I’m sure their IPAs are tasty but my pallet just isn’t up to the task. I will however give rave recommendations to anything that comes out of their impossibly small kitchen. The menu changes often, but you will have a hard time finding better southern inspired pub grub anywhere. From smoked chicken wings, giant pretzels with beer cheese, and pimento grilled cheese, there is something for everyone on the menu. Don’t sleep on the Sunday special Smoked turkey legs.
That just about wraps up my brief of the brews at History Class Brewing Company. I’ll finish up by saying that not only do they have great beer and food, but History Class is operated by a top-notch group of people who involve themselves in community events and local charities. They truly show their love for the city and in my opinion were one of the founding sparks in the recent revitalization movement of downtown Panama City following hurricane Micheal.
- Outdoor seating: Yes. Front and back patio areas.
- Kid Friendly: Yes. They even have house made Lemonade and Watermelon Juice for the kids.
- Dog Friendly: Yes. Pups are welcome on both patios.
- Live music: Yes. Select dates on the back patio.
- Events: Yes. Trivia and other such events on select dates.
History Class Brewing Company
6E 4th St. Panama City Florida 32401
Wednesday Thru Sunday
www.historyclass.beer
