Cerveceria La Tropical

July 21, 1888. The Blanco-Herrera family establishes Cervecería La Tropical on lands once owned by Federico Kohly. Cuba’s Oldest Brewery grows and grows, and by 1958 La Tropical accounts for over 60% of all beer production in Cuba, making the brand world-renowned. La Tropical stands alongside cigars, rum and music as the pride of Cuba. “La Tropical founded the Cuban beer industry. La Tropical comprised acre upon acre of a brewery, tropical gardens and a baseball stadium, whose in-field sand was made of crushed La Tropical bottles. There were many owners, but my family held majority ownership. As a kid, I loved going to the brewery with my father. I can still smell the sweet and thick malty scent coming from the brewery.”

Ramon Blanco-Herrera 4th Generation La Tropical Family Member

Florida’s First Brewery is founded in Ybor City/Tampa, Florida, by Cuban cigar industrialist family: Martinez-Ybor. In 1897 La Tropical beer is produced and distributed in Florida. The Florida La Tropical brand has an affiliation with the La Tropical brand from Cuba. In the early 1900’s La Tropical in Ybor City produced 80,000 barrels of beer at its’ peak. The Cuban embargo and new Florida competition from Anheuser Busch and Schlitz forced the shutdown of the brewery in 1961. Dale Swope, a Tampa attorney, acquires the old La Tropical brewery in Ybor City in 1999 and embarks on a historical preservation project to save the building after years of neglect.