Chef Darwin Santa Maria has reacquired ownership of the Darwin Brewing brand. Santa Maria, who has been cooking in our community since the early ‘90s, left the original Darwin Brewing in Bradenton in 2016—but never lost his passion for brewing.

Santa Maria plans to open a new brewing facility—complete with a restaurant and distillery—in late 2024.

“I’m thrilled to be back at the helm of Darwin Brewing,” he said in a press release. “This new facility will allow us to really showcase what we can do, and I’m confident that our beers and restaurant will become a destination for beer lovers and foodies alike.”

Darwin Brewing was founded in 2012 when Santa Maria began showcasing his beers at the now-closed Darwin’s on 4th. In 2013, he and his partners opened a production facility and taproom in Bradenton which was sold to Big Storm Brewing in 2021.

In preparation for the new facility, Santa Maria will be developing test batches of new products that will be made off-site and served on draft at Santa Maria’s restaurant Almazonica Cerveceria.