Our story
It Started Long Before The First Recipe
Carnival Dogs Brewing Co. wasn’t created overnight. It grew out of years spent exploring craft beer, collecting ideas, debating favorite albums, quoting movies, discovering new music, and chasing the experiences that stick with you long after they’re over.
Along the way, recipes filled notebooks. Beer names filled whiteboards. Label concepts filled sketchbooks. What started as a hobby gradually became something bigger.
The vision wasn’t simply to open another brewery. It was to build a brand where every beer had a story, every label had a purpose, and every visit felt like stepping into a world built from the things we love.
Today, that same spirit continues to shape everything we create. From the beers we brew and the sandwiches we serve to the experiences we design, Carnival Dogs Brewing Co. is the result of years of passion, creativity, and an obsession with bringing great ideas to life.
We’re in it for the people, the pints, and the pop culture.
Beer With A Story
Every recipe begins with inspiration and ends with a story worth sharing.
Food Worth Staying For
Craft brews deserve food that’s more than something you just order to pass the time.
Conversation Over Consumption
We’re building a place where people gather, linger and connect.
Different Roles. Shared Obsession.
What started as conversations around recipes, branding, business plans, and late-night ideas slowly became something bigger.
Each founder brings a different perspective to Carnival Dogs Brewing Co. One focuses on brewing. One focuses on operations. One focuses on building the brand. Together, they spend an unreasonable amount of time debating details most people never notice.
The result is a brewery shaped by three different viewpoints working toward the same goal: building something worth being proud of.
Jacob Garrison
Co-Founder & Head Brewer
Jacob is the brewing mind behind CDBC and the architect of the recipes that bring the brand to life.
After spending more than twenty years in the hospitality industry, Jacob developed a deep appreciation for what keeps people coming back to a great establishment: exceptional products, memorable experiences, and genuine connections. His journey into fermentation began with winemaking and mead before expanding into distillation and eventually craft beer, where he found the perfect balance of science, creativity, and storytelling.
Since 2020, Jacob has developed more than thirty original beer recipes for Carnival Dogs Brewing Co., drawing inspiration from the music, movies, characters, and cultural moments that helped shape the brand. From ingredient selection and recipe development to brewing system planning and production strategy, he leads the creation of a beer program designed to be as memorable as the stories behind it.
As Head Brewer, Jacob combines technical precision with creative experimentation, ensuring every beer delivers both quality and character. His goal is simple: create beers people remember long after the last pint is poured.
Tristan Garrison
Co-Founder & Director of Operations
Tristan oversees the operational side of Carnival Dogs Brewing Co., helping transform ideas into executable plans. From financial strategy and vendor relationships to logistics and long-term growth planning, he focuses on building the systems that allow the brewery to thrive.
With nearly thirty years of experience in hospitality and business operations, Tristan brings a practical, solutions-focused mindset to the company. While the brewery is built on creativity and storytelling, he ensures those ideas are supported by sound planning and disciplined execution.
As Director of Operations, Tristan plays a key role in guiding the company’s growth while helping create a foundation strong enough to support Carnival Dogs Brewing Co. for years to come.
Justin Garrison
Co-Founder & Creative Director
Justin is responsible for the creative vision behind Carnival Dogs Brewing Co. From branding and packaging to marketing campaigns and customer experience, he helps shape how the brewery looks, feels, and tells its story.
With a background in graphic design, branding, and creative strategy, Justin developed the visual identity that defines Carnival Dogs Brewing Co. He believes great brands are built through consistency, attention to detail, and memorable experiences that connect with people long after their first interaction.
Every beer name, label concept, promotional campaign, and piece of visual storytelling is designed to support a larger vision: creating a brewery that stands apart from the ordinary while remaining approachable, authentic, and unmistakably memorable.
As Creative Director, Justin oversees the brand’s voice, design, and long-term creative direction, helping ensure every part of Carnival Dogs Brewing Co. reflects the spirit that inspired it.
4
Beverage programs: beer, mead, cider & wine
25–55
Our core crowd, though all ages of taste are welcome
100%
Independent & locally rooted in Sarasota
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Shared experience behind every great conversation
What we stand for
Four things we refuse to compromise.
01
Hospitality
We treat every guest like the reason we exist because you are.
02
Quality
Craft brews, real ingredients, no shortcuts in the glass or on the plate.
03
Nostalgia
Music, movies, video games, memories…the soundtrack to every visit.
04
Community
Built for Sarasota. Strengthened by the people who call it home.
Where we’re headed
Building Something Worth Waiting For
Carnival Dogs Brewing Co. is still searching for the right home in Sarasota.
We’re not in a rush. The right brewery deserves the right space.
The vision has always been bigger than the brewery itself. It’s about creating a place where great drinks, good food, music, movies, and conversation naturally come together.
Every recipe, label, sandwich, event idea, and late-night brainstorming session brings us one step closer to opening the doors.
For now, we’re building, planning and refining. When the right space appears, we’ll be ready. And you will know.
Don’t miss the opening
Be There When the Doors Open
We’re still searching for the right home, refining recipes, and building the experience one step at a time. Join the waitlist to follow the journey and be the first to hear about location announcements, opening day updates, beer releases, and special events.