Miami's Magic 13 Brewing Celebrates First Anniversary

Magic 13 Brewing Co. will celebrate its first anniversary in January, and to commemorate the occasion, the Little Haiti-based brewery is extending a warm invitation to seasoned patrons and newcomers alike.

Owners Ricardo Romano, Richard Fayad, and brewmaster Jean Gabriel Taboada say Magic 13 has become more than just a craft brewery over the past year. Known as a multifaceted venue offering a unique blend of craft beer, live entertainment, and food options, the brewery has garnered a solid following, often hosting a packed house at its 10,000-square-foot, 350-patron capacity space.

With indoor and outdoor seating, Magic 13 has leveraged its partnership with Meat N' Bone and daily activations ranging from karaoke on Wednesdays to "Family Sundays" in an effort to offer something for everyone while blending traditional brewery life with Key West vibes and an old-school, tavern-style gathering space.

Akin to something out of a movie set, the brewery's design encompasses a cool, funky, and elegant black-walled taproom with fire-branded wood tables and comfortable leather banquettes. An indoor stage and an open view of the vats and brewery also add to the experience, which blends into the outside space where metal tables are scattered throughout a spacious, tree-filled lot, complete with a second stage, hammocks, pool, and ping pong tables.

Romano says the vision behind Magic 13 was always to be more than just a place you go for a beer, but a neighborhood hangout the entire family could enjoy.

"Our goal was not just to create a space for enjoying great craft beer but to establish a venue where people could gather for diverse experiences — from enjoying food and drinks to listening to various music genres, meeting friends, and even bringing their families," Romano shared with New Times via a press release, adding that Magic 13 is much more than a place to drink. "Beer was our catalyst, but the dream behind Magic 13 was as much about community as it was about the beers we brew."

Given the brewery's design and limitations to house a full commercial kitchen, Magic 13 has since partnered with the Miami-based restaurant and brand Meat N' Bone to offer a curated menu of shareable and main plates served daily from 4 p.m. (noon on weekends) until closing.

The menu features Wagyu beef carpaccio, chicharrón bites, housemade tequeños, a charcuterie board, burrata salad, a Wagyu burger, ribeye sandwich, pulled pork sandwich, barbecue salmon platter, ribeye platter, chicken frites, and the Meat N' Bone parrillada platter in half and full orders.

On the brewery side, Magic 13 offers a diverse selection of craft beers with five core profiles, always on tap, complemented by eight rotating selections that change seasonally, totaling more than a dozen beers on tap. The core brews you can always expect to find at the brewery on just about every day include the "Islander Lager," the "MiMo" wheat ale, the "Black Cadillac" stout, and a malty blonde ale known as "Golden Rules."

The man behind the beer plan, Taboada, emphasizes the brewery's approach to beer.

"The goal with Magic 13 beers is not to redefine what beer aficionados love about a type of beer," sums up Taboada. "Rather, it's to accentuate each style's subtlest nuances to deliver big flavor and great drinkability."

Magic 13 Brewing Co. 340 NE 61st St., Miami; magic13brewing.com.