Beer to eternity

When it comes to franchise bars, a good cornerstone to build from is “Whoa, that’s a lotta beer!” World of Beer nails that part, with more than 500 different bottles, and though that’s far from a world record (a joint in D.C. has more than 1,000), it’s nothing to sneeze at. With its smooth corners, beautiful young staff and huge televisions, WOB has an uncanny-valley feel (which fits rather ideally into Lake Mary’s Townpark Plaza), lacking the grit and flaws that make a good hangout – a place where you’d want to spend the time to drink 500 beers. (I haven’t tried the UCF or Dr. Phillips locations, but I suspect I’d find the same thing.)

The prices are fair-ish, with the cheapest beers in the $3-$4 range, though most float upwards of $6. (If you’re price-conscious, pay attention: There’s at least one beer at $4 for a 12-ounce bottle that’s also on tap at $6 for a 10-ounce draft.) Happy hour – weekdays 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – knocks a buck off all drafts and wines, and there are varying specials Monday through Thursday. WOB offers a loyalty club that rewards you when you try new beers, but the crummy prizes (a T-shirt after 50?) plus the price of membership ($15) means you should really, really like WOB before investing.

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