Brewpub Dining – Dinner at Big Bear Brewery

With all of the great craft beer that has been coming to South Florida, I have to say that Coral Sprrings mainstay Big Bear Brewing Co. has and has had some of the best beer in the area.

It’s a small operation, and that keeps them lean and mean. (For those of you that are really sharp eyed, that’s their brewing area as the banner on the Florida Beer Blog Twitter page).

I have been to many brewpubs where the beer is great and the food doesn’t go too far past burgers and chicken fingers. Not so with the Bear: take the beer away and it’s still a fine restaurant. We always start with the Beer Cheese Soup, made with their Grizzly Red ale. Always great, but never eat it alone. Between the soup and the bread bowl it is served in, there’s so much food…

I am a huge fan of their Kodiak Belgian Dubbel, their abbey ale that is light, fruity, and less yeasty than most abbey ales I have had. It’s how I usually introduce people to Big Bear.

Tonight started with Brown Bear Ale, mostly since I’ve been on a big brown ale kick. It is so fantastivally smooth with a citrusy feel to it.

The other big beer of the night was a seasonal Key West Honey Ale. I had actually heard a number of poor reviews on Untappd. They are stupid people. It was light, fruity without being tart or rindy, and just the right aftertaste of honey. Perfect.

Key West Honey Ale along with the best swordfish in the history of ever.

In all, Big Bear Brewing Co. is that rarest of things – an excellent restaurant and an excellent microbrewery in one.

Now to get them to sell growlers.

And bring back their Espresso Cream Stout. Now that was some good stuff.