Big Bear Lake Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

The atmosphere is a bit like a cross between the Yardhouse and a BJs with a touch of Big Bear.

I enjoyed the beer. Had a seasonal Pumpkin Ale (3.75) and a Black IPA (3.5). They also had a handful of good bottles, Avery The Reverend for example.

There was about a 30 minute wait to get a table. The service was good, as was the food. I had the Filet Mignon. It was a good cut of meat and cooked just right.

A nice stop after a day of skiing. I could see myself stopping by here again.

Simple but comfortable interior. Great food and good service. Selection of 6 beers when I visited on 1Nov 15. The honey blond ale seemed to have a sanitation problem (phenolic, yeasty off-flavor). The others were good to very good beers. Worth visiting when you are in town.

A day in the mountains can make anyone thirsty, even if the main purpose of the trip is beer. Climbing 6,000 feet above took me from a hot mid-90s temperature to a modest mid-70s in just an hour from the base of the mountain. Getting out of the car and breathing in the fresh mountain air is certain to raise one spirits, but to combine that with a trip to a brewery is a recipe for a good time.

Big Bear Lake Brewing is cuddled in downtown and is easy to access. There is adequate parking in the rear of the brewery, and walking in from the back takes you to a staircase that leads to a second floor, or stay on the floor where you are at and find a spot in a rather compact area. The brewhouse is sealed off from the public, the small bar seating about 8 people, several tables and stools throughout, clean bathrooms, and "pardon our dust" stuff sitting on the floor near the bathroom.

Six different house beers were written on a taplist near the main entrance, plus a less detailed printed page of taps and bottled beers, house and guest beers. Being tapped out of two beers left me with four house options. I settled on the hefeweizen and a sage session IPA, both being adequate delivery systems for grain alcohol. Standard shaker pints apply here. Regarding guest beers, Hofbrau Dunkel on-tap, plus a dozen bottled options (Allagash, Ballast Point, Belhaven, Uinta, Avery).

Service started a little slow, but quickened as my visit grew longer. I ordered some lunch; a french dip sandwich which did more than fill me up. Mostly sandwiches and appetizers in the menu, plus a few entrees such as Prime New York steak.

Big Bear Lake Brewing is a more than decent stop in this popular mountain town. I enjoy tasting the creations of different brewpubs, but not one that I would seek out as a main target.

 

Food and service are good, but beer is substandard. All very thin and generic. It doesn't seem like beer is their first priority. They really need to learn how to extract body and aroma from their beers. Still, a cool place to visit.