Big Boss Brewing

Wow, Big Boss Brewing in Raleigh NC is aptly named. Wide open spaces, an upstairs area, vintage video game room, all kinds of games, and some well made craft beer, oh my! 

Big Boss Brewing was nowhere near the top of my list of breweries to visit in Raleigh, but it should have been.  I don't know what I was thinking, maybe it was the grandiose outrageous name.  In any case, I am glad I got to visit one of the oldest breweries in Raleigh, about 15 years young.

Also so happy I got to meet Cam the beertender.  She is the hidden gem in this hidden gem.  On this day, there were maybe 20 patrons and she was so friendly and eager to talk about the beer happenings here.

What I also liked about this brewery and many of the one's in this area is they are dog friendly.  Next time I am in the area I will bring my schnauzer.

And what a great flight deal, FIVE 4oz pours for only $12.  It gave me the opportunity to taste a variety of their beers at a very reasonable price.

The BEERS:

Boomerang Belgian Wit 5% ABV... a better blue moon with hints of coriander and orange peel.  I really liked this one.

Big Penny English Brown Ale 5% ABV... just what you would expect from a well made English brown Ale, but less bitter.

The Wolf barley wine 13% ABV... this is a star among the stars in their beer line up.  OMG! What a well balanced barley wine, not too sweet.  I LUV THIS ONE

Ale Smoke cherry wood smoked Porter 5% ABV... this one threw me off when I had my first sip.  It is a fantastic smoked Porter.  I thought it would have a cherry flavor, but reading is fundamental because what I now realize is it is "cherry wood" smoked.

Aces and Ates Coffee Stout 6% ABV... if you added cream you would not know this is a beer.  Iced coffee any one?

I visited 3 breweries on this outing and Big Boss Brewing was by far my favorite.  Great service, awesome beer offerings and all the space for a festival.  I have visited  more than 10 breweries in Raleigh and this ranks near the top of my list.  Can't wait to get back here.  I could spend the whole day in Big Boss Brewing.

Big Boss was the hottest thing in Raleigh in 2010. Since then it seems like they haven't put in much effort at all to innovate with their beers or the atmosphere. What used to be the best brewery in the triangle (and the first, other than The Brewery, which was not, in fact, a brewery) has fallen out of even my top 10. It's maybe not even in the top 10 within that small section of northeast ITB Raleigh.

Apparently they're closing soon and relocating. I hope they take this as an opportunity to inject new energy and ideas into a stagnant concept. I think it's more likely though that they just never reopen.

SO UNDERRATED! amazing beer, super friendly staff, awesome atmosphere and you can have delicious food delivered such as Oakwood Pizza Box. If I lived in Raleigh, I'd 100% be a regular at this brewery. More people should frequent this place for the reasons I mentioned above. Their IPA's were phenomenal!

Amazing service. The bartender was very friendly. The worst beers I've had at a brewery sadly. My boyfriend and I got flights and didn't really like any of the 10 beers we tried. In addition, they don't have air conditioning and it was hot as hell. They did have a small arcade room, ping pong, and darts but just way too hot to do anything. Also, in a sketchy location. I wanted to like this place but sadly it's a no for me. Just my opinion!

It's okay....

It's literally a warehouse tucked away in a slightly industrial area. Gives you a bit of a weird vibe at first, but you eventually get over it.

Once you're inside, it's just a warehouse with a bar, lol. They have a small "game room" with a handful of arcade games, but not many, and not the greatest selection. I can't really give this place much because I didn't really get much from it, lol. I wasn't blown away by their beer selection, and I tried a few. Probably wouldn't return. It was just blah. More like a college student hangout spot than anything. Just not my scene.

Big Boss is huge inside! Hence the name I suppose. When I went, it was dark outside and we sat indoors on some picnic tables. It was really hot! I had a hard time dealing with that. Otherwise, it was a neat brewery. There is plenty of room for a lot of people. There are little areas all over for seating.

The beers are decent and they have a nice selection to choose from. The bartenders were really busy, so we didn't get much time to chat with them. They were quick and never left anyone waiting long.

I would love to come back here when I'm in town and spend a little more time. When I visit from out of town, unfortunately, I try to make so many stops, that sometimes I wish I had more time.

Came for their Harvest Release event. Pumpkin beer was great! Place was packed to the gills. Long lines and crowds prevented me from staying long, but knew that ahead of time.

Loved that they had fur babies up for adoption. Tempting but my felines would be so mad at me!

For the venue I was attending, the parking was fairly adequate (since I arrived early) but since they knew 80+ people would be there I was very disappointed that they didn't arrange to have one or more food trucks there for those who came straight from work and would be there for 3+ hours. Seating was uncomfortable and people broke their drinking glass because there wasn't any safe, stable place to put their drinks. It was nice that they allowed the venue to be held there to bring in more business, but they really need to plan a little more (maybe with the event people), provide a few tables for the events it allows in the back area or perhaps invest in better seating.

I'm always super excited to come here. Big boss is definitely my favorite brewery in Raleigh. The atmosphere is great, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and most importantly, the beer is great. Recently, I had the pecan bourbon ale (correct me if I'm wrong on the name) and oooomg was it good. The taproom is big with lots of tables, so there's room for everyone. With a projector playing popular sports and a bunch of games (including darts), it's hard to get bored here. They typically have food trucks and quite a few take out restaurants deliver. The outside is light with pretty little lights and there are picnic tables that make it great for good weather.

With staples and rotating drafts, there's something for everyone. Would highly recommend!

It was an open airy place, had a game room, outdoor and indoor seating! Beer was really good.... Kid and let friendly... Good truck out front.
Will definitely visit again....