Big Time Brewery

This Week’s AveEater: Tim

Stalwart, tried and true, this high-ceilinged beer-brewing joint on the Ave serves OK pub food!  Damning with faint praise?  Perhaps, but the Big Time Brewery is pretty great even with its underwhelming food.  Unlike the College Inn Pub – with its underground covert ambiance – the Big Time has 12’ east facing windows and boisterous laughter bouncing off cavernous wooden walls.  While the food is not as tasty as the CIP, it’s also not as guilt-inducing.  Because I am a seasoned Ave eater, I’ve figured out exactly what to eat there: go for the baked potato!  Pizza and sandwiches are passable, but may disappoint. But, hey, you can’t really mess up a spud.  The chili is also good.  Try them together!

Service:  You go up to the guy at the east window and order.  They take your name and call it out when your food is ready.  You come to the south window and pick it up.  No table service, but you don’t necessarily have to buss your own after you are done.

Ambiance: It’s a big place.  There’s a large section up front where folks under 21 years old are welcome.  College students come here to chat and decompress.  They have real good beer, mostly all made on-site. I like the Scarlett Fire and the Sunbreak Blond.

Cleanliness: Good.  Never noticed anything nasty.

Colon consequences: Uneventful.  Beer can make you farty.

Originality/surprises:  The smell of hops for blocks!  Broccoli on your baked potato!  Belgian style fries! Booths in the back provide the most privacy.  Table Shuffleboard is gone these days, so patrons can only play mind games now.  With its impressive square footage, the Big Time is also great for large parties.

Taste: OK to good, healthy for the most part – if a bit uninspired.  The Cascade sandwich with guacamole and turkey comes with chips and is pretty good if you are not in the mood for something warm.  But you might be able to make it better or more interesting at home.  Check the chalk board for some weekly specials.  Marion’s Clam Chowder is good; give it a shot if you see it on the board.  Mike’s had the pizza and says, “It’s perfectly adequate.”

Ave Factor:  Not divey, but definitely an Ave workhorse since 1988.  It’s packed in there during late afternoons and evenings.  Plenty of carvings to be found on the various wooden surfaces.

Fine Ales indeed