Big Grove Brewery | Iowa City, IA
Beer Trip: Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City, Iowa
We typically only highlight a brewery’s original location (which happens to be in Solon, Iowa in the case of Big Grove Brewery) - but after some research, it appears that the facility in Iowa City has since shifted to becoming the primary location (so it passed our test)! During our one-night stay in town, we were able to spend a few hours checking out the Big Grove facility and sampling several of its offerings.
The Brewery
Really neat mural on one of their tanks outside
Big Grove is known as one of the larger distributors in Iowa. With its brewery production area, huge taproom, several reservable spaces, and massive outdoor patio, its facility matches its capabilities. While all of this was shut down due to cold weather during our visit, the outside space features its own bar, tons of picnic tables, cornhole boards, and multiple children’s areas to keep the littles occupied.
They even had three igloos set up with couches, TVs, and heaters so people could enjoy the place all throughout the winter months. The indoor space is equally as impressive, with 20-foot high ceilings throughout and table seating as far as the eye can see. They have a huge, 25+-person bar that occupies part of the room and you will find tons of TVs spread about, perfect to accommodate a large sporting event. It was a lot of fun visiting during the holidays and seeing the facility decorated accordingly, including Santa hats on their tap handles.
Festive holiday taps
More fun murals and seasonal decor
Igloo options for the holidays
Beautiful views outside the large window
An amazing outdoor space for a warmer day
More outdoor seating
The Beer
Having visited many parts of Iowa, we came in already familiar with most of their flagship offerings. What was surprising, though, was that they had over 25 different beers on the menu! About half the menu is made up of various IPAs and the other half includes sours, wheats, an amber, brown, and multiple American lagers among others. One thing we noticed was that many of the beers were named Eddy or Ed, so we decided to ask who that was. Come to find out, it’s not a person at all - but is actually an “eddy” of a stream because Big Grove is big on being eco-friendly, both at the brewery and through their grant program that donates to local organizations focusing on the environment, equality, and community involvement.
Their hazy IPA, Easy Eddy, is the top-selling IPA in the entire state of Iowa, offering a nice citrus, crushable taste. Another flagship brew at Big Grove is the Arms Race, which happens to be Chris’s favorite that they offer. This American pale ale also has a citrus flavor but finishes with a subtle bitterness. Don’t get it wrong - they don’t only brew good pale ales - we also want to make note of their Dunkel. While this is just a seasonal offering, it provides the perfect amount of roast and is somewhat light for a Dunkel, meaning you could drink several without feeling full.
Food, Merch, & More
Some of the coolest merch we’ve come across!
Big Grove has a lot more to offer than just good beer, as they are also a full restaurant with tons of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and a nice selection of mac ‘n cheeses. Additionally, they serve a full cocktail menu, seltzers, and their own line of cannabis-infused sparkling water called Climbing Kites.
Merchandise is always a big thing with us, and Big Grove does that as well as anybody out there with an entire section and checkout counter dedicated to just that. They have everything from hats and shirts to signage, glassware, and to-go beer. Fortunately for us, we were even able to purchase one of their tap handles to go with our collection.
Big Grove has grown its business with a focus on beer and community, and both of these were made obvious during our visit. This place should be on everyone’s brewery list in the eastern Iowa area, and we can’t wait to return.
Cheers!
More merch, including some awesome neon signs
