Big Al Brewing

I am diggin' it Big Al!

Housed in a rather drab metal building in a sort of sketchy part of Seattle (air bnb geniuses here said "ah we'll just walk the 1.5 miles to Big Al's and should make it back before dark!....we did make it back, at dusk, walking briskly).

Big Al's is all about the beer. VERY Good stuff for sure. Locals lined the bar and outdoor seating area mid-week. Service was immediate friendly and helpful - the beer, just lovely.

The IPA rocked, I wish I could make anything so good.

Big Al's gets it right.  Hoping to return sometime soon to get the rest of the story.

Not a bad brewery. It is located in an interesting neighborhood, definitely south Seattle. There is a lot of outside space to sit at during nice weather. The inside bar is small but there is also a large space upstairs.

The beers were pretty good here! I had a winter warmer which was a darker beer but wasn't too heavy. They'll let you sample a brew before committing to it. They also offer snacks like peanuts. Overall, a good stop!

Since we moved to Seattle, we have been busy checking out local breweries and wineries to find our favorites.  

We are looking for: good beer, fun atmosphere, patio, and friendly staff!  This place nails it on all fronts!  Added bonus for you Yelpers- $5 for a flight of beer (normally $10).

The beer is good, I particularly enjoyed the ipa, my husband the Amber.  The place has a great vibe and is really laid back, they have a nice patio, and friendly staff.

The biggest bonus for me is its location, tucked away on a quiet street in white center, super close to west Seattle!

I'm a solid Ballard brewery fan so coming to Big Al brings along my bias for the some of the finest breweries in the Seattle area.  

Big Al is laid back and at first glance reminds me of a dive bar when you enter the brewery.  A bunch of the regulars are on all the bar stools so you have to navigate to the side of the bar to make your order.  I of course got there IPA and I wasn't disappointed.  

We then walked outside and there's about 4-5 tables with umbrellas where you can enjoy your brew.  We sat and watched a few of the regulars pitching 3" washers in some kind of pitch the washer game.

Nice if your in the Burien area to have a brewery and I enjoyed my brief time there.  That said, this isn't the best IPA I've had compared to some of the best in Ballard, but I definitely enjoyed the laid back atmosphere.

WHAT!!!!!!!?

Closed? Why? Why, Big Al, why?

So... No more Big Hoppa - EVER?

Say it ain't so.

Beer is fairly decent; after an entire mini vacay full of taster flights, I just couldn't stomach the idea of another one. My gracious West Seattle host ordered a guest cider, and I opted for the house IPA. Both were so-so.

The best part about this place was the kindness of the staff, patrons, and the Tuk Tuk food truck outside. My GWSH was looking for a small snack to accompany our libations, and through its generator difficulties, Tuk Tuk hooked us up!

Definitely a neat neighborhood hang. For sure I'll be begging my GWSH to drag me back here :)

Bart stools. They're hit or miss.

Walk into Big Al's and everything you need to know can be learned from the bar stools. Not too heavy, not too lightweight, they're chunky, they're cozy, and there are TONS of 'em!

Norm from Cheers would relocate to Big Al's if he knew what was good for him. This small yet popular local brewery is spacious yet comfy. Lots of regulars, lots of people visiting and trying out new beers... Al's has it all. Even an outdoor patio!

After tasting a few of their beers at local bars and restaurants around  town (Tutta Bella carries a specialty brew of theirs!) I popped in here one day to check out where 'the magic happens.' Sometimes they host events here as well. I'll have to come back with a handful of friends. More people need to know about Al's!

You gotta love well-made beer put out by a guy who sincerely and unironically believes that beer can change the world by bringing people together. Jano Brown is doing great things in White Center.

First off, the beer is what matters. Big Al pours in several places all over town, but small batches, prototypes, tweaked recipes, and that kind of stuff are a lot more likely to show up here than at a commercial account. The regular lineup pours here as well.

Upstairs there's a comfortable little tasting room, and the downstairs bar area has a few stools. It's a friendly neighborhood hang, and there's plenty of good food (especially Asian) nearby. There's not a ton of ambiance here, it's not exactly a full-on bar. But the beer is selling well and, much though it will suck for White Center, Big Al will probably outgrow this place before too much longer. Get in on the fun.

If there was more to do here (TVs, pool, food, etc.), BA would easily merit five stars.

I am so sick of going to breweries that are "Seattle favorites" just because they have one good beer and a bunch of classic, just ok beers.  This is not the case with Big Al Brewing...these guys are the kings of adventure brewing.    They do for beer what Trophy does for cupcakes.  When we went they had  a Belgian Brown, Watermelon Sour and a Smoked Porter.  Though the Porter has a little too much smoke for me, I really appreciate what they are doing.  They also have classic brews such as a Pale, an IPA and an Amber.  My favorite was the IPA!!!  The seasonal Irish Ale was also excellent.

What is even more amazing about this place is the atmosphere.  There is a tasting room downstairs and a living room style area upstairs.  The upstairs has couches, a large TV, games and darts.  You feel like you are at a friend's house (with better beer).  The staff makes you feel very welcome and they love to answer questions about their product (Thanks Micah!).  You can tell they love what they do and they are good at it!

Don't let the location fool you.  This place is a hidden gem.  I frequented this place back when it was Pacific Rim Brewing, and it's still awesome in it's new incarnation.

I had a Belgian Tripel there this weekend that was really tasty.

It seems to be a very low-key place, and I hung out for a bit waiting for a buddy of mine to show up.  It looked like they were setting up the small stage outside for some live music.

From what I'm told, they also are happy to provide tips to home-brewers, and have some information for that on their webpage.

My favorite burger place (Zippy's) is a couple blocks down the street, so next time I'll be grabbing a burger on my way over.