Big Boss Beer Tour

To start off, I Love going to functions that are right in my own city. It makes me feel more American for some reason and this brewing company is certainly that. So, over the weekend a friend mentioned that a local craft brewery was hosting a free tour of their facility. I said, "oh really why is that fun?" My friend replied in kind that the first 3 pints of beer would be a 1.00 a piece and I said, "What time does it start?". So we gathered up some friends and headed out to Big Boss Brewery off of Atlantic Ave in Raleigh NC. Normally when small businesses hold these sort of open houses its a small turn out. When we arrived there was a line out the door reaching to the main road. I got excited because no one lines up for crappy beer unless your are a marine stuck out in the Philippines.

As I was waiting patiently in line I chatted with a guy getting ready to stamp hands to omit people in the brewery. So to pass the time I asked him about Big Boss brewery. He answered my question in kind and I was a bit shocked that he was nice about speaking about it. I'm sure he gets asked the question over and over again but he came across like a stand up guy. To me it reflected well of the company. He went on to say that Big Boss Brewing Company was started in 2006 mainly by a guy named Geoff Lamb and a brew master named Brad Wynn. They started off small in the triangle getting stores to carry their beer just by randomly asking them to. With a lot of work, passion and persistence Big Boss started to take off and make a name for itself.

So are hands were stamped and we were finally omitted inside the doors. We paid our 1.00 beer pint tickets and began tasting. They had a nice little set up in the corner with three beers to choose from. The beers were, Angry Angel, Bad Penney, and Blanco Diable. Turns out I was a big fan of Angry Angel. My friend who was familiar with Big Boss said that was a trendy pick and that he preferred Bad Penny. He is an elitist and won't admit that was his favorite when he started. Our other friends loaded up on the Blanco Diablo which is a seasonal brew that tasted like a harvested orange in a bottle.

As the tour began to start I had knocked back 3 Angry Angels in a row because that's how I roll. SO I drank all my 1.00 pint tickets and had to buy more for 3.00 a piece this time for a pint. Still a great deal so I wasn't complaining. So the tour began with a lot of talk about the steeping, pitching the yeast, fermenting process and the bottling. I was lost. I have no idea what a brewery does to make beer. Apparently I wasn't the only one and when the guy started talking about the fermenting process one of the sales reps took notice of the confusion and said in a caring but sarcastic voice, "It'll get you drunk". We applauded. I was also glad to hear they sterilize all the bottles that come into their brewery so rest assured you are drinking cared quality.

The Big Boss tour was a great experience. I can't say I remembered everything I learned on the tour but I did come out liking two new craft beers that were made in my own city. All in all these guys are passionate about their product and are always moving beer out the door. For those of you who are curious about Big Boss they do have a tasting lounge atop of their ware house (check their website for times). The lounge is a nice laid back place for all you people who like craft beer who hate trendy fads. In the end, the beer goes down well and leaves a lovely buzz after minimal consumption (Be careful with angry Angel ;). Check it out if you are local or just passing through. Cheers.