First time at the this brewery, we stopped in with our Pub Pass Passport. The Cabin Daze IPA was delicious and pretty darn smooth for an IPA. They had NA offerings, pizza from QC pizza, and a few snack options. Plenty of seating and the service was great. The vibe was warm, cozy and very welcoming as well. We'll be back in the summer to check out their dog friendly patio. read more

See all

Enjoyed our pub pass stop at this new location. The staff was super helpful in helping me choose the right beer for me and Husband. I chose Jack Savage for myself and Krolsch for hubby. Both were perfect picks. We enjoyed them on the patio with our temp foster pup, Blitz. The DJ was turning 80s music and we were enjoyed a beautiful evening. Blitz was making tons of friends. Great stop and nice setting to enjoy a cold brew. We thought about getting a pizza to enjoy at our picnic table (which is allowed) but we opted to pick a pizza up on our way home. Great music. We will be back. read more

See all

Relaxed brewery in vadnais heights. We stopped in on a Sunday night and there were a few groups hanging out. We sat up at the bar and found the service to be nice. I got the sour and others I was with got the IPA. Overall nothing special but a chill place to hangout and meet for a beer. read more

Big Wood Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

See all

Offset location near the water. Has a big patio, where you can relax or play games. Inside is spacious and decorated with the mat woodland vibe. Staff were incredibly friendly and ready at the bar for orders, servers were also available for outdoor seating. Their menu is great as well, the pizza from QC was an added bonus. Our drinks were tasty and their beer flights are a great option. They have a big parking lot that was just expanded and redone for ample parking. read more

Big Wood Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

Fun place to hang outside and take in some lake views. There's plenty of drinks to choose from and seating indoors and out. It is dog friendly, which I love! Not many food options, so bring your own and enjoy the brews! There was always plenty of employees to help take plates and cups out of your way. read more

Finally got to check out the new location from this brewery after it moved out of WBL. The beer is still very tasty but the location gives it more room to spread out. On this particular day they were hosting a private retirement party outside but there were other places to rest and sit outside with umbrellas that angle to one side to protect you from the strong sun. I also want to say that the staff is phenomenal...they went around a bunch to check up on us and take our order while we were chilling outside. Come Fall '24 - I hope they do some truck tv Viking watch parties like they did at the other location. read more

Big Wood Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

Got in right after open on Saturday. Big shoot out to Jamey for the recommendations and conversation. Great view of the brew tanks and solid bar. Outside was all set up for wood fires. Fun place to hang out and spend time with friends. Great pizza and beer! read more

Big Wood Brewery - Pepperoni & Wisconsin Cheese Curd QC Pizza - Take & Bake - Breweries Near Me - Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

Nestled in downtown White Bear Lake is Big Wood Brewery. A large building with a beautiful brick facade provides a welcoming entryway into a taproom full of community members coming off of work, regulars, and those visiting from across the state. They offer a flight of five beers so I made sure to fill it out with a variety of their offerings. Sour Bastard: A Gose sour with a pleasant tartness and hints of salt and coriander. A slight haze in the glass with a crisp and dry finish. Cabin Daze: A New England Hazy IPA full of Citra. Plenty of citrus and tropical fruit flavors / aromas. Medium-full body, but not too heavy. Wheat Bear Lake: A Wheat Beer with additions of lemongrass and ginger. Medium-high lemongrass / ginger flavor, aroma adds in some low levels of banana and coriander. For the complexity of flavors it does not become overwhelming on the palate which is impressive. Amigo Grande: A traditional Mexican Lager that is crisp and clean with a low malt flavor with hints of corn. Very low levels of sweetness. Refreshing on the hot summer days MN has been having. Drevo Dark: A Czech Dark Lager with a malt-forward profile. Very low hints of earthy/spicy hops, but the focus is on the toasted bread / roasty malts. read more

See all

Visited the new location last night. Really not impressed and I hate saying that. The building looks like a strip mall. Inside looks like stained particle board on the wall. Outside is an uneven gravel yard area with tables. The outside area is fenced in and on the other side of the fence is rolled up grass rugs, random scrap, looks unfinished and confusing. Had a hard seltzer that was good, the beer flight was not great. This sucks as it's so close to home, but I would have no reason to go back. read more

As cramped as the old space was, it had character and charm; the new space lacks both. Inside is a generic, dark bar setup, and the outside "patio" needs a bunch of TLC. Uneven gravel, extremely uncomfortable stools, and a tent that traps every last drop of heat and humidity. The beer was fine; some of ours were better than others, but there's good variety. My wife loved the mango seltzer float. We also shared a pretzel; also fine. read more

I stopped in for the grand opening today....so did everyone else in the metro!! It was BUSY.... good for them!! They have a small parking lot...but cars are able to park around the edges and unlike the WBL tap room, street parking is plenty!! The tables are mostly high top. There is some seating along the wall w a narrow bar. the bar is a big oval so space is plenty and great to see all around. Apparently there's a downstairs, the bathrooms are there. Due to the busyness I didn't attempt to venture down there. When I asked a beertender if that's where the bathrooms were? She said yes or there's an ADA bathroom along the front wall. That's the one I headed to. There were six people slanging beers so they were on top of it and when people were lined up they just gave a shout for who was next, it worked smoothly! The opening day tap list wasn't overwhelming but great coverage for all the palates. I opted for a Cocoa Vanilla Creme Ale at a reasonable 6.2%. The brew house is on the north wall of the building and visible from pretty much anywhere in the tap room. There was a small room w a curtain, that was open....maybe for those that want a little more intimate gathering. I hope Big Wood does well here. I've been looking forward to this location opening since I saw the banner. I got a kick out of one beertender's shirt; it read "best brewery in Vadnais Heights" ha. Congrats Big Wood on having quite the crowd at your 2:00 grand opening. Cheers read more

See all

We've been here a couple of times and the beer is pretty good. Both times we ended up parked on the street and we walked through the awesome alleyway/courtyard to get back to the brewery. There's actually a parking lot to park in back by the door. It's a small place with only high-top tables inside but a decent amount of tables outside. Service was good both times. Their beer may not have fancy flourishes but the styles are solid and well-done (and I like some of the names). Their Lil Red Riding Wood is a delicious red ale, very malty and smoothe. The Amigo Grande was a really delicious Mexican-style lager, very refreshing. I'm not a huge fan of hoppy beers, but Cabin Daze (a fruit-forward hazy IPA) and Jack Savage (a balanced APA) were both very tasty and not overly hopped. We even got some beer to take back with us because it was so good. It was lovely to find some tasty beer here in White Bear Lake. We'll definitely be back. read more

Was in Ramsey County for dinner in White Bear Lake and had time to stop and have a beer at this gem in the heart of the city. Decorated in classic wood, rustic and a ton of fun this place has a relaxed and casual feel. The beer is brewed on site and comes in your standard styles. Known for their stout, IPA's, morning wood (try not to smirk) and my favorite the Mexican Lager their beer is good and it is an environment you can chill and play a game with friends. They have live music occasionally and have a back room with games where the beer is brewed. Can't wait to come back read more

See all

Big Wood Brewery was great! We sat outside because we had a dog with us and it was very pet friendly. There were a few tables outside on the patio, but also plenty of seating inside too. It was packed on a Friday night though so I would get there early to find a spot. There is a big parking lot at the entrance of the brewery, otherwise you might be able to find street parking. It was all very German themed (based on the beers and atmosphere) which was unique from some of the other breweries I have been to. Overall the beer was good and I would recommend! read more

We visited the new location today in Vadnais Heights. They are no longer at the white bear lake location due to state liquor license rules. It's still a work in progress. It'll be a lot lighter and more room here. It was pretty busy this afternoon. They just had one bathroom, I didn't ask if they'd have more, but hopefully?!. They have a jukebox that you can purchase music to play but it was pretty loud with all the people so I couldn't hear my music selections. Probably better to just chat any way. We had a great time without kids and learned to play cribbage. We like it here and I like the beer, we'll be back. There will probably be a pretty nice patio. People were outside today but I didn't check it out. read more

It was a bit hard to find. You go behind the event center, so it's in back of the building. The place is a bit cramped when you first walk in, but there is a whole other room to sit, if you go back past the bar. That area was spacious and quiet since people didn't know about it. They offer flights but they are predetermined here, see pics. The guys were nice offering me samples if needed. If in the area might stop in again. read more

See all

Big Wood is a nice brewery located in White Bear Lake. It was difficult to find the entrance if you come through the front, but once you wonder through the garden you'll eventually get there. There is seating inside and outside and it was very cozy with large wooden seats. The beer selection isn't the largest, but it was a decent variety. I had a lemongrass beer that was good, and I also tried a blood orange one that I like better. They had some pretzels to purchase as snacks as well. Service was fast and friendly. The crowd was a bit more on the older side and people were smoking on the patio which wasn't the best when trying to enjoy a beer. It wasn't bad, wouldn't go out of my way to go, but if I'm the area and in need of a beer it's not a bad place. read more

Big Wood Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

See all

After a long hike and our summer time day you need 66 characters review Lisa's great so that's what I had to say read more

Big Wood Brewery - Gr8 fine! - Breweries Near Me - Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

Being the stop #55 on the quest of visiting every brewery in Minnesota, Big Wood Brewery welcomed us as a cozy cabin in the woods (except the woods were White Bear Lake downtown). However, the space inside would really have you believe you're far from civilization, lost, and ready to cozy up by the fire with a fluffy blanket. The old fashioned rustic decor goes perfectly hand in hand with the cabin theme; the entire tap room carved out of light wooden logs, small windows letting in just enough natural light, and colorful fairy lights enhancing the atmosphere of a comfortable, local pub. Now, as cozy and adorable as this place is, we were not locals and not familiar with "how things work around here" and so we didn't quite get any of the pleasant treatment from the bartender but instead received a couple of weird looks from the patrons. The treatment was not exactly unfriendly but just not quite as welcoming as I would like it to be. It definitely felt like we didn't belong and that's just unfortunate for anyone traveling around wanting to pop by for a quick cold beer. Not to mention that as we were quietly sipping on our beers in the corner, we witnessed a drunk patron trying to leave and about 5 or 6 of his friends trying to stop him, including the bartender....loudly yelling and fighting and making a scene.... who knew the beer came with a show. They have two pre-set flights of five - The Forager's and The Founder's. All of the offerings are available individually in standard pints or tulips. We tried both flights just to get a taste for the variety of their taps but truly, there isn't very much variety at all. Most beers are very classic and kind of boring. They have a beer called Amigo Grande which is their Mexican style lager - it tastes like a cheap, not quite as good Corona - comes with a lime, too. All in all, it was just another brewery to check off the list and I'm glad we visited. It really did feel comfy and warm as the snow started to cover up the streets outside but the attitudes inside were slightly too cold. I'm sure for a local this place is great and for people who don't want to experience anything better than basic...The beers were meh; lots of very normal options with really no special creations that you couldn't get elsewhere and so I wouldn't drive back out of my way to taste these again, especially with so many other fantastic breweries in the cities...this place just doesn't quite deserve more than 2 stars...and that's only for the decor and coziness. read more

See all

Love the back patio but the beer selection left a bit to be desired. They had live music going on which was great. We were a little bummed in the middle of summer they had no fruity beers or anything out of the ordinary. I'd come back for the ambiance but not the beer. Bartenders were very friendly! read more

The new location is quite a change from the downtown White Bear Lake location. This is an upgrade in many ways. The taproom is nicely designed with high top tables and a bar that you can sit at. The beer is good with a lot of selections. Service is good. I have been there twice since the new location opened. Both times the people working were very friendly and accommodating. On Thursdays they have been having a pizza bus on site. The pizza is actually quite good. Much of this location is still a work in progress. It will be interesting how they handle the outdoor dining. The area they will apparently use is quite a mess at this time. Parking is quite a challenge. You pretty much Just pull in and grab whatever spot is available. For customers of the previous location in downtown White Bear this will be a change as far as clientele. Both of my visits the clientele was more blue-collar than the customer base in White Bear. Nothing wrong with that just a different type of crowd. read more

I stopped by here two Saturday afternoons ago by myself for some drinks. The reason that I chose Big Wood Brewery is that I thought that they had beer and food. For whatever reason I didn't bother to double check that and just headed over. So you can imagine my disappointment, through no fault of theirs, whenever they only had the drink list. Big Wood Brewery is a little below street level and has a big U shaped bar, a seating area and an area where they were selling their merchandise. Since I was by myself on this day I decided to pull up a seat at the bar. I was immediately greeted by the bartender and found the drink menu. As I often do whenever I visit a new brewery, I went with a flight here. At Big Wood Brewery they give you the option of two predetermined flights (foragers and founders) each for $12. I ultimately decided on the foragers which consisted of northern belle (saison), dr azacca (single hop pale ale), weissenheimer (German hefeweizen), big black wolf (black IPA) and Wheat bear lake (lemongrass ginger wheat Ale). Whenever I first tried the saison, I had to check to see if I had ordered the other flight as it didn't taste like any saison I have ever had before. It tasted more like a lager or even a kolsch. Thankfully the rest of their beers got better from there and all tasted like their respective types. Out of the bunch the dr azacca was easily my favorite. They seemed to have coaxed a wonderful flavor out of the azacca hop while keeping the beer at a reasonable ABV. A distant second favorite was the Wheat Bear Lake as I think they nailed their lemongrass and ginger flavorings for it. The bottom line for me is that i would stop by here again in the future. I am not sure what was up with the saison (wrong beer maybe?) but I did enjoy the rest! read more

Big Wood Brewery - Foragers flight - Breweries Near Me - Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

See all

Loud, terribly crowded, only food available is bar pizza and giant pretzels. Will not go back.

Great new space for Big Wood Brewery, and solid beer to match! It's a bit higher price for a pint versus other breweries, but I imagine other breweries will soon follow suit. read more

Highly recommend! Beth was a great bartender and took very good care of us! Can't wait to go back!

Stopped by here with friends prior to supper on a Sunday evening. (need reservations fyi) Had seating around bonfires out front, which added to the rustic cabin vibe. We sat inside and enjoyed the cabin themed charm and good beer! The Dr. Azacca was very good and one you can enjoy several times over. Hoppy and fresh tasting, but not bitter. read more

Big Wood Brewery - Dr. Azacca Pale Ale - Breweries Near Me - Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

First time ever in White Bear Lake (Go Bears! from the movie Fargo). I parked on street and walked along this beautiful garden that also had fairies and a train set. I tried their light beer and Octimberfest. I bought a pint of Octimberfest. I also tried the Hefeweizen but didn't like it. The beertender working was really nice. The newest Growler magazine was in for October so that was great. White Bear Lake seemed like a nice city and the downtown looked fun. Maybe venture back some Saturday when I need something to do. With bad traffic took an hour to get to from Burnsville. read more

Bartender lacked customer service. He carded me which is fine but found it ok to say my license picture was "a bit rough" I shot back that it would be just as rough as his tip. Completely unnecessary comments. Beer was ok. Definitely would not return based on service alone. read more

Nice brewery in White Bear Lake! Fun place to enjoy a Nitro Utter Stout! Delicious, like a Guinness! Rustic, warm atmosphere in the brewery, I loved the "wood" everywhere. The lighting over the bar are growlers with the bottoms lopped off (with a few of our fav breweries represented). Beautiful old building...it was an adventure to find the entrance (luckily we can read). I feel like a WBLaker since we have been here! Thank you to BIg Wood Brewery for the $2 off with the Yelp app! Your Nitro Utter Stout was a thing of beauty! read more

See all

This is a unique taproom in White Bear Lake. Partially below ground, with a lot of rough wood and exposed brick which all gives it a "speakeasy"feel. Lights over the bar are made of growlers from various tap rooms. Several smaller rooms branch off the main bar area, offering more seating and ping pong. There is also some outdoor seating. Nice variety of beer - 10 on tap the night I was there. read more

Big Wood Brewery - Nice interior - Breweries Near Me - Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

Big Wood is a great place to hang out and have a cole beer. Beth the Beertender is awesome. I make sure to go by whenever I'm in town.

What a great place to hang and enjoy a brew! Beth was top notch. BWB is a great place for a HH or gathering of friends.

Not very familiar with craft beer. Lisa behind the bar nailed it, helped me find exactly what I needed. Top tier experience.

Love their Beer. Nice rotation. Lisa the beertender is awesome. Always greets with smile. Pours a beautiful beer!!!

Great place, really nice location, nice facility. Beer is good also, HA! It's all really good, not a hop head so I get a little limited selection. I can't get over the location, it is so nice. Hidden almost in downtown White Bear Lake, and if you need something a little harder, there is The Alchemist on the front side of the building. read more

I stopped in for a beer after work the other day and I had a great time. Beth was so helpful and gave great suggestions for which beers to try! I will definitely be back!! read more

If you haven't been to Big Wood Brewery, it's a must visit in historic downtown White Bear Lake. The vibe and atmosphere is awesome and the staff is incredible. Lisa is always quick to greet us with a smile and provides us with outstanding service. I gotta say, I'm partial to their Kölsch and Dreyvo, but some of their standards--like their Fine IPA and Jack Savage EPA are equally good. I highly recommend stopping by Big Wood Brewery if you're ever in the area! read more

We stopped at Big Wood to kick off date night and ordered Flight 1. We got there around 7:00 and it was about half full on a nice Friday night. The inside is pretty plain, just tables and a bar, lots of wood, a game room in the back, and a small patio as you come in. I know there are licensing issues with serving food, but it would be nice if they had some. I don't know how much it takes to be able to serve food, maybe it's not worth it, but a few other local breweries have gotten past it and I can see why. The beer was pretty good, and a nice variety of flavors. My wife, who hates beer, even found one or two she liked. My favorites were Jack Savage (Pale Ale) and Morning Wood (Coffee Stout). There wasn't a super star among the bunch for me but also nothing that I did not like. It was a fun atmosphere and it's great having a local brewery right in downtown WBL so I will be back and continue to pick it up at the store to share with friends and family. read more

Big Wood Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Vadnais Heights, Minnesota

Love the interior and atmosphere. Bartender was friendly. Beer affordable. Von Hansen's flavored pretzels for 3.00 are a nice snack. JukeBox can rock your favorite tunes. They have games available and a small patio space. The beer was just okay for me but I'm sure it changes up from time to time. Would go back but not because I am in love with the beer. read more

I haven't tried a beer here that I don't like. Fantastic service and cozy atmosphere.