USA, FL: Big Top Brewery aiming for early August launch in Pensacola

Adding to the growing list of restaurants and bars opening in downtown Pensacola this summer is Sarasota-based Big Top Brewery, which will bring a brewery and restaurant downtown in early August, the Pensacola News Journal reported on June 14.

Founded in 2013, Big Top is taking over the old Taco Mez location on 21 West Romana Street, marking the company's second brewery/restaurant location. CEO Mike Bisaha said he chose to rent here mainly because the downtown Pensacola culture reminds him of Sarasota's.

"We've been distributing our beer in Pensacola for about two years now, and we've always loved the town," Bisaha said. "We love the buildings that are over 100 years old; it reminds us of our downtown and a lot of our history. Craft beer's really starting to explode in the Pensacola area, and we feel like we have something to contribute."

Big Top is known for its outside-of-the-box beer flavors like Chocolate Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter and Jelly and Honey Jalapeño. Big Top also pays tribute to Sarasota's historical associations with The Ringling Circus with the Trapeze Monk Belgian Wit and the Circus City IPA. The company's logo is circus inspired as well.

"I'm confident that the styles that we're going to bring up there are a little different and not ordinary to what people are accustomed to from their local brewers," Bisaha said.

The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner and serve deli sandwiches, flatbreads, pizzas, wings and more. Bisaha said it's a safe bet that Big Top will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and close even later from Friday-Sunday.

The exposed brewing tanks will be on the main floor of the restaurant where customers can chat with Big Top brewers and ask questions. Bisaha expects to house a dimly lit ambiance with lots of art on the walls.

"When you walk into our brewery (in Sarasota) it's very, very dark. The tables are made of old railroad ties, there's old Edison bulbs. We'll have a really similar, historical theme running through (Pensacola)," Bisaha said. "Pensacola is obviously a very old town as well so we'll try to represent that as much as possible.

Bisaha said Big Top's already forged solid relationships with other local breweries, including Perfect Plain. The two even committed to collaborate on a beer soon.

The brewery CEO said he's looking forward to becoming a community partner in Pensacola and giving back to local charities, something he and his company have done in Sarasota for years.

One drive the Sarasota brewery does each summer centers around their Peanut Butter and Jelly Pale Ale where they reward people who donate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the local food bank with a free bottle of the beer. The brewery will chase similar charitable endeavors in Pensacola.

"As far as working with the community and charities and things that matter, that's exactly what we're known for, and that's something we'll transition into the Pensacola market," Bisaha said.

E-malt.com, the global information source for the brewing and malting industry professionals. The bi-weekly E-malt.com Newsletters feature latest industry news, statistics in graphs and tables, world barley and malt prices, and other relevant information. Click here to get full access to E-malt.com. If you are a Castle Malting client, you can get free access to E-malt.com website and publications. Contact us for more information at marketing@castlemalting.com .