Big Draft Brewing creates big impact

What’s the hippest, coolest, most impressive brewery/restaurant/entertainment complex in West Virginia? It’s Big Draft Brewing for the win. Now one year old, this brewery is West Virginia’s best example of local craft beer flexing its economic and community development muscle—using its magic to turn night into day.

The brewery has led the transformation of downtown White Sulphur Springs from a windows-boarded-up Main Street to a must-visit and must-hangout-there hot spot. The town, once known for being the sleepy little burg sitting next door to fancy The Greenbrier resort, is today itself a destination for great beer, food, and live music — thanks to Big Draft Brewing.

The West Virginia Beer Roads team made a visit to Big Draft to talk with the brewers and owners about their winning concept. We think you’ll be as impressed as we were with the success they’ve achieved. Founding partners David Bostic, Clay Elkins, and J.W. Groseclose, along with head brewer Dave Barron, are leading a charge that may not stop at the town borders but may, before long, appear in other towns and communities of our state.

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One fine brewery, two music venues, and three restaurants

Their Cross Creek On Main indoor music venue has already hosted many popular acts, including top-line entertainers like Arlo McKinley and Joslyn & The Sweet Compression; their outdoor beer garden stage hosts summertime music at the brewery, including the recent three-day Dry Creek Music & Arts Festival, which attracted 2,500 people. The three restaurants include their Big Draft Taproom which features a classy dinner & lunch menu led by professional chefs; the soon to open Big Draft Bistro, with its menu of sandwiches, pizza, and lighter fare; and the popular, highly-rated Road Hog’s Barbeque, which sits next door.

15 beers on the tap list

You’ll find classic ales and lagers along with newer styles like the sour Raspberry Bellini Berliner Weisse. The beer menu is tilted towards drinkability with no beer higher than 7.5% ABV. Foreman Blue Collar American Lager is their consistent best seller. Their 15 taps have remained pretty consistent since they were filled up with Big Draft brews. J.W. says he’d like to have made 40 different beers, but as they originally added beer to the menu, each one attracted such a passionate following among regulars that they hated to take it off to add another — so he just kept rebrewing them. Canning began this month, and you should soon find cans of most everything they brew for sale in the taproom.

LINKS

Brewery Website
Cross Creek On Main music venue
Original Big Draft article from July 2021 on Brilliant Stream
Road Hog’s Barbeque