Big Beach Brewing Company is the First Craft Brewery and Taproom in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Moving from a major metropolitan area to the Gulf Coast of Alabama required some sacrifices — (hee-hee). No, seriously!
We only have one craft brewery. That’s Big Beach Brewing Company and we’re grateful to have ‘Alabama’s Southernmost Brewery’ just a short drive or bike ride from our home base. Big Beach Brewing Company, 300 E. 24th Ave. Gulf Shores, AL, features a 10-barrel brewing system that is dedicated to brewing IPAs, Stouts, Cream Ales, and Belgian-style beers. With six fermenters, up to 12 beers are on tap at any given time from tank to draught lines that bring the beers straight to the open-air taproom for the freshest beer available.
We love this open-air taproom with views of the brewing process behind large windows. The lawn with swings, Adirondack chairs, tables, grass/sand, Live Oaks, and ample space provides an inviting atmosphere removed from the busier beachfront settings where tourists flock. But it’s not far removed from popular places to eat or spend time with family and friends.
We’ve enjoyed some top-notch live music with artists such as Grayson Capps, the Red Stray Clays, and other local or nationally-recognized musicians.
Bring your food or order delivery when a food truck is not around. This craft brewery doesn’t have a kitchen but they don’t frown on ordering something in.
Opened in October 2016, Jim and Julie Shamburger shifted from learning to create small batches of beer under their stilt house in Orange Beach, Alabama, to become the first craft brewing operation in the southernmost part of Alabama.
Big Beach sells caps, shirts, dog collars, and other items. And you can purchase growlers to take home after your visit.
As locals or tourists in our hometown, we don’t feel intimidated by the staff or the regulars. It’s a safe place for solo female travelers or others who want to sample beers in a friendly location.
Once you’ve sampled all the beer and collected a few trinkets, head out to explore the area. There is so much to see and do. Farm-to-table dining experiences, fresh seafood, great people, and the sugar sand beaches are the reasons people travel from all over the country and even the world to vacation in this coastal paradise on Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
Ten years ago, when visiting Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, if you wanted a good craft beer you headed to the local grocery store to see what was available in cans or bottles, or you plotted a course to Pensacola, Florida, or Mobile, Alabama. There were also plenty of restaurants and bars with craft beer on tap or in bottles.
Beach Houses, Condos, and Camping
If you’re visiting Alabama’s Gulf Coast you’ll need a place to stay unless you have friends or family with space for guests.
When people aren’t staying with us, we direct them to book with Brett-Robinson, Meyer Vacation Rentals, or Beachball Properties. These property management companies offer everything from beachfront houses and condos to near beach or lagoon and canal properties to suit your parties’ needs. Or you can book directly through hotels, condos, or VRBO to find the perfect accommodation for your budget.
And, if you’re traveling by RV or want to camp in a tent or van, check out Gulf State Park or other local sites. You’ll find everything from primitive campsites within the Gulf State Park to lakefront cabins and homes to upscale beachfront accommodations through the State of Alabama’s growing rental options.
The Lodge at Gulf State Park, a Hilton Hotel, is the newest beachfront accommodation in the State Park System and offers beachfront dining, meeting space, recreation, and an eco-friendly setting to enjoy the adjoining beach and State Park trail system. This hotel is situated between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. It was constructed with the highest levels of attention to conservation and building practices to preserve and enhance our beaches and natural wildlife habitats.
Rooms face the beaches on the Gulf of Mexico or offer a view of the Alabama State Fishing Pier. Please note, that the fishing pier was damaged during Hurricane Sally, which delivered a direct Category 2 hit to Gulf Shores in 2020.
Even now, almost two years later, you’ll still see signs of the damage and the recovery process in both Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. Even though Hurricane Sally was a Category 2 storm, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this was a dangerous and damaging storm. It was also the first major hurricane to hit Alabama’s coastline since Hurricane Ivan in 2014. Rebuilding is a slow process and Hurricane Sally was exceptionally difficult to overcome because of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and the resulting supply chain issues and labor shortages.
Never fear, for most visitors, the impact of Hurricane Sally’s wrath was barely noticed by vacationers as rental properties quickly reopened and restaurants and shopping areas were able to provide basic services.
Almost two years later, both coastal towns continue to notice a swell in people wanting to vacation or move to the coast permanently. The growth is outpacing the available workforce, so you might find longer wait times, no vacancies, and streets that are more crowded than they were in the past.
What’s Cooking?
Once you’ve figured out where to stay, you’ll be wondering about dining options.
If you have a kitchen, kitchenette, grill, or access to a propane setup, the first thing we recommend is finding local seafood to cook on your own. Whether you catch a boatload of fresh grouper, red snapper, or other fish while charter fishing or on your boat or you buy fresh local seafood, eating in your own place is how we locals like to throw on a feast. Check out local seafood suppliers such as Billy’s Seafood Company and Aquila Seafood Inc., in Bon Secour, or Lartigue’s Original Fresh Seafood in Orange Beach. Blalock Seafood & Specialty has a location in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and Rouses Grocery Stores in both Orange Beach and Gulf Shores offer a good variety of fresh Gulf Coast Seafood if you need to pick up other items besides just the seafood.
Many local restaurants also offer “you catch it, we’ll cook it” options for those who don’t want to cook after a long day of fishing.
Ask your charter crew to prepare your catch for travel. Once at the restaurant, present the fish to the chef. Choose how you want your catch prepared, and order a few sides to round out the meal. Don’t forget to tip the charter crew for the cleaning and filleting. Also, add an extra tip for the restaurant staff to curate your special meal.
Many vacationers choose to have their catches cooked in a local restaurant rather than cooking at home for many reasons. First, if you aren’t familiar with the fish you caught, you have no idea how to season or cook to temperature safely. Let the local chefs prepare your catch to perfection. Second…if you’re tired after a long day on a boat in the sun pulling up fighting fish, you’re ready for someone else to prepare your meal for you. And most importantly, fresh seafood tastes its very best when it is cooked soon after it’s caught.
If you take your catch back to your rental, just remember to refrigerate or ice the fish properly until you are ready to cook. Ask your deck crew about how to hold the fish until you want to cook it. Our local fishermen are experts on cooking, packing, shipping, and dining options.
When you live at the beach everyone you know will ask about your favorite restaurants. Honestly, there is no easy answer to this question. We have too many restaurants that appeal to all types of food. Fresh, local seafood is almost always on the menu if you are looking for a local option, but then again, if you want an authentic Mexican or an Asian meal or even pizza, we don’t know if the seafood is locally caught.
If your group loves the beach and hates seafood or is even allergic to seafood, you’ll find that most restaurants have beef and fowl options and some even offer vegan or special menus for those with food allergies.
Lulu’s in Gulf Shores was one of the first restaurants to offer a separate kitchen and menu for those with food allergies. The special menu ensures that diners with allergies know the food is cooked and plated separately from other menu items. In other words, you won’t have to worry about the celiac diner having their meal 30 minutes before or after “regular” menu meals are delivered to the table.
Lulu’s in Gulf Shores, Alabama, is also a great place for families, large groups, and groups with children. Lulu’s offers a sandy playground near all dining areas, a gift shop, live music, boating access, and room for large group transportation to park or drop off. Did we mention that the owner, Lucy Buffett, is the famous musician, Jimmy Buffett? Everyone calls her ‘Crazy Sista.’
Bloody Mary, Mimosas, Oh My
Brick & Spoon on Canal Road in Orange Beach is one of our favorites for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Expect a wait or head to the bar if a seat is available. The service is great. and you can build your own Bloody Mary with your choice of vodkas, vegetables, herbs, seasonings, meats and cheeses, and rimmers (you know, the salty, sweet, or spicy stuff stuck to the rim of the glass?) Need we say more? It’s the perfect way to recover from all the craft beer you drank last night. Right?
Brick & Spoon has a selection of mimosas, coffees, beers, wines, and plain ol’ beverages to get you going. They also have eggs, sandwiches, sweets, and salads if you’re into that.
If you want a more laid-back option for breakfast items, might we suggest Buzzcatz Coffee & Sweets? It’s also on Canal Road in Orange Beach. They have fresh bakery items, including an amazing cinnamon roll that’s as big as your hand (or maybe the size of a newborn baby’s head if you want to get specific), and a nice selection of sweet and savory breakfast items that are baked daily or cooked to order.
Another option we also recommend is Cafe Beignets of Alabama. We like to pick up a dozen or more of these made-to-order, deep-friend donuts sprinkled in powdered sugar for an easy breakfast or brunch. They offer dine-in and you can order your beignet stuffed with fruit, custard, or plain. They are just like the ones you’ll find in New Orleans and are the perfect accompaniment with strong coffee or orange juice.
Dining and Views
If you slept past breakfast or brunch head over to The Gulf in Orange Beach. The Gulf opened in 2012 and it quickly became one of our favorite spots to eat and drink. We recommend this spot to friends.
I regret that I shared my love of this waterfront spot with views of ‘The Pass’ at Alabama Point where fishing and pleasure boats cruise by. It’s a place where palm trees sway over picnic tables. Strips of dark green sod paths make it easy to walk if you can’t handle the sand, and the restaurant/bar is built from shipping containers painted bright blue and white. Originally, the shipping container design was chosen for its portability and plans to build a more permanent structure but everyone seems to love the unique setting just the way it is.
We know we can’t take credit for making this place a success because the food, drinks, and views are amazing on their own, but we’re going to say that we told too many people and they told too many people and now our little piece of heaven is really busy. Go see for yourself. It’s worth the wait and they play vinyl LPs the way people used to listen to music.
Kids like it too. They have a yellow submarine to sit on, cornhole games, and maybe some other items we’ve missed because we’re always looking toward the water waiting for the Orange Beach Pirate Ship and Sail Wild Hearts cruises to pass by.
If you keep driving along the beach road toward Pensacola, Florida, (it’s a short drive) stop at the world-famous Flora-Bama. With daily live music, a beachfront location, bar food, and year-round entertainment year-round, you’ll be glad to say you have been there.
We also like to walk across the street to Flora-Bama Yacht Club for the chef-inspired menu of local seafood farm-to-table dishes, frozen drinks, and live music. You can also access this little piece of paradise by boat like the locals. If you feel inspired, rent a pontoon, jet ski, or other water-operated vehicles to tour around the canals.
You’ll also find Tacky Jack’s Orange Beach if you want to have a fun dining experience on the protected waterway off the beach. This is a great place for families who want to watch boats, paddleboarders, and dolphins go by as you dine on the open outdoor decks.
For a more upscale dining experience, make a reservation at Voyagers at Perdido Beach Resort or Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina for a memorable meal. Playa at Sportsmen’s Marina is another one of our favorite dining spots when we want to be a little more dressy.
GT’s on the Bay on Canal Road in Orange Beach, Alabama, OSO at Bear Point Harbor, and Luna’s Eat & Drink are also nearby.
If you are staying at The Wharf in Orange Beach, or just want to spend a day shopping and dining, you’ll find a variety of restaurants and bars to suit everyone. Villagio Grille and Ginny Lane Bar & Grill, in addition to Yoho Rum & Tacos. You can also find other good food options, or catch a movie.
If you want to eat seafood where the locals eat, head to Doc’s Seafood & Oyster Bar or Doc’s newest location Doc’s Seafood & Steaks.
But if you want steak, stay on Canal Road and look for Big Mike’s Steakhouse. It’s a chain restaurant but the ribeye is amazing. You’ll smell the wood and steaks sizzling before you get out of your car.
One place that is popular with locals and visitors alike is Sea-n-Suds in Gulf Shores. This restaurant has survived the storms and still delivers great seafood from its Gulf front location. Diners love the salad bar, raw oysters, and fried seafood selections.
Look For The Pink
And a short walk or drive away in the world-famous Pink Pony Pub. Order a basket of fries, a burger, some nachos, and a cold drink and watch the waves from the deck overlooking the public beach. Tell your friends you went to Pink Pony Pub. This place is a must-visit. Just look for the pink building on the beach.
And for many vacationers, no trip to Gulf Shores is complete without a stop at The Hangout. You’ll find views of the public beach in Gulf Shores, an extensive menu, live entertainment, and plenty of seating room for large groups. The Hangout is also home to the annual Hangout Music Festival that happens each spring bringing nationally renowned artists to the beach for four full days of music and entertainment.
Also, each fall this area of the beach is the site of the Annual Shrimp Festival. This year we celebrate the 49th Annual Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores. Expect a large turnout to sample the seafood, watch live musical acts, and shop from the hundreds of vendors who display their wares. Thousands of people head to Gulf Shores each year for the festival.
Just a little further down the beach road, you’ll find Bahama Bob’s. This is one of our favorite places in Gulf Shores on West Beach because the bartenders and wait staff are awesome. It’s a small dining establishment on the beach with great seafood.
As mentioned, Bahama Bob’s is a small establishment. I made the mistake of suggesting this place to a relative last year when he was hosting a group for the first time in Gulf Shores. The wait was more than two hours and the dining experience was sub-par in their opinion. That’s unfortunate because, again, we love this place, and except for a long wait during the busy summer season, we’re never disappointed.
Or try The Beach House Kitchen & Cocktails further down the beach road to the west side of the island. You’ll appreciate the convenience of having a full-service restaurant near your rental unit. They have live music and the food and drinks are typically pretty good.
Anyway, if you want to know more about our hometown, check back soon for the comprehensive guide we’re creating that includes our favorite things to do. If you want answers fast, just email us and ask. We’ll be as helpful as possible. Or follow us on our social channels for updates.
If you want more information about all that’s available, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism, the local destination marketing organization for the Alabama Gulf Coast, can answer your questions and steer you in the right direction.
So you see, we may only have one brewery in town, but we have plenty of places to grab a cold beer and eat at some of the best restaurants on the Alabama Gulf Coast.
Keep watching for an upcoming blog about Fairhope Brewing Company. That’s the other brewery in Baldwin County. And it’s only a short drive up the road in Fairhope, Alabama.
Cheers!