A Quick Bite at Big River Grille and Brewing Works: Beers and Beer Cheese Soup

Ah, fall. Actually, from what I’ve seen on Facebook, a lot of you are actually experiencing winter. Right now in central Florida, we’ve been enjoying the cooler temps many of you had not too long ago. And that, to me, means it’s soup weather! In fact, Matt and I made a quick stop into Big River Grille and Brewing Works at the BoardWalk Inn so we could escape the chilly air, enjoy a brew, and indulge in a light snack of some of their Beer Cheese Soup.

I haven’t had their Beer Cheese Soup in two and a half years, and the windy, cool air outside warranted another taste. It can be ordered by the cup or the bowl, and we went for the bowl. Much like the last visit, it was only served warm. If I’m ordering soup, I like it to be served piping hot. There were pieces of diced onion, some larger pieces of celery, and julienned carrots adding some texture to the soup, and Matt noted he would have preferred if the soup base itself was thicker. I agreed, as it was a bit thin, but the flavor still hit the spot.

Since you can’t go to Big River and not order a beer, Matt opted for the Rocket Red Ale. It’s described as being “a robust, red ale deriving its hue and rich, roasted caramel character from ample additions of Crystal malts which are balanced by copious Cascade hopping. Original Gravity: 13.5° Plato, Alcohol by volume: 5.6%, Bitterness Units: 46.” Matt describes it as delicious.

Matt likes to poke fun at me and ask if I’m going to order the Gadzooks Pilsner, and sometimes I do, but not because of the cute puppy on the logo like he says is my reasoning. Instead, I opted for the Steamboat Pale Ale, since, well I like Pale Ales. This one is “a classic American style Pale Ale with the distinctive pine and citrus character of its signature Cascade hops. Original gravity: 13.0° Plat, Alcohol by volume: 5.5%, Bitterness Units: 36.” This beer is one of my favorite year-round beers to drink.

While the soup may not have been to the temperature we prefer, it’s still a solid choice. The price at $4.50 for a cup and $5.99 for a bowl is reasonable compared to $4.25 for this tiny little thing at Canada’s Food & Wine kiosk. Yes, it’s a bit different, but available year round without needing a reservation at Le Cellier (well, the also don’t offer reservations at Big River). When you just need some Beer Cheese Soup, it will curb your craving. And those beers don’t hurt, either. 😉

Do you every visit Big River Grille & Brewing Works when at WDW? Do you stop in for food or beer?