Bear Cave Brewing
A little bit about the place: Bear Cave Brewing opened on May 4th, 2022, in Hopkins, MN. They renovated the space that used to be a Firestone Tire Center. If you would like more background on the store, here is a great link (I do like the story behind this place). They have not been around for a while since it is only August, and you can tell they have room for improvement.
Location: 1201 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343
Rating: 5.2/10
Thoughts:
I would give the overall rating a 5.2 out of 10. It's not the best, but it is not the worst. There is a lot of different reasons why they got this score. I understand that they are new, so I gave it a 5.2 and not a 4.8.
There are two reasons why the score is so low:
One: The atmosphere is not there. This place does not feel like a typical brewery. It feels like a modern hangout place for a business meeting. When I go to breweries, I am looking for character, a homey feel where I can take my friends and family too, and a place that is welcoming to all. Sadly there is no homey feeling here. It's more like a stark white building with no community aspect. The upper floor would be a great place to rent out for a company event. It's large enough for everyone and has a self-pour station.
Two: It's a little disorganized. It feels like no one is on the same page, and only certain people know what is happening. When we were getting a rundown of the place, the hostess struggled to explain how the system worked and forgot to explain a couple of things. First, you should know when you are checking out, you have two options. Drop your wrist bands in the black box, and if you choose this option, you will have a 20% gratitude added to your tab. Option two is to go to the hostess desk and pay your bill upfront. If you want, you can add your tip at the desk. When you add a tip, the tip gets dispersed between everyone. Secondly, you can order through the QR code or ask one of the staff members to order for you when ordering food. If you order through the QR code, you will pay directly through your phone. If you order with a staff member, it will be charged to your bracelet tab. I also thought it was a little disorganized because the people at the taps seemed unable to recommend any beers. When asking about the most popular or what ones he would recommend, he kept saying, well, it depends on the person and gave no straight answer. I understand that everything depends on people's taste, but not being about to recommend any of the beers is a red flag for me. I feel like they should have a cheat sheet for their staff to explain the beers. Overall the staff just seemed like they did not love their jobs.
Just a couple of other things that I was not the biggest fan of or found odd were:
The taps were very sensitive, and most of the drinks were all foam. It was a little hard to get help with a nice pour. I poured a few nice ones, but some of the taps were straight foam. The staff by the taps would explain how to pour, but would not fully show you. It was like they wanted you to pay for foam. It just sucks when you pay for nothing.
The food was decent, but it was not worth coming back. The pizza was ok, and I would say it's comparable to Punch Pizza. My parents like Punch pizza, but I'm not the biggest fan. The Pork Belly was the best thing there. It was nice and tender, juicy, salty, and had a hint of cinnamon. I think it is worth trying once and probably only once. I would say the Pork Belly is one you should share because it becomes too salty if you have more than three pieces. I would also like you to know that the Pork Belly is expensive for the dish size (the price might be high because Pork Belly is getting more expensive).
One thing I found odd was they did not card me. I don't know if it was just because I was with my parents, but I was pouring their drinks, and no one said anything. Sure I am old enough to drink, but it's odd that they did not even think to card me.
Five things I wish they had are:
On their beer flights, I wish the tray had a chalk board so you could write what you were tasting.
I wish they had some music playing lightly in the background.
I wish there were at least a couple of pictures on their menu. Everything on their menu sounds complicated, and it was hard to understand what you were getting, so the images would help one see what they are ordering.
They should have their staff try the beers and food. When asking the staff what was good, they replied and said, "I do not know. I have only been working here for a couple of weeks." I also think the staff at the tap should try and know some of the beer in order for them to have an opinion on some of them.
It would be nice if they had some games to play.
In the end, I would not recommend or go back to Bear Cave Brewing. This might be harsh since they have been open for only three months, but there is not much to go back to if the beer is not that good.
P.S. I know I do not drink that much, but I know the beer is not that good when you offer my dad to finish off yours, and he says no, thank you. Also, you should know my dad loves beer, which is why we always try out a new brewery.
