Fullsteam Brewery
| Address: | 726 Rigsbee Ave, Durham, NC 27701, USA |
| Phone: | +1 919-682-2337 |
| Site: | fullsteam.ag |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | 4PM–12AM 4PM–12AM 4PM–12AM 4PM–12AM 2PM–2AM 12PM–2AM 12PM–12AM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 5
A
A Private User
It was hard to not have heard about fullsteam if you were even vaguely interested in the local durham food scene. With all the publicity surrounding it, one might wonder if it was more buzz than beer. This is not the case.....simply put, they have tasty beers. really tasty beers. My personal favorite is the basil farmhouse, very refreshing in this heat. This is closely followed by the IPA (nice clean hop level, not so over the top, but enough to satisfy) and the sweet potato (subtle, but it grows on you). The hickory smoked porter is also good...I think that as the temperature drops, I will appreciate this more. The space at the brewery is interesting as well, basically a refurbished warehouse in with some stuff in it, a baywatch pinball machine, foosball table, a few picnic tables here and there. I kind of dig the barren simplicity...it is a great venue, but I do look forward to seeing how it develops over time. As stated by others, it does get hot in there, opening night was crowded, and that probably did not help cool things off, but so it goes. (I stopped in for a quick taste the next day, and it was substantially cooler). Finally, you have the folks working there. Even while slammed, the bar staff was friendly (and doing their best to get beers out to the people!). I have had a few interactions with the CEO, Sean, chatting at the opening and at a fullsteam beer dinner, and they were all positive...a nice, down to earth individual who is passionate about his work. All in all, I say definitely worth checking out, I think it is a exciting new place that will only get better with time.
JO
John Tefferson
Great beer and atmosphere, vomit inducing food. Okay.... there is a reason for the one star that Ill change once they fix the food SO - Recently Fullsteam got it in their head that it would be a great idea to chase off all the food trucks and open their own kitchen, although they still let Sumon there on Mondays it seems - small miracles be praised. We were really excited for this as food was the one thing the place lacked. The food trucks made up for it usually if you could stand the lines and crowds. Unfortunately, what Fullsteam serves as food can barely be called such. We were there a couple of weeks ago with a group friends from out of town and ordered a few things: Heres an example - "Cripsy Chicken and Sweet Potato Tots." = Fried up chicken bologna (I kid you not) served with sorghum hot mustard and... wait for it... Shakerag blue cheese... blue cheese? Really? The tots were barely passable. Next on the list of Southern Cuisine: "Fried Okra with Malt vinegar Aoli " - A whole banana sized monster okra (Protip - that size you dont use for frying!!!) that was battered in thin tempura batter that fell off... They are obviously shooting for modern hipster take on southern food, but this is more like someone from Alaska being told about southern food and trying to make it on description alone. This is the kind of food Gordon Ramsey would take a reluctant bite from, spit out, and say "Fu-k me." then go yell at people in the kitchen. They are in desperate need of a real chef if just to come up with edible bar food that the staff can easily manage. That or let the food trucks back.
RU
Ruthan Freese
I dont remember how long its been since I gave serious thought to the "where shall we have beers tonight?" question. Fullsteam is a foregone conclusion. But, you say, there are dozens of other beer dispensaries in Durham and around the Triangle! What is the root of such dedication? Do not these other fair establishments serve fermented beverages at least as tasty? Indeed, they do. If you are looking for tasty local beer, there are a panoply of options. The thing is, when you go to Fullsteam, youre sitting down in a physical manifestation of the very soul of Durham. You have to go halfway down the block just to find bike parking. A guy you go to church with has his name on a Certificate of Awesome. Your friend foraged for the persimmons in your First Frost. Near the stage, a crowd of thirtysomethings are celebrating someones birthday with a cake frosted to look like a dinosaur. Next to you, a dog is lounging on the floor. (Possibly your dog!) Everything on tap is delicious and there are food trucks outside. Sure, there are fancier places you can go, but you wouldnt get to draw on the bar with dry erase markers, and you probably wouldnt just happen in on a screening of a Truly Awful Movie or a belly dance expo. Put on your flip flops (or dont -- thats probably okay) and spend an evening or eight there. I hope you wont be disappointed, but if you are, we could never be friends anyway.
BE
Beth Mandel
Despite their somewhat rocky start, Fullsteam has really ramped up the quality of their proprietary beers in a very short time (~3 years). The working mans lunch is now a staple of my fall favorites, and just yesterday I tried their new fall seasonal, the "Fearrington Fall" crabapple berliner weisse, and it was a crisp and tart taste adventure the likes of which Ive not experienced in beer before. Though Ill never be a fan of the sweet potato staple others seem to enjoy, its been fun to try their experimental beers where they often play with flavors (like fig!). I also have to hand it to them for the way they actively support the Durham community through the events they host and publicize, their food-truck friendliness, and their cozy game-filled environment. I ran in the Fullsteam "Ales to Rails Trails 5k" yesterday, where instead of the standard 5k t-shirt, you get a pint glass and a free pint of beer at the end, and I think its a perfect example of their overall unique angle on the everyday. They are a great community spot and a quality bunch of folks, so definitely stop by if you want to see a quintessential Durham neighborhood hangout spot. Pick up one of their snazzy t-shirts while youre at it, they are all excellent designs.
AN
Andrew Crisman-Kleczek
I will admit I was skeptical. No, I was worse than that, I was a confirmed doubter. Theres no way sweet potato should be in a beer. A friend had recommended we come by for hymns and brews one night and I politely found an excuse. No I will not try sweet potato beer. Fast forward a few weeks, circumstances once again pulled me back towards Fullsteam. I checked again, people raved about the Carver. I relented and tried it. Denial, shock, acceptance ... sweet potato beer is ... Good? Yes, the Fullsteam Carver is a good beer. Actually, its a damn fine beer. So much so I brought some home for Thanksgiving. It pairs well with pumpkin pie and all of the flavors of fall. Their other beers were good too. That and theyve got one of the best locations and ambiances for a place thats a brewery and not also a restaurant. They mix their brewery industrial look with something like a college study lounge or Elks Club. The bar isnt all that prominent: you cant see the bar from everywhere and theres board games and big tables with a mix of ages hanging out enjoying the food truck du jour. If I were to voice any kind of complaint it would be that service was a bit slow last time I went, but it wasnt anything drastic.
