Attempt #86 - Big Grove (Solan, IA)

Venue Outside

The Venue
101 W Main St,
Solon, IA 52333

(319) 624-2337

Big Grove is an up and coming brewery in the eastern Iowa area. Two locations exist, one in Solan, Iowa and the other in Iowa City, Iowa. Only the one in Solan has pizzas. The retaruant has a bar area, plenty of booth and table seating indoors, and an out door patio for additional seating. Free sample are suggested, as beer goes along well with pizza.

The Pizza

Chicago Style: No

Crust Thickness: Thin

Menu: http://biggrovebrewery.com/menus-solon/

Beer

Participants: 8 (plus 9 children, 2 infants)

Pizza Ordered: 10 (all menu pizzas)

Sizes Offered/Ordered: Standard 12” pan
Crusts Offered/Ordered: Standard Thin Crust

Pieces Cut: Triangular

Pizza Margherita - San Marzano Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella, Basil, Olive Oil, Sea Salt ($12)

White Sausage - Crème Fraiche, House Made Fennel Pork Sausage, Fresh Mozzarella, Red Onion, Scallion, Marinated Tomato, Fennel Pollen ($14)

Traditional Sausage - House Made Fennel Pork Sausage, San Marzano Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella ($13)

Salumi - Pepperoni Style Sausage, San Marzano Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella ($13)

Menu

Heirloom Tomato And Smoked Burrata - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, Fleur De Sel ($15)

Roasted Mushroom - Rotating Selection Of Locally Grown Mushrooms, Garlic Confit, Fontina Cheese, Arugula ($14)

The Verdict

Sauce: Good flavor and well placed.

Cheese: Average per the style they were serving.

Crust: The edges were great, but every pizza was soagy in the middle. This was the major downside commonly stated among participants.

Toppings: High quality with a great balance of flavors.

Final Comments/Considerations: I loved the flavors of the mushroom and the white sausage pizzas. They truly were unique and worthy of a order. The Salumi was also great, but predictable (who doesn't love meat, right?). The margherita and sausage were average, and the heirloom/burrata made the pizza soaking with juices. If you are going to try, I strongly suggest the White Sausage, Roasted Mushroom, or Salumi.

Kids Pizzas - 2 Cheese and a Salumi

Here are our ratings, where 1 = worst and 10 = best.
Overall 7.50

Cheese 7.88

Sauce 6.75

Topping 7.88

Crust 6.00

Venue 8.81

Favorite: White Sausage

Heirloom Tomato And Smoked Burrata($15)

Roasted Mushroom ($13)

Pizza Margherita ($12)

Salumi ($13)

'

White Sausage ($14)

Slices

Traditional Sausage ($13)