Jamie B.
Yelp
This place was such a pleasant surprise in Beverly!
We spent a few hours here on a Saturday afternoon, and could have happily stayed here even longer - there's just that much delicious beer & food!
We snacked our way through a few things on their menu, starting with the Baguette & Pub Cheese (perfectly toasted!) and then moving on to the Pretzels with Beer Cheese (yes, cheese is the common theme in most of what I eat). The pretzels were extremely filling... but that didn't stop me from also ordering a giant oreo meringue cookie. This place has an amazing selection of baked desserts, which is a unique aspect compared to other breweries I've been to.
The pulled chicken sandwich was wonderful as well (A+++ pickle... this is a key priority for me!). The brioche bun was soft and buttery and the chicken was moist and flavorful. It was a bit of a twist on a typical pulled chicken sandwich - more of a sweet ginger vibe, as opposed to traditional BBQ, but I really liked it!
But what's a great brewery without some fantastic beer? Thankfully, this place delivers on that element too. First, let me just say that I LOVED the clever names to each of their brews (think the "Czech You Out" or "The Spunky Monk"). I also really appreciate that this place takes variety seriously - from NEIPAs to stouts to sours to pale ales to everything in between, Backbeat definitely doesn't pigeonhole itself into just one type of beer. But amazingly, everything they do, they also do REALLY WELL.
The surprising underdog winner of the afternoon was the apple cranberry hard tonic. It wasn't something I planned on ordering until others raved about it, but I'm so glad I did. It wasn't a traditional hard seltzer (way more flavorful and fruity) - it literally tasted like Autumn in a glass!
I also have to shoutout the space here - I was really glad that this was a brewery where you felt you truly had space to breathe without being crowded inside with too many other people (super important to me during COVID times). It was a big, open, airy space, with a nice mix of big tables for groups and smaller tables for couples. I am really looking forward to coming back here again throughout the winter - there are so many more beers (and so much more food!) I can't wait to try.
PS. Bonus points for an exceptionally friendly and helpful staff. The cherry on top of an all-around outstanding place.