Big Choice Brewing

A large part of us will always embody the culture that accompanied our teenage angst. The music (Anthrax). The piercings (two-gauge silver earrings). And, of course, those godly, verboten beers. Such is the case for Big Choice co-owner/brewer Nathaniel Miller. Sure, his 1990s skate deck has been replaced by an “old-man friendly” longboard and paddle stick, but the pop-punk vibe and Metallica beard are steadfast.

Started by Miller and lifelong friend Tyler Ruse, Big Choice serves up mementos in the form of phat (if you’ll excuse the ’90s parlance) ales with a story. There’s the punk band Face to Face-inspired Disconnected Red, and then Hemlock IPA, named after the poison Socrates consumed (don’t worry, the IPA’s hemlock-free). “Tyler and I built a place that serves the beer we like to drink,” Miller says, “and plays the music we like to listen to.”

That doesn’t mean Miller is immune to adulthood. As a loving father and husband, he helps his 4-year-old son Jonah with math in the form of ringing up bar tabs, and reproduces beer recipes for his wife. One duplication required more kick, and it led to the modest spice found in #42 Poblano Stout. It’s the same number of poblanos as the meaning of life in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy—a book he was coincidentally reading at the time. Again, it fits into Big Choice’s story. And if you’re concerned about “Skully,” their skeleton with the Suicidal Tendencies hat, Jonah says, “Don’t worry. It’s made out of plastic.”