Overall Rating and is it worth a visit: 7/10 and no it’s not. The BBQ Brewpub sits on a quaint little main street in the small town of Mount Vernon. A pleasant smell of smoke hits your nose when you walk into the restaurant, which is a small little area with seating for maybe 30-40 max. One of the rare spots that brew their own beers, as well as smoke their own barbecue, it does have nice homey vibes, with the owners actively working the front and back of house. That said, the barbecue was really nothing special and the Oktoberfest was pretty average as well. The customer service was good and its a nice chill vibe when you roll in, but overall not really worth a stop in regards to the barbecue itself, especially if it’s even remotely out of your way. Skip it and continue on to you destination where hopefully better bbq options await
Date Visited: 11/16/2024
Address: 106 1st St W, Mt Vernon, IA 52314
Day of the Week: Saturday
Time of Day: 1:00 PM. Open at 12:00 PM
Owner: Nanette Rambo and husband Jimmie Daugherty
Website: https://bigsbbqbrewpub.com/
Number of Years in Business: Originally opened in 2017, moved to new location in 2021
Number of People in Line: 0, but 16 people sitting down and 4 came in after me
Regional Style of BBQ: “Iowa-style” Barbecue
Total Cost: $34 with tip. Ordered 3 meat platter with two sides and an Oktoberfest beer (7.75/10). Came with brisket, ribs, and burnt ends, with coleslaw and honey cornbread for sides
Type of Wood: Cherry and hickory
Type of Smoker: Southern Pride Rotisserie Smoker (Commercial electric or gas)
Type of Seasoning: Multiple influences and blends
Best Dish: Burnt Ends
Best Sauce: Original
Best Side: Honey cornbread
Interior Description: A small little spot, with a walk-up bar and tap list of their own in-houser brewed beers. Bench and table seating for about 30-40 people with minimal decoration, theme, or BBQ ambiance being created
Pro Tip: Honestly, just skip this place and find an alternative option. If stopping though, the cornbread was the best thing to get
Brisket
0/10 Ranking: 7.25/10
Seasoning: Unsure, but minimal
Description: Slightly overcooked, with no bark to it, and trimmed in a very odd way where it had almost zero fat on it. No smoke ring to speak of and its only saving grace was that it was juicy, but the flavor came across more similar to smoked venison than brisket. A little tough to the bite as well. Skip it if ordering
Burnt Ends
0/10 Ranking: 7.5 to 7.75/10
Seasoning: Unsure
Description: Lathered in a sweeter sauce and slightly tough to the bite. The sauce is the only flavor really coming through, with minimal smokiness and a hard-to-distinguish seasoning blend. Would skip this one as well, but it is slightly better than the brisket
Pork Spare Ribs
0/10 Ranking: 7.25/10
Seasoning: Unsure
Description: These were overcooked and under-seasoned. Minimal smoke flavor coming through, if any at all. Tough and slightly dry ribs that don’t have much going for it outside of the pork flavor. Can pass on ordering these too
Sauces – Classic
0/10 Ranking: 7.75/10
Description: Sweet with a little hit of heat to it at the end. Seems like a slightly enhanced version of Sweet Baby Rays
Sides – Coleslaw
0/10 Ranking: 7.75 to 8/10
Description: Mayo-based, with it being mostly cabbage, with some carrots and sesame seeds mixed in as well. Okay overall, but too heavy on the mayo for my liking, which is typical for a mid-western bbq spot. Could skip ordering next time, but a decent slaw if needed
Sides – Honey Cornbread
0/10 Ranking: 8.5/10
Description: Sadly, this was the best thing I had on the menu. The cornbread was moist with a really good flavor, but it was also slightly undercooked, leading to the interior being a little dense, but it was great beyond that. Only thing I can say I would order again
Interior & Menu Photos:
The House of Salt & Smoke 