Big Hammock Brewery & Bites

Big Hammock Brewery and Bites operates out of a storefront at 103 SE 1st Avenue, a block off Ocala’s downtown square, pairing house brewed craft beer with an Asian fusion food menu that sets it apart from the barbecue and Southern kitchens elsewhere downtown. The brewery takes its name from the big hammock ecosystem native to Florida, a nod to the natural landscape that surrounds Marion County outside the city limits, and the taproom leans into that same laid back, outdoorsy identity rather than trying to look like a polished big city brewpub.

On the beer side, Big Hammock brews its own lineup on site and keeps a rotating tap list that changes with the seasons, giving regulars a reason to check back in rather than expecting the same handful of styles every visit. The kitchen pairs that beer program with an Asian fusion menu, a less common combination in Ocala than the barbecue and Southern comfort food that dominates much of downtown, and that pairing has become part of what regulars mention first when describing the place to friends. Because the brewery runs both the beer and the food out of the same kitchen, the menu is built to complement what is on tap rather than existing as a separate operation layered on top of a taproom.

Big Hammock keeps a tighter schedule than some of its downtown neighbors, staying closed Sunday and Monday and opening in the late morning Tuesday through Saturday, which points to a business built around a steady weekday and weekend evening crowd rather than one chasing brunch traffic. That schedule, combined with its location a block off the main square rather than directly on it, gives Big Hammock a slightly quieter, more neighborhood feel than some of the busier restaurants fronting Magnolia Avenue, even though it remains an easy walk from the rest of downtown Ocala’s dining and drinking scene.

For beer drinkers looking to expand beyond Infinite Ale Works, the other independent brewery near the square, Big Hammock offers a genuinely different beer program and a food menu that stands out from the barbecue and Southern fare found elsewhere downtown. It is the kind of spot that rewards repeat visits, since the rotating tap list means the beer lineup on any given night will not necessarily match what was available the last time through, and the Asian fusion bites give visitors a reason to stay for a full meal rather than just a pint. Along with the rest of the cluster of bars and breweries near the square, Big Hammock has become part of what makes downtown Ocala worth a proper evening out rather than a quick dinner stop.

Having two independent breweries within a short walk of each other, Infinite Ale Works and Big Hammock, gives Ocala something closer to a real brewery district than most cities its size can claim, and it means a single evening downtown can easily turn into a small brewery crawl. Big Hammock’s willingness to pair its beer with a food style outside the usual Southern and barbecue playbook is a big part of what makes that crawl worth doing, since it keeps the two taprooms from feeling redundant even though they sit only blocks apart.