Brick Vault: Bomb Sausage and Green Chili Mac 

I’ve heard it said that Austin is weird, but Marfa is far out. Well, if Marfa is far out, so is Marathon, TX—home to the Brick Vault Brewery and Barbecue. It took us hours of scenic, backcountry roads through half-forgotten parts of Texas, but this place was worth the journey. 

The Brick Vault is one of very few attractions in Marathon, known mostly for the Gage Hotel and its proximity to Big Bend National Park, but it matches the scenery with its interesting building. An old gas station and garage now gives this barbecue stop it’s awesome atmosphere. Huge windows and a gorgeous patio seating area allow diners to experience and enjoy the scenic Mountain views while savoring some smoked meats and craft brews. 

I have to say, this might be one of the most unique barbecue experiences of Texas, and is certainly worth a stop for those planning a trip to the area. Brick Vault smokes their meat using seasoned post oak. For days leading up to our dining experience, we were salivating as the aroma of crisp smoke filled the sky all around Marathon. It’s hard to escape, and the anticipation added to our excitement. The building has hip, clean, modern vibes, somewhat at odds with the rustic spirit of this west Texas country, and draws the attention of visitors far and wide. Beyond delicious meats and tasty sides, the bbq/brewery combo really piqued our interest. Who doesn’t want a delicious craft beer with their cut of brisket?

We tried the ribs, brisket, jalepeño cheese sausage, green chili Mac-n-cheese, slaw, potato salad, borracho beans and house made pickles, as well as a few of their craft brews. After days of anticipation, excitement, and post oak smoke, we were not disappointed!

MEAT

The brisket was tender, with a thick, crispy bark, and a beautiful smoke ring. Most of the pieces we had were cooked to perfection, pulling apart with (not too much) ease. The fat was smoked long enough to render a soft and buttery texture and heavenly flavor. This region is overrun with mesquite trees, so I was surprised to learn that the pitmasters at Brick Vault opt for the subtler smoky flavor of the oak, but their brisket explained everything. The flavor of their rub shone through, singing beautifully, with a light smokiness harmonizing pleasantly in the background. The care taken in seasoning this meat would be totally over shadowed by a wood as strong as mesquite. 

The ribs were coated with a delicious seasoning as well, and notable different than the brisket. Heavy on the pepper, these large pork ribs were tender, on the verge of being ever-so-slightly overdone, with a juicy and soft texture. As could be said for the entire experience, the ribs surpassed my expectations, but were best enjoyed paired with the mustard-based sauce on offer.

By far, the star of the show was the jalepeño cheddar sausage. I wasn’t able to get the details on exactly who makes this sausage or with what, but it was certainly delicious. Not over processed, this is definitely a unique blend—neither too lean nor too fatty—the perfect blend, with a nice crisp snap a cheesy, juicy flavor. The pepper taste was enough that you’d notice it, but not overpowering and the cheddar was pure smoky, gooey goodness. Any trip to the brick vault that doesn’t include this sausage is not entirely a waste, but certainly I’ll-advised. 

SIDES

Not every barbecue reviewer out there honors the sacred nature of sides, but at bbqoftx.com, we believe that sides are part of the experience that makes Texas barbecue a cut above the rest. No low-and-slow bbq experience is complete in Texas without few delicious sides to compliment what we Texans have been doing for centuries: carefully smoking meat over fires of the choicest wood around (cowboy hats optional). Plus, momma always knew just what to serve with the meals she spent all day cooking, and we can’t disappoint momma.

Brick Vault knows meat, and they don’t let their sides distract from that. There’s no question, their bbq rules the roost, but these sides are nothing to sneeze at. Seriously, don’t sneeze at stuff; it’s gross and spreads COVID.

The Mac was made with shells that wrap around soft mounds of melted cheese, and the green chili added a crisp crunch and a fresh flavor that left little to be desired. Toward the end of our Texas-sized feast, we tore up a little of the solicitous brisket and mixed it into the Mac to really escalate this side to another level!

The slaw was house made—fresh, both in approach and ingredients. It was flavorful and unique, with diced green onions packing a punch not often seen in this classic side, and a health dousing of dressing. The flavor was remarkable, as cole slaw goes, and brought a welcome lightness to the heavy, smoky meal. 

The Borracho Beans were pintos, loaded with diced peppers and onions, and also offered smoothing a little extra compared to your run-of-the-mill bbq beans. Every side here conforms to the idea that things are bigger in Texas, and we found the beans, while tasty, to be less interesting than some of the other options on our plate. 

The potato salad was homemade from cubed red potatoes, tangy mustard, and crisp relish. It paid homage to traditional potato salad but surpassed that boring stuff you sometimes find at sad bbq joints. Perfect for surprising your palate with a vegetable between bites of meat. 

Banana Pudding, though more of a dessert than a side, was good but somewhat unremarkable. Made with Nilla Wafers and what seemed like jello pudding mix, it was exactly what you expected. No surprises. No let downs. Next time I’d like to try their peach cobbler with ice cream, but I was so stuffed after this trip that there was no way I could add anything else to my plate!

DRINKS

Rarely do we get to speak on drinks, since it usually falls outside of our holy triumvirate (brisket, ribs, and sausage), and doesn’t quite qualify as a “side”, but we’d be derelict in our duty if we reviewed Brick Vault without mentioning the absolute bevy of options to quench your thirst in these desert climes. 

As both a restaurant and brewery, they take their beer as seriously as their bbq. This trip, we tried a stout, wit, Berliner Weisse, and a seasonal called Wassail. Each was unique and flavorful. Believe me, this place has squarely earned their reputation as a brewery and bbq, independent of one another. Easily could either side of the business stand on its own merits, but we thank our lucky Texas stars that we get them together. 

The stout was deliciously dark, smooth, and full-bodied, with a rich flavor. It’s hard to do it justice with words, but we’ll put it simply. We don’t regret ordering it. Twice. It was everything you want from a stout.

The Berliner Weisse was light, juicy and tart. A subtle hint of wheat after the surprising punch of fruit made this beer balanced on its own, and a pretty great partner to these heavy meats.

The golden wit was one of my personal favorites, I’ll admit, but I am admittedly a wheat-beer kinda guy. And this is certainly a wheat beer, full of that warm wheat flavor. It was light but filling, and would be fantastic after a long day of hiking in the National Park. That bready flavor isn’t for everyone but this beer gets my personal stamp of approval, and I wish I had left with more. 

The seasonal was a creative play on traditional wassail. Not quite a cider, it had a cozy spice taste that made you want to burst out singing holiday carols. It was certainly a fun beer, and perfect for a cold day. 

Beyond beer, I have to mention the lemonade. Fresh lemonade that was perfectly tart. Not too sweet or too sour, this was exceptionally fresh and light. We had hiked miles in the days leading up to this, so maybe my body was craving something, but this lemonade was almost as noteworthy as the sausage (imho). It was so good I wanted more of it, in any way possible. We even suggested to the bartender to consider featuring the lemonade in a Radler in the future. I only hope they liked the idea, because I can’t think of a better idea than marrying this phenomenally refreshing lemonade with these well crafted brews!

SUMMARY

In short, the verdict in Brick Vault is this: GO! We know it is a bit of a drive for most folks, and we get that. But trust us, if you’re in the area—or consider yourself a sommelier of TX BBQ—you’d be foolish to miss this place. We spent an afternoon there, but I think I could go back and spend the whole day. A couple of things to remember when you’re there, though: Lemonade, and Jalepeño Cheddar sausage. Because you don’t want to embarrass your momma, do y’all?

Christopher Qualls, LMSW

Chief Meat-ia Officer

ChristopherQualls.com