tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9819134096126841392024-03-05T12:03:40.337-08:00Drink Washington BeerNews and Views from the WA Beer CommissionWashington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-13213988928328058282011-02-21T09:02:00.000-08:002011-02-21T09:04:14.253-08:00Washington Beer Open House this SaturdayWhen planning an afternoon of beer/brewery touring, the first thing you have to do is figure out where you're going and figure out who is going to be open to receive visitors. This Saturday things will be a bit different as breweries across the state open their doors and invite you to visit. The brainchild of the <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/">Washington Beer Commission</a>, this is the first-ever Washington Beer Open House.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/openhouse.htm">Washington Beer Open House</a> takes place this Saturday (February 26th) from noon - 4:00. More than 30 breweries across the state will be ready and waiting for you. What's more, they'll have some sort of special treat in store for you. Maybe a vertical tasting experience or the debut of a new beer. Maybe some other special treat. It will vary from brewery to brewery.<br /><br />This is a great opportunity for you to get out there do some beer touring. Visit the official event website for updated details.<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/openhouse.htm">http://www.washingtonbeer.com/openhouse.htm</a><br /><br />As of Monday, February 21, here is the list of participating breweries. If you need to map things out, visit our <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/breweries-and-brew-pubs/">Washington Breweries page</a>.<br /><br /><strong>CENTRAL and EASTERN WA</strong><br /><ul><br /> <li>C.I. Shenanigans Brewery, Spokane</li><br /> <li>Iron Horse Brewery, Ellensburg</li><br /> <li>Palouse Falls Brewing, Pullman</li><br /> <li>Yakima Craft Brewing, Yakima</li><br /></ul><br /><strong>NORTH and EAST of SEATTLE</strong><br /><ul><br /> <li>American Brewing, Edmonds</li><br /> <li>Anacortes Brewing, Anacortes</li><br /> <li>Black Raven Brewing, Redmond</li><br /> <li>Boundary Bay Brewing, Bellingham</li><br /> <li>Chuckanut Brewing, Bellingham</li><br /> <li>Diamond Knot Brewing, Mukilteo</li><br /> <li>Foggy Noggin Brewing, Bothell</li><br /> <li>Gallagher's Where U Brew, Edmonds</li><br /> <li>Redhook Brewery, Woodinville</li><br /> <li>Scuttlebutt Brewing, Everett</li><br /> <li>Snoqualmie Falls Brewing, Snoqualmie</li><br /></ul><br /><strong>NORTH SEATTLE</strong><br /><ul><br /> <li>Big Time Brewery, U District</li><br /> <li>Fremont Brewing, Fremont</li><br /> <li>Maritime Pacific Brewing, Ballard</li><br /> <li>Naked City Brewing, Greenwood</li><br /></ul><br /><strong>DOWNTOWN SEATTLE</strong><br /><ul><br /> <li>Pike Brewing</li><br /></ul><br /><strong>SOUTH and WEST of DOWNTOWN SEATTLE</strong><br /><ul><br /> <li>Big Al Brewing, White Center</li><br /> <li>Elliott Bay Brewing, W. Seattle</li><br /> <li>Epic Ales, SODO</li><br /> <li>Georgetown Brewing, Seattle</li><br /> <li>Schooner Exact Brewing, SODO</li><br /> <li>Three Skulls Brewing, South Park</li><br /> <li>Two Beers Brewing, SODO</li><br /></ul><br /><strong>SOUTH SOUND</strong><br /><ul><br /> <li>M.T. Head Brewing, Graham</li><br /> <li>Trade Route Brewing, Pacific</li><br /> <li>The Ram Brewery, Puyallup</li><br /> <li>The Ram Brewery, Tacoma</li><br /></ul><br /><strong>WEST of PUGET SOUND</strong><br /><ul><br /> <li>7 Seas Brewing, Gig Harbor</li><br /> <li>Der Blokken Brewing, Bremerton</li><br /></ul>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-22535492001432790292011-02-21T08:58:00.000-08:002011-02-21T09:01:35.256-08:00American Brewing Announces Grand OpeningBack in October we introduced you to <a href="http://americanbrewing.com/" target="_blank">American Brewing Company</a>, the new brewery coming to Edmonds. (<a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/a-new-brewery-in-edmonds-skip-madsen-resurfaces/" target="_blank">Read our previous story</a>.) Today we announce the grand opening. The event will take place on Saturday, February 26th at the brewery and tap room near the waterfront in Edmonds. Along with great beer, there will be live music, food and even wine for the non-beer drinker in your life.<br /><br />Below, Skip Madsen and Neil Fallon.<br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-7576" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/a-new-brewery-in-edmonds-skip-madsen-resurfaces/001-2/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-7576" title="001" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/001-333x350.jpg" alt="" width="333" height="350" /></a><br /><br />While we are always excited about new breweries, we are particularly jazzed about American Brewing Company's opening because it represents the return of Skip Madsen, one of our local rockstar brewers, to the beer scene. Along with Neil Fallon, owner of American Brewing, Skip has been busy the last few months building out the brewery. We cannot wait to taste what he's been cooking up. When looking for a brewmaster with which to partner, Neil could not have made a better choice.<br /><br />The American Brewing grand opening coincides with <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/openhouse.htm" target="_blank">Washington Beer Open House</a> - a day that will see a number of breweries across the state open their doors to local beer lovers. We'll have more info for you about Washington Beer Open House in the coming days.<br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8798" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/american-brewing-co-announces-grand-opening/american-brewing-logo/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-8798" title="american brewing logo" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/american-brewing-logo-350x263.jpg" alt="american_brewing_logo" width="350" height="263" /></a>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-69217270765506347842011-02-01T13:43:00.000-08:002011-02-01T13:45:02.158-08:00Washington Beer Open House - Sat. Feb 26It's still coming together. Breweries are still signing up and we will certainly have more information for you as it becomes available. For now, save the date: Saturday, February 26th, from noon - 4:00.<br /><br />What exactly are we talking about? Well, the <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/">Washington Beer Commission</a> is planning the first ever Washington Beer Open House, a chance for you to go visit a bunch of breweries. The exact format will be wide open: breweries can do what they want with it. Maybe they'll be tapping something special that day. Maybe they'll have some other sort of other treat for you. Who knows? It's all still coming together.<br /><br />Like we said, exactly which breweries will be involved remains to be seen. We anticipate that many breweries across the state will choose to participate in some way. For now, save the date: Saturday, February 26th.<br /><br /><img class="aligncenter" title="Washington_beer_open_house" src="http://washingtonbeer.com/images/openhouse_2011_240x311.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="311" />Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-44520849049277946072011-02-01T13:37:00.000-08:002011-02-01T13:43:06.442-08:00Strange Brewfest - Follow Up and Pictures<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />First off, given all that has happened over the past couple of years with the closing of the Water Street Pub and Brewery, it was awesome to find that Strange Brewfest is alive, kicking ass, and doing better than ever.<br /><br />We wondered how many brewers would show up and how enthusiastically strange their creations would be. Well, I counted 22 breweries (I heard 24, but counted 22). There were literally too many beers. You could not try them all without sharing with friends.<br /><br />Below: Nut Warmer - Peanut Butter Winter Warmer from Big Al Brewing<br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8621" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/strange-brewfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/big_al_nut_warmer/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8621" title="big_al_nut_warmer" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/big_al_nut_warmer-262x350.jpg" alt="" width="262" height="350" /></a><br /><br />We wondered if the crowd would return. What were we thinking? Of course they did. This has turned into a very, very popular festival. From what we could tell, there were no rooms available in Port Townsend on Saturday night. The entire town was crawling with beer geeks.<br /><br /><strong>Strange Brewfest Axiom 1</strong><br /><br />I'm not going to say that all of the beers were delicious. There were beers that I adored, beers that I tolerated, and beers that I dumped. You cannot make an omelet without breaking some eggs. This is a Strange Brewfest axiom: creative success is built on the shoulders of creative failure.<br /><br />In Seattle, the old Deja Vu (a strip club on Denny Way) had a sign that said, "50 Beautiful Girls, and 3 Ugly Ones?" That sign beckoned us to remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Strange Brewfest makes me think of that sign.<br /><br />This is another Strange Brewfest axiom: beauty is in the hand of the beer holder. You will dump beers that other people adore. They will dump beers that you adore.<br /><br />The beers were not only creative and strange, but they were delicious. The first time I attended this festival, several years ago, I was very impressed with the "strange factor," but less impressed with the "good factor." I have nothing against a beer being strange, or even down-right odd, but I really do prefer it to be good. This year, the beers were delicious. Creative, strange, and yummy.<br /><br />Below: So many people have asked, this is now posted on the front door of what used to be the Water Street Pub and Brewery.<br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8622" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/strange-brewfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/img_3562/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8622" title="IMG_3562" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG_3562-262x350.jpg" alt="" width="262" height="350" /></a><br /><br /><strong>My Beer Sandwich</strong><br /><br />There are too many favorites for me to name. I have an idea. Here's a mythical sandwich I created out of just a few of my favorite beers.<br /><br />To start with, you'll need two slices of <a href="http://www.redhook.com/" target="_blank">Redhook</a>'s smokey-rye beer, which they referred to as Ham on Rye. Next, add some 7 Bloody Seas from <a href="http://www.7seasbrewing.com/" target="_blank">7 Seas Brewing</a>. This spicy, tomato-infused beer simulated a Bloody Mary magnificently. What sandwich would be complete without meat? Add some of <a href="http://www.anacortesrockfish.com/" target="_blank">Anacortes</a>' Grand Salami: a beer that made me laugh out loud when I first drank it because it actually did taste like Salami. Awesome.<br /><br />Maybe next year someone will make a beer with Gouda or Gruyere. I can hope.<em> </em><br /><br />For dessert, I suggest an Almond Roca Brown Ale from <a href="http://www.eatatflyers.com/" target="_blank">Flyers Brewery</a>.<br /><br />Other beers that impressed the heck out of me included <a href="http://www.bigalbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Big Al'</a>s Nut Warmer (Winter Warmer with peanut butter); the <a href="http://www.nakedcitybrewing.com/" target="_blank">Naked City</a> Sour Patch Citra Ass Down IPA; the <a href="http://www.silvercitybrewery.com/">Silver City</a> Imperial Pepper Stout; and the Chocolate Orange Degenerator from <a href="http://www.porttownsendbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Port Townsend</a>.<br /><br />So many more. If you were there, help me out. What were your favorites?<br /><br /><strong>Oh the Humanity!</strong><br /><br />Okay, I would be irresponsible if I didn't talk about the crowd. Some people were annoyed, some were frightened, others simply melted comfortably into the swarming mass of humanity that was Strange Brewfest 2011. This was the first year at this venue and I am sure the festival organizers learned a lot.<br /><br />It was packed. No denying that. I did not find it intolerable at all. Just crowded. Though navigating the crowd was a bit challenging at times, I rarely had to wait for a beer. Let's stay focused on what's important.<br /><br />The music was amazing. All day and into the night, one outstanding band followed another. I like the band that kicked things off on Saturday, though the name escaped me. They had a cool Tom Waits vibe going on. I also really dug Tuba Luba: an all-brass funk band which performed later in the day on Saturday. No Bootsy Collins on bass guitar, just some fella blowing his mind out on a tuba.<br /><br />The event staff did an amazing job. Seriously, it was a turbulent sea of humanity but the people in the red shirts never let things degenerate into a maelstrom. They kept things under control. It was busy, but it ran like clockwork. For the most part, anyway.<br /><br />We had a blast. As usual, we were too busy having fun to take many good pictures. Perhaps we were having too much fun to take pictures well. Anyway, here are some pictures.<br /><br />Below: Don Spencer (Big Daddy) of Silver City Brewery leads a group toast at Sirens Pub. That's how we kicked things off at Strange Brewfest this year.<br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8614" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/strange-brewfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/toast/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8614" title="toast" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/toast-350x273.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="273" /></a><br />Below: Packed house at the American Legion.<br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8615" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/strange-brewfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/packed_house_strange_brewfest/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8615" title="packed_house_strange_brewfest" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/packed_house_strange_brewfest-350x262.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="262" /></a><br /><br />The outside portion of the festival was packed as well.<a rel="attachment wp-att-8616" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/strange-brewfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/outside/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8616" title="outside" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/outside-350x262.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="262" /></a><br /><br />Below: Mike Runion (7 Seas Brewing) sports a had made from 7 Seas cans.<br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8617" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/strange-brewfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/mike_7_seas/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8617" title="mike_7_seas" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/mike_7_seas-339x350.jpg" alt="" width="339" height="350" /></a><br /><br />Below: Fellow blogger, Mike Besser (www.brewdad.com).<br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8618" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/strange-brewfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/brewdad/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8618" title="brewdad" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/brewdad-328x350.jpg" alt="" width="328" height="350" /></a><br /><br />Below: I wish these were loons. They're cormorants. I just like the picture, taken Saturday morning before the doors opened.<br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8619" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/strange-brewfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/birds/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8619" title="birds" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/birds-350x262.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="262" /></a><br /><br />Below: Saturday morning, before the doors opened, the Big Al Brewing "time share condo" was parked across the street. Good thing they weren't drinking or serving any beer out there. That would be wrong.<br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8620" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/strange-brewfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/time_share/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8620" title="time_share" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/time_share-350x262.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="262" /></a>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-27745228192471822412011-01-28T11:17:00.000-08:002011-01-28T11:21:51.829-08:00Elysian Brewing Co. opening a new brewery in Georgetown<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.elysianbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Elysian Brewing Company</a> is opening a new production brewing facility in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood. There will be no taproom or pub. Instead, this will be a production facility only, featuring a 60-barrel brewhouse and 240-barrel fermenters. Continuing growth over years created a justifiable need for this kind of expansion.<br /><br />We talked to Elysian's Dick Cantwell about this planned expansion recently. He told us that the plan is to be build out the facility in the coming months, with the intention of brewing by the summer. When we asked about the taproom, or lack thereof, Dick simply pointed out that they already have three.<br /><br />No doubt, Elysian already provides their fans with ample opportunity to drink Elysian beers at their three Seattle pubs: the flagship pub on Capitol Hill, Tangletown near Green Lake, and Elysian Fields in the stadium district.<br /><br />Below: Elysian's flagship pub and brewery on Capitol Hill. Photo by <a href="http://www.twitter.com/dorandbob">Dor and Bob</a>.<br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8557" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/elysian-brewing-co-opening-a-new-brewery-in-georgetown/elysian/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8557" title="elysian" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/elysian-350x264.jpg" alt="elysian_brewery" width="350" height="264" /></a><br /><br />For many of you, this news comes as no surprise. While the official announcement was just made today, there has been a lot of industry buzz about this recently. Here is the official release from Elysian:<br /><br /><blockquote>Elysian Brewing Co. of Seattle, WA has announced a substantial planned expansion to a 35,000 sq ft space in the Georgetown neighborhood of South Seattle. An outgrowth both of Elysian's successes at its three Seattle brewery/restaurants and steady growth in packaged sales, the 15-year-old company is investing in brewing equipment and site improvements for a facility at 5510 Airport Way S. of 60,000 US barrel capacity. It is expected that the brewery will be fully operational by late summer 2011.<br /><br />Elysian began operations in 1996 with its original Capitol Hill location, serving food and house-brewed beers in a 200-seat restaurant. It followed in 2003 with Tangletown in the Greenlake neighborhood, and then in 2006 opened Elysian Fields, a large 400+ seat venue directly across from Qwest Field in downtown Seattle. Elysian's beers are among the most decorated in the Northwest, and brought the company the award for Large Brewpub of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver in 1999, 2003 and 2004.<br /><br />Elysian's plans come at a time of heady growth both for itself and the craft brewing movement in general. One recent project that has brought the brewery recognition beyond the world of craft brewing is Mens Room Original Red Ale. Brewed in alliance with "The Mens Room" radio show on KISW, the beer's profits in part benefit Fisher House, serving service veterans and their families. To date over $100,000 has been contributed.<br /><br />The Mens Room Red is one of a handful of beers that will be brewed at the new Airport Way facility, along with The Immortal IPA, Dragonstooth Stout, Avatar Jasmine IPA and seasonal beers such as Night Owl Pumpkin Ale and Bifrost Winter Ale. A 60-barrel brewhouse will fill quadruple-sized 240-barrel fermenters. Much of Elysian's specialty beer production will be maintained at the Capitol Hill brewery, which produced approximately 5,000 barrels in 2010, as well as at the Elysian Fields and Tangletown breweries.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />Dick Cantwell, Joe Bisacca and David Buhler</blockquote>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-62088662713714728422011-01-23T10:16:00.000-08:002011-01-23T13:25:30.423-08:00Belgianfest 2011, Follow Up and Pictures<span style="font-size:85%;">by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />Belgianfest 2011 was a blast. Once again, the <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/">Washington Beer Commission</a> organized an outstanding festival that showcased the amazing beers being produced by Washington brewers. Cheers to the Commission's festival organizers and to all of the great breweries that poured such an interesting and delicious selection of Belgian-inspired beers!<br /><br />A few of our favorite beers included: Naked City's Gilda Wild American Ale, Ram University Village's Sour Diesel, Big Time's Saison Grisette, Elliott Bay's Belgian Black IPA, and Paradise Creek's Hoe Style Wit. There were so many more. What was your favorite?<br /><br />Here are a few pictures from the event.<br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8539" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/belgianfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/img_1271/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-8539" title="IMG_1271" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG_1271-350x261.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="261" /></a><br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8538" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/belgianfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/img_1270/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-8538" title="IMG_1270" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG_1270-350x261.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="261" /></a><br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8533" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/belgianfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/img_1256/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-8533" title="IMG_1256" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG_1256-263x350.jpg" alt="" width="263" height="350" /></a><br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8527" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/belgianfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/img_1225/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-8527" title="IMG_1225" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG_1225-263x350.jpg" alt="" width="263" height="350" /></a><br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8529" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/belgianfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/img_1243/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-8529" title="IMG_1243" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG_1243-350x261.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="261" /></a><br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8536" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/belgianfest-2011-follow-up-and-pictures/img_1268/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-8536" title="IMG_1268" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG_1268-350x261.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="261" /></a>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-45136435149638650332011-01-21T11:47:00.000-08:002011-01-21T11:47:00.041-08:00Gearing Up for the National IPA Championship<span style="font-style: italic;">by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />For those of us who love IPA, this is our version of March Madness. Each year the <a href="http://www.brewingnews.com/" target="_blank">Brewing News</a> organizes the National IPA Championship (NIPAC). Participating beers are randomly bracketed and pitted in head-to-head competition. The winners advance to the next round. The losers go home.<br /><br />The initial 128 entrants will be narrowed to 64, then to 32 and so on. Eventually the final four will face off to determine a champion. The judges in this competition are all brewers.<br /><br />To stay informed, you should <a href="http://www.brewingnews.com/ht/index.htm" target="_blank">subscribe to the Hop Tips Newsletter</a>. Obviously, we will track how Washington breweries perform in NIPAC this year.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.brewingnews.com/nipac/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-8468" title="NIPAC" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/NIPAC-350x155.jpg" alt="" height="155" width="350" /></a><strong></strong><br /><br /><strong>Participate</strong><br /><br />Brewers, there is still time to enter your beer into the competition. To enter your beer <a href="http://www.brewingnews.com/nipac/entryform/" target="_blank">click here</a>. (Note - This competition is for commercial brewers only.) A list of the Washington breweries that have entered thus far can be found further down this article. We also provide a list of all participating breweries. Entries are still being accepted and the list continues to grow.<br /><br />The Brewing News provides a way for beer lovers to be involved. We are invited to fill out brackets and see how well we can predict the winners. Yes, there are prizes for us, too. If you're subscribed to Hop Tips, you'll know what's going on. Otherwise you'll have to keep an eye on the Brewing News website.<br /><br /><strong>Past Champions</strong><br /><br />In 2010, the NIPAC winner was Headhunter IPA from Fat Head's Brewery in Cleveland. In 2009 Workhorse IPA from Portland's Laurelwood Brewing took home the trophy. In 2008, top honors went to West Coast IPA from Green Flash Brewing in Vista, CA.<br /><br /><strong>2011 Schedule</strong><br /><br />Round 1- February 13th @ Buffalo, NY<br />Round 2 - February 19th @ Syracuse,<br />NYRound 3 - February 26th @ Grand Rapids, MI<br />Round 4 - March 2nd @ Cleveland, OH<br />Final Round - March 5th @ Philadelphia, PA<br /><br /><strong>The Combatants</strong><br /><br />As of this moment, the following <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Washington beers</span> have joined the competition:<br /><br />Interurban IPA - Fremont Brewing Company<br />Lazy Boy IPA - Lazy Boy Brewing Co.<br />Pike IPA - Pike Brewing Co<br />Supergoose IPA - Hale's Ales<br />Trickster IPA - Black Raven Brewing Company<br />Zombie Killer - Snipes Mountain Brewing<br />Hop Duster IPA - Flyers Restaurant and Brewery<br />Afterburner IPA - Flyers Restaurant and Brewery<br /><br />Here is the <span style="text-decoration: underline;">complete list</span> of entrants thus far:<br /><br />Afterburner IPA - Flyers Restaurant and Brewery<br />Avery India Pale Ale - Avery Brewing Company<br />Be Hoppy IPA - Wormtown Brewery<br />Big Eye IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Co.<br />Big Sky IPA - Big Sky Brewing<br />Bitter Woman IPA - Tyranena Brewing Company<br />Border Hopper - SweetWater Brewing Co<br />Caged Alpha Monkey IPA - CB's<br />Centennial IPA - Founders Brewing Company<br />Class Five IPA - Thomas Creek Brewery<br />Cleveland IPA - Buckeye Brewing<br />Crooked Tree I.P.A - Dark Horse Brewing Company<br />crooked tree ipa - dark horse brewing co<br />Dagger Falls IPA - Sockeye Brewing<br />Devil's Peak IPA - Copper Canyon Brewery<br />Dirty Dog IPA - Big Dog's Brewing Co.<br />Duet - Alpine Beer Company<br />Elevated IPA - La Cumbre Brewing Co.<br />Empire I.P.A - Empire Brewing Co.<br />Finestkind IPA - Smuttynose Brewing Co.<br />Flower Power IPA - Ithaca Beer Company<br />Full Sail IPA - Full Sail Brewing Company<br />Good Karma IPA - Mad Anthony Brewing Company<br />Harpoon IPA - Harpoon Brewery<br />Head Hunter IPA - Fat Heads Brewery<br />Heavy Seas Loose Cannon - Clipper City Brewing<br />High Seas India Pale Ale - Michigan Brewing Company<br />Hop Duster IPA - Flyers Restaurant and Brewery<br />Hop Harvest Ale - Big Dog's Brewing Co.<br />Hop Ride IPA - Tenaya Creek Brewery<br />Hop Stalker IPA - Fat Heads Brewery<br />Hoppin' To Heaven IPA - Hoppin' Frog Brewing Company<br />India Pale Ale - Nebraska Brewing Company<br />India Pale Ale - Goose Island Beer Company<br />Interurban IPA - Fremont Brewing Company<br />Inversion IPA - Deschutes Brewery<br />IPA - Southern Tier Brewing Company<br />Islander IPA - Coronado Brewing Co<br />Jamaica Sunset IPA - Mad River Brewing Company<br />Lake Placid India Pale Ale - Lake Placid Craft Brewing Company<br />Lakefront IPA - Lakefront Brewery<br />Lazy Boy IPA - Lazy Boy Brewing Co.<br />Left Coast IPA - John Harvard's Brew House CT<br />Marin IPA - Marin Brewing Company<br />Mile HI.P.A. - Wynkoop Brewing Company<br />Modus Hoperandi - Ska Brewing Co.<br />Mojo IPA - Boulder Beer Company<br />Moylan's Harvest IPA - 15 Rowland Way<br />Nelson - Alpine Beer Company<br />NOR CAL IPA - Moylan's Brewing Co.<br />Norm,s Raggedy - Ass IPA - Big Rock Chop House<br />Oasis - Tallgrass Brewing Company<br />Organic Hopworks IPA - Hopworks Urban Brewery<br />Pike IPA - Pike Brewing Co<br />Pompous Ass - Orlando Brewing<br />Railroad Street IPA - Rohrbach Brewing Company<br />Ranger IPA - New Belgium Brewing<br />Red Eye PA - The Brew Kettle Production Works<br />Red Racer IPA - Central City Brewing<br />Red's Rye PA - Founders Brewing Company<br />Royal IPA - Bastone Brewery<br />Saber's Edge - Pearl Street Grill & Brewery<br />Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA - Boston Beer Company<br />Samuel Adams Latitude Belgian IPA - Boston Beer Company<br />Saranac IPA - F.X. Matt Brewing Company/Saranac<br />Sculpin IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Co.<br />Seven Gates Pale Ale (Gate Two) - Spring House Brewing Co.<br />Seven IPA - Cornerstone Brewing Company<br />Sheltowee Hop - a - lot IPA - Bluegrass Brewing Co<br />Special Ration IPA - Pearl Street Grill & Brewery<br />Stone IPA - Stone Brewing Co.<br />Super Fly - Oaken Barrel Brewing Company<br />Supergoose IPA - Hale's Ales<br />SweetWater IPA - SweetWater Brewing Co<br />The Black Pearl - Pearl Street Grill & Brewery<br />Titan IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company<br />TOP GUN IPA - Blind Tiger Brewery<br />Torpedo Extra IPA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.<br />Tower 10 IPA - Karl Strauss Brewing Company<br />Trestles IPA - Left Coast Brewing Co.<br />Trickster IPA - Black Raven Brewing Company<br />Triple Play IPA - Lawson's Finest Liquids<br />West Coast IPA - Green Flash Brewing<br />White Rajah - The Brew Kettle Production Works<br />Wipeout IPA - Port Brewing Co.<br />Workhorse IPA - Laurelwood Brewing Co<br />Zombie Killer - Snipes MountainWashington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-57971472962272521122011-01-21T10:37:00.000-08:002011-01-21T10:54:40.257-08:00Belgianfest - Beer Descriptions are Here!<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />We now have descriptions of the beer that will be poured at this Saturday's Belgianfest.<br /><br />You can read all of <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/tag/washington_belgianfest/" target="_blank">our previous posts about Belgianfest here</a>.<br /><br />To purchase tickets in advance (recommended) go to the <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/festival_belgian.htm">official event website</a>.<br /><br />The brewers have provided descriptions of the beer that that will pour at Belgianfest. You can view the <a href="http://wp.me/pwKOK-2d3" target="_blank">complete list of beer descriptions here.</a>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-9324984677300255392011-01-20T12:50:00.000-08:002011-01-20T12:50:00.329-08:00Belgianfest This Saturday. Get Tickets Now<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >by Kendall Jones - </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />This is just a reminder - Belgianfest is this Saturday and it is expected to sell out. Don't be left out in the cold. Buying your tickets in advance insures that you'll get in. You can <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/festival_belgian.htm">get your tickets online</a> or you can get them at <a href="http://www.bigtimebrewery.com/" target="_blank">Big Time Brewery</a> and <a href="http://www.fullthrottlebottles.com/" target="_blank">Full Throttle Bottles</a>.<br /><br />By now you likely know about Belgianfest. The event takes place this Saturday, January 22nd at Magnuson Park. The afternoon session runs from noon - 4:00. The evening session runs from 5:30 - 9:30. There will be 30 Washington breweries pouring Belgian-inspired beers. You can read <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/tag/washington_belgianfest/">our previous posts about it here</a> or you can <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/festival_belgian.htm">visit the official event website here</a>.<br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8083" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/belgianfest-2011-date-and-location-announced/belgianfest/"><img class="aligncenter" title="belgianfest" src="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/images/belgianfest_2011_240x368.jpg" alt="" height="368" width="240" /><br /></a>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-32728340441069201252011-01-20T11:44:00.000-08:002011-01-20T11:47:13.774-08:00The Top 100 Beer Bars in America<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target=" _blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />Draft Magazine recently published its list of the <a href="http://draftmag.com/new/Feature/americas-100-best-beer-bars-2011/" target="_blank">Top 100 Beer Bars in America</a>. Congratulations to the<a href="http://www.beveridgeplacepub.com/" target="_blank"> Beveridge Place Pub</a>, <a href="http://www.uberbier.com/" target="_blank">Uber Tavern</a>, <a href="http://nakedcitybrewing.com/" target="_blank">Naked City Taphouse</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stumbling-Monk/116466008380929?ref=ts&v=info" target="_blank">Stumbling Monk</a> for making the list. Those are the only Washington pubs that made the list.<br /><br />Obviously this list is based on opinion and not on any kind of empirical evaluation of all of the pubs and bars in the nation. We expect that many people will be dismayed that <a href="http://draftmag.com/features/americas-100-best-beer-bars-2011/" target="_blank">Brouwer's Cafe</a>, which is otherwise recognized nationally, failed to make the list. We know at least one person who will think that the people at Draft Magazine are high on glue for not including the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pub-at-Pipers-Creek/105310086166963?ref=search&sid=708613681.3434066630..1" target="_blank">Pub at Pipers Creek</a> on the list. And what about Tacoma? Many people would argue that the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pub-at-Pipers-Creek/105310086166963?ref=search&sid=708613681.3434066630..1#%21/pages/Parkway-Tavern/249002027590" target="_blank">Parkway Tavern</a> needs to be on that list. It goes on and on. There is no way you can publish a list like this and not disappoint someone.<br /><br />My point? Draft Magazine is a big, national publication and making their list of the Top 100 Beer Bars is an honor; however there is no dishonor in not making the list.<br /><br /><a href="http://draftmag.com/features/americas-100-best-beer-bars-2011/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-8463" title="top100" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/top100-350x164.jpg" alt="" height="164" width="350" /></a>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-58848404519816585372011-01-14T12:39:00.000-08:002011-01-14T12:39:00.736-08:00The Beer List for Belgianfest<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/festival_belgian.htm">Belgianfest</a> is just one week and one day away. We now have the list of beers, which includes some old favorites as well as many new creations. <a href="http://www.elysianbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Elysian</a> is bringing six beers. Showoffs.<br /><br />You can <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/festival_belgian.htm">buy tickets online</a> in advance. This event will likely sell out again. If you want to go (and you should), get on it now. Do not dawdle.<br /><br />Below - Last year's Belgianfest - Some form of Belgian-inspired yumminess from Naked City.<a rel="attachment wp-att-4091" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/belgianfest-is-in-the-books-and-the-verdict-is/belgianfest-002/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-4091" title="Belgianfest-002" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Belgianfest-002-350x279.jpg" alt="" height="279" width="350" /></a><br /><br />I am looking forward to revisiting some of my favorites like <a href="http://www.bigtimebrewery.com/" target="_blank">Big Time Brewery</a>'s Trombipulator, <a href="http://www.georgetownbeer.com/" target="_blank">Georgetown Brewing</a>'s Donkey Duex, and <a href="http://www.pikebrewing.com/" target="_blank">Pike Brewing</a>'s Monk's Uncle. I am also looking forward to some new stuff like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/DerBlokken" target="_blank">Der Blokken Brewery</a>'s Belgian Gold, <a href="http://www.fallsbrew.com/" target="_blank">Snoqualmie Fall Brewing</a>'s Triskaidekaphobia, and <a href="http://www.paradisecreekbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Paradise Creek Brewing</a>'s Paradise Hoe Style.<br /><br />Recently we were fortunate enough to sample some of <a href="http://www.silvercitybrewery.com/" target="_blank">Silver City Brewery</a>'s La Fat, Belgian-Inspired Scotch Ale. Put it on the list. Don't miss it.<br /><br />Here's the list:<br /><br />Anacortes Brewery<br />1) Dark Water Dubbel: ABV: 8.2%<br />2) Anacortes Sour Brown ABV: 9.1%<br /><br />Big Al Brewing<br />1) Belgian Tripel ABV: 9%<br />2) Local Hero #9 Belgian Dubbel ABV: 7.7%<br /><br />Big Time Brewery<br />1) Trombipulator 2010 ABV: 10%<br />2) Saison Grisette<br /><br />Black Raven Brewing<br />1) “Pour Les Oiseaux” ABV: 6.2%<br />2) “Seasonal Farmhouse IPA” ABV: 7.7%<br />3) “La Petite Mort” (cask version) ABV: 8.8%<br /><br />Boundary Bay Brewery<br />1) Big Belgian Ale ABV: 6.6%<br />2) Boundary Bay Tripel<br /><br />Der Blokken Brewery<br />1) Belgian Gold ABV: 8.5%<br /><br />Elliot Bay Brewing<br />1) Belgian Black IPA ABV: 6% IBU: 60<br />2) Brett von Boorian ABV: 4.75% IBU: 30<br />3) Imperial von Boorian ABV: 7.25% IBU: 70<br />4) Red von Boorian ABV: 5% IBU: 20<br /><br />Elysian Brewing<br />1) Bête Blanche ABV: 6.9%<br />2) Bête Noel Belgian-style Ale. ABV: 8.5%<br />3) Toro Oro Yerba Mate Tripel ABV: 7.2%<br />4) Yuzu’s. Sour Belgian-Style Golden Ale ABV:4.5%<br />5) Groaning Board Trappist-style Table Beer ABV: 5.3%<br />6) Backhanded Compliment (Belgian-Style IPA) ABV: 6.2%<br /><br />Fremont Brewing<br />1) Mystere de Tonneau<br />2) Blood Funnel-Saison<br /><br />Georgetown Brewing<br />1) Donkey Deux! ABV: 7.9%<br />2) Georgetown Braggot ABV: 8.5%<br /><br />Hale’s Ales<br />1) IX Gold-Belgium Strong Golden Ale. ABV: 9%<br />2) Quadruppel<br /><br />Issaquah Brewhouse<br />1) Cask of Menage-a-Frog: ABV 9%<br />2) Cask of Menage-a-Frog: Berry Edition ABV 9%<br /><br />Lazy Boy Brewing<br />1) Belgian Golden Ale<br />2) TBA<br /><br />Naked City Brewery<br />1) Gilda American Wild Ale ABV: 8.5%<br />2) Saison De La Ville Nue ABV: 6.5%<br /><br />Odin Brewing<br />1) Odin Pearl White Ale ABV: 5.1%<br /><br />Paradise Creek Brewery<br />1) Paradise Hoe Style: Belgian Wit. ABV: 5.9%<br /><br />Pike Brewing<br />1) Pike Monk’s Uncle Tripel Ale ABV: 9%<br />2) Pike Tandem Double Ale ABV: 7.5%<br /><br />Ram Brewery<br />1) Biere de Mars<br />2) Rye<br />3) BBL-a-Trois<br /><br />RedHook Brewery<br />1) Dubbel Hook ABV: 8%<br /><br />Scuttlebutt Brewing<br />1) Belgian Winter-Belgian Dark Strong Ale<br />2) Tripel 7 ABV: 9%<br /><br />Silver City Brewery<br />1) La Fat-Belgian Inspired Scotch Ale ABV: 9%<br />2) Katy Saison ABV: 6%<br /><br />Snipes Mt. Brewery<br />1) Twangzister #3 ABV: 8.5%<br /><br />Snoqualmie Falls Brewing<br />1) Triskaidekaphobia-Belgian Tripel<br />2) Spring Fever-Belgian Gran Cru<br />3) Wit-Wit Bier<br /><br />Three Skulls-Baron Brewing<br />1) Three Skulls Belgian Trippel ABV: 9%<br /><br />Two Beers Brewing<br />1) Crooked Belgian Wit<br />2) Cask Dry Peeled Crooked Belgian WitWashington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-40585174414032343532011-01-14T08:53:00.000-08:002011-01-14T08:56:35.393-08:00A New Washington Beer Festival Coming to Bremerton<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />We heard rumblings about this some time ago: a beer festival in Bremerton. We heard the idea discussed at a <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Commission</a> meeting a few months ago. We heard our friends over at <a href="http://www.silvercitybrewery.com/" target="_blank">Silver City Brewing</a> talking about it when we visited the production brewery in Bremerton a few weeks ago. Apparently Kurt Larson, sales and marketing for Silver City Brewery, was one of the people who hatched the idea. Nothing official.<br /><br />Today the Kitsap Sun is reporting that the Washington Beer Commission has selected Bremerton as the site for a Summer Beer Festival (<a href="http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jan/12/bremerton-picked-to-host-beer-festival/" target="_blank">read it</a>). Not only will the event take place during the summer, it will spotlight Washington-brewed summer beers.<br /><br />The event will take place in downtown Bremerton, just a stone's throw from the ferry terminal, providing easy access for those of us who will need to travel across the pond. (Walking onto the ferry is so much cheaper than driving.) The word on the street is that the event will take place on Saturday, July 30th, but there's still no official word on the date. We're waiting for confirmation and will keep you posted.<br /><br />Rest assured that we will report more about this event once the Washington Beer Commission makes an official announcement. We just wanted to share what we know thus far.<br /><br />Below: Don Spencer and Kurt Larson - Silver City Brewery in Bremerton<br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8442" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/a-new-washington-beer-festival-coming-to-bremerton/img_1130_sm/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8442" title="IMG_1130_sm" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG_1130_sm-350x338.jpg" alt="silver_city_brewery" height="338" width="350" /></a>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-42378566275684193572011-01-13T10:00:00.000-08:002011-01-13T10:00:03.452-08:00What's Brewing - New Washington Breweries<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">by Kendall Jones - </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />Every now and again we take a look at recent microbrewery licensing activities. We get our information from the Liquor Control Board. Here's what has happened in the past 30 days.<br /><br />(BTW - We are currently working on upgrading our brewery and brewpub mapping system. The existing map is up and running, but we want to make it better.)<br /><br />The Liquor Control Board recently received <strong>Microbrewery license <span style="text-decoration: underline;">applications</span></strong> from the following businesses:<br /><ul><br /> <li><strong>Decibell Brewing</strong> - Bellevue. Residential address in Bellevue's Lake Hills neighborhood.</li><br /> <li><strong>Hillard's Beer</strong> - Seattle. Ballard getting another brewery. Commercial location, but no other information yet. Stay tuned.</li><br /> <li><strong>Rock Island Brewing Company</strong> - Seattle. Residential location in North Seattle.</li><br /> <li><strong>Old Mill House Micro Brew</strong> - Tacoma. Commercial location on 6th Avenue in Tacoma.</li><br /></ul>The Liquor Control Board recently <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">approved</span> Microbrewery license applications</strong> for the following businesses:<br /><ul><li><strong>The Monkey</strong> - Seattle. The Monkey Pub in the University District apparently applied for a change to their liquor license type. This one is interesting. We're working on it. Stay tuned.</li><br /> <li><strong>Communitea Kombucha</strong> - Seattle. It's not beer; it's Kombucha. Still, it is mildly alcoholic and they want to make it legally. <a href="http://communitea-kombucha.com/" target="_blank">http://communitea-kombucha.com/</a></li><br /> <li><strong>Slippery Pig Brewery</strong> - Poulsbo. Residential address in Poulsbo.</li><br /></ul>If you know more, please <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/about-2/" target="_self">contact us</a> or leave a comment below. We'd love to tell your story.Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-55456890437189203302011-01-12T11:03:00.000-08:002011-01-12T11:03:00.631-08:00Yakima Craft Brewing Opens New Taproom<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">by Kendall Jones - </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.yakimacraftbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Yakima Craft Brewing</a> just announced the opening of its new taproom. The Taproom at the Brewery will serve beer by the Imperial pint and half pint, with taster trays available. They will also fill growlers and sell bottles and kegs to go.<br /><br />Below: Photo from <a href="http://www.yakimacraftbrewing.com/">www.yakimacraftbrewing.com</a>.<br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8315" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/yakima-craft-brewing-opens-its-new-taproom/ycbc1/"><img class="size-full wp-image-8315" title="YCBC1" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/YCBC1.jpg" alt="" height="305" width="425" /></a><br /><br />Here's the description from the website: "All the beer served at the Taproom is brewed here on-site. Inside you will find a small but inviting space with simple food and a classic pub atmosphere."<br /><p style="text-align: left;"><a rel="attachment wp-att-8316" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/yakima-craft-brewing-opens-its-new-taproom/ycbc2/" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8316" title="YCBC2" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/YCBC2.jpg" alt="" height="172" width="311" /></a></p><br />Hours:<br />Monday-Friday 4:00 - 8:00<br />Saturday 1:00 - 10:00<br /><br />Yakima Craft Brewing<br />2920 River Road (#6)<br />Yakima, Washington 98902<br />(509) 654-7357<br /><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2920+River+Road+%28%236%29+Yakima,&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2920+River+Rd,+Yakima,+Washington+98902&gl=us&z=16" target="_blank">Map</a>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-47658796978882043092011-01-12T10:11:00.000-08:002011-01-12T10:14:51.524-08:00Locöl Opens in West Seattle - a focus on local beer<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />Admittedly, we do not drink 100 percent local beer, but most often we find it very easy to live by the "drink local" mantra given the fact that we live in a community blessed with so many great breweries.<br /><br />Today at noon, in West Seattle's Highpoint neighborhood, a new restaurant and bar named <a href="http://www.facebook.com/locolwestseattle" target="_blank">Locöl</a> is opening that shares our philosophy. The name is a play on the English word <em>local</em> and the Swedish word for beer. In Swedish the word <em>folköl</em> means "folk beer." Locöl will focus on local product, both in terms of food and in terms of beer.<br /><br />Below - Photo courtesy of Locöl's Facebook page (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/locolwestseattle">facebook.com/locolwestseattle</a>).<br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8385" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/locol-opens-tonight-with-a-focus-on-local-product/locol/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8385" title="locol" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/locol-350x232.jpg" alt="" height="232" width="350" /></a><br /><br />We were fortunate enough to attend a soft opening of Locöl last week. Located on 35th Avenue SW, one of West Seattle's main drags, Locöl is warm and cozy, friendly and inviting. Lots of dark and warm wood, plenty of seating at the bar, and walls adorned with artwork by local artists. Everything here seems very thoughtful, from the wood-paneled walls to the lighting, the art, and the beer selection. Every piece is well considered. Although we did not eat, the menu was tempting and the food we saw delivered to tables around us looked amazing.<br /><br />Locöl features a limited number of taps (six) but the beer promises to be very thoughtfully chosen. We appreciate that. I'd rather go to a bar with six well-selected taps than a bar with 26 taps assigned at the distributors' discretion. Locöl will focus on regional beers, with an extra focus on hyper-local products: beers from Seattle. You will not find Blue Moon or Stella Artois on tap at Locöl. Sorry.<br /><br />Cheers to Locöl for its commitment to local product!<br /><br />You can find Locöl in West Seattle at <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=7902+35th+Ave.+SW+seattle+wa&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=7902+35th+Ave+SW,+Seattle,+King,+Washington+98126&gl=us&z=16" target="_blank">7902 35th Ave. SW</a>.<br /><br />It is said that a pictures is worth a thousand words. If that's true, how many words is a video worth? KOMO 4 News paid a visit to Locöl. Here is that video.<br /><br /><code><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" height="340" width="500"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vaGfbMcK8ps?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vaGfbMcK8ps?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="500"></embed></object></code>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-6810450995241458982011-01-12T09:59:00.000-08:002011-01-12T10:09:42.274-08:00Belgianfest Tickets On Sale Online<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">by Kendall Jones - </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/141696" target="_blank">Tickets are now available online</a> for Belgianfest 2011, which takes place on Saturday, January 22. They are selling quickly. A quarter of the tickets for the first session are already sold. The evening session is also selling well. Tickets are also available at <a href="http://www.bigtimebrewery.com/" target="_blank">Big Time Brewery</a> and <a href="http://www.fullthrottlebottles.com/" target="_blank">Full Throttle Bottles</a>. Our best advice is to buy your tickets early. This year the venue at Magnuson Park has a larger capacity (450 versus 300) but don't forget that both sessions sold out quickly last year.<br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-4090" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/belgianfest-is-in-the-books-and-the-verdict-is/belgianfest-001/"><img class="size-full wp-image-4090" title="Belgianfest-001" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Belgianfest-001.jpg" alt="" height="360" width="480" /></a><br />Above - Last year Belgianfest packed the joint. Bigger venue this year, but expect the same.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Breweries expected to participate:</strong><br />Anacortes Brewery<br />Baron Brewing<br />Big Al Brewing<br />Big Time Brewery<br />Black Raven Brewing<br />Boundary Bay Brewery<br />Der Blokken Brewery<br />Elliott Bay Brewing<br />Elysian Brewing<br />Fremont Brewing<br />Georgetown Brewing<br />Hale's Ales Brewery<br />Issaquah Brewhouse<br />Lazy Boy Brewing<br />Naked City Brewery<br />Odin Brewing<br />Paradise Creek Brewery<br />Pike Brewing, Ram Brewery<br />Redhook Ale Brewery<br />Scuttlebutt Brewing<br />Snipes Mountain Brewery<br />Snoqualmie Falls Brewing<br />Silver City Brewery<br />Two Beers Brewing<br /><br /><strong>Parking:</strong><br />Plenty of free parking is available at the event site.<br /><br /><strong>Admission: </strong><br />$30 <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/141696" target="_blank">advance tickets</a> or $35 at the door (if available)<br />Admission includes a commemorative tasting glass & ten 4oz tastes<br />Designated driver admission is $5 and available at the door only (includes free water/soda)<br />Must be 21 years old or older and have a valid ID<br /><br /><strong>Other details:</strong><br /><br />Saturday, January 22nd, 2011<br />Session 1: 12:00-4:00 p.m.<br />Session 2: 5:30-9:30 p.m.<br /><br />The Workshop at Magnuson Park<br />6310 NE 74th St., Seattle, WAWashington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-68584282443329491042010-12-13T16:58:00.000-08:002010-12-13T17:15:06.339-08:00Winter Beerfest Follow Up and Pictures<span style="font-size:85%;">by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />Just before the doors opened for the Friday session of the <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/festival_winter.htm" target="_blank">Washington Winter Beer Festival</a>, Eric Radovich, Executive Director of the Washington Beer Commission, announced the fest was 30 tickets shy of sell-out prior to opening the doors, with more tickets sold in presales than last year. Once the doors opened, the capacity crowd filled the space and made it a little difficult to find your friends, if you happened to lose them. But the longest beer line we waited in was maybe five people deep, nothing like the 15 minute lines we saw at the summer festival.<br /><br />The 2010 version of Washington Winter Beerfest was outstanding. The brewers really out-did themselves. It was nearly impossible to choose a favorite beer. We attended the Friday evening session and the Saturday evening session. We heard nothing but good things about the Saturday afternoon session.<br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8066" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/washington-winter-beer-fest-day-one-pics-and-notes/img_1071/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8066" title="IMG_1071" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/IMG_1071-350x262.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="262" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">By mid-session, there was a full house.</span><br /><br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8063" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/washington-winter-beer-fest-day-one-pics-and-notes/img_1065/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8063" title="IMG_1065" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/IMG_1065-262x350.jpg" alt="" width="262" height="350" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />The Seven Seas Brewing Santa tells Ken (Port Townsend Brewing) that he's been a naughty boy.<br /><br /><br /></span><a rel="attachment wp-att-8061" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/washington-winter-beer-fest-day-one-pics-and-notes/img_1055/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8061" title="IMG_1055" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/IMG_1055-350x262.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="262" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Janelle Pritchard of Trade Route with Richard, her trusty volunteer.</span><br /><br />Some of our favorite beers of the festival: Fremont Brewing's Abominable B-Bomb, Flyer's Daybreak Breakfast Stout, Boundary Bay '09 Cabin Fever, Airways Hot Chocolate Ale, Big Al's Peanut Butter Stout, and Naked City's French Dude. The biggest surprise for us was the newcomer, Paradise Creek Brewery from Pullman, WA, and their super malty, super hoppy dark IPA, the Hopocolypse.<br /><br />Now that Winter Beerfest is over, it's time to start thinking about the upcoming Belgianfest. We'll have more details soon, but for now mark the date - Saturday, January 22, 2011.<br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8062" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/washington-winter-beer-fest-day-one-pics-and-notes/img_1062/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8062" title="IMG_1062" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/IMG_1062-350x262.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="262" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Boundary Bay brought a vertical tasting of Cabin Fever. And a cabin.</span><br /><br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8059" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/washington-winter-beer-fest-day-one-pics-and-notes/img_1050/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8059" title="IMG_1050" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/IMG_1050-350x262.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="262" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Elysian's Brewers Nativity.</span><br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8060" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/washington-winter-beer-fest-day-one-pics-and-notes/img_1051/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8060" title="IMG_1051" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/IMG_1051-350x262.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="262" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Best taphandle: Le Dude is ready for the holidays too.</span><br /><br /><a rel="attachment wp-att-8065" href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/washington-winter-beer-fest-day-one-pics-and-notes/img_1077/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8065" title="IMG_1077" src="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/IMG_1077-350x262.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="262" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Pooped post-fest in the brewer's lounge: Drew from Pike and Heather from Schooner Exact.</span>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-44166210639610707662010-12-10T15:41:00.000-08:002010-12-10T15:41:00.602-08:00Washington Welcomes More New Breweries<span style="font-size:85%;">by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />We try to keep up, really we do, but the brewing scene around here is a very dynamic thing. Breweries apply for licenses and then are never heard from again. Other breweries are awarded their microbrewery licenses and then never actually materialize.<br /><br />By our reckoning—our best attempt to understand the reality of the situation—there are currently 137 licensed breweries in Washington, plus one that is licensed but apparently doesn't even know it.<br /><br />We base our list of <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/breweries-and-brew-pubs/">Washington Breweries</a> on the Liquor Control Board's list of Washington Domestic and Micro Breweries.<br /><br />There is one licensed brewery which we leave off of our list because they don't brew beer, never have brewed beer, and apparently do not intend to brew beer. When I called and asked about it, they had no idea what I was talking about. They seemed quite surprised to learn they had a microbrewery license. Weird.<br /><br />Conversely, Gilligan's Brewing in Seattle, which is currently not brewing beer, is on the list because they are licensed and we know that they actually want to brew beer and actually intend to brew beer.<br /><br />It gets confusing, but we try to keep things current.<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Added to our list of Washington Breweries:</strong></span><br /><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Barhop Brewing in Port Angeles.</strong> Actually, added as Harbinger/Barhop Brewing. This is the place in Port Angeles which is a winery and, as of a few months ago, is a brewery now as well. They have two microbrewery licenses at one location. I imagine things will get straightened out before too long. I'm guessing Harbinger is the wine and Barhop will be the brewery.</p><br /><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Gilligan's Brewing in Seattle.</strong> His old license expired and now he's been awarded a new license. Not sure about any new plans to get brewing again. I've asked and will keep you posted.</p><br /><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Parker's Steakhouse in Longview.</strong> They have been awarded a license, are building out the brewery and have plans to brew. No word on a launch date, but I'll keep you posted.</p><br /><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Grit City Brewing in Centralia.</strong> At one point they were licensed in Tacoma. Then there were rumors about Olympia. Now they are licensed in Centralia. We have no further information.</p><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Removed from the list:</strong></span><br /><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Speedway Brewing in Lacey. </strong>We have heard that they plan to open a new location around Olympia somewhere, but do not have any details or any status report for you.</p><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>New on the list of applicants this month:</strong></span><strong></strong><br /><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>Ashtown Brewing Company, Kelso.<br />Underground Lighthouse Brewing, Seattle.<br />Anne Uther Brewing Company, Auburn<br />Old Mill House Brewing, Tacoma</strong></p><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/tag/new_breweries/">See all of our previous stories</a> about new breweries popping up in Washington.<br /><br />If you know anything about any of these breweries (new, old, or planned), <a href="mailto:washingtonbeerblog@yahoo.com">please let us know</a> or leave a comment.<br /><br />Also...<br /><br />Kona is licensed as a Washington brewery. Their beer is brewed at Redhook.<br /><br />Because of their collaborative relationship with Elysian, New Belgium is licensed as a Washington brewery.<br /><br />Pyramid is still licensed as a Washington brewery, although the brewhouse in Seattle seems to be in mothballs.Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-31336316166651848852010-12-10T13:44:00.000-08:002010-12-10T13:49:39.462-08:00Washington Winter Beer Fest - a few of our top picks<span style="font-size:85%;">by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" _blank="">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />The Washington Winter Beerfest kicks off today. There will be 35 breweries pouring more than 90 different beers.<br /><br />There will be a lot of great beer poured this weekend at the Washington Winter Beerfest (<a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/washington-winter-beerfest-the-official-beer-list/" target="_blank">see the complete list</a>). It's always a challenge to decide where to start, but this year I have my eye on few things in particular.<br /><br />Don't forget to buy your tickets in advance. This festival often sells out and you don't want to be left out in the cold, so to speak. <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/festival_winter.htm" target="_blank">Click here for details</a>.<br /><br />Below is the list of beers about which I am most excited.<br /><br /><strong>Cabin Fever Vertical</strong> - <a href="http://www.bbaybrewery.com/" target="_blank">Boundary Bay</a> Cabin Fever is probably my favorite winter beer year in and year out. I tend to have an annual favorite each year, but I always reach into the bottom drawer and pull out the same old wool sweater when the temperatures drop and the snows start to fall. This year Boundary Bay Brewery will be pouring 2008, 2009, and 2010 Cabin Fever. I seriously cannot wait!<br /><strong><br />Back by Popular Demand</strong> - Two beers that blew everyone's minds at the Washington Brewers Festival last June. Both of these beers are made in smaller batches, so we'll call them rare. I'm sure some of it will be available at each of the three sessions, but it will go fast. First is <a href="http://www.bigalbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Big Al Brewing's</a> Peanut Butter Stout, which is made with real peanut butter and presents a real challenge for the brewer as well as the "assistant brewer" (the person who cleans up after the brewer). The other is <a href="http://www.blackravenbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Black Raven Brewing's</a> La Petite Mort, a barrel-aged Belgian dark ale (bourbon barrel).<br /><strong><br />Sweet and Sour</strong> - <a href="http://www.elysianbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Elysian Brewing's</a> Bifrost Winter Ale—the seasonal offering from one of Seattle's most revered breweries—might not qualify as sweet, per se, but it is a beer that we consider a wintertime staple around these parts. This year, they'll be pouring it alongside Bret Frost, which we can reasonably assume is a soured version of the Bifrost.<br /><strong><br />Coffee Brews</strong> - Nobody will be pouring 4 Loko, but artisan brewers are not shy about their love of coffee. There are three coffee-themed beers that we are looking forwards to enjoying at Winter Beerfest: Daybreak Breakfast Stout, an oatmeal coffee stout from <a href="http://www.eatatflyers.com/">Flyer's Brewery</a> in Oak Harbor; Sumatra Coffee Stout from <a href="http://www.traderoutebrewing.com/" target="_blank">Trade Route Brewing</a>; and Jive Espresso Stout from <a href="http://www.twobeersbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Two Beers Brewing</a>, an outstanding beer with which we are already familiar in its regular form, but not the cask-conditioned version they'll be pouring at the festival.<br /><strong><br />A Winter Welcome</strong> - <a href="http://www.paradisecreekbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Paradise Creek Brewery</a> is located Pullman and is a newcomer to the festival this year. Actually, they're a fairly new brewery overall. They will be pouring three different beers: Hopocolypse Black IPA, Dirty Blonde, and Over the Hop American IPA. We look forward to sampling their beer without driving all the way to Pullman.<br /><br />We will be at the festival this weekend. Look for us in our "Follow Me to Good Beer" shirts. Be sure to say hello. Tell us about your favorite beer.<br /><br />Pictures from last year's Winter Beerfest:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><img title="Winter_beer_fest" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2601/4160234975_966e4d3522_o.jpg" alt="It was chilly last night. Kim is bundled in her puffy coat with Ken (Big Al Brewing), Hutch (Rogue Issaquah Brew House), and Janelle (Snoqualmie Falls Brewing). " height="387" width="450" /><br /></div>Getting there early has advantages. You get to meet Santa - Ken from Port Townsend Brewing.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img title="winter_beer_fest-2" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/4160289777_8669fe3f25_o.jpg" alt="We were the first people through the door. The WABL happy hour certainly has its advantages. No crowd." height="337" width="450" /><br /><br />We were the first people through the door last year.<br /><br /><img title="winter_beer_fest_3-sm" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2588/4160308107_1a4698d969_o.jpg" alt="Later in the evening the crowd picked up, as expected." height="337" width="450" /><br /><br />Later in the evening the crowd picked up, as expected.Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-29265325101563580422010-12-10T13:36:00.000-08:002010-12-10T13:43:54.985-08:00Washington Beer on the Air<span style="font-size:85%;">by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />Did you hear us? We were on the radio (<a href="http://www.kuow.org" target="_blank">KUOW 94.9 FM</a>, to be exact) talking about the Washington Winter Beer Fest, the Washington beer scene, and beer in general. They kindly devoted an entire hour to the topic.<br /><br />I was contacted a few weeks ago by a KUOW producer who wanted to talk about beer - winter beer, in particular. We chatted via email and then over the phone. I was invited to come into the studio for an hour of beer talk. Drew Cluley from <a href="http://www.pikebrewing.com" target="_blank">Pike Brewing</a> and Alejandro Brown from <a href="http://www.bigalbrewing.com" target="_blank">Big Al Brewing</a> joined me as we appeared on KUOW's Weekday.<br /><br />We sampled a few beers, talked about beer and the local brewing industry. We had a great time and were honored to be on air representing the Washington beer industry.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=22010" target="_blank">The show's site is here</a>.<br /><br />You can <a href="http://www.kuow.org/podcast/WeekdayB20101206.mp3" target="_blank">download the MP3 here</a>.<br /><br />You can <a href="http://www.kuow.org/search.php" target="_blank">find it in the KUOW archives as well, click here</a>. (The show aired on 12/6 at 10:00 a.m.)Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-949258023445090872010-12-07T08:43:00.000-08:002010-12-07T08:43:00.524-08:00And the Winner is... NW Brewing News People's ChoiceThe Northwest Brewing News has released the winners of the annual People's Choice Awards. Below we list the Washington winners. Only Washington winners are listed below. To see the complete list of all winners, <a href="http://www.brewingnews.com/cgi-bin/beernews/fullnews.cgi?newsid1291224527,5152," target="_blank">click here</a>.<br /><br />Congratulations to all of the winners.<br /><br /><strong>Best Alehouse/Pub, Washington</strong><br />Brouwers’ Café, Seattle<br />Honorable Mention: Beveridge Place Pub, Seattle<br /><strong><br />Best Brewery, Washington</strong><br />Black Raven Brewing Company, Redmond<br /><strong><br />Best Brewpub, Washington</strong><br />Boundary Bay Brewing Company, Bellingham<br /><strong><br />Best Bartender, Washington</strong><br />Tom Dineen, Brouwers’ Café, Seattle<br /><br /><strong>Best Beer Store, Washington</strong><br />By the Bottle, Vancouver<br /><strong><br />Best Homebrew Supply, Washington</strong><br />Bader Beer & Wine Supply, Vancouver<br />Honorable Mention: Larry’s Homebrew Supply, Renton<br /><br /><strong>Best beers, by style</strong><br /><br /><strong>Best ESB:</strong><br />Redhook ESB, Washington<br /><br /><strong>Best IPA:</strong><br />Boundary Bay Inside Passage Ale, Washington<br /><br /><strong>Best Strong Ale:</strong><br />Big Time Nemesis, Washington<br /><strong><br />Best Scotch Ale:</strong><br />Boundary Bay Scotch Ale, Washington<br /><br /><strong>Best Pilsner:</strong><br />Chuckanut Pils, Washington<br /><strong><br />Best Bock/Doppelbock:</strong><br />Tie: Chuckanut Bock, Washington<br />Columbia River Rick-N-Bocker, Oregon<br /><strong><br />Best Herb or Spice Beer:</strong><br />Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale, Washington<br /><strong><br />Best Cider:</strong><br />Wildfire Pirates’ Plank Cider, WashingtonWashington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-29674976609865991612010-12-06T08:39:00.000-08:002010-12-06T08:39:00.968-08:00A New Brewery Coming to GeorgetownThere's just something about that particular location that wants to be a brewery. I am talking about the entire stretch of Airport Way in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood, along the east side of the street where the old Seattle Brewing and Malting Company's operation once stretched on and on for blocks. Georgetown Brewing previously resided along that stretch of Airport Way but recently moved a few blocks away to the new location on Denver Ave.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The ancient Beer Gods of Airport Way will not be denied.</span><br /><br />Last night I learned that Elysian Brewing Company plans to open a new brewery in Georgetown - on the east side of Airport Way very near the intersection with Lucile Street. Sacred beer ground. The new brewery will be a production-only facility and will not even have a tap room. At least that's the plan as of this time.<br /><br />Elysian has been operating at capacity (perhaps beyond capacity) for some time now. Maybe it was the success of the Men's Room Red Ale that finally broke the camel's back.Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-1293676192454943142010-12-05T08:37:00.000-08:002010-12-05T08:39:23.316-08:00Washington Winter Beerfest - the official beer list<span style="font-size:85%;">by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com"><br /></a><br />Below is the official list of breweries and beers for the 2010 Washington Winter Beerfest. In all, 35 breweries will pour nearly 100 different beers. For complete details and ticket information visit <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/festival_winter.htm" target="_blank">the official event website</a>.<br /><br />The event takes place on Friday, December 10th and Saturday, December 11th at the Hale's Palladium in Ballard. There are three sessions this year−a Friday evening session, a Saturday afternoon session and a Saturday evening session. Washington Winter Beerfest regularly sells out. Get your tickets early.<br /><br /><strong>7 Seas Brewing-Gig Harbor</strong><br />1) Port Royal Export Style Stout<br />2) Saison<br />3) Ballz Deep Double IPA<br /><br /><strong>Airways Brewing-Kent</strong><br />1) Hot Chocolate Ale<br />2) Sky Hag IPA<br />3) Jet City ESB<br /><br /><strong>Anacortes Brewery-Anacortes</strong><br />1) Noel Winter Ale<br />2) Broadswood Scottish Ale<br />3) Klosterbier<br /><br /><strong>Baron & Three Skulls-Seattle</strong><br />1) Three Skulls Poison Winter Warmer<br />2) Three Skulls Blackbeard Dark Lager-Schwarzbier<br /><br /><strong>Big Al Brewing-Seattle</strong><br />1)Winter Warmer<br />2) Belgian Tripel<br />3) Peanut Butter Imperial Stout<br /><br /><strong>Big Time Brewery-Seattle</strong><br />1) Yulefest Winter Ale<br />2) Random Thought Generator Imperial Rye IPA<br />3) Holy Molé Chocolate-Chile Ale<br /><br /><strong>Black Raven Brewing-Redmond</strong><br />1) 2010 Old Birdbrain Barley Wine<br />2) 2010 Bourbon Barrel la Petite Mort Barrel Aged Belgian Dark Ale<br />3) Festivus IPA Herb and Spice Beer<br /><br /><strong>Boundary Bay Brewery-Bellingham</strong><br />1) 2010 Cabin Fever Winter Ale<br />2) 2009 Cabin Fever Winter Ale<br />3) 2008 Cabin Fever Winter Ale<br /><br /><strong>Chuckanut Brewery-Bellingham</strong><br />1) Kolsch<br />2) Dunkel<br /><br /><strong>Diamond Knot Brewing-Mukilteo</strong><br />1) Industrial HO HO HO<br />2) TBA<br /><br /><strong>Elliott Bay Brewing - Burien & Seattle</strong><br />1) IMPERIAL RED ALE (2010)<br />2) NOALE HOLIDAY ALE (ORGANIC)<br /><br /><strong>Elysian Brewing-Seattle</strong><br />1) Bifröst Winter Ale<br />2) Oak Frost<br />3) Brett Fröst<br />4) Valhalla Christmas Ale<br /><br /><strong>Fish Brewing-Olympia</strong><br />1) Winter Fish<br />2) Boulder Bend Dunkelweizen<br /><br /><strong>Flyers Brewery-Oak Harbor</strong><br />1) Daybreak Breakfast Stout-Oatmeal Coffee Stout<br />2) Dry Hop Afterburner IPA-American Strong Pale Ale<br /><br /><strong>Fremont Brewing-Seattle</strong><br />1) Bourbon Abominable Ale “BBomb”<br />2) Le Mystère de l’hiver - Bourbon barrell Oatmeal Stout<br /><br /><strong>Gorden Biersch Brew-Seattle</strong><br />1) Dopplebock Lager<br /><br /><strong>Hale's Ales Brewery-Seattle</strong><br />1) Supergoose<br />2) Wee Heavy Scotch Ale<br />3) Quadruppel Belgian Style Strong Dark<br /><br /><strong>Harmon Brewing-Tacoma</strong><br />1) Olde Bog Breath Scotch Ale<br />2) Oak Aged Point Defiance IPA<br /><br /><strong>Hood Canal Brewery-Kingston</strong><br />1) Southpoint Porter<br />2) Bywater Bay ESB<br /><br /><strong>Iron Horse Brewery-Ellensburg</strong><br />1) Cozy Sweater<br />2) Mocha Death<br /><br /><strong>Issaquah Brewhouse/Rogue Ales-Issaquah</strong><br />1) Jolly Frog<br />2) Brown Frog Belgian Wit<br /><br /><strong>Naked City Brewery-Seattle</strong><br />1) French Dude Barrel Aged Beer<br />2) Bing Spiked Cherry Ale<br /><br /><strong>Northern Lights Brewing-Spokane</strong><br />1) Winter Ale<br />2) Stellar Stout<br />3) Imperial IPA<br /><br /><strong>Paradise Creek Brewery-Pullman</strong><br />1) Hopocolypse Black IPA<br />2) Dirty Blonde<br />3) Over the Hop American IPA<br /><br /><strong>Pike Brewing-Seattle</strong><br />1) Auld Acquaintance Holiday Ale<br />2) Kilt Lifter Ruby Ale<br /><br /><strong>Port Townsend Brewing-Port Townsend</strong><br />1) Winter Ale Old Ale<br />2) Hop Diggidy IPA<br /><br /><strong>Ram Restaurant & Brewery-Seattle</strong><br />1) Ol’ Mallwalker - Strong old ale<br />2) Uber Dunkle Weizenbock<br />3) Dawgsled Winter warmer<br /><br /><strong>Redhook Ale Brewery-Woodinville</strong><br />1) Winterhook Winter Ale<br />2) Eisbock 28 Iced Winter Lager<br />3) Copperhook Copper Ale<br /><br /><strong>Rock Bottom Brewery-Bellevue</strong><br />1) Frostbite Imperial Red<br />2) Hollydaze Imperial IPA<br />3) Black Diamond Oatmeal Stout<br /><br /><strong>Schooner Exact Brewing-Seattle</strong><br />1) Hoppy the Woodsman<br />2) Puget Soundian Dark Ale - Black IPA<br />3) Profanity Hill Porter<br />4) Black Raspberry Wheat Ale<br /><br /><strong>Scuttlebutt Brewing-Everett</strong><br />1) 10 Below Winter Ale<br />2) Oaked 10 Below Winter Ale<br /><br /><strong>Silver City Brewery-Silverdale</strong><br />1) Imperial Stout<br />2) Old Scrooge Christmas Ale English Strong Ale<br /><br /><strong>Snipes Mountain Brewery-Sunnyside</strong><br />1) Pumpkin Death<br />2) 2 Fresh IPA<br /><br /><strong>Trade Route Brewing-Pacific</strong><br />1) Sumatra Coffee Stout<br />2) Trade Route IPA<br /><br /><strong>Two Beers Brewing-Seattle</strong><br />1) Cask Conditioned Jive Espresso Stout<br />2) Double Dry-Hopped Infused Evo<br />3) 20:20 BlondeWashington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-56356181059131116992010-11-27T11:07:00.000-08:002010-11-27T11:18:06.722-08:00A Beer Lovers Guide to Holiday Shopping<span style="font-size:85%;">by Kim Sharpe Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />Hey guys, want to know a secret about women? Something that most men might not know? <em>Not all women like to shop</em>. Shocking, I know. But I know that to be true because I'm one of the women who would rather do <em>anything</em> but wake up early for 4 a.m. doorbusters, circle the parking lots, scavenge through racks or wait in line to pay. Sure, occasionally I get a whim to browse at U. Village, but it's usually on an off day, not the middle of the holidays.<br /><br />In our consumerist society it's hard to escape the crush of holiday shopping, even if you get an early start, and shop mid-week from a strict list. Shopping online is an option, but if you must go to the mall, is there anything to make it more bearable? Yes, the answer is -- Beer. Diving into a pub for a cool beer between fighting off throngs of recreational shoppers in crowded stores makes the whole experience so much more agreeable. So much more likely to finish your shopping and maybe even bring some holiday spirit to the process.<br /><h4>The trick? Plan ahead and shop where the beer is.</h4><strong><a href="http://www.uvillage.com/" target="_blank">University Village</a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: Apple, books, boutique clothing, jewelry, shoes, housewares, Eddie Bauer, kids toys and furnishings.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://www.theram.com/washington/seattle.shtml" target="_blank">RAM U. Village </a> is in the shopping center so you won't have to repark your car.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://downtownseattleevents.com/" target="_blank">Downtown Seattle</a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: housewares, art, jewelry, high-end boutique clothing, department-store clothing or "Made in Washington" gifts from the Pike Place Market.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://www.taphousegrill.com/" target="_blank">Taphouse Bar and Grill</a>, <a href="http://www.rockbottom.com/seattle" target="_blank">Rock Bottom</a> Seattle, <a href="http://www.buckleysseattle.com/btmainpage.htm" target="_blank">Buckleys in Belltown</a>.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://bellevuesquare.com/" target="_blank">Bellevue Square</a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: Microsoft Kinect, anything and everything for label-conscious fashionistas.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://www.rockbottom.com/bellevue" target="_blank">Rock Bottom Bellevue</a>, <a href="http://www.pumphousebellevue.com/" target="_blank">Pumphouse</a> (not downtown, but worth a short drive if you're in for a long shopping session).<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.simon.com/Mall/?id=236" target="_blank">Northgate</a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: practical stuff, with everything from Nordstrom to Target within the mall or a couple blocks from the mall.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://www.theram.com/washington/northgate.shtml" target="_blank">RAM Northgate</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.shopkitsapmall.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Kitsap Mall</strong></a><br /><br />Gifts for them: another practical place to shop for practical people, it's the biggest mall on the peninsula.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://www.silvercitybrewery.com/" target="_blank">Silver City Brewery</a>, <a href="http://halesalehouse.com/" target="_blank">Hale's Alehouse</a>.<br /><h4>Shopping (and Drinking) Local</h4>As an alternative, consider skipping the mall for shopping at locally owned neighborhood boutiques and stores. The experience will likely be less crowded, you may find a more unique gift, and you'll be doing a local shop owner good. And there's usually even better beer to be found. Neighborhoods with great boutique shopping paired with good locally-owned pubs include:<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://wsjunction.org/" target="_blank">West Seattle Junction </a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: records, paper goods, crafts, jewelry, art, womens clothing, housewares.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://www.elliottbaybrewing.com/locations-menus/west-seattle/" target="_blank">Elliott Bay Brewery and Pub</a>.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.fremontseattle.com/" target="_blank">Fremont</a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: art, antiques, records, clothing, custom cosmetics, chocolates.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://brouwerscafe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Brouwer's</a>, <a href="http://www.fremontbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Fremont Brewing</a>.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://inballard.com/" target="_blank">Ballard</a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: outdoor wear, art, housewares, boutique clothing, shoes, records.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://www.thenoblefir.com/" target="_blank">The Noble Fir</a>, <a href="http://maritimebrewery.ypguides.net/" target="_blank">Maritime Jolly Roger Taproom</a>.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://qachamber.org/" target="_blank">Queen Anne</a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: mens and womens boutique clothing, housewares, art, jewelry.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://www.seattlealehouses.com/Hilltop/" target="_blank">Hilltop Ale House</a>.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.udistrictchamber.org/4B_MembersShopping.html" target="_blank">U. District</a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: youthful clothing and accessories, Husky merchandise, books.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://www.bigtimebrewery.com/" target="_blank">Big Time Brewery and Alehouse</a>.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.greenwood-phinney.com/" target="_blank">Greenwood/Phinney</a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: antiques, art, toys, boutique clothing.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://nakedcitybrewing.com/" target="_blank">Naked City</a>, <a href="http://www.pillagerspub.com/" target="_blank">Pillager's Pub</a>, <a href="http://www.seattlealehouses.com/74th/index.asp" target="_blank">74th Street Alehouse</a>.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.poulsbochamber.com/" target="_blank">Poulsbo</a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: Scandinavian products (great for Grandma).<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://tizleys.com/Welcome/" target="_blank">Tizley's Europub</a>.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://downtowntacoma.com/" target="_blank">Downtown Tacoma</a> and <a href="http://www.on6thave.com/" target="_blank">6th Avenue</a></strong><br /><br />Gifts for them: antiques, museum shop, art, vintage clothing.<br />Beer for you: Downtown - <a href="http://www.theswisspub.com/" target="_blank">The Swiss</a>, <a href="http://harmonbrewingco.com/" target="_blank">Harmon</a>; 6th Avenue - <a href="http://redhottacoma.com/" target="_blank">Red Hot</a>, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/parkway-tavern-tacoma" target="_blank">Parkway</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bainbridgechamber.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Winslow</strong></a> (walk on the ferry from Downtown Seattle)<br /><br />Gifts for them: boutique clothing, wine, housewares, custom cosmetics.<br />Beer for you: <a href="http://www.harbourpub.com/" target="_blank">Harbour Public House</a>.<br /><br />Why not choose your shopping destination based on where you can stop for a refreshment? If you have other favorite beery ideas for escaping the holiday shopping crush, share your secret in comments.Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-981913409612684139.post-25888433209652595462010-11-27T11:03:00.000-08:002010-11-27T11:06:23.159-08:00Strange Brewfest - All Systems Go<span style="font-size:85%;">by Kendall Jones - <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a></span><br /><br />Many people have been wondering what will happen to Strange Brewfest now that Port Townsend's Water Street Brewing is only a fond memory. Well, we just learned for certain that the Strange Brewfest will live on. Here are the details from the event organizers.<br /><blockquote><strong>It's official! Strange Brewfest 2011 is on!</strong><br /><br /><strong>The 7th Annual Strange Brewfest - January 28-30</strong><br /><br />This year's festival will be hosted by the American Legion in downtown Port Townsend, which is one block from the old Water Street Brewing location. Friday's schedule is still brewing, but Saturday the fun starts at 1pm and lasts until 9pm and Sunday starts at 1pm and will be jam'n until 7pm.<br /><br />No need to worry about the frigid forecast that Old Man Winter is predicting this year. The American Legion's Hall offers double the indoor capacity of years past. Sure, Strange Brewfest is, and will always be, an indoor/outdoor challenge to your commitment as a beer enthusiast. But this year, there will be more room inside and out, allowing you a full arm extension when hoisting your glass in celebration.<br /><br />Last year's Strange Brewfest was a tremendous success, as brewers from around the region embraced the 'strangeness' with more gusto than ever before. The result was a preeminent lalapalooza for the palate. Some of your favorite local breweries brought tasty quaffs, whose recipes included such delights as cayenne, coconut, corriandor and cucumber. Folks, those are just some of the ingredients from catogory 'C'. Strange Brewfest 2011 is sure to be another sensory slam dance.<br /><br />Speaking of slam dancing, this year's festival will be packed with fantastical music stylings, including Lucky Brown and The Funk Revolution and many more.<br /><br />As per usual, Strange Brewfest 2011 will feature countless, random acts of enchantment. If you've been before, you'll be suprised by some new and equally zany antics. If you've never been, you're in for a real show.<br /><br />Strange Brewfest 2011 will feature a costume contest on Saturday night, which will be voted on by, you, the people. Win prizes for having an overtly creative spirit.<br /><br /><strong>2010 Brewfest Winners</strong><br /><br />And, as the tradition continues, a presentation ceremony will be held on Sunday afternoon, awarding 'people's choice' medals to the top three breweries, and the coveted 'Strange Brew' medal to the brewery, which brought the beer that most captures the essence of the Strange Brewfest 2011. All of the awards will be voted on by you, the righteous festival goer!<br /><br />For more details, and continual updates, visit: <a href="http://www.strangebrewfestpt.com/">www.StrangeBrewfestPT.com</a> and bookmark it!<br /><br />Also, be sure to sign up as a fan on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Strange-Brewfest-2011/119373901460415">Facebook</a> and follow us on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/strangebrewfest">Twitter</a>!<br /><br />Email us: info@StrangeBrewfestPT.com<br />Strange Brewfest 2011! The party is on!</blockquote>Washington Beer Commissionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13852352705106699626noreply@blogger.com0