Drink Washington Beer

Washington Beer Open House this Saturday

2011-02-21T09:02:00.000-08:00

When 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 Washington Beer Commission, this is the first-ever Washington Beer Open House.

The Washington Beer Open House 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.

This is a great opportunity for you to get out there do some beer touring. Visit the official event website for updated details.
http://www.washingtonbeer.com/openhouse.htm

As of Monday, February 21, here is the list of participating breweries. If you need to map things out, visit our Washington Breweries page.

CENTRAL and EASTERN WA

C.I. Shenanigans Brewery, Spokane

Iron Horse Brewery, Ellensburg

Palouse Falls Brewing, Pullman

Yakima Craft Brewing, Yakima

NORTH and EAST of SEATTLE

American Brewing, Edmonds

Anacortes Brewing, Anacortes

Black Raven Brewing, Redmond

Boundary Bay Brewing, Bellingham

Chuckanut Brewing, Bellingham

Diamond Knot Brewing, Mukilteo

Foggy Noggin Brewing, Bothell

Gallagher's Where U Brew, Edmonds

Redhook Brewery, Woodinville

Scuttlebutt Brewing, Everett

Snoqualmie Falls Brewing, Snoqualmie

NORTH SEATTLE

Big Time Brewery, U District

Fremont Brewing, Fremont

Maritime Pacific Brewing, Ballard

Naked City Brewing, Greenwood

DOWNTOWN SEATTLE

Pike Brewing

SOUTH and WEST of DOWNTOWN SEATTLE

Big Al Brewing, White Center

Elliott Bay Brewing, W. Seattle

Epic Ales, SODO

Georgetown Brewing, Seattle

Schooner Exact Brewing, SODO

Three Skulls Brewing, South Park

Two Beers Brewing, SODO

SOUTH SOUND

M.T. Head Brewing, Graham

Trade Route Brewing, Pacific

The Ram Brewery, Puyallup

The Ram Brewery, Tacoma

WEST of PUGET SOUND

7 Seas Brewing, Gig Harbor

Der Blokken Brewing, Bremerton

American Brewing Announces Grand Opening

2011-02-21T08:58:00.000-08:00

Back in October we introduced you to American Brewing Company, the new brewery coming to Edmonds. (Read our previous story.) 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.

Below, Skip Madsen and Neil Fallon.

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.

The American Brewing grand opening coincides with Washington Beer Open House - 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.

Washington Beer Open House - Sat. Feb 26

2011-02-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

It'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.

What exactly are we talking about? Well, the Washington Beer Commission 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.

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.

Strange Brewfest - Follow Up and Pictures

2011-02-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

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.

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.

Below: Nut Warmer - Peanut Butter Winter Warmer from Big Al Brewing

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.

Strange Brewfest Axiom 1

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

My Beer Sandwich

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.

To start with, you'll need two slices of Redhook's smokey-rye beer, which they referred to as Ham on Rye. Next, add some 7 Bloody Seas from 7 Seas Brewing. This spicy, tomato-infused beer simulated a Bloody Mary magnificently. What sandwich would be complete without meat? Add some of Anacortes' Grand Salami: a beer that made me laugh out loud when I first drank it because it actually did taste like Salami. Awesome.

Maybe next year someone will make a beer with Gouda or Gruyere. I can hope.

For dessert, I suggest an Almond Roca Brown Ale from Flyers Brewery.

Other beers that impressed the heck out of me included Big Al's Nut Warmer (Winter Warmer with peanut butter); the Naked City Sour Patch Citra Ass Down IPA; the Silver City Imperial Pepper Stout; and the Chocolate Orange Degenerator from Port Townsend.

So many more. If you were there, help me out. What were your favorites?

Oh the Humanity!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Below: Packed house at the American Legion.

The outside portion of the festival was packed as well.

Below: Mike Runion (7 Seas Brewing) sports a had made from 7 Seas cans.

Below: Fellow blogger, Mike Besser (www.brewdad.com).

Below: I wish these were loons. They're cormorants. I just like the picture, taken Saturday morning before the doors opened.

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.

Elysian Brewing Co. opening a new brewery in Georgetown

2011-01-28T11:17:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Elysian Brewing Company 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.

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.

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.

Below: Elysian's flagship pub and brewery on Capitol Hill. Photo by Dor and Bob.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cheers,

Dick Cantwell, Joe Bisacca and David Buhler

Belgianfest 2011, Follow Up and Pictures

2011-01-23T10:16:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Belgianfest 2011 was a blast. Once again, the Washington Beer Commission 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!

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?

Here are a few pictures from the event.

Gearing Up for the National IPA Championship

2011-01-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

For those of us who love IPA, this is our version of March Madness. Each year the Brewing News 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.

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.

To stay informed, you should subscribe to the Hop Tips Newsletter. Obviously, we will track how Washington breweries perform in NIPAC this year.

Participate

Brewers, there is still time to enter your beer into the competition. To enter your beer click here. (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.

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.

Past Champions

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.

2011 Schedule

Round 1- February 13th @ Buffalo, NY
Round 2 - February 19th @ Syracuse,
NYRound 3 - February 26th @ Grand Rapids, MI
Round 4 - March 2nd @ Cleveland, OH
Final Round - March 5th @ Philadelphia, PA

The Combatants

As of this moment, the following Washington beers have joined the competition:

Interurban IPA - Fremont Brewing Company
Lazy Boy IPA - Lazy Boy Brewing Co.
Pike IPA - Pike Brewing Co
Supergoose IPA - Hale's Ales
Trickster IPA - Black Raven Brewing Company
Zombie Killer - Snipes Mountain Brewing
Hop Duster IPA - Flyers Restaurant and Brewery
Afterburner IPA - Flyers Restaurant and Brewery

Here is the complete list of entrants thus far:

Afterburner IPA - Flyers Restaurant and Brewery
Avery India Pale Ale - Avery Brewing Company
Be Hoppy IPA - Wormtown Brewery
Big Eye IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Co.
Big Sky IPA - Big Sky Brewing
Bitter Woman IPA - Tyranena Brewing Company
Border Hopper - SweetWater Brewing Co
Caged Alpha Monkey IPA - CB's
Centennial IPA - Founders Brewing Company
Class Five IPA - Thomas Creek Brewery
Cleveland IPA - Buckeye Brewing
Crooked Tree I.P.A - Dark Horse Brewing Company
crooked tree ipa - dark horse brewing co
Dagger Falls IPA - Sockeye Brewing
Devil's Peak IPA - Copper Canyon Brewery
Dirty Dog IPA - Big Dog's Brewing Co.
Duet - Alpine Beer Company
Elevated IPA - La Cumbre Brewing Co.
Empire I.P.A - Empire Brewing Co.
Finestkind IPA - Smuttynose Brewing Co.
Flower Power IPA - Ithaca Beer Company
Full Sail IPA - Full Sail Brewing Company
Good Karma IPA - Mad Anthony Brewing Company
Harpoon IPA - Harpoon Brewery
Head Hunter IPA - Fat Heads Brewery
Heavy Seas Loose Cannon - Clipper City Brewing
High Seas India Pale Ale - Michigan Brewing Company
Hop Duster IPA - Flyers Restaurant and Brewery
Hop Harvest Ale - Big Dog's Brewing Co.
Hop Ride IPA - Tenaya Creek Brewery
Hop Stalker IPA - Fat Heads Brewery
Hoppin' To Heaven IPA - Hoppin' Frog Brewing Company
India Pale Ale - Nebraska Brewing Company
India Pale Ale - Goose Island Beer Company
Interurban IPA - Fremont Brewing Company
Inversion IPA - Deschutes Brewery
IPA - Southern Tier Brewing Company
Islander IPA - Coronado Brewing Co
Jamaica Sunset IPA - Mad River Brewing Company
Lake Placid India Pale Ale - Lake Placid Craft Brewing Company
Lakefront IPA - Lakefront Brewery
Lazy Boy IPA - Lazy Boy Brewing Co.
Left Coast IPA - John Harvard's Brew House CT
Marin IPA - Marin Brewing Company
Mile HI.P.A. - Wynkoop Brewing Company
Modus Hoperandi - Ska Brewing Co.
Mojo IPA - Boulder Beer Company
Moylan's Harvest IPA - 15 Rowland Way
Nelson - Alpine Beer Company
NOR CAL IPA - Moylan's Brewing Co.
Norm,s Raggedy - Ass IPA - Big Rock Chop House
Oasis - Tallgrass Brewing Company
Organic Hopworks IPA - Hopworks Urban Brewery
Pike IPA - Pike Brewing Co
Pompous Ass - Orlando Brewing
Railroad Street IPA - Rohrbach Brewing Company
Ranger IPA - New Belgium Brewing
Red Eye PA - The Brew Kettle Production Works
Red Racer IPA - Central City Brewing
Red's Rye PA - Founders Brewing Company
Royal IPA - Bastone Brewery
Saber's Edge - Pearl Street Grill & Brewery
Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA - Boston Beer Company
Samuel Adams Latitude Belgian IPA - Boston Beer Company
Saranac IPA - F.X. Matt Brewing Company/Saranac
Sculpin IPA - Ballast Point Brewing Co.
Seven Gates Pale Ale (Gate Two) - Spring House Brewing Co.
Seven IPA - Cornerstone Brewing Company
Sheltowee Hop - a - lot IPA - Bluegrass Brewing Co
Special Ration IPA - Pearl Street Grill & Brewery
Stone IPA - Stone Brewing Co.
Super Fly - Oaken Barrel Brewing Company
Supergoose IPA - Hale's Ales
SweetWater IPA - SweetWater Brewing Co
The Black Pearl - Pearl Street Grill & Brewery
Titan IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company
TOP GUN IPA - Blind Tiger Brewery
Torpedo Extra IPA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Tower 10 IPA - Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Trestles IPA - Left Coast Brewing Co.
Trickster IPA - Black Raven Brewing Company
Triple Play IPA - Lawson's Finest Liquids
West Coast IPA - Green Flash Brewing
White Rajah - The Brew Kettle Production Works
Wipeout IPA - Port Brewing Co.
Workhorse IPA - Laurelwood Brewing Co
Zombie Killer - Snipes Mountain

Belgianfest - Beer Descriptions are Here!

2011-01-21T10:37:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

We now have descriptions of the beer that will be poured at this Saturday's Belgianfest.

You can read all of our previous posts about Belgianfest here.

To purchase tickets in advance (recommended) go to the official event website.

The brewers have provided descriptions of the beer that that will pour at Belgianfest. You can view the complete list of beer descriptions here.

Belgianfest This Saturday. Get Tickets Now

2011-01-20T12:50:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

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 get your tickets online or you can get them at Big Time Brewery and Full Throttle Bottles.

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 our previous posts about it here or you can visit the official event website here.

The Top 100 Beer Bars in America

2011-01-20T11:44:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Draft Magazine recently published its list of the Top 100 Beer Bars in America. Congratulations to the Beveridge Place Pub, Uber Tavern, Naked City Taphouse and Stumbling Monk for making the list. Those are the only Washington pubs that made the list.

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 Brouwer's Cafe, 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 Pub at Pipers Creek on the list. And what about Tacoma? Many people would argue that the Parkway Tavern 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.

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.

The Beer List for Belgianfest

2011-01-14T12:39:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Belgianfest 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. Elysian is bringing six beers. Showoffs.

You can buy tickets online in advance. This event will likely sell out again. If you want to go (and you should), get on it now. Do not dawdle.

Below - Last year's Belgianfest - Some form of Belgian-inspired yumminess from Naked City.

I am looking forward to revisiting some of my favorites like Big Time Brewery's Trombipulator, Georgetown Brewing's Donkey Duex, and Pike Brewing's Monk's Uncle. I am also looking forward to some new stuff like Der Blokken Brewery's Belgian Gold, Snoqualmie Fall Brewing's Triskaidekaphobia, and Paradise Creek Brewing's Paradise Hoe Style.

Recently we were fortunate enough to sample some of Silver City Brewery's La Fat, Belgian-Inspired Scotch Ale. Put it on the list. Don't miss it.

Here's the list:

Anacortes Brewery
1) Dark Water Dubbel: ABV: 8.2%
2) Anacortes Sour Brown ABV: 9.1%

Big Al Brewing
1) Belgian Tripel ABV: 9%
2) Local Hero #9 Belgian Dubbel ABV: 7.7%

Big Time Brewery
1) Trombipulator 2010 ABV: 10%
2) Saison Grisette

Black Raven Brewing
1) “Pour Les Oiseaux” ABV: 6.2%
2) “Seasonal Farmhouse IPA” ABV: 7.7%
3) “La Petite Mort” (cask version) ABV: 8.8%

Boundary Bay Brewery
1) Big Belgian Ale ABV: 6.6%
2) Boundary Bay Tripel

Der Blokken Brewery
1) Belgian Gold ABV: 8.5%

Elliot Bay Brewing
1) Belgian Black IPA ABV: 6% IBU: 60
2) Brett von Boorian ABV: 4.75% IBU: 30
3) Imperial von Boorian ABV: 7.25% IBU: 70
4) Red von Boorian ABV: 5% IBU: 20

Elysian Brewing
1) Bête Blanche ABV: 6.9%
2) Bête Noel Belgian-style Ale. ABV: 8.5%
3) Toro Oro Yerba Mate Tripel ABV: 7.2%
4) Yuzu’s. Sour Belgian-Style Golden Ale ABV:4.5%
5) Groaning Board Trappist-style Table Beer ABV: 5.3%
6) Backhanded Compliment (Belgian-Style IPA) ABV: 6.2%

Fremont Brewing
1) Mystere de Tonneau
2) Blood Funnel-Saison

Georgetown Brewing
1) Donkey Deux! ABV: 7.9%
2) Georgetown Braggot ABV: 8.5%

Hale’s Ales
1) IX Gold-Belgium Strong Golden Ale. ABV: 9%
2) Quadruppel

Issaquah Brewhouse
1) Cask of Menage-a-Frog: ABV 9%
2) Cask of Menage-a-Frog: Berry Edition ABV 9%

Lazy Boy Brewing
1) Belgian Golden Ale
2) TBA

Naked City Brewery
1) Gilda American Wild Ale ABV: 8.5%
2) Saison De La Ville Nue ABV: 6.5%

Odin Brewing
1) Odin Pearl White Ale ABV: 5.1%

Paradise Creek Brewery
1) Paradise Hoe Style: Belgian Wit. ABV: 5.9%

Pike Brewing
1) Pike Monk’s Uncle Tripel Ale ABV: 9%
2) Pike Tandem Double Ale ABV: 7.5%

Ram Brewery
1) Biere de Mars
2) Rye
3) BBL-a-Trois

RedHook Brewery
1) Dubbel Hook ABV: 8%

Scuttlebutt Brewing
1) Belgian Winter-Belgian Dark Strong Ale
2) Tripel 7 ABV: 9%

Silver City Brewery
1) La Fat-Belgian Inspired Scotch Ale ABV: 9%
2) Katy Saison ABV: 6%

Snipes Mt. Brewery
1) Twangzister #3 ABV: 8.5%

Snoqualmie Falls Brewing
1) Triskaidekaphobia-Belgian Tripel
2) Spring Fever-Belgian Gran Cru
3) Wit-Wit Bier

Three Skulls-Baron Brewing
1) Three Skulls Belgian Trippel ABV: 9%

Two Beers Brewing
1) Crooked Belgian Wit
2) Cask Dry Peeled Crooked Belgian Wit

A New Washington Beer Festival Coming to Bremerton

2011-01-14T08:53:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

We heard rumblings about this some time ago: a beer festival in Bremerton. We heard the idea discussed at a Washington Beer Commission meeting a few months ago. We heard our friends over at Silver City Brewing 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.

Today the Kitsap Sun is reporting that the Washington Beer Commission has selected Bremerton as the site for a Summer Beer Festival (read it). Not only will the event take place during the summer, it will spotlight Washington-brewed summer beers.

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.

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.

Below: Don Spencer and Kurt Larson - Silver City Brewery in Bremerton

What's Brewing - New Washington Breweries

2011-01-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

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.

(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.)

The Liquor Control Board recently received Microbrewery license applications from the following businesses:

Decibell Brewing - Bellevue. Residential address in Bellevue's Lake Hills neighborhood.

Hillard's Beer - Seattle. Ballard getting another brewery. Commercial location, but no other information yet. Stay tuned.

Rock Island Brewing Company - Seattle. Residential location in North Seattle.

Old Mill House Micro Brew - Tacoma. Commercial location on 6th Avenue in Tacoma.

The Liquor Control Board recently approved Microbrewery license applications for the following businesses:

The Monkey - 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.

Communitea Kombucha - Seattle. It's not beer; it's Kombucha. Still, it is mildly alcoholic and they want to make it legally. http://communitea-kombucha.com/

Slippery Pig Brewery - Poulsbo. Residential address in Poulsbo.

If you know more, please contact us or leave a comment below. We'd love to tell your story.

Yakima Craft Brewing Opens New Taproom

2011-01-12T11:03:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Yakima Craft Brewing 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.

Below: Photo from www.yakimacraftbrewing.com.

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."

Hours:
Monday-Friday 4:00 - 8:00
Saturday 1:00 - 10:00

Yakima Craft Brewing
2920 River Road (#6)
Yakima, Washington 98902
(509) 654-7357
Map

Locöl Opens in West Seattle - a focus on local beer

2011-01-12T10:11:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

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.

Today at noon, in West Seattle's Highpoint neighborhood, a new restaurant and bar named Locöl is opening that shares our philosophy. The name is a play on the English word local and the Swedish word for beer. In Swedish the word folköl means "folk beer." Locöl will focus on local product, both in terms of food and in terms of beer.

Below - Photo courtesy of Locöl's Facebook page (facebook.com/locolwestseattle).

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.

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.

Cheers to Locöl for its commitment to local product!

You can find Locöl in West Seattle at 7902 35th Ave. SW.

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.

Belgianfest Tickets On Sale Online

2011-01-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Tickets are now available online 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 Big Time Brewery and Full Throttle Bottles. 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.

Above - Last year Belgianfest packed the joint. Bigger venue this year, but expect the same.

Breweries expected to participate:
Anacortes Brewery
Baron Brewing
Big Al Brewing
Big Time Brewery
Black Raven Brewing
Boundary Bay Brewery
Der Blokken Brewery
Elliott Bay Brewing
Elysian Brewing
Fremont Brewing
Georgetown Brewing
Hale's Ales Brewery
Issaquah Brewhouse
Lazy Boy Brewing
Naked City Brewery
Odin Brewing
Paradise Creek Brewery
Pike Brewing, Ram Brewery
Redhook Ale Brewery
Scuttlebutt Brewing
Snipes Mountain Brewery
Snoqualmie Falls Brewing
Silver City Brewery
Two Beers Brewing

Parking:
Plenty of free parking is available at the event site.

Admission:
$30 advance tickets or $35 at the door (if available)
Admission includes a commemorative tasting glass & ten 4oz tastes
Designated driver admission is $5 and available at the door only (includes free water/soda)
Must be 21 years old or older and have a valid ID

Other details:

Saturday, January 22nd, 2011
Session 1: 12:00-4:00 p.m.
Session 2: 5:30-9:30 p.m.

The Workshop at Magnuson Park
6310 NE 74th St., Seattle, WA

Winter Beerfest Follow Up and Pictures

2010-12-13T16:58:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Just before the doors opened for the Friday session of the Washington Winter Beer Festival, 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.

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.

By mid-session, there was a full house.

The Seven Seas Brewing Santa tells Ken (Port Townsend Brewing) that he's been a naughty boy.

Janelle Pritchard of Trade Route with Richard, her trusty volunteer.

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.

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.

Boundary Bay brought a vertical tasting of Cabin Fever. And a cabin.

Elysian's Brewers Nativity.

Best taphandle: Le Dude is ready for the holidays too.

Pooped post-fest in the brewer's lounge: Drew from Pike and Heather from Schooner Exact.

Washington Welcomes More New Breweries

2010-12-10T15:41:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

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.

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.

We base our list of Washington Breweries on the Liquor Control Board's list of Washington Domestic and Micro Breweries.

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.

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.

It gets confusing, but we try to keep things current.

Added to our list of Washington Breweries:

Barhop Brewing in Port Angeles. 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.

Gilligan's Brewing in Seattle. 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.

Parker's Steakhouse in Longview. 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.

Grit City Brewing in Centralia. 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.

Removed from the list:

Speedway Brewing in Lacey. 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.

New on the list of applicants this month:

Ashtown Brewing Company, Kelso.
Underground Lighthouse Brewing, Seattle.
Anne Uther Brewing Company, Auburn
Old Mill House Brewing, Tacoma

See all of our previous stories about new breweries popping up in Washington.

If you know anything about any of these breweries (new, old, or planned), please let us know or leave a comment.

Also...

Kona is licensed as a Washington brewery. Their beer is brewed at Redhook.

Because of their collaborative relationship with Elysian, New Belgium is licensed as a Washington brewery.

Pyramid is still licensed as a Washington brewery, although the brewhouse in Seattle seems to be in mothballs.

Washington Winter Beer Fest - a few of our top picks

2010-12-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

The Washington Winter Beerfest kicks off today. There will be 35 breweries pouring more than 90 different beers.

There will be a lot of great beer poured this weekend at the Washington Winter Beerfest (see the complete list). It's always a challenge to decide where to start, but this year I have my eye on few things in particular.

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. Click here for details.

Below is the list of beers about which I am most excited.

Cabin Fever Vertical - Boundary Bay 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!

Back by Popular Demand - 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 Big Al Brewing's 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 Black Raven Brewing's La Petite Mort, a barrel-aged Belgian dark ale (bourbon barrel).

Sweet and Sour - Elysian Brewing's 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.

Coffee Brews - 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 Flyer's Brewery in Oak Harbor; Sumatra Coffee Stout from Trade Route Brewing; and Jive Espresso Stout from Two Beers Brewing, 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.

A Winter Welcome - Paradise Creek Brewery 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.

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.

Pictures from last year's Winter Beerfest:

Getting there early has advantages. You get to meet Santa - Ken from Port Townsend Brewing.

We were the first people through the door last year.

Later in the evening the crowd picked up, as expected.

Washington Beer on the Air

2010-12-10T13:36:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Did you hear us? We were on the radio (KUOW 94.9 FM, 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.

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 Pike Brewing and Alejandro Brown from Big Al Brewing joined me as we appeared on KUOW's Weekday.

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.

The show's site is here.

You can download the MP3 here.

You can find it in the KUOW archives as well, click here. (The show aired on 12/6 at 10:00 a.m.)

And the Winner is... NW Brewing News People's Choice

2010-12-07T08:43:00.000-08:00

The 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, click here.

Congratulations to all of the winners.

Best Alehouse/Pub, Washington
Brouwers’ Café, Seattle
Honorable Mention: Beveridge Place Pub, Seattle

Best Brewery, Washington
Black Raven Brewing Company, Redmond

Best Brewpub, Washington
Boundary Bay Brewing Company, Bellingham

Best Bartender, Washington
Tom Dineen, Brouwers’ Café, Seattle

Best Beer Store, Washington
By the Bottle, Vancouver

Best Homebrew Supply, Washington
Bader Beer & Wine Supply, Vancouver
Honorable Mention: Larry’s Homebrew Supply, Renton

Best beers, by style

Best ESB:
Redhook ESB, Washington

Best IPA:
Boundary Bay Inside Passage Ale, Washington

Best Strong Ale:
Big Time Nemesis, Washington

Best Scotch Ale:
Boundary Bay Scotch Ale, Washington

Best Pilsner:
Chuckanut Pils, Washington

Best Bock/Doppelbock:
Tie: Chuckanut Bock, Washington
Columbia River Rick-N-Bocker, Oregon

Best Herb or Spice Beer:
Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale, Washington

Best Cider:
Wildfire Pirates’ Plank Cider, Washington

A New Brewery Coming to Georgetown

2010-12-06T08:39:00.000-08:00

There'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.

The ancient Beer Gods of Airport Way will not be denied.

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.

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 Winter Beerfest - the official beer list

2010-12-05T08:37:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

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 the official event website.

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.

7 Seas Brewing-Gig Harbor
1) Port Royal Export Style Stout
2) Saison
3) Ballz Deep Double IPA

Airways Brewing-Kent
1) Hot Chocolate Ale
2) Sky Hag IPA
3) Jet City ESB

Anacortes Brewery-Anacortes
1) Noel Winter Ale
2) Broadswood Scottish Ale
3) Klosterbier

Baron & Three Skulls-Seattle
1) Three Skulls Poison Winter Warmer
2) Three Skulls Blackbeard Dark Lager-Schwarzbier

Big Al Brewing-Seattle
1)Winter Warmer
2) Belgian Tripel
3) Peanut Butter Imperial Stout

Big Time Brewery-Seattle
1) Yulefest Winter Ale
2) Random Thought Generator Imperial Rye IPA
3) Holy Molé Chocolate-Chile Ale

Black Raven Brewing-Redmond
1) 2010 Old Birdbrain Barley Wine
2) 2010 Bourbon Barrel la Petite Mort Barrel Aged Belgian Dark Ale
3) Festivus IPA Herb and Spice Beer

Boundary Bay Brewery-Bellingham
1) 2010 Cabin Fever Winter Ale
2) 2009 Cabin Fever Winter Ale
3) 2008 Cabin Fever Winter Ale

Chuckanut Brewery-Bellingham
1) Kolsch
2) Dunkel

Diamond Knot Brewing-Mukilteo
1) Industrial HO HO HO
2) TBA

Elliott Bay Brewing - Burien & Seattle
1) IMPERIAL RED ALE (2010)
2) NOALE HOLIDAY ALE (ORGANIC)

Elysian Brewing-Seattle
1) Bifröst Winter Ale
2) Oak Frost
3) Brett Fröst
4) Valhalla Christmas Ale

Fish Brewing-Olympia
1) Winter Fish
2) Boulder Bend Dunkelweizen

Flyers Brewery-Oak Harbor
1) Daybreak Breakfast Stout-Oatmeal Coffee Stout
2) Dry Hop Afterburner IPA-American Strong Pale Ale

Fremont Brewing-Seattle
1) Bourbon Abominable Ale “BBomb”
2) Le Mystère de l’hiver - Bourbon barrell Oatmeal Stout

Gorden Biersch Brew-Seattle
1) Dopplebock Lager

Hale's Ales Brewery-Seattle
1) Supergoose
2) Wee Heavy Scotch Ale
3) Quadruppel Belgian Style Strong Dark

Harmon Brewing-Tacoma
1) Olde Bog Breath Scotch Ale
2) Oak Aged Point Defiance IPA

Hood Canal Brewery-Kingston
1) Southpoint Porter
2) Bywater Bay ESB

Iron Horse Brewery-Ellensburg
1) Cozy Sweater
2) Mocha Death

Issaquah Brewhouse/Rogue Ales-Issaquah
1) Jolly Frog
2) Brown Frog Belgian Wit

Naked City Brewery-Seattle
1) French Dude Barrel Aged Beer
2) Bing Spiked Cherry Ale

Northern Lights Brewing-Spokane
1) Winter Ale
2) Stellar Stout
3) Imperial IPA

Paradise Creek Brewery-Pullman
1) Hopocolypse Black IPA
2) Dirty Blonde
3) Over the Hop American IPA

Pike Brewing-Seattle
1) Auld Acquaintance Holiday Ale
2) Kilt Lifter Ruby Ale

Port Townsend Brewing-Port Townsend
1) Winter Ale Old Ale
2) Hop Diggidy IPA

Ram Restaurant & Brewery-Seattle
1) Ol’ Mallwalker - Strong old ale
2) Uber Dunkle Weizenbock
3) Dawgsled Winter warmer

Redhook Ale Brewery-Woodinville
1) Winterhook Winter Ale
2) Eisbock 28 Iced Winter Lager
3) Copperhook Copper Ale

Rock Bottom Brewery-Bellevue
1) Frostbite Imperial Red
2) Hollydaze Imperial IPA
3) Black Diamond Oatmeal Stout

Schooner Exact Brewing-Seattle
1) Hoppy the Woodsman
2) Puget Soundian Dark Ale - Black IPA
3) Profanity Hill Porter
4) Black Raspberry Wheat Ale

Scuttlebutt Brewing-Everett
1) 10 Below Winter Ale
2) Oaked 10 Below Winter Ale

Silver City Brewery-Silverdale
1) Imperial Stout
2) Old Scrooge Christmas Ale English Strong Ale

Snipes Mountain Brewery-Sunnyside
1) Pumpkin Death
2) 2 Fresh IPA

Trade Route Brewing-Pacific
1) Sumatra Coffee Stout
2) Trade Route IPA

Two Beers Brewing-Seattle
1) Cask Conditioned Jive Espresso Stout
2) Double Dry-Hopped Infused Evo
3) 20:20 Blonde

A Beer Lovers Guide to Holiday Shopping

2010-11-27T11:07:00.000-08:00

by Kim Sharpe Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Hey guys, want to know a secret about women? Something that most men might not know? Not all women like to shop. Shocking, I know. But I know that to be true because I'm one of the women who would rather do anything 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.

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.

The trick? Plan ahead and shop where the beer is.

University Village

Gifts for them: Apple, books, boutique clothing, jewelry, shoes, housewares, Eddie Bauer, kids toys and furnishings.
Beer for you: RAM U. Village is in the shopping center so you won't have to repark your car.

Downtown Seattle

Gifts for them: housewares, art, jewelry, high-end boutique clothing, department-store clothing or "Made in Washington" gifts from the Pike Place Market.
Beer for you: Taphouse Bar and Grill, Rock Bottom Seattle, Buckleys in Belltown.

Bellevue Square

Gifts for them: Microsoft Kinect, anything and everything for label-conscious fashionistas.
Beer for you: Rock Bottom Bellevue, Pumphouse (not downtown, but worth a short drive if you're in for a long shopping session).

Northgate

Gifts for them: practical stuff, with everything from Nordstrom to Target within the mall or a couple blocks from the mall.
Beer for you: RAM Northgate.

Kitsap Mall

Gifts for them: another practical place to shop for practical people, it's the biggest mall on the peninsula.
Beer for you: Silver City Brewery, Hale's Alehouse.

Shopping (and Drinking) Local

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:

West Seattle Junction

Gifts for them: records, paper goods, crafts, jewelry, art, womens clothing, housewares.
Beer for you: Elliott Bay Brewery and Pub.

Fremont

Gifts for them: art, antiques, records, clothing, custom cosmetics, chocolates.
Beer for you: Brouwer's, Fremont Brewing.

Ballard

Gifts for them: outdoor wear, art, housewares, boutique clothing, shoes, records.
Beer for you: The Noble Fir, Maritime Jolly Roger Taproom.

Queen Anne

Gifts for them: mens and womens boutique clothing, housewares, art, jewelry.
Beer for you: Hilltop Ale House.

U. District

Gifts for them: youthful clothing and accessories, Husky merchandise, books.
Beer for you: Big Time Brewery and Alehouse.

Greenwood/Phinney

Gifts for them: antiques, art, toys, boutique clothing.
Beer for you: Naked City, Pillager's Pub, 74th Street Alehouse.

Poulsbo

Gifts for them: Scandinavian products (great for Grandma).
Beer for you: Tizley's Europub.

Downtown Tacoma and 6th Avenue

Gifts for them: antiques, museum shop, art, vintage clothing.
Beer for you: Downtown - The Swiss, Harmon; 6th Avenue - Red Hot, Parkway.

Winslow (walk on the ferry from Downtown Seattle)

Gifts for them: boutique clothing, wine, housewares, custom cosmetics.
Beer for you: Harbour Public House.

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.

Strange Brewfest - All Systems Go

2010-11-27T11:03:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

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.

It's official! Strange Brewfest 2011 is on!

The 7th Annual Strange Brewfest - January 28-30

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

2010 Brewfest Winners

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!

For more details, and continual updates, visit: www.StrangeBrewfestPT.com and bookmark it!

Also, be sure to sign up as a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Email us: info@StrangeBrewfestPT.com
Strange Brewfest 2011! The party is on!

Bar Hopping Across Europe with Will and Mari Kemper

2010-11-17T12:55:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Rewind for a moment to the autumn of 2009 and you might recall that Chuckanut Brewery took the Great American Beer Festival by storm. In its first trip to the GABF the young Bellingham brewery brought home four medals for beer and was also awarded Best Small Brewpub and Brewer of the year (read about it here). Will and Mari Kemper, the owners of Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen, were rewarded with a free trip to Europe.

Fast forward to the present day and you will find Will and Mari cashing in their prize as they bar hop their way across Europe. Mari Kemper is blogging along the way. I promise this will make you jealous. Having spent the past 30 years in the craft beer biz, and having spent many years traveling the globe setting up craft breweries from Mexico to Turkey, they have plenty of beer contacts around the world. It sounds like they're having an amazing time.

Follow their adventure on the Chuckanut Brewery blog.

Cheers to you, Will and Mari. Couldn't happen to nicer people.

WA Beers Headed South. Way South

2010-11-17T08:47:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Over the past few years a seemingly endless stream of out-of-state beers has flooded into the flourishing Washington craft beer market. Whether you welcome out-of-state beers into the local market or feel threatened by the incursion, there’s no escaping the fact that Washington, and especially the Seattle metro area, is a target-rich environment for out-of-state breweries.

But how often do you hear about one of our local, award-winning breweries making noise beyond our borders? For any number of reasons Washington beer rarely makes it out of state.

Roll Tide

Wait a minute! We have word of a couple local breweries bucking the trend. Flyers Brewery and Big Al Brewing both have plans to send beer south. In Big Al's case, we're talking about the deep south.

Flyers Restaurant and Brewery announced recently that their Afterburner IPA will soon be distributed in Portland. The Whidbey Island brewery will be working with Point Blank Distributing, a Portland-based boutique distributor. This is a bold move. Rarely does an out-of-state beer punch its way into the insanely provincial Portland beer market.

Also, we recently learned that Big Al Brewing will soon be shipping beer to the home of the other Big Al. If you’ve read the book Rammer, Jammer, Yellow Hammer you know what I’m talking about. The costumed mascot of the Alabama Crimson Tide is an elephant named Big Al. If you know anything about Alabama football, you can imagine that a beer named Big Al is going to go over very, very well. According to Alejandro Brown (our Big Al), they were contacted by a distributor in Alabama and the deal is done. Now the beer just needs to make its way south.

Washington Winter Beer Fest - Update

2010-11-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

Tickets are now on sale for the Washington Winter Beer Fest, which takes place at Hale's Palladium on December 10th and 11th. Advance tickets are $23 ($25 at the door, if available). This year there will be three sessions: Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening. It will be interesting to see which session sells out first.

Sessions:
Friday, December 10th, 5:30 - 9:30
Saturday, December 11th, 12:00 - 4:00
Saturday, December 11th, 5:30 - 9:30

Click here to purchase tickets.

Click here to go to the official event website.

The Breweries

The lineup includes 35 Washington breweries pouring more than 70 dfferent beers. The lineup of beers will be available after Thanksgiving. Looking at the list of breweries, a couple of things jump off the page. Paradise Creek Brewery, from Pullman, is on the list, providing an opportunity to sample their beer without a cross-state roadtrip. Gordon Biersch Brewing will be at Winter Beer Fest this year. I can't remember the last time I saw them at a beer festival and I'm curious to see what they'll be pouring.

Here is the complete list of breweries:

7 Seas Brewing

Airways Brewing

Anacortes Brewery

Baron Brewing

Big Al Brewing

Big Time Brewery

Black Raven Brewing

Boundary Bay Brewery

Chuckanut Brewery

Diamond Knot Brewing

Elliott Bay Brewing

Elysian Brewing

Fish Brewing

Flyers Brewery

Fremont Brewing

Gordon Biersch Brewing

Hale's Ales Brewery

Harmon Brewing

Hood Canal Brewery

Iron Horse Brewery

Issaquah Brewhouse/Rogue Ales

Northern Lights Brewing

Paradise Creek Brewery

Pike Brewing

Port Townsend Brewing

Redhook Ale Brewery

Rock Bottom Brewery

Schooner Exact Brewing

Scuttlebutt Brewing

Silver City Brewery

Snipes Mountain Brewery

The Ram Brewery

Trade Route Brewing

Two Beers Brewing

Walking Man Brewing Celebrates 10 Years Anniversary

2010-11-16T09:44:00.000-08:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

We would like to extend a happy birthday to Walking Man Brewing. Coming up November 17th - 21st they will be celebrating their 10th anniversary at the brew pub in Stevenson and they have invited everyone to come join them. They promise to have a bunch of really interesting and rare beers waiting for you.

Starting on Wednesday the 17th and continuing on each night through Sunday the 21st, Walking Man will tap "one-off" kegs. They will also be releasing two new beers: the 10th Anniversary Rye-PA (the yet-to-be-named birthday beer) and the 2010 Jaywalker Imperial Stout. Those two will be available throughout the celebration. Below is a list of Walking Man's single keg concoctions. They have graciously agreed to allow one growler fill per person of these beers.

Wednesday 17th:

Chinook Dry-Hopped Iron Man IPA (last keg)

Big Phat Homo (substantially dry-hopped in the keg)

Anniversary IPA (Oak-aged and Dry-Hopped)

Thursday 18th:

2008 Foot Fetish Imperial Brown

2009 Old Stumblefoot

2010 Old Stumblefoot

2009 High Road Scotch Ale

Friday 19th:

2008 Bourbon Barrel Jaywalker

2008 Jaywalker

Cacao bean infused Walking Stick Stout

Coffee infused Walking Stick Stout

Saturday 20th:

Parade Pale Ale (Belgian pale ale)

Foot Funk (sour wheat ale)

2008 Sasquatch Legacy Project Imperial Vienna

2009 Sasquatch Legacy Project Belgian IPA

2010 Sasquatch Legacy Project Imperial Oatmeal Porter

Sunday 21st:

Whatever is left over and we feel like drinking

24 Delicious Casks of Washington IPA Await You

2010-11-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Last night I was talking to Jeff Lawrence, owner of the Whistle Stop Ale House in Renton. I first met Jeff back in 2002 when I interviewed him as part of a story I was writing for another publication−an article about cask-conditioned beer. More specifically, the story was about the unexpected increase in popularity of cask-conditioned beer. You see, back then the whole cask beer thing seemed unexpected and a bit remarkable. He was a good person to talk to because the Whistle Stop Ale House was one of the only bars in the Seattle area regularly serving cask-conditioned beer back in those days.

My, How Things have Changed

These days "Cask Night" seems to be a regular event at most of the better beer bars around town. The annual Washington Cask Beer Festival is one of the most popular beer events in the area. And then there's Cask-O-Rama. Today it seems hard to believe that we ever survived without cask-conditioned beer.

This evening at the Beveridge Place Pub (Thursday 6:00 p.m.) the 5th Annual Cask-O-Rama will officially begin. There will be a line, you will need be patient, but it is worth it. The event features 24 casks of Washington-brewed IPAs lined up on the bar. It's a damned impressive sight to see, if nothing else. Cask-O-Rama continues on into the weekend (Friday and Saturday 6:00-12:00).

read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog

Northern Ales Moves to the Big City

2010-11-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

A couple of years ago we told you about Northern Ales—the brewery in North Port, WA that we'd dubbed Washington's most remote brewery. (North Port is 2.5 hours north of Spokane very near the Canadian border.) A few months ago we reported that Northern Ales was in the process of moving to Kettle Falls. Now we report that the move is complete.

Check out the original post about our visit to Northern Ales — the brewery we also dubbed "most likely to survive the apocalypse."

Sure, Kettle Falls is not exactly a bustling metropolis, but compared to North Port? Congratulation to Steve and Andrea Hedrick! Here's the email we recently received from Northern Ales. We wish them well and hope they're getting used to the noise and the crowds.

We are proud to announce that we have made it to Kettle Falls. All of 40 miles and it only took 6 months to get everything done! J

Our Address in Kettle:
325 W. 3rd Ave
Kettle Falls, WA 99141

Phone: 509-738-7382 although the old number will still get us 509-732-6200

Hours:
Wednesday – Saturday 12-10pm
Pool tournaments Thursday @ 6pm

Web site is updated weekly with beers on tap and events. http://www.northernales.com/

Now distributed @ 99 Bottles Federal Way, Franks Market Moses Lake, Whidbey island Beer Works Oak Harbor and coming soon Amocat Café Tacoma, and the tri-county area. Locations are also on the web site.

Dine Out (at a local pub) for Lakewood Officer Memorial

2010-11-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

by Kim Sharpe Jones - Washington Beer Blog

Connections to the local police community run deep in my family. Two uncles retired, one from the SPD, the other from the Renton PD. My brother-in-law and sister both work for the SPD. My brother-in-law is a less-lethal (think Taser) trainer and award-winning neighborhood officer. My sister has worked in homicide for about ten years, she talks to crazy people on the phone, transcribes witness statements about violent crimes, and handles gruesome evidence photos. She, my brother-in-law and their fellow officers and civilian staffers do good work that normal people like me couldn't bear to do. And sometimes they pay with their lives.

Because of my sister, I found out about this event happening this Thursday, November 4th -- Dine Out to Remember Our Fallen, a benefit for the Lakewood Officers Memorial and Behind the Badge Foundation. Most of the participating restaurants are local pubs and brewpubs including the RAM Restaurant and Breweries in Lacey, Lakewood, Kent, Puyallup, Tacoma and Northgate; the Elliott Bay Brewery in West Seattle; and Harmon Brewing and Hub and Katie Downs in Tacoma - to name a few.

All RAM restaurants are donating 10% of sales on Thursday night. The Lakewood RAM is the designated Home Base for the Dining Out event, with a silent auction, raffle and live band.

Read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog

NW Brewing News Reader Choice Poll. Vote Now

2010-11-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

The Northwest Brewing News is currently running their 6th Annual
Reader's Choice Poll. The online poll gives you the opportunity to
express your opinion about things like Best Brewery, Best Brewpub, Best Alehouse, Best Bartender, and more. The poll runs through November 15th. The results are announced in early December.

You can find the poll here:
http://www.brewingnews.com/northwest/bestofnwpoll.shtml.

Sadly, there is no category for best beer blog.

Beveridge Place Pub Announces the Top 3 WA IPAs

2010-10-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

We have been following the 2010 Hoptoberfest tournament at the Beveridge Place Pub with bated breath, waiting to see which Washington IPA wins. You can read our previous posts about Hoptoberfest here.

Yesterday the Beveridge Place Pub announced the final three: Boundary Bay IPA, Black Raven Trickster IPA, and Two Beers Evolutionary IPA. Through November 2nd, patrons will be allowed to cast one ballot per day for their favorite. The winner will be announced on November 4th at 8:00 p.m. during the first night of Cask-o-Rama -- the Beveridge Place Pub's annual 3-day celebration of cask-conditioned IPA. For the next year (2011) the winner of Hoptoberfest will be poured as the house IPA at the Beveridge Place.

A new brewery in Edmonds - Skip Madsen resurfaces

2010-10-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog.

When you look at a map showing all of the breweries in the greater Seattle-Tacoma-Everett area, there are very few blank spots. For the most part, any community that seems like it should have a brewery does have a brewery. There are a few exceptions: Edmonds, for instance. Sure, Edmonds is the home of Gallagher’s Where U Brew, a well-established and beloved Brew on Premise operation, but the community lacks a more traditional brewery.

That’s about to change. American Brewing Company is in the process of building a new brewery near the waterfront in Edmonds. We are happy to report that Skip Madsen will be the man creating the beer.

Combining the Familiar with the New

American Brewing represents the meeting of two minds. One is familiar to Washington beer lovers, while the other brings fresh energy to the local beer scene.

Fans of Washington beer will be excited to know that Skip Madsen will be responsible for brewing the beer at American Brewing. One of the Northwest’s most revered and decorated brewers, Skip's awards include 10 Great American Beer Festival medals, 15 North American Beer Awards medals, and three World Beer Cup medals. His work experience includes stints brewing for Pike Brewery, Big Time Brewery, Boundary Bay Brewery, and most recently Water Street Brewing. His recipe book includes beers like Breakaway IPA, Queen Nina’s Imperial IPA, Boundary Bay Imperial IPA, Panama Red, and Big Phatty Imperial Red.

The new brew-blood at American Brewing comes from business owner Neil Fallon. This is his first venture into the world of brewing. A Tacoma native, Neil is a real estate developer looking for a new challenge and a new business adventure.

Skip Madsen and Neil Fallon.

Building Beer

“I’m a residential real estate developer and I was looking for a new opportunity,” Neil told me Wednesday at the soon-to-be brewery in Edmonds. “Someone suggested that I consider getting a sports bar. I talked to a broker and looked at some stuff but I didn’t want to deal with owning a bar, working until 2:00 a.m. and all that, but I looked at the bar—the bottles, the beer—and I thought maybe that’s what I should do. So I started to look at getting into the brewing business.”

“I manufacture things,” he says. “I find property and source materials; I build homes and then deliver them to people. Making beer is the same process.”

It’s a bit of a stretch, but I understand his point. Whether you’re making houses or beer, at the end of the day you have produced and delivered something to people—something that they want and/or need. There are a lot of things you can do in life to make a buck which do not involve producing and delivering something so essential as beer and housing. Philosophically, I get it.

When Neil decided to pursue the brewery business, he made a few key contacts around the beer business. He quickly learned that getting a top-notch brewer aboard was imperative. Neil contacted the Washington Beer Commission, which helped spread the news that he was looking for a brewer. He also contacted Jeannie McWilliams, a well-respected writer for the Northwest Brewing News, and asked for her advice.

“Jeannie told me that with Skip as my brewer I couldn’t go wrong.”

Building the Brewery

“Neil looked at some places in Fife, but he wasn’t getting anywhere,” says Skip. “I’ve had my eye on this location for a while now and had already talked to the city about building a brewery here, so it was pretty much ready to go.” All indications are that Edmonds is happy to have American Brewing come to town.

Neil and Skip are building out the brewery themselves along with help from some carpenters and other specialists.

Click here to Read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog

Beer Church and Local Brewers Bowl for Charity

2010-10-28T00:41:00.000-07:00

by Kendall Jones - Washington Beer Blog

On November 20th, nine local breweries and five local bars will participate in Beer Church Turkey Bowl 2010 at that West Seattle Bowl. The 12th Annual Turkey Bowl is a fundraiser and food drive for the West Seattle Food Bank.

What's a Beer Church?

In addition to operating this blog, Mrs. Beer Blog and I also run Beer Church. Without going into too much excruciating detail, Beer Church is an idea that I hatched many years ago with my good friend Pete. He is now sipping barley pops at the Great Taphouse in the Sky, but Beer Church carries on in his honor.

From the beginning our idea was simple: use beer as a way to get people engaged in the community. Create simple, fun and affordable ways for people to be involved in charitable giving. And what's more simpler, more funner and more affordabler than beer? (That's how Pete would have said it.)

Above - Me and my buddy Pete manning the donation table at Beer Church Turkey Bowl, circa 1999?

So that's what we do. Beer Church has hosted the annual Beer Church Turkey Bowl for the past 12 years at West Seattle Bowl. We've done all sorts of other crazy events over the years, but it always comes back to bowling. Our annual food drive and fundraiser for the West Seattle Food Bank has become legendary. There is a video below that will give you an idea of the kind of fun we have.

It's not our mission to brag about these things, but suffice it to say that the many wonderful people who have attended our events over the years have donated tens of thousands of dollars to various charities. Actually, this year's event will push us into the six digit range. This doesn't even include the truckloads of food we've donated to the Food Bank.

The Battle of the Brewers

A couple of years ago we started inviting a few breweries to participate in the Beer Church Battle of the Brewers - a friendly competition within the larger Turkey Bowl. The winning team last year was from Elliott Bay Brewery. This year we have nine teams competing: Big Al Brewing, Naked City Brewery, Pike Brewery, Elysian Brewing, Georgetown Brewing, Emerald City Beer, Schooner Exact Brewing, Two Beers Brewing, and returning champion Elliott Bay Brewing.

There will also be teams from local bars competing in the Beer Church Bar Brawl, namely: Beveridge Place Pub, Dog and Pony Alehouse, Porterhouse Pub, the Feedback Lounge, and West 5 (the three-time champion).

This year Beer Church Turkey Bowl is sponsored by Link Apartments and Mike's Hard Lemonade. We seriously appreciate their support. Although Mike's isn't beer, it is local and they have graciously stepped up to sponsor the event. We like that.

Beer Church Pale Ale

This year Beer Church is hatching a new plan to help beer lovers contribute to charitable causes. We're making a beer. If you frequent the better beer bars and pubs around the Seattle area, you'll start to see Beer Church Pale Ale late next month. We will do a separate post about that beer in the near future.

In the meantime, here's a video from last year's Beer Church Turkey Bowl.

The Elite Eight Washington IPAs

2010-10-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

by Kendall Jones, Washington Beer Blog

We recently passed the midpoint in October and that means the Beveridge Place Pub has announced the Elite Eight in their annual Hoptoberfest Tournament. For the past two weeks patrons have sampled a wide variety of Washington IPAs and voted for their favorites, with each pubster allowed just one vote per day. Hundreds of ballots have been tallied and the top eight vote-getters now advance to the semifinals.

To learn more about the Beveridge Place Pub's Hoptoberfest Tournament, click here.

The Elite Eight

2 Beers Brewing Evolutionary IPA

Big Al Brewing IPA

Black Raven Brewing Trickster IPA

Boundary Bay Brewery IPA

Diamond Knot Brewing IPA

Harmon Brewing Pt. Defiance IPA

Schooner Exact Brewing 3 Grid IPA

Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Wildcat IPA

From this group of eight, three finalist will advance to the finals and eventually a champion will be crowned. The winning beer will be the house IPA for 2011--the one IPA guaranteed to always be on tap at the Beveridge Place. Each year the winner is announced at the Beveridge Place Pub's IPA Cask-O-Rama, a three day event (Thurs, November 4th - Sat, November 6th) that features no less than 24 Washington cask-conditioned IPAs served from firkins lined up on the bar.

No doubt, winning the Hoptoberfest Tournament is an honor, but it also translates into a significant number of guaranteed sales. Read our story from last week to learn more about the Hoptoberfest tournament.

Below is a video from last year's Cask-O-Rama, when the Hoptoberfest winner was announced.

Pike Brewery Celebrates 21st Birthday

2010-10-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

by Kendall Jones, Washington Beer Blog

Sunday, Oct. 17 was Pike Brewery's Birthday. Cheers to Pike! Very Happy Birthday! The celebration continues all week long with special beers, prices and events. Details below.

The Birthplace of Great Brewers

Over the past 21 years, the Pike Pub and Brewery has given the Washington craft beer scene more than great beer. Beyond the world class ales, they've helped spawn more great brewers than I can remember. Some of the most esteemed Washington brewers came through Pike in one way or another. People like Bill Jenkins (Big Time Brewery), Kevin Forhan (Ram, Northgate), Janelle Pritchard (Trade Route), Skip Madsen (formerly of Water Street and Boundary Bay), and Drew Cluley (current top dog at Pike), to name only a few. The complete list is staggering.

The Pike Pub and Brewery is a Seattle institution. Because of the location next to the market, it is understandable that the Pike is all that many tourists see of Seattle's proud brewing tradition. Thank heavens that the beer and people at the Pike Pub and Brewery represent Washington beer so well.

Charles and RoseAnn Finkel, founders and current owners of the Pike, are legends in the craft beer business, not to mention two of the nicest people you'll ever meet. The story of their contribution to American craft beer is remarkable. Someday it will be properly told. For now, just know that they are legends. I will never forget the first really good beer I ever tasted. I was still a teenager, probably in about 1981, and the beer was called Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout, imported by Merchant Du Vin--a company started by Charles Finkel in 1978.

I could go on all day. Instead, I'll just say happy birthday.

Here is the birthday week info from Pike:

October 17, 2010 is Pike's birthday. We're 21, we're proud of it and we are going to celebrate reaching maturity with what else, but a week of coming-of-age events!

PIKE'S 21st BIRTHDAY WEEK

October 17-24

Our three original Pike ales that were served at The Pike Pub will be featured at their opening day prices!

$3.50 for pints · $11.00 for pitchers

Hoppy Hour (Monday-Friday) pints $2.50

Much has changed over 21 years. We are master brewers, chefs, and servers. Our celebration will feature a delicious and affordable prix fixe dinner every evening as a special alongside our regular Pike Pub menu featuring local, sustainable pub fare. We hope you will be able to join us in celebrating 21 years of great food and beers!

Upcoming event at Hales celebrates GABF winners

2010-10-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

Last month Washington breweries brought home seven medals from the 2010 Great American Beer Festival. (Read our report.) Now you have a chance to taste all of the medal winners in one place.

There will be a special GABF medal winner celebration at the Hales Brewery in Seattle on Saturday, October 23rd from 3-7 PM. Attendees will have a chance to purchase tastes of all 7 medal winning GABF beers. Admission is free.

Jillian's in Seattle - A New Focus On Craft Beer

2010-10-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

Not long ago Mrs. Beer Blog and I were invited to join some friends for an afternoon of gaming and appetizers at Jillian’s, the sports bar and billiards parlor on Westlake Avenue in Seattle. Apparently someone had won a VIP party package at a silent auction. We had a great time. I’m not sure what we were expecting, but we were happy with what we found. We wished they had a better selection of beer, but understood their need to appeal to the sports bar crowd with a limited number of taps.

Since then, things have changed at Jillian’s. And it is good news. They have a new focus on craft beer and they want to embrace the local craft beer scene. When a bar like Jillian’s decides to do that, they can expect a big shout out from the Washington Beer Blog. Attaway Jillians, attaway!

I have just learned of an upcoming event at Jillian’s which has me licking my lips. Next Friday (October 15th) Jillian’s will host Micros and Music, an event featuring beer from some of our favorite local breweries. There are a limited number of tickets available so you should act quickly. You can reserve your tickets by calling Jillian’s (206) 223-0300. Some of the breweries involved also have tickets. Event details are below.

A New Attitude

“We have 10 breweries bringing in interesting, creative beers for this event,” said Caitee McCormick, Marketing and Promotions Director for Jillian’s. “The people attending the event will actually be voting for their favorite. The brewery that gets the most votes will get a tap handle through the end of the year.”

“We want to appeal to the local craft beer crowd,” said McCormick. “We’ve added more taps so we can be flexible and have more craft beer. We want to be a part of Seattle’s great craft beer scene. People think of us as more corporate and less local. We want that to change.”

The new approach to beer is largely due to a change in management at Jillians. “Our new General Manager (Tom Balcom) came in and decided that he wanted to increase the number of taps so that we could offer a wider selection of beer, specifically craft beer,” says McCormick. “We now have 20 tap handles. The taps were added specifically for the purpose of providing craft beer, with the goal of being flexible about what we offer.”

Click here to read the entire story and get all the event details.

Nothing but Washington Beer for 10 Days

2010-10-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

Around here, two things in life are certain when it comes to beer. Washington loves delicious craft beer and Washington produces delicious craft beer. Events taking place this weekend, and over the next ten days, confirm these two self-evident truths. So do the numbers. In the greater Seattle-Tacoma area 24 percent of the beer we consume is craft beer. In the United States, only Portland, Oregon has us beat at 29.9 percent. San Francisco is the only other city to reach the 20 percent mark. Most cities aren’t even close.

Last weekend there was a statewide party in Washington. In Tacoma they celebrated the second annual Tacoma Craft Beer Festival (Friday and Saturday). In Yakima they enjoyed another outstanding Fresh Hop Ale Festival. Enumclaw got in the game, hosting a big Oktoberfest party which will featured a lot of locally brewed beer. Up in Blaine, Semiahmoo Resort held a very special Brewmasters Dinner featuring the beers of Bellingham’s venerable Boundary Bay Brewery.

From one end of the state to the other, last weekend people celebrated beer. However, for two of Washington’s better beer bars, last weekend marked the kickoff of a celebration not only of beer, but a celebration of Washington-brewed beer exclusively. For 10 days (Oct. 1st through 11th) the Parkway Tavern and the Red Hot will serve nothing but Washington-brewed beers.

Both the Parkway Tavern and the Red Hot are located in Tacoma and the kickoff of “Tacoma Drinks Washington Beer Week” intentionally coincided with the Tacoma Craft Beer Festival. All of the taps will pour nothing but beers brewed right here in The Evergreen State. The Parkway offers 34 beers on tap and the Red Hot another baker’s dozen. Two bars pouring nearly 50 Washington beers. That’s impressive.

Busily servicing the thirsty hordes, the craft beer industry is booming in Washington these days. In the past two months 21 new microbreweries have applied for licenses with the Liquor Control Board. It is hard to keep exact count, but currently Washington has approximately 130 microbreweries licensed to brew beer.

You might think that the market is overcrowded, but most breweries tell us that they are brewing beer at capacity and are trying to find ways to make more beer to meet the growing demand. For a brewery, increasing capacity most frequently means investing more money into the business—a particularly tough challenge in the current economy.

To read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog, click here.

Lost in Fremont - a beer lover hits Fremont Oktoberfest

2010-10-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

Today we'd like to introduce a new contributor. To his friends, he is known as the Growler Guy because that's the way he rolls: showing up at parties, barbecues, and just about anywhere else with growlers full of delicious craft beer. Recently, not entirely by his own choosing, Growler Guy found himself at Fremont Oktoberfest. Here's his report.

Fremont Oktoberfest

By Growler Guy

Sometimes it isn’t always about the event, but about the experience you make out of it.

So when my wife and I, and our friends, loaded the car towards Seattle for the Fremont Oktoberfest, I kept my expectations low. For no good reason, we bypassed Auburn’s Hops and Crops and Des Moines’ Blues and Brews, which were basically in our backyard, and headed North. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, we were heading for a day in the city and beer was going to be plentiful. What was not to like, right?

I had been warned that the Fremont Oktoberfest was more frat party than craft brew festival. This was pretty accurate, but we still made the most of a great afternoon. Thanks to my friend Mark at Deschutes Brewing, we were on scholarship (free beer tastes even better), and ventured out to find the best beers to fulfill our five tokens.

Upon arriving in Fremont, I had an idea of what beers were being poured, and a little disappointed that I would be missing out on two of my favorites, Airways and Two Beers, who were both at the events we bypassed.

There were a ton of breweries from all over the West Coast to choose from, and also a great selection of German beers. We all started off with the selections from Fremont Brewing, because, when in Rome… right? I sampled the Mystere de la Saison and the Universal Pale Ale and loved both.

The beer tents were lined in kind along the streets of Fremont and when we went (around 1 p.m.) it wasn’t very crowded, which suited us just fine. As the day got later, a lot more people started showing up, the lines got longer and I imagine the party got a little rowdier.

I fully intended to stick to a strictly Washington Beer diet, but there were just too many selections and choices to pass up on. I can’t remember all the beers our party tasted, but I enjoyed the Big Al Tripel (8.9 percent ABV), Deschutes Jubelale, Ninkasi Total Domination and Roslyn Brookside. We spent a lot of time hanging around the Deschutes Brewery’s Woody and even got to sample their Black Butte XX with some Theo Chocolate.

To read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog, click here.

Nine New Brerweries on the Horizon for Washington

2010-09-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

The last time we did one of these posts it was early August. At that time we reported that 12 new Washington breweries were looming on the horizon, threatening to pop into existence. Read that report. It hasn't even been two months and we have nine more to report. This is getting crazy. Can you imagine if they all get approved and actually materialize? That would be 21 new breweries over the course of a few months. Insane.

The State Liquor Control Board is currently considering applications for nine new microbreweries. These applications are still pending approval. We follow this stuff pretty closely and, to be honest, not every application is approved and not every approval actually results in a new brewery. Still, we like to keep you informed.

As usual, we ask anyone who knows more to chime in and leave a comment or contact us so we can tell your story.

Current Microbrewery Applications awaiting approval:

Business Name: FUGGLES MICROSCOPIC BREWING COMPANY
Business Location: MCCLEARY, WA 98557

Name: VASHON BREWING CO.
Location: VASHON, WA 98070

Business Name: HEATHEN BREWING
Business Location: VANCOUVER, WA 98686

Business Name: SEVEN BAYS TRADING COMPANY
Business Location: DAVENPORT, WA 99122

Business Name: G'ALE WARNINGS BREWERY
Business Location: PORT ANGELES, WA 98363

Business Name: THE MONKEY
Business Location: SEATTLE, WA 98105

Business Name: BRASS DUCK BREWING COMPANY
Business Location: SHORELINE, WA 98155

Business Name: BIG WATER BREWING COMPANY
Business Location: WENATCHEE, WA 98801

Business Name: ISLAND HOPPIN' BREWERY
Business Location: ORCAS, WA 98280

Bellevue Brewing Company - a solid foundation for a brewery

2010-09-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

Story by Kendall Jones

This is the first in a series of stories I will write about the Bellevue Brewing Company. I find myself emotionally invested in this one. While the building of a new brewery is a beautiful and glorious thing that always tickles my fancy, this one hits really close to home. In this post, I want to lay the foundation: the story behind the Bellevue Brewing Company (find them on Facebook).

A Sprawling Beerless Wasteland

John Robertson doesn’t want to offend anyone by saying it aloud, but he cannot help recognizing that Bellevue is behind the curve when it comes to craft beer. He does not call it a "beer wasteland" because he wants to badmouth Bellevue. He sees it as a problem that he intends to fix.

Robertson fully recognizes that Rock Bottom Brewery in downtown Bellevue makes some excellent beer. He also knows that Rock Bottom is a chain of breweries spread across the United States. He knows that the Taphouse Grill has one-hundred-something beers on tap. You do not need to remind him about those two downtown establishments or any of the sadly few other places around town that offer a barely passable selection of craft beer. He knows Bellevue inside-out. He is a native and a current resident.

Like Robertson, I am also a Bellevue native: it is my hometown. I grew up there and spent a significant portion of my adult life there. I have a realistic opinion of the beer scene in my old stomping grounds. When it comes to beer, Bellevue needs some tough love.

We recently met with Robertston at the Pumphouse Bar and Grill (one of the better places to drink good beer in Bellevue) to talk about his plans to open the Bellevue Brewing Company. His enthusiasm is infectious. His motivation is pure of heart. His success seems imminent.

Good Beer and Baseball Jerseys

Instead of building something in one of downtown Bellevue’s glass towers, which might more aptly match many people’s stereotypical visions of a Bellevue brewpub, Roberston has secured a location in a much more modest part of town. Instead of designing a pub with a polished, corporate or franchised feel, he is creating a place that is casual and comfortable. Rather than worry about creating a logo that tests well with focus groups, he seems more concerned about how it will look on a Little League baseball jersey.

“No doubt the beer must be great,” Robertson says. “All of the other things we want to do start with great beer. In this market, you cannot produce an inferior product and expect people not to notice.”

(below - Behind the modest storefront, a vast space awaits--a blank slate.)

Robertson tells us that he is ready to assemble a team that will quickly put Bellevue Brewing Company on the beer map. He says that he is looking for, and assembling, the best of the best. We get the feeling he is farther down the road to building his brewery team than he’s letting on. He is noticeably tight-lipped about that part of the plan.

You can read the complete story, including more pictures, on the Washington Beer Blog (Click Here.)

Special Hotel Offer for Spokane Oktoberfest

2010-09-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

by Kendall Jones

Let's get you off of the fence

Have you been thinking about making the roadtrip (or cheap flight) to Spokane this weekend for the inaugural Spokane Oktoberfest (this Fri, Sat, Sun), where the weatherman says it will be sunny and in the 70s? Do you need one last thing to push you over the edge? How about a really great deal on a hotel room just a couple of blocks from the festival? We've got you covered.

How does $85 per night for a room just a couple blocks from the event sound?

The Spokane Travelodge (at the Convention Center) is just a couple blocks from Riverfront Park, where the festival takes place. To reserve a room for $85 per night just call the Travelodge and tell them that you want the Washington Beer Blog special, festival rate. (Contact info is below.) If you're one of those high-roller types and you want a room with a balcony, it's going to cost you a whopping $95 per night. Don't dally, get off the fence and make the call. High-roller or not, your room includes breakfast--a critical element in any beerfest morning-after plan.

Organized by the Washington Beer Commission, Spokane Oktoberfest will feature great beer from across the state, live entertainment, German-style food and other Oktoberfest fun. Included in the lineup are a number of beers from Washington breweries that we don't too often (if ever) see on the west side of the mountains. Breweries like Palouse Falls, Northern Ales, Riverport, Laht Neppur, and Paradise Creek. You can see the complete lineup of breweries and beers at www.spokaneoktoberfest.com.

Contact

Travelodge Spokane
W. 33 Spokane Falls Blvd.
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Spokane, WA 99201
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Beer and Food Pairing: Elliott Bay Brewery Pub

2010-09-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

by Kim Sharpe Jones

This is the first of what I hope will become a series of posts featuring food and beer pairing suggestions at our local brewpubs and beer bars. As Paul "Fruit Trees" Orchard (NW Beer Guide) has noted before, we bloggers have the best of intentions to start a series of this, or a series of that, but often lapse and fail after a few posts.

So forgive me in advance if these posts are infrequent or lapsing. But my intention is good. I really dig this new trend of pairing food with beer at fine restaurants so I want to have some fun pairing different beers (and sometimes hard ciders), with any food that I come across, and share what I think are the best of the best pairings we try.

For the first outing, Kendall and I were lucky enough to have dinner plans with our friends Dan and Nancy at the Elliott Bay Brewery and Pub in West Seattle. This being our local brewpub, it was an easy target because we've already tried most everything on the menu. But we haven't tried the dishes with multiple beers for the sole purpose of finding the best pairing for each plate.

Being that Dan and Nancy are also foodies and beer geeks, we had a good foursome with which to start. So we ordered a variety of beers, a couple extra beer samplers and a good variety of food that includes some of what we consider to be Elliott Bay's signature dishes.

We ate: Ahi Tacos, Seared Goat Cheese Salad, Shroomer hamburger with a side Caesar, and Salami Sliders with a quinoa salad on the side.

We drank:

Luna Weizen (a hefeweizen)

Alembic Pale Ale (a Pale Ale hopped exclusively with Cascades)

Hop Von Boorian (a hoppy, Belgian-style Pale Ale)

Dry Hop IPA (a dry-hopped version of their IPA)

Demolition Ale (Imperial Pale Ale)

We liked these pairings:
Ahi Tacos + Alembic Pale Ale

(below - Ahi Tacos with a side of Salsa and Chipotle Aioli)

The tacos come with a garlicky salsa, a creamy cole slaw and a hot chipotle aioli. It's the heat of the aioli that screams for some hops like those offered by the Alembic Pale Ale. Since the aioli comes on the side, if you don't put much of it on your tacos you could also go with the Luna Weizen here.

Read the entire article, and hear about our 3 other pairings, on the Washington Beer Blog (click here).

Pictures from Two Beers' Anniversary Bash

2010-09-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we stopped by Two Beers Brewery in Seattle's SoDo district to extend our congratulations and check out the celebration. We were there early in the afternoon and left with a feeling that things were still picking up. Make sure you read the entire post to see all of the pictures. Congratulation to Joel VandenBrink and the crew at Two Beers on a successful first year in SoDo. Click here to see the complete post.

Click here to see the complete post and more photos.

Emerald City Beer Co. invites you to the grand opening party

2010-09-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

Back in May, we told you about Emerald City Beer Company's plan to open a new brewery in the old Rainier brewery (read our original post). It was exciting news and received a great deal of attention, even from traditional media outlets who usually ignore the craft beer scene.

Since that time, Emerald City Beer Company's flagship beer, Dottie's Seattle Lager, has hit the market. Perhaps you've already seen the distinctive emerald green tap handle at your local pub.

Today we announce the grand opening of the brewery and taproom, dubbed "The Emerald City Beer Lab." On September 25th the festivities will run from 2:00 - 8:00 and will feature beer (Dottie's), bratwurst, and live music. Emerald City Beer Company is located at 3100 Airport Way South, in the old Rainier Brewery. See the official event poster below.

Baron Brewing looking to update its image and asks for your help

2010-08-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

Baron Brewing has decided that it is time to update its look. They've put together a contest to attract all of you artistic types. If you are a beer lover and an artist, check this out.

Here is the call to action from their latest newsletter:

Baron Brewing - Artwork Contest!

Here at Baron Brewing we have sported the same look for a long time and feel it's time to update ourselves. We love our Baron beers and want to present them in a way that says we are craft German beer lovers from the Northwest. We need your help to give Baron Brewing a new look. We're looking for new artwork for posters, bottles, signs, coasters and anything else we can think up.

If you have artistic skills and would like to donate your artwork we would like to see what you can do.

On October 1st we will pick the top three pieces of artwork and give away $100 gift certificates to Pillagers Pub in Greenwood Washington.

Send your artwork to Jeff Smiley (jeff at baronbrewing.com)

Thanks!

Jeff

Boundary Bay plays host to this month's WABL event

2010-08-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Every now and again we like to tell you about the advantages of becoming a member of Washington Beer Lovers (WABL). What is a WABL? Simply put, it is the official Washington beer fan club. If you are the kind of person who likes to go to beer festivals, visit breweries and brewpubs, and attend exclusive beer events, then the advantages of being a WABL outweigh the cost of $25 per year. (Visit the official WABL site.)

Last Sunday we attended the monthly WABL party at Boundary Bay Brewing in Bellingham. The event included food specials, happy hour pricing on great beers, a sneak peak of a couple of special soon-to-be-released Boundary Bay beers, brewery tours, and live music. WABL members even received a 15% discount on Boundary Bay Brewery merchandise, including the newly released 15th anniversary gear. The luscious beer garden was reserved exclusively for the party and the weather even cooperated—not a sniff of rain and nary a cloud in sight.

Janet Lightner, Boundary Bay’s General Manager, welcomed the crowd and thanked us for our support. Giants’ Causeway, a local Celtic folk trio, provided the live music. Boundary Bay Brewing's head brewer, Aaron Jacob Smith, led groups on tours of the brewery and then took the stage for a question and answer session.

Above - Janet welcomes the crowd.

We’d like to thank Boundary Bay for extending such gracious hospitality and WABL for arranging such a great event.

Read the complete story, with more pictures, on the Washington Beer Blog.

Spokane Oktoberfest - Update

2010-08-25T00:28:00.000-07:00

Not long ago we told you about the inaugural Spokane Oktoberfest (read that post). The event runs from Friday, September 26th through Sunday, September 28th. It is the first official Washington Beer Commission festival on the east side of the mountains. Now we have more information to share with you, including the updated list of participating breweries.

The Spokane Oktoberfest website is now up and running with a lot of information and tickets available online.

Saturday and Sunday authentic German/Austrian musical entertainment will be provided by Happy Hans Music.

There are some volunteer shifts available. Volunteers will receive a T-shirt, stein and festival admission for a non-shift day or session. (Contact matt@washingtonbeer.com and let him know your availability.) They would prefer that you have some experience pouring at festivals.

Admission is $20 advance, $25 at the door and includes six 5.5 oz. tasting tickets. Extra tickets are $1.50 each. A weekend pass is also available for $50 and includes six taster tickets per day. Advance tickets available at the Spokane Oktoberfest website.

The current list of expected breweries includes:

Northern Lights (Spokane)
Iron Horse (Ellensburg)
Palouse Falls (Pullman)
Paradise Creek (Pullman)
Riverport (Clarkston)
Georgetown (Seattle)
Elysian (Seattle)
Mac and Jack's (Redmond)
Snoqualmie Falls (Snoqualmie)
Elliott Bay (Seattle/Burien)
Fremont (Seattle)
Pike (Seattle)
Diamond Knot (Mukilteo)
Snipes Mountain (Sunnyside)
Golden Hills (Airway Heights)
Schooner Exact (Seattle)
Northern Ales (Northport)
Laht Neppur (Waitsburg)
C.I. Shenanigan's (Spokane)
Alpine (Oroville)

Congressman Rick Larsen visits Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen

2010-08-24T10:32:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday morning, Congressman Rick Larsen of Washington’s 2nd Congressional District paid a visit to Bellingham’s Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen. His mission was to learn more about the craft beer industry, from the actual nuts and bolts of the brewing process to the business and economic challenges facing craft breweries in Washington and across the country.

Just moments after the congressman walked through the door, Will Kemper handed Larsen a printout and explained that it was list of all of the craft breweries in the 2nd Congressional District, which includes the communities of Everett, Monroe, Whidbey Island, Bellingham and others.

Above - Rep. Rick Larsen with Will and Mari Kemper.

Larsen’s hosts, Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen owners Will and Mari Kemper, did an excellent job of articulating the needs and concerns of craft brewers. Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen was born in the summer of 2008, just a few short months before the financial markets began melting down. While the beers and the brewpub have won prestigious awards and have continually grown in popularity, Chuckanut has faced challenges because of the recession. Suffice it to say, it was not (is not) an easy time to be getting a business off of the ground. Representative Larsen seemed particularly interested in this part of the Chuckanut story.

The challenge of making beer when the well has run dry

The conversation included plenty of discussion about the decreased availability of business financing. The growing popularity of craft beer across the nation has created an uptick in demand for craft beer and many of our local breweries are scrambling to keep up. Virtually every brewery we visit is producing beer at capacity and is trying to grow. While some breweries are finding creative ways to finance the growth of their businesses, it has become increasingly difficult to secure funding through traditional means. It’s a theme we’ve heard over and over again: while business loans are not impossible to secure, various forms of private financing have become increasingly common.

Read the complete story, with more photos, on the Washington Beer Blog

Snoqualmie Falls Brewing's Triskaidekaphobia soothes your irrational fears

2010-08-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Company is about to celebrate its 13th anniversary with the release of a new beer. Actually, the beer's release and the actual anniversary are still a few months away, but the beer and the celebration planning are already fermenting.

If you can get over your triskaidekaphobia (irrational fear of the number 13), and you posses some artistic talent, you might just win a case of beer and dinner for two.

Rande Reed, brewmaster at Snoqualmie Falls Brewing, has concocted a special beer to commemorate the brewery's 13th anniversary. The beer is named Triskaidekaphobia. Now they are looking for a label for the beer. That's where you aspiring artists come in.

I must admit that I have an irrational fear of my own. Not of spiders or confined spaces, but of 17 letter words. I don't have a problem with 19 letter words like antiparliamentarian or even 20 letter words like ultramicroscopically, but for some reason I dread 17 letter words like triskaidekaphobia. I hope you all can appreciate how terrifying I find it to write this post.

Here's the contest information straight from Snoqualmie Falls Brewing's Facebook page:

ATTENTION ARTISTS AND WANNABES!
Snoqualmie Falls Brewing will begin celebrating its 13th anniversary in December. Appropriate to the occasion, we will release a limited edition brew called Triskaidekaphobia, which means fear of the number 13. Of course, this will be a beautiful tripel. Part of this limited run will be bottled, and this is where you come in.

We need a special label for the brew, and unfortunately, we can only draw stick figures.

So, assuming the name will be Triskaidekaphobia, send us your best! We don’t need a full label as there are strict federal requirements for them. Just send us a drawing, painting or photograph we can reproduce, preferably including the word Triskaidekaphobia.

Helpful background information may be that for the 13th anniversary the traditional gift is lace; modern gifts are furs and textiles; flowers are hollyhock; and gems are moonstone, malachite and citrine. Yeah, we have no idea what those stones are either, but info is cheap on the net.

Remember, though- Fear of 13 is the overarching theme.

Most importantly, though, is that we at SFBC are unrepentant capitalists and so we need your label to attract attention and produce a grab. We need a great label that will earn us more money for the run than Bud makes in a year. Ooh, I can already hear the money rolling right in! At the same time we want it to be fun and quirky like Jones Soda.

Huh? What’s in it for you? Oh, how about a case of the limited brew, dinner for four at the Taproom and credit to you for the inspired artwork right on the label? Get on it, artsy types!

Questions? Call Dave Eiffert, co-owner at 425-894-7970

15 Years of Great Beers - Boundary Bay Brewery Anniversary Celebration

2010-08-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

Boundary Bay Brewery is about to celebrate its 15th anniversary. The party takes place on Thursday, September 16th at the pub in Bellingham. Over the past 15 years Boundary Bay has won prestigious awards and earned a reputation as one of the region's outstanding craft breweries; what's more, they have won the hearts of the community they serve.

Great people making great beer

Beyond making great beer and having a fantastic restaurant and pub, Boundary Bay is a beloved fixture in Bellingham. More than just a local business, Boundary Bay Brewery is an important part of the community. I have friends who live in Bellingham and I can attest to the fact that their affection for Boundary Bay goes beyond the beer. Bellingham is a great community: a city with more than 80,000 people that feels like a small town. Boundary Bay Brewery is one of the things that makes Bellingham great.

Cheers to Boundary Bay Brewery, and cheers to many, many more years!

From their website:

Please join Boundary Bay Brewery in celebrating our 15th anniversary on September 16th, 2010!

15 years ago we found a home in the heart of downtown Bellingham. We opened our doors on September 16th, 1995 in a restored, historic warehouse right across the street from the Saturday Farmers Market. From the beginning we knew that we wanted to make the kinds of beers that we liked to drink: big, bold Northwest brews. Early on, our handcrafted ales began gaining recognition and we quickly became a place where the locals love to go.

We started with just six beers on tap, mostly English-style ales like ESB and Scotch Ale. Over the years, we’ve expanded our brewing and now feature 7 beers permanently on tap, 3 rotating seasonal taps and 2 ales always on cask. Throughout the year, we feature over 25 seasonal varieties, ranging from classics like our IPA to the cult favorites like our Cabin Fever and Imperial IPA.

Our logo has become a familiar sight on the Boundary Bay Brewery clothing that people seem to spot everywhere. Historically, it references the bootlegging in Boundary Bay from British Columbia to Washington that was common during Prohibition.

Now, though, it means so much more to us. We’ve updated our logo to reflect the last 15 years of saving the ales…and you can expect new coasters, t-shirts, hoodies, pint glasses and growlers. All emblazoned with our 15th anniversary design!

Come to the Beer Garden at 4pm for a Happy Hour BBQ, dancing and live music by the Marion Weston band. Enjoy $1 off your pints, anniversary cake and the special 15th Anniversary Ale which will be tapped at 4pm!.....

Read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog.

One Year for Two Beers Brewing

2010-08-18T11:54:00.000-07:00

Two Beers Brewing is about to celebrate the one year anniversary of its move to Seattle's SoDo district. The party will take place on Saturday, August 28th at the brewery and tap room on Ohio Avenue South. The details are below in the official press release.

Here's the press release:

August 16, 2010

Two Beers Brewing Co. Celebrates One Year in SoDo

Seattle WA -- Two Beers Brewing Co. is celebrating being in SoDo for a year and wants to invite anyone and everyone down for their celebration.

“It’s been quite a year for us” said Joel VandenBrink, Founder and Brewmaster of Two Beers Brewing Co. “We have made many friends along the way thus far and want to have a party to thank everyone for the continued support.”

The Party will be at the brewery, 4700 Ohio Ave S. Seattle WA 98134, from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Saturday August 28th. On tap will be the only keg of Winter Hop 2009 remaining, Orange, Grapefruit, and Lemon Peeled Belgian Wit, Summer Hop, and all your other favorites from Two Beers Brewing Co. In addition, Casks will be on the bar all afternoon, a BBQ will be cooking up Spicy Sausage from Zoe’s Meats, and live music will be on the dock out front....

Read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog.

Iron Horse Brewery Introduces 509 Style Ale

2010-08-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

Iron Horse Brewing recently announced the release of its 509 Style Ale, a medium-bodied session beer. The 509 Style Ale is intended to pay homage to the farmers of the 509 area code who produce the ingredients used by the craft beer industry.

Here is the press release from Iron Horse:

Iron Horse Brewery Announces Release of 509 Style Ale

Ellensburg, Wa August 8,2010 - When Iron Horse Brewery sets out to create a beer, they like to think outside of the box. So, instead of taking traditional style guidelines and attempting to follow them, Iron Horse focuses on producing a unique and flavorful end result. Their newest release, 509 Style Ale, will replace their Rodeo Pale Ale. The original Rodeo Pale underwent so many slight revisions over the past three years, that it became a completely different beer; hence the new name.

Greg Parker, co-owner of Iron Horse Brewery, when commenting on the origins of the new name said, “We like people from the west side and respect their refined beer palates, but we wanted to salute the roots of our brewery, as well as the hops, malt and farmers that produce them.” He points out that, “509 style is made in the 509 (area code), with ingredients grown in the 509, and a flavor profile suitable to the 509. And while the greater population density rests in the western half of the state, we all owe gratitude to the fertile soil and farmers, growing hops and barley in the eastern half.”

509 Style Ale, a 5% ABV (alcohol by volume) session beer is a medium bodied, lightly-malty ale with medium hop presence, that finishes exceedingly smoothly....

Read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog

The Best Little Beer Fest You've Never Heard About

2010-08-12T17:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe you have been to this one, but last year was my first time and I was totally blown away. Until last year, I had never even heard about this festival and it is awesome.

This Saturday the Porterhouse Pub in Mount Vernon will celebrate its 8th Annual Porterhouse Charity Brewfest to benefit the historic Lincoln Theater. The event features great craft beer and world-class music, mostly blues. They shut down the entire street in front of the Porterhouse and put on one helluva show.

Last year, this was a great event. In fact, I was surprised that I had never heard about it. Kind of freaked me out, actually. I mean, great beer and great music? What's not to love? Below, you'll find all the details for this years festival.

Here's our video from last year's festival.

Here are all the details from the Porterhouse website.

2:00 pm Saturday August 14th between 1st and Main On Gates Street will be shut down and set up for great brews, raffle prizes, live bands, and dancing to raise funds for the Lincoln Theatre. Breweries from the north west region and the west coast will be bringing their best craft beers for your enjoyment along with some great local music.

This years musical lineup includes:

The Bill Mattocks Band, high energy first rate contemporary blues and blues-based rock.

Tim Halpin and the Better Half, "Funk-infused Rock-N-Roll" style

and last but not least

The Red Hot Blues Sisters, internationally recognized Blues/folk sound

Tickets can be purchased at the Pub or Lincoln Theatre for
$20 in advance, or $24 @ the gates.

Each ticket provides 5 (4oz.) Pours and entrance to the festivities. Please remember this event is strictly 21 and over.

All proceeds will go to help keep the Lincoln Theatre a cornerstone of local culture and history. So come down and celebrate summer with us for a noble cause with craft brews, great music, and good times!

Breweries Confirmed Thus Far:

Flyer's, Hale's, Skagit, Boundary Bay, Anacortes, 2 Beers *, Birdsview, Full Sail, Snoqualmie Falls, Deschutes, New Belgium, Lazy Boy, Alaska, Ninkasi, Bridgeport, Elysian, Stone, Pike, 192

WA Beer Commission Announces Spokane Oktoberfest

2010-08-12T17:37:00.000-07:00

The Washington Beer Commission just announced that it will host the inaugural Spokane Oktoberfest, taking place September 24-26 at Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane. This will be the first official Commission-supported event to take place on the east side of the cascades. Spokane Oktoberfest will feature great beer from a number of Washington breweries, along with live Bavarian music and authentic German cuisine.

Expected to participate in Spokane Oktoberfest are a number of breweries not wholly familiar to those of us residing on the wetter side of the mountains. While many of us have sampled eastern-born beers from Iron Horse Brewing (Ellensburg) and Northern Lights Brewing (Spokane), fewer of us have tried beer from breweries like Laht Neppur Brewing (Waitsburg), Rocky Coulee Brewing (Odessa), Riverport Brewing (Clarkston), and Palouse Falls Brewing (Pullman). The complete list is provided in the press release below.

What's more, Spokane Oktoberfest also provides an opportunity for east side residents to sample beer from breweries like Elliott Bay Brewing and Fremont Brewing, which otherwise rarely find their way over the mountains.

For those who have not been, Spokane's Riverfront Park is absolutely lovely. This event will see the park's Central Meadow transformed into a Bavarian bier garten.

Located in downtown Spokane, near the Spokane Convention Center and Gonzaga University, there are plenty of lodging options. There are several hotels within easy walking distance of Riverfront Park. The closest are the Doubletree Spokane City Center and the Red Lion Hotel at the Park. For serious luxury and opulence, consider the historic Davenport Hotel, just three blocks from the park. Other nearby options include an Oxford Suites, a Travelodge, a Ramada, and a Holiday Inn Express. There are several others nearby. Use the Google.

Here is the official press release from the Washington Beer Commission:

The Washington Beer Commission proudly announces

Spokane Oktoberfest!

September 24 - 26, 2010 Riverfront Park, Spokane, WA

The Washington Beer Commission will host its inaugural Spokane Oktoberfest on Friday, September 24th through Sunday, September 26th at downtown Spokane's Riverfront Park. This will be the first craft beer tasting festival for the Washington Beer Commission on the east side of the Cascades. The Commission currently produces four beer festivals in the greater Seattle area as a means for supporting the marketing, education and public relations efforts of the Washington Beer Commission and its more than 100 member breweries.

Spokane Oktoberfest will turn Riverfront Park's Central Meadow into an authentic Bavarian bier garten featuring delicious German food, music and of course Washington brewed German style lagers and fall seasonal beers on tap. This first-year event will showcase more than 30 wonderful craft beers masterfully brewed by Washington breweries.

The event will take place over three days, beginning with Friday evening, September 24th from 4pm to 8pm. Saturday, the 25th the festival will run from noon to 8pm and Sunday the 26th from noon to 6pm. Admission is $20 in advance or $25 at the door if tickets are still available. Separate tickets are required for each day or you may purchase a three-day pass for $50. Admission includes a commemorative tasting cup and six 5.5oz sample tastes. Additional tastes will be available for purchase at $1.50 each or four for $5.00. Tickets are available online at www.spokaneoktoberfest.com and at select ticket outlets. The event is expected to sell out so advance ticket purchase is recommended. This is a 21 and over only event. Additional information including the beer lineup, entertainment schedule, contests, menu items and ticket outlet locations coming soon.

The Washington Beer Commission was formed in 2007 to promote craft beer brewed in Washington State, to educate Washington consumers about craft beer and to foster a vibrant community of craft brewers in Washington. With more than 100 breweries now producing craft beer in the state, Washington boasts a top three ranking for number of state-wide breweries.

DATES:

September 24th, 25th and 26th, 2010

HOURS:

Friday, September 24th - 4pm - 8pm

Saturday, September 25th - Noon to 8pm

Sunday, September 26th - Noon to 6pm

LOCATION:

Riverfront Park, Central Meadow

507 N. Howard St.

Spokane, WA 99201

ADMISSION:

$20 advance tickets or $25 at the door if still available. Admission includes a commemorative tasting cup and six 5.5oz sample tastes.

Must be 21 years old or older and have a valid ID to be admitted.

Designated driver admission is free and available at the door only.

Tickets are on sale online at www.spokaneoktoberfest.com and at select Washington breweries.

BEERS:

Washington breweries expected to attend Spokane Oktoberfest include: Northern Lights, C.I. Shenanigans, Iron Horse, Riverport, Paradise Creek, Palouse Falls, Georgetown, Elysian Fields, Snoqualmie, Elliott Bay, Fremont, Pike, Schooner Exact, Laht Neppur, Rocky Coulee and Alpine. More detailed information about breweries and their beers to come soon!

WASHINGTON BEER COMMISSION INFORMATION:

www.washingtonbeer.com

UPDATED SPOKANE OKTOBERFEST INFORMATION:

www.spokaneoktoberfest.com

Hello Seattle! Time for you to meet Dottie

2010-08-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

We first introduced you to Rick Hewitt and the Emerald City Beer Company back in May (read it). Rick's plan to open a new craft brewery in the old Rainier Brewery attracted a lot of attention. Today, we are happy to announce that the Emerald City Beer Company will officially release Dottie's Seattle Lager this Thursday at Jillian's in Seattle. The Dottie's First Pour Event will take place from 5:00 - 9:00 and will feature $3 pints of Dottie's, $4 appetizers, and discounts on pool and arcade games.

Dottie's Seattle Lager - First Pour Event
Thursday, August 12th
5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Jillian's
731 Westlake Ave. North
Seattle, WA 98109
MAP

12 New Breweries Coming to Washington

2010-08-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

The Brewers Association recently reported that 100 new breweries opened in the U.S. since July 2009. That's a pretty amazing number. If new craft breweries are a nationwide trend, then Washington is riding atop that foamy wave of sudsy goodness. Last year more than a dozen new Washington craft breweries fired up their kettles for the first time. It was difficult to keep track of all the new breweries opening in 2009 and the trend is not slowing down in 2010.

Below is a list of recent applications for, and approvals of, new brewery licenses in Washington. If you are affiliated with any of the following, we'd love to talk to you and tell your story to the world (email us).

Recently Applied

Notification Date: 7/26/2010
Business Name: AMERICAN BREWING COMPANY
Business Location: EDMONDS, WA
Liquor License Type: MICROBREWERY; TAVERN - BEER/WINE
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION

Notification Date: 7/26/2010
Business Name: ICICLE BREWING COMPANY
Business Location: LEAVENWORTH, WA
Liquor License Type: MICROBREWERY
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION

Notification Date: 7/20/2010
Business Name: WESTPORT BREWING COMPANY
Business Location: WESTPORT, WA
Liquor License Type: MICROBREWERY
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION

Notification Date: 7/19/2010
Business Name: BATTENKILL BREWING COMPANY
Business Location: POULSBO, WA
Liquor License Type: MICROBREWERY
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION

Notification Date: 7/19/2010
Business Name: SOUND BREWERY
Business Location: POULSBO, WA
Liquor License Type: MICROBREWERY
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION

Notification Date: 7/19/2010
Business Name: WILDHEARTS WINERY & BREW
Business Location: ANACORTES, WA
Liquor License Type: DOMESTIC WINERY < 250,000 LITERS; MICROBREWERY
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION
License Number: 406874

Notification Date: 7/14/2010
Business Name: BURDICK BREWERY
Business Location: SEATTLE, WA
Liquor License Type: MICROBREWERY
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION

Notification Date: 7/9/2010
Business Name: NORTHWEST PEAKS BREWERY
Business Location: SEATTLE, WA
Liquor License Type: MICROBREWERY
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION

Notification Date: 7/9/2010
Business Name: LANTERN BREWING
Business Location: SEATTLE, WA
Liquor License Type: MICROBREWERY
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION

Notification Date: 7/7/2010
Business Name: NARROW BRIDGE BREWING
Business Location: WOODINVILLE, WA
Liquor License Type: MICROBREWERY
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION

Recently Approved

Approved Date: 7/22/2010
Business Name: EMERALD CITY BEER COMPANY
Business Location: SEATTLE, WA
Liquor License Type: 332, MICROBREWERY
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION

Approved Date: 7/16/2010
Business Name: NORTH SOUND BREWING CO
Business Location: MOUNT VERNON, WA
Liquor License Type: 332, MICROBREWERY
Application Type: NEW APPLICATION

Redhook Signs Partnership Agreement with U.W. Huskies

2010-08-06T11:39:00.000-07:00

Redhook has just announced a 3 year partnership with the University of Washington to be the Huskies' exclusive craft brewery. What does that mean? It means that when you go to "The Zone" at a UW football game you'll be drinking Redhook products.

The Zone is the UW's answer to a big tailgate party. Although no actual tailgates are involved, The Zone features entertainment, food, adult and non-adult beverages, and generally provides a place for Husky fans to socialize before the game and during halftime.

Here's the press release from Redhook:

WOODINVILLE, Wash. - (Business Wire) Redhook Ale Brewery (NASDAQ:HOOK) has partnered with the University of Washington Huskies to become the Dawg’s exclusive craft brewery. The three year partnership kicks off this month.

“As Seattle’s original craft brewer, we are thrilled to team up with the University of Washington to bring Husky fans a true taste of the Pacific Northwest,” said Greg Deuhs, brewmaster for Redhook Ale Brewery. “Redhook has been pouring craft beers in Western Washington since 1982 and we look forward to cheering the Dawgs on from The Zone.”

Through this partnership, Redhook will be the exclusive craft beer sponsor of The Zone. The Zone is a Washington Huskies’ game day experience that features entertainment, food, beverages and a place for Husky fans to socialize for three hours pre-game, during halftime and post-game. Additionally, The Zone offers custom suite rentals for first-class entertaining.

Redhook Ale Brewery was established in 1981 in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. The brewery has gone on to be recognized as a craft brewing innovator with distribution throughout the U.S. Maintaining its Pacific Northwest roots, Redhook’s main brewery is located in Woodinville, Wash.

Happy International Beer Day

2010-08-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

Happy International Beer Day! Cheers, Salute, Prost, Sláinte and Op uw gezondheid!

August 5th was International Beer Day. Big thanks go out to our fellow beer blogger, BrewDad, for first pointing this out to us. According to the organizers, one of the purposes of International Beer Day is to show our appreciation for the good people who provide us with beer--a chance to say thank you to the brewers, publicans and everyone else who delivers unto us the divine libation that we all so love.

Sadly, no official International Beer Day events were planned around the Seattle area this year, but I'm not going to let that stop me from sharing the love.

I want to thank the owners, managers and servers at Washington's better beer bars and bottle shops. From the Green Frog in Bellingham to By the Bottle in Vancouver, from Bob's Keg and Cork in Yakima to Peaks Pub in Port Angeles, from the Viking Tavern in Spokane to 99 Bottles in Federal Way, we have great places to buy and consume good beer. Cheers to that!

Around Seattle, I especially appreciate the efforts of publicans like Bob Brenlin, Gary Sink, Seth Howard, Silas Reynolds, Jay Fischer, Matt Vandenberghe, and the two Dons at Naked City. Along with the many others that I am failing to mention, they have a serious commitment to great beer that benefits our community as a whole. Seattle is a great beer town largely because of their passion for beer. Cheers to that!

Of course we all owe a big round of thanks to the incredible brewing industry here in Washington. Whether it be nationally recognized Rockstar Brewers like Elysian's Dick Cantwell or young up-and-comers like Grove Street's Adam Orrick, we have a community of brewing professionals who are dedicated to wowing us with great beer. Cheers to that!

I would be remiss if I didn't show some love for the Washington craft beer enthusiast. Cheers to us! Each year the Washington Brewers Festival attracts between 10,000 and 20,000 people. The Washington Cask Beer Festival sells out regularly. In January the first-ever Belgianfest sold out. If it has to do with beer in Washington, it is growing. That's because of us--the Washington beer lover.

Our passion for great beer is nationally recognized. Why do you think so many out-of-state breweries have flocked here in recent years? They recognize that we know a thing or two about beer. We have one of the most vibrant craft beer cultures in the country. Maybe, in the entire world. Cheers to us!

The Washington Brewers Guild, which fights to protect the political interests of the industry we love, deserves a round of applause. Shoestring budgets and purely volunteer efforts power everything they do. You may not always agree with them, or fully understand their positions, but I think we all appreciate their efforts to keep the Washington brewing industry healthy and growing. Cheers to that.

Not to be confused with the Brewers Guild, the Washington Beer Commission has a less political mission and is authorized by the Washington State Legislature to promote Washington-brewed craft beer. It is the only commission of its kind in the country. No other state has a beer commission. In Washington today, just as we were back in the early 1980s when Bert Grant, Paul Shipman, Will Kemper and the other founding fathers of the craft beer revolution got this whole thing started, we are pioneers. Cheers to that!

And then there are those of us who strive to keep you informed and entertained--Geof Kaiser at Seattle Beer News, the three minds behind Beer Blotter, Paul "Fruit Trees" Orchard at Northwest Beer Guide, and Mike Besser at BrewDad. That's naming just a few of my fellow bloggers. We cannot forget the more traditional media contributors like Don Scheidt of Celebrator Beer News, Jeannie McWilliams and the entire crew at the Northwest Brewing News, and Megan Flynn of Beer Northwest . There are many other people working to keep you informed. If there is a fraternity of local beer writers, I am honored to be part of it.

So cheers to all the great people who bring us beer. Raise a glass to the hop farmers outside Yakima and to Larry at Larry's Brewing Supply in Kent. Hoist a cold one for the guy washing kegs at Georgetown Brewing and for Boundary Bay's Ed Bennett who drives a van full of Washington beer to Denver every year for the Great American Beer Festival. Clink your pints in appreciation of the guy sanitizing the taps at Uber Tavern and everyone else who helps make good beer happen.

Happy International Beer Day.

Cheers!

U.S. Craft Beer Sales Up 12% in 2010

2010-08-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

In March we reported that craft beer sales soared in 2009. Today we report more good news from the Brewers Association, the organization that represents the majority of the nation's breweries. In the first half of 2010, craft beers sales increased by 12% in terms of dollar sales.

Here is today's press release from the Brewers Association:

Dollar growth up 12% in first six months of 2010; U.S. brewery count climbs by 100 in last year

Boulder, CO • August 2, 2010 – The Brewers Association, the trade association representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies, today released strong mid-year numbers for America's small and independent craft brewers. Dollar sales were up 12 percent in the first half of 2010, compared to 9 percent growth during the same period in 2009. Volume of craft brewed beer sold grew 9 percent for the first six months in 2010, compared to 5 percent growth in the first half of 2009.

Craft breweries continue to grow despite many challenges, and currently provide an estimated 100,000 jobs and contribute significantly to the U.S. economy. Barrels sold by craft brewers for the first half of the year are an estimated 4.6 million, compared to 4.2 million barrels sold in the first half of 2010.

Read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog, click here.

Pictures and Report from 7 Seas' Anniversary Bash

2010-08-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

Saturday we attended the 7 Seas Brewing Company’s first anniversary party. We arrived at about 1:30 when the party was just beginning to pick up steam. As directed, we parked the Washington Beer Cruiser at the designated off-site parking lot and waited less than 5 minutes for the shuttle bus which took us to the front gate. Very convenient.

(Above - Mike Runion, one of the owners at 7 Seas, works the beer line, making sure he gets to greet everyone.)

First things first: we got a couple beers. Then we got some food. By the time we finished lunch, we noticed that the crowd was growing rapidly. The shuttle bus showed up every 5 minutes and dropped off another full load of partygoers. By the time we left at 4:30, the place was packed. I’m not good at judging crowd size, but there had to be hundreds of people there.

Surprisingly, we didn’t see any of the regular crew that we see at events like this (we call them the “drinkalotti”). Nope, this event was crowded primarily with local beer lovers who were there to show their appreciation to Mike Runion and Travis Guterson for blessing the Gig Harbor community with a brewery. Many of the younger partygoers seemed to be friends, many of the older partygoers said that they knew “the boys” one way or another.

To read the complete story and see more pictures on the Washington Beer Blog, click here.

7 Seas Brewing Turns 1 Year Old and Opening a NW Beer Garden

2010-07-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

Last week we attended a brewers night celebration at the Beveridge Place Pub and had a chance to talk to Mike Runion, one of the owners of 7 Seas Brewing, which will celebrate its one year anniversary with a big bash at the brewery next Saturday. We talked about a lot of things, like how busy they are brewing, canning and distributing their beer, but Mike was particularly excited about the opening of their beer garden at the upcoming party (Saturday, July 31st).

Mike and his partner Travis Guterson are a couple of guys who like to get outside and enjoy the environment, so their vision of a beer garden is a bit different than most. It’s more like a campground or a wilderness picnic spot, really. In Seattle, Fremont Brewing Company has an urban beer garden (read about our visit) which has its own kind of charm for sure, but what they have planned at 7 Seas is quite the opposite.

If you’ve visited the 7 Seas brewery, you might recall that it borders a wooded area. Their next door neighbors are robins, squirrels, raccoons and the trees those woodland critters call home. Into this forest, 7 Seas has inserted a beer garden. While many beer gardens offer you an asphalt floor, you’ll have a blanket of pine needles beneath your feet in this one.

“This is going to be a real northwest beer garden,” Mike told us. “It’ll be like having a beer at your campsite in the woods.”

That might be true, but this beer garden is going to be a lot larger than most campsites. “About 1,200 square feet. Maybe closer to 1,500,” Mike says. “It’s big. It dwarfs our taproom.”

As far as the party goes, Mike assured us that it’s going to be a big bash. It sounds like they’re not holding anything back for this one. You can get all the details on their website. I’ll mention just a couple of things here:

Mike tells us that he’s expecting over 1,000 people. Yep, it’s going to be a bash. Live music, food, great beer. Sounds like a great time to me.

Parking – Since the brewery’s parking lot will be hosting the party, all parking will be off site. There’s a parking lot nearby that will have plenty of room and shuttle buses will be running constantly. Truth is, the parking lot is within walking distance anyway. DO NOT make the mistake of parking in the lot next door at the Inn at Gig Harbor. Big, big mistake.

Pirates - Argh! When ye sails the 7 Seas, ye should expect to see pirates. This is, after all, Gig Harbor—a town with an unmistakable maritime heritage. Without going into too much detail, Mike tells us that there will be pirates. “Serious pirates,” were his exact words. If you show up dressed as a pirate, they’ll buy you a beer.

Elysian Mens Room Red Earns $3,000 in June for Local Veterans

2010-07-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

Some months ago, Elysian Brewing teamed up with the afternoon guys at KISW 99.9 FM (the Mens Room) to produce Mens Room Original Red. While most local beer enthusiasts are aware of the beer's existence, I'm not sure how many people understand the origin of the name or the noble purpose behind the beer. A portion of the of the proceeds from the sale of Mens Room Original Red benefit Fischer House - an organization that helps veterans and their families.

Don't rush to judgment. Although the Mens Room radio show might not be your cup of tea, the Mens Room Original Red is not some silly, gimmicky beer. It's damn good. What's more, having listened to the Mens Room show on KISW more than once, I can tell you that the radio personalities involved are truly stoked. It's fun to hear them talk about how awesome it is that they have their own beer. Not surprising, really. I mean, how excited would you be if Dick Cantwell and his crew at Elysian made a beer with your name on it?

The Mens Room Original Red is a medium-bodied ale, hopped with Chinook and Cascade hops, weighing in at 5.6 ABV. As you might expect from Elysian, the beer is delicious--a well-balanced amber ale with a slighly hoppy nose and smooth malty finish.

In June, sales of Mens Room Original Red raised $3,000 for Fischer House. That number will continue to grow as the beer's popularity increases. Cheers to that!

From Elysian:

A big Thank You to all you Mens Room Red guzzlers out there--demand for this beer has been out of control and we are very pleased to be able to hand this donation over to the VA Puget Sound Fisher House. For those that aren't familiar--Fisher House provides temporary housing for families of military Veterans receiving medical care in area facilities.

Speaking of MENS ROOM ORIGINAL RED...
22 oz. bottles will soon be available in stores! Mens Room Red 22 oz. bottles should be hitting shelves of area Puget Sound retailers after August 25.

If you can't wait until then, they are currently available at Elysian Capitol Hill and Tangletown. It's always a good idea to call ahead to check stock.

Cap Hill 206.860.1920
Tangletown 206.547.5929

7 Seas Brewing Plans a Big Bash in Gig Harbor

2010-07-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

Remember the fire? Before they'd even brewed their first batch of beer, Gig Harbor's 7 Seas Brewing was devastated by fire in January of 2009. Like a Phoenix, they clawed their way out of the ashes and emerged victorious. 7 Seas Brewing is now one of the brightest new stars on the Washington craft beer scene. We introduced you to Travis Guterson, Mike Runion and 7 Seas Brewing back in July of last year, now we are happy to announce the brewery's one Year Anniversary Bash, which will take place at their brewery on July 31st. .

Need to catch up? Read our introduction to 7 Seas Brewing here.

In just one year, 7 Seas Brewing has accomplished a lot. They have the proud distinction of being the first Washington craft brewery to package its product in aluminum cans, they are brewing beer furiously to keep up with orders, and they are currently in the process of expanding their brewing capacity.

It's been quite a ride for Travis and Mike since that fire tore through their fledgling brewery 16 months ago. We hope you'll all join us in wishing them a happy first birthday. And many more!

Here are some details about the party. Visit the 7 Seas website for more information.

7 Seas Brewing 1 Year Anniversary Bash

Time flies when you’re having fun and drinking great beer! 7 Seas Brewing will be celebrating this occasion with a Beer Bash of epic proportions. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, 7 Seas has rebuilt better than ever and introduced Washington to Craft Beer in a Can! Come celebrate with us and enjoy the local live music of China Davis, Perry Acker, and Black Market Revue.

Grillmaster Buck Buchanan will be holding down the grill serving Brats, Burgers, Ribs, and world-famous Buck’s Beans, while Courtney and Trish of Provisions Catering will be serving Fish Tacos, Stout Ice Cream, Taco Salad, and Hop Lemonade. I know…… a little something for everyone, we’re in for a treat!

Beers? Oh Yeah! All of the 7 Seas Proper Pints will be pouring! A full spectrum of refreshing brews to satisfy all.

Parking will be @ the old Gig Harbor Ford Dealership (a mere 2 blocks away) and there will be a continuously running shuttle to and from. Please NO parking at the Inn at Gig Harbor Hotel.

The cost of such an amazing day? $3 per person which goes to support our local entertainment. Credit/debit cards will only be accepted for merchandise purchases, so cover, beer, and food will be on a cash basis.

We are extremely fortunate to have had all of the amazing support from the local community here in Gig Harbor and throughout Washington. We truly appreciate all of you and would like to thank you by throwing one hell of a bash. Please plan ahead and designate a driver or other accommodations.

PLEASE DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE.

When: Saturday, July 31st: 12noon-8pm
Where: @ 7 Seas Brewing (see below for parking info)
3207 57th St CT NW
Gig Harbor, WA 98335

Details: $3 cash cover (+21 and over only)

Local Rockstar's Beer Now in Bottles

2010-07-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

Whip Ale, which hit the market last December in its draft form, is now available in 22 oz. bottles. You should start seeing bottles of Whip Ale at local bottle shops and at better beer retailers in the coming weeks. Read our previous posts about Whip Ale.

As we reported last December, Whip Ale is a Pale Ale developed under the direction of Michael "Whip" Wilton, guitarist for Queensryche. Last year Wilton approached Everett's Lazy Boy Brewing, expressing an interest in developing his own, unique craft beer. Working with head brewer Shawn Loring, Wilton formulated Whip Ale, a Pale Ale described (quite accurately, I might add) as “Bold, rich, and aromatic – smooth and well flavored."

Whip Ale quickly became popular, with beer geeks and rockers alike. To keep up with demand, Wilton had to change breweries in April. Whip Ale is now brewed by Diamond Knot Brewing in Mukilteo. It's the same great beer but it's brewed by a different brewery.

Last week Diamond Knot bottled a batch of Whip Ale for the first time and it is now moving through distribution channels. Whip Ale could start showing up on the shelves as early as next week. If your local beer retailer doesn't stock it, tell them that they should.

Looking Ahead to Tacoma Craft Beer Festival 2010

2010-07-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

Last year the first-ever Tacoma Craft Beer Festival was a huge success. We attended the event and were amazed at how well the organizers put together the inaugural event. Last night we talked to Chris Miller—owner of Tacoma's Red Hot and one of the festival organizers—about the 2010 version of the Tacoma Craft Beer Festival, which will be held on October 1st and 2nd.

Once again, the event will take place at The Foss Waterway Seaport and the proceeds will benefit the Emergency Food Network. In addition to the fact that this year's event will be generally bigger and better, here's some new stuff.

A total of 50 breweries will be represented compared to 44 last year.
Parking - while we had no problems parking last year, apparently it became a bit of an issue as the day wore on. This year, there will be parking at the Tacoma Dome Station parking garage with free shuttle buses to get you to and from the venue from there.
Two days instead of one! Friday October 1st (from 5pm-9pm), and Saturday October 2nd (from noon-8pm).
The event space will be reconfigured to better accommodate the crowd. Essentially, some of the museum-type stuff will be moved aside for the event.
Friday night Firkins. There will be a special firkin tapping event within the larger event. Basically, a whole bunch of firkins will be tapped at once on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. We'll confirm the exact time and the number of firkins as the event nears.

Des Moines City Council Approves a New Beer Festival

2010-07-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

The city council in Des Moines has just approved the local Rotary Club's plans to stage the first ever Poverty Bay Blues and Brews Festival.

The event will be held on Saturday, September 25th, from 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at the Des Moines Beach Park. According to festival organizers, the event will feature beer from 12-15 craft breweries. Do not expect to see the Bud Light girls. This is a 21+ event.

The event is a benefit for the Des Moines Rotary Club’s “Music for Youth/Music for Life” service project. Read our complete post about this event.

West Seattle's New Craft Beer Bar

2010-07-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

A new beer-focused bar opened recently in West Seattle. The Cask is a self-described “old world ale house and wine house.” Currently they're featuring four beers on tap and one on the beer engine. The Cask also has a nice selection of bottled world beers, not to mention wine by the glass. With the exception of the world beers, the focus here is on local product.

You’ll find The Cask at 2350 California Avenue SW, immediately across the street from the historic Admiral Theater. Consequently, it is also across the street from the Porterhouse Pub. How convenient. Now you have at least two reasons to visit West Seattle’s Admiral District. The Cask is open Tuesday-Thursday from noon – 10:00 p.m. Friday-Saturday noon – 11:00 p.m. Sunday 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Read our complete story about The Cask, including some pictures.

Chuckanut Brewery celebrates two years by doubling capacity

2010-07-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

To celebrate its second anniversary, Chuckanut Brewery in Bellingham is about to double its brewing capacity. Hard to believe it has only been two years, given the awards they've won and the esteem they've gained. We just received a message from Mari Kemper, who tells us about the planned birthday celebration as well as the new fermentation tanks:

Hi,
Just wanted you to know we'll be celebrating our 2nd year Anniversary at Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen on Saturday, July 17!! We're very excited and we'll have some music for your pleasure and dancing: at 5:30 p.m. Laura Overstreet and gang with country blues, and at 8 p.m. The Groove Patrol playing they're groovy mix of sounds with a full set of horns!

Please stop by to raise a toast to Chuckanut and celebrate the addition of 5 new fermentation tanks set to be delivered on July 5! This will more than double our capacity for beer and allow those accounts on the waiting list to start selling Chuckanut Beers!!

Cheers,
Mari
Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen
www.chuckanutbreweryandkitchen.com

New Brewery on the Way in Poulsbo

2010-07-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

Back in December, we posted an early distant warning about a new brewery opening in Poulsbo. Today we're posting more information. Jeff Holcomb, owner/brewer at Valholl Brewing, sent us this update to share:

Just wanted to throw you an update about Valholl Brewing. We got our Brewers Notice and just need final walk-through for our Liquor License. The city of Poulsbo has been the biggest delay in getting our business license, but it is looking like an early August opening. We changed locations and are now at 20186 B Front Street (Map). The old location was not big enough for the tasting room we wanted. We are brewing test batches in prep for our opening date. We are on twitter and Facebook and the website is up and will be completed in the next few weeks.

Design a T-shirt, Win a Keg

2010-06-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

Joel VandenBrink at Two Beer Brewing sent a message this morning. Here it is:

Two Beers Brewing Comany is calling all artists or designers to help us design our next round of t-shirts. If your design is picked you will win a keg of your favorite beer that we brew as well as recognition on our website and in our tasting room.

Guidelines

1. Something on the back and something on the front/side. Location does not matter.
2. Must look good in one color printing
3. Does not need to include the logo anywhere, but it is preferable.
4. The words “Take Some Time” need to appear somewhere.

Deadline: July 2nd. Winner will be informed the next week.

Winner will be picked on the above guidelines as well as the designs ability to match or enhance our current branding.

Questions can be addressed to Joel. Go to the website for contact information.

Water Street Brewing Closing its Doors

2010-06-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Sad news from Port Townsend showed up on Facebook this morning. It seems that Water Street Brewing is closing down. We wish them all the best. Great people thrust into a difficult situation.

As for Nina, Mark, and the entire crew at Water Street Brewing, we wish them nothing but the best.

Cheers to Queen Nina! Long live the Queen!

As posted on Facebook.

To all of the beautiful people…Water Street Brewing, as you know it, is closing the doors. After 6 plus years, countless parties and grand times, we will turn off the lights for the last time on Thursday evening. To all of you, Thank You! It’s been a blast! Love to y’all!

Results and more from the Washington Brewers Festival

2010-06-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

We just received some information from the Washington Beer Commission regarding totals from last week’s Washington Brewers Festival.

Attendance

Although the exact numbers are not yet known, we do know that attendance was approximately the same as last year. Impressive, considering the weather. While Sunday’s weather was sub-prime at best, Friday’s weather was nothing short of sublime. Friday night’s crowd was larger than anticipated—it appeared to be the largest Friday night crowd in festival history.

Top Token Collectors

The top token collectors (by brewery) were:

1. Black Raven Brewing (by a landslide)

2. Schooner Exact Brewing

3. Northern Lights Brewing

4. Foggy Noggin Brewing

5. Diamond Knot Brewing

To call it a landslide is an understatement. While other booths may have enjoyed the occasional line, the backup at Black Raven was enormous all weekend. The Coco Jones Porter is worthy of the attention. That’s the Black Raven beer we heard most people talking about.

Schooner Exact brought a lot of different beers. No doubt the Seamstress Union Raspberry Wheat was a big hit, but my favorite (with a name I shouldn’t repeat here) was the blend: two parts Raspberry Wheat and one part Brown Ale. Sinfully delicious.

To be sure, Diamond Knot makes great beer, but their charge into the top five was certainly aided by the fact that Michael Wilton (guitar player for Queensryche) was pouring his Whip Ale at the Diamond Knot booth on Friday night. Diamond Knot brews Whip Ale to Wilton’s specifications.

Pictured below is Don Webb of Naked City Brewery and Taphouse with Michael Wilton of Queensryche. To read the complete post visit the Washington Beer Blog.

Weekend Outlook: the weatherman says perfect weather for a beer festival

2010-06-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

Don't let today's threatening skies fool you. The National Weather Service gives us two thumbs up for the Washington Brewers Festival happening this weekend at Saint Edwards State Park in Kenmore. In fact, the forecast could be described as perfect for a beer festival. Expect there to be plenty of sunshine with highs nearing 70.

To learn more about the festival, including ticket and parking information, visit the official festival website.

Click here to see the complete forecast for Kenmore, WA.

Blogging live from the Washington Brewers Festival - all weekend long

2010-06-14T12:25:00.000-07:00

The Washington Beer Blog will be blogging live from the Washington Brewers Festival all weekend. For those of you who don’t already know, the mother of all Fathers Day brew festivals happens this weekend (June 18-20). The Washington Beer Blog will be set up on site, posting information live from the event. We encourage you to follow them on your mobile device while you’re at the festival, on your way to the festival, or even if you’re somewhere else missing the festival.

The Washington Beer Blog will have its feet on the street, its nose in the wind, and its ear to the ground. The goal is to make sure you know what’s going on at the festival while it’s still happening. Where’s the buzz cart? What are they pouring? What unexpected beer just showed up, and where? Who just ran out of beer? How crowded is the pint garden? Pretty much anything they can come up with to help you have a better festival experience.

You can find the Washington Beer Blog at the putting green, where you’ll have the opportunity to put your putting skills to the test and enter a drawing for season tickets to all Washington Beer Commission festivals. That’s right, sink a putt and you might score yourself free tickets to all of next year’s beer festivals.

Stop by the booth to say hello, give them a hot tip, or just because you need a handful of pretzels to munch on. They’ll have some other give-aways as well. You’ll just have to stop in and see then (or follow them online) to know what’s going on.

On twitter: @beerblog
On facebook: facebook.com/washingtonbeerblog

Beer Junction poised to open in West Seattle

2010-06-11T13:15:00.001-07:00

Morgan Herzog has plans this weekend. The owner of the soon-to-be-open Beer Junction in West Seattle will spend the weekend pricing beers and stocking shelves. He hopes to open late next week. Initially, the Beer Junction will have approximately 600 beers from which to choose. That number is expected to creep closer to 1,000 in time.

The Beer Junction is located at 4707 42nd Ave. SW in the heart of downtown West Seattle. For those who know the neighborhood, it is one block east of Elliott Bay Brewery and Pub—around the corner from the Rocksport Bar and Grill, directly across the street from Jefferson Square.

To see the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog, including pictures of the Beer Junction, CLICK HERE.

Airways' Beer Garden Gets its Wings

2010-06-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

Eventually the weather is going to change for the better. When it does, Airways Brewing in Kent will be ready. They just received approval for their beer garden. Everything is ready except the weather. In the process of getting this approval, they've learned that the beer garden makes Airways a 21+ establishment. So if you bring your kiddos, they'll have to wait quietly and politely outside the designated serving area.

Airways Brewing is located in Kent at the corner of 196th Street and West Valley Highway.

Thurs-Friday 4:00 - 8:00
Saturday 4:00 - 9:00
253-200-1707

6644 S 196th St #T-100
Kent, WA, 98032
Map

Georgetown Brewing completes move to new location

2010-06-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed the news, Georgetown Brewing has now completed the move to the new location. This past Monday was the first day in the new digs. Fear not, it's only a few blocks from the old location. We first reported on this over a year ago, recognizing that it would be some time before they moved the retail operation. Now, the move is complete.

Along with the move comes extended Saturday hours. They are now open Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday they are open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The address is
Georgetown Brewing
5200 S. Denver St.
Seattle, WA 98108

View Map

Washington brewers clean up at the NABA Awards

2010-06-07T11:04:00.000-07:00

The results have been released for the 2010 North American Brewers Association (NABA) awards. Washington breweries took home a total of 22 medals, including 9 gold medals.

The gold medal winners included Flyers Brewery (Oak Harbor), Rock Bottom Bellevue, RAM Brewery Tacoma, RAM Brewery Seattle, Walking Man Brewing (Stevenson), Old Schoolhouse Brewery (Winthrop), Laht Neppur Brewing (Waitsburg), Silver City Brewery (Silverdale), and Fish Brewing (Olympia).

Washington's showing included a clean sweep of the Scotch Ale category. Laht Neppur won the gold, Walking Man the silver, and Black Raven the bronze.

The North American Beer Awards, held in conjunction with the Mountain Brewers Beer Fest, is a unique event sanctioned by the North American Brewers Association (NABA). Over 1,000 beers compete in 27 different categories. The competition provides an opportunity for commercially produced beers to be judged against the best beers in the country. The event is conducted as a single blind sampling followed by rank ordering of the entries within each category.

Click here to read the complete story, and see the list of Washington winners.

Slide Show - Washington Brewers Festival 2009

2010-06-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

Everybody loves pictures. Especially when they're pictures of people drinking beer in the sun and having a good time at a beer festival. In anticipation of the upcoming Washington Brewers Festival (June 18-20), and to add some light to this otherwise dreary day, we have put together a slide show from last year's event. Don't let today's weather get you down. It must change sooner or later.

For information about this year's festival, click here to see all of our previous posts about the festival or go to the festival's official website.

Washington Brewers Festival 2009

Washington beers on tap in Oregon? Yes, really.

2010-05-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

Originally posted May 28th
On the heels of Washington’s impressive victory in the Concordia Beer Brawl III, held at the end of February, it is now time to gear up for Washington Cup IV. June 2nd through June 6th, the Concordia Ale House in Portland will host their annual Washington Cup. They will tap into a selection of 10 outstanding Washington beers from 10 of Washington’s best breweries. Patrons will sample the beers and choose their favorite.

It may not sound like that big of a deal, but we’re talking about Portland. The Concordia Ale House is a great beer bar to be sure—one of Portland’s best. To say that Portland’s craft beer drinkers are provincial would be an understatement. It is closer to the truth to call them isolationists or protectionists. The extent to which the beer drinking community of Oregon is fiercely loyal to Oregon breweries is truly impressive. The fact that 10 Washington beers will be on tap at once in Portland is newsworthy.... Read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog.

Yakima Craft Brewing Company increasing brewing capacity

2010-05-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

Originally reported on May 25th.
The Washington Beer Blog just received a press release from Yakima Craft Brewing Co. regarding increases to their brewing capacity. YCBC has gained a reputation over here on the wetter side of the mountains and apparently demand has grown steadily. Brewmaster Jeff Winn is doing some great stuff over in Yakima . What’s more, he’s doing it with one of Bert Grant’s old brew kettles. We are excited to learn that YCBC beers will become more readily available. You can read about our visit to YCBC here.

Here is the press release we received this morning:

Yakima Craft Brewing Co., a craft beer brewery in Yakima, Washington, has completed the installation of equipment that will result in up to a sixty percent increase in production over the coming months.

The installation of additional fermentation vessels- where the yeast do their work to make beer- was required, along with associated plumbing and control equipment.

“This is a good day for us, and for our fans.” says President and Brewmaster Jeff Winn, “We’ll now be better able to meet the demand for our beer in Yakima and beyond.” Read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog.

Follow up: The rumors are true, but the “gastropub” part was wrong

2010-05-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

Originally posted on May 25th.
Over the weekend we reported on rumors that master chef Holly Smith planned to open a brewpub on Capitol Hill (read it here). Today, we report that those rumors are true. The plans are in the works, at least. Apparently the only part we got wrong was calling it a “gastropub.”

For those who don’t know, Holly Smith is the award-winning chef/owner of Cafe Juanita in Kirkland. She has appeared on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters and the Food Network’s Next Iron Chef. It is not hyperbolic to say that Holly Smith is a rockstar in the culinary world.

Yesterday, May 24th, Nancy Leson, the food and dining authority for the Seattle Times, reported that the rumor is true... Read the complete story on the Washington Beer Blog.

Don't Miss the "Last Call" of Seattle Beer Week!

2010-05-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

It has been a whirlwind of a week...and "Last Call" for Seattle Beer Week is Sunday, May 23, Noon-5pm at Hales Palladium on Leary Way between Fremont and Ballard.

More than 20 Washington Brewers will be on hand. There will be prizes, food and fun as we wrap up a successful year two of Seattle Beer Week. Get tickets while they last at Hale's, Bottleworks or online through Brown Paper Ticket.

Try Washington Beer Featured in Recipes During Seattle Beer Week!

2010-05-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

Central Market in Shoreline honors Seattle Beer Week by creating some fascinating recipes featuring Washington Beer and local food designed to bring out the best in both! Stop by their "Culinary Kitchen" and try a different delicacy each day of Seattle Beer Week!

Thursday, May 13
Pike Place Naughty Nellie Spicy Mushroom Relish

Friday, May 14
Leavenworth Biers Boulder Dend Dunkelweizen Pan Sauce over Pork Chops

Saturday, May 15
Skagit River Brown Ale Ranch Style Beans

Sunday, May 16
Scuttlebutt Porter French Dip Sandwich

Monday, May 17
Fish Tale Organic Amber Stovetop Clambake

Tuesday, May 18
Diamond Knot IPA "Do it Yourself" Mustard

Wednesday, May 19
RedHook CopperHook Ale and Cheddar Bread

Thursday, May 20
Elysian Wise ESB Battered Everything

Friday, May 21
Hale's Red Menace Poached Halibut Tacos

Saturday, May 22
Dick's Danger Ale Pulled Pork

Sunday, May 23
Maritime Pale Ale Chile

May WABL Event at Odin Brewing

2010-05-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

Odin Brewing, one of Seattle's newest breweries, is hosting a May WABL event at their brewery. More detail to come soon, but for now mark your calendar!

May WABL Event
Tuesday, May 11th, 6 pm-

Odin Brewing Co.
9130 15th Pl. S. Ste. F
Seattle, WA 98108
(206) 762-3909
http://www.odinbrewing.com

They will have four beers- two standard beers (Odin’s Gift and Freya’s Gold) and they will debut two special beers they brewed for upcoming Seattle Beer Week.

They are offering 25% off growlers on Odin’s and Freya’s Gold ($7.50 with growler/$6.00 refill only). Pricing for the special brews are Thor’s Intrigue $15/$13 for refill and Thor’s Shadow $12/$10 for refill.

Washington Beer Wins at World Beer Cup!

2010-04-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Washington Brewers who won awards at the prestigious World Beer Cup in Chicago, April 10, 2010!

2010 World Beer Cup Winners

Category 6: Herb and Spice Beer or Chocolate Beer, 109 entries
Gold: Coco Jones Porter, Black Raven Brewing Co., Redmond, WA

Category 12: Experimental Beer, 51 entries
Silver: Harvest, Snipes Mountain Brewing Co., Sunnyside, WA

Category 17: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer, 113 entries
Silver: Barrel Aged La Petite Mort, Black Raven Brewing Co., Redmond, WA

Category 29: European-Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel, 33 entries
Gold: Chuckanut Dunkel, Chuckanut Brewery, Bellingham, WA

Category 33: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock, 43 entries
Silver: Dunkles Bock, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA

Category 37: American-Style Dark Lager, 12 entries
Bronze: Ben’s Brown, Golden Hills Brewing Co., Reardan, WA

Category 59: English-Style Brown Ale, 46 entries
Bronze: Mudslinger Ale, Redhook Ales Woodinville, Woodinville, WA

Category 60: Brown Porter, 37 entries
Gold: Tamerlane Brown Porter, Black Raven Brewing Co., Redmond, WA

Category 65: British-Style Imperial Stout, 24 entries
Bronze: Jay Walker, Walking Man Brewing, Stevenson, WA

Category 67: Strong Ale, 26 entries
Bronze: Cabin Fever, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA

Category 81: American-Style Strong Pale Ale, 59 entries
Silver: Hop Bomb IPA, Rock Bottom Brewery - Bellevue, Bellevue, WA

Category 83: Imperial India Pale Ale, 69 entries
Bronze: Imperial IPA, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA

2009 Award-winning WA Breweries

2009-11-07T15:41:00.001-08:00

Big Al	Bronze	Smoked Porter	NABA
Black Raven	Silver	Trickster IPA	NABA
Boundary Bay	Bronze	Imperial Oatmeal Stout	NABA
Chuckanut	Gold	Dunkel	GABF
Chuckanut	Gold	Dunkel	NABA
Chuckanut	Gold	Vienna	GABF
Chuckanut	Silver	Pilsner	GABF
Chuckanut	Silver	Schwartz	GABF
Chuckanut	Silver	Strong Bock	NABA
Fish	Gold	Organic IPA	NABA
Flyers	Silver	Spitfire Bitter	NABA
Flyers	Silver	1st Flight Amber	NABA
Flyers	Bronze	Barnstormer Brown	NABA
Hale's	Bronze	Cerberus	NABA
Harmon	Silver	Brown's Point ESB	NABA
Ice Harbor	Silver	Steelwheeler Stout	NABA
Ice Harbor	Bronze	Kolsch	NABA
Pike	Gold	Entire	NABA
Pike	Silver	Old Bawdy '07	NABA
Pike	Silver	Pale	NABA
Pike	Bronze	IPA	NABA
Ram	Silver	Blonde	NABA
Ram	Silver	Hefeweizen	NABA
Ram	Silver	Kolsch	GABF
Ram/Puyallup	Bronze	Dunkel	NABA
Redhook	Gold	Belgian Tripel	NABA
Redhook	Gold	ESB	GABF
Redhook	Silver	Treblehook	GABF
Redhook	Bronze	Slim Chance	NABA
Scuttlebutt	Bronze	Old #1 '08	NABA
Silver City	Gold	Fat Schotch	NABA
Silver City	Silver	Beatimus	NABA
Silver City	Silver	Ridgetop Red	NABA
Silver City	Bronze	Copper Mt. Bock	NABA
Silver City	Bronze	Gold Mt. Pilsner	GABF
Silver City	Bronze	Old Scrooge '98	GABF
Silver City	Bronze	Ridgetop Red	GABF
Snipes Mt.	Bronze	Coyote Moon	GABF
Water St.	Bronze	Raspberry Weiss	NABA

GABF = Great American Beer Festival
NABA = North American Beer Awards

WA Beer Commission Taps New Executive Director

2009-11-07T10:39:00.001-08:00

The Washington Beer Commission, which was formed in 2007 to represent, market and promote Washington's growing craft beer industry, has named Eric Radovich as its new Executive Director.

Radovich comes with more than 15 years of experience in marketing, public relations and event planning. His resume includes an eight year stint with Seafair, Seattle's largest summer festival, where he served as Vice President. Eric has also worked in public relations for the Seattle Mariners and most recently served as Managing Director of Marketing and Communications for BlueStar Management, a Seattle real estate development firm.

"After an extensive search for a high caliber marketing professional who can also produce successful events and serve as a strong representative of the brewing industry, we are very excited to have Eric on board to take the Washington Beer Commission to the next level," commented David Mudd, member of the Washington Beer Commission and head of the Executive Director search committee.

Washington's beer industry supported more than 20,000 jobs and had a total economic impact of nearly $3 billion in 2008. The Washington Beer Commission is a governmental organization supported by revenue from beer festivals and assessments collected from breweries. It was established to represent the interests of the brewing industry and to promote Washington made beer as fresh, local and recognized for great quality and value.

FRESH: Festival of Belgian-style Beers

2009-11-07T09:56:00.001-08:00

The date for the FIRST annual BELGIANFEST: 'A Festival of Belgian-style Beers' has just been announced:

Saturday, January 23, 2010 at Georgetown Studios on Airport Way in south Seattle.

Details regarding ticket pricing, session hours, and participating breweries will be forthcoming in the next couple of months.

Stay tuned.

2009 Winter Beer Festival

2009-11-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Winter Beer Festival, sponsored by the Washington Beer Commission, will once again be held at Hale's Palladium in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood.

The Festival runs Friday, Dec. 4 from 5:00-10:00 PM and Saturday, Dec. 5 from 1:00-10:00 PM.

Special WABL admission hours start at 4:00 on Friday and 12:00 noon on Saturday.

Check out details of the 2009 Winter Beer Festival, including the beer list.