A Lost Post- Beating the Sunday Blues

This was originally posted by bb.com back in 2009. Damn time flies. All of these places are worth a second post. So check ’em out, if you haven’t before!

The inviting inside of Black Raven Brewing Company in Redmond, WA (photo by Lee Killough)

Sunday, November 29, 2009 marked Beer Blotter’s adventure to beer bars unknown and a brewery worth the trip. This trip refers to a 25 minute drive from downtown Seattle to Redmond, Washington. “What is there besides Microsoft in Redmond?” Well, that is why we are here, to stimulate your brain and your taste buds.

Stop #1 Black Raven Brewing Company

Known for their Trickster IPA (which won Beverage Place Pub‘s year round IPA tap spot), Black Raven Brewing Company’s brew pub is part of a commercial park. Inside, the space is warming and welcoming. We immediately walk up to the bar, order the sampler (and an extra Wisdom Seeker Double IPA) and take a seat at a wooden top table. Sunlight, well what Seattleites consider sunlight, streamed through the windows. The bartender and bar regulars were very passionate about beer and Black Raven. Beer blotter would like to thank Lee Killough for the pictures and insider facts about the brewery. Aside from the two IPAs, the Brown Porter and Second Sight Scotch Ale come highly recommended. The porter is surprising light for the style and is nutty with caramel undertones. This brew was an experimental recipe when the brewery first opened and they got it right the first time around!

Black Raven is located at 14687 NE 95th Street, Redmond, WA 98052. Beware: This brewery might have great brewing equipment (which you can sit near in the back room) but they do not serve food. Menus are placed at every table for delivery option to the brewery.

Stop #2 Malt and Vine Bottle Shop

After a great time at Black Raven, we decide to stick around Redmond for a little while longer. This provides us with a great opportunity to visit the local bottle shop, Malt and Vine. Like so many establishments in Redmond, Malt and Vine is located in a strip mall off of Redmond Way and my dear beer lovers, it is worth the stop in every way, shape and form. Not only does this bottle shop have approximately 15 taps flowing at any given time, (Lets take a moment for some name dropping: New Belgium Love, Lost Abbey Angel Share) their bottle selection is amazing and the refrigerators are organized by brewery, not by style. This approach to organizing your beer coolers, in our humble opinion, makes bottle shopping easier and that much more enjoyable. The only negative about this bottle shop is that the area in which one might enjoy one of these profound beers is not very welcoming and is reminiscent of a high school cafeteria. If only high school cafeterias sold rare beer and had an amazing tap list…the world would be a better place….or not… But during our time spent at Malt and Vine, the world did seem a bit better or at least bearable.

Malt and Vine is located at 16851 Redmond Way, Redmond, WA 98052. Less than 5 miles from Black Raven Brewery.

Stop #3 Wedgewood Ale House

We had heard such great things, had such high expectations. Maybe that was our problem. A cold November day, we were looking for a place to walk into, to warm our hearts and fill our souls. The only thing warm about the Wedgewood Ale House was the Boundary Bay Brewing Cabin Fever and Port Townsend Winter Ale on nitro. Although it was too cold and the wings were too small, Wedgewood Ale House has the quintessential bar menu and they support Washington breweries. With only Washington breweries on tap, the BB Cabin Fever is perfect for the winter/holiday season. It tantalizes your taste buds and tickles the back of your throat with hops and vanilla. The Port Townsend Winter Ale was inviting and spiced well with a malt balance.

The Wedgewood Ale House is located at 8515 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115

Stop #4 Fiddler’s Inn

Fiddler’s Inn has a hidden rustic quality upon first sight with a comfortable, “home for the holidays” atmosphere inside. Stuffed from our previous stops, no food was ordered, but the menu boasted pizzas and what we would call Italian fare. But food isn’t really why were are hear as the tap list and wall mounted taps prove their passion for the punch. A taste of this so-called “punch” included New Belgium Wild Ale, Anchor Steam Christmas Ale and Fremont Brewing Co. Little Woody Pale Ale. A quick side note about New Belgium Wild Ale, it is brewed with schisandra berries. WAIT! Keep reading. This berry is known as the “5 flavored berry” presenting notes of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and bitter. This beer is all that rolled into one.

Fiddler’s Inn is located at 9219 35th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98115.

Stop #5 Pub at Pipers Creek

The space is awkwardly open and if you decide to take a seat that is not at the bar, your very far away from the only light that brightly shines. Taps form a crescent shape in the middle of the bar. At this point, food was the last thing on our minds, so we are sticking to what we know and love, beer. Big Al Brewing Winter Warmer had stout like qualities and was spicy, somewhat creamy and delicious. We were all pleasantly surprised by Elysian’s BiFrost which has an undeniable hop presence as well as Dick’s Brewing’s, Silk Lady.

Pub at Pipers Creek is located at 10527 Greenwood Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98133

We met some friends along the way, tried some great beers, bought some bottles and beat the Sunday blues. Let us know if there are other Seattle or Washington State beer bars for us to try. Hell, we will even leave the state or the country if need be.

Leave a comment or email your bar idea to beerblotter@gmail.com.

Washington Beer Commission Open House This Saturday!!

Washington Beer Commission's logo- a staple in the beer community.

This Saturday, February 26, 2011 (TOMORROW)  for approximately 4 hours, you should go on a tour of the local craft brewing industry.

The Washington Beer Commission organized an Open House of sorts where local breweries open their doors to beer lovers providing them with the good stuff to make this an epic Saturday afternoon. From 12PM-4PM you can plan your route or pick an area of Washington to tour:

 

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
Lazy Boy Brewing, Everett
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, Georgetown
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

This event will showcase a number of special beers, beer pairings and surprises at many locations. You will just have to go and find out what is in store. Don’t forget this Saturday is the Grand Opening of American Brewing Co.

This event is free but beer prices at each location will apply. Drive safely or don’t drive at all and ENJOY!

 

Belgium Fest 2011- Get Your Tickets ASAP

One of several beer fests in Seattle throughout the year, Belgium Fest is the first in 2011. On January 22, 2011 this festival, run by the Washington Beer Commission will begin. Due to the high demand of this event, the venue has been moved to Magnuson Park (it will be heated, do not worry).

Word on the street is that tickets are already being sold at an alarming rate, so go online NOW and secure your spot. This is a festival that requires some advance commitment. Waiting until the day of might not be the best idea. $30.00 advance and $35.00 at the door, if available. As always, the designated driver ticket is $5.00 and only available at the door- includes free water and soda.

You pick one of two sessions on Saturday, January 22, 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

Now for the important stuff. The beers. For now all I have are the breweries, but hope to have a list of all the beers in the next week or so.

Breweries expected to participate:
Anacortes Brewery
Baron Brewing
Big Al Brewing
Big Time Brewery
Black Raven Brewing
Boundary Bay Brewery
Der Blokken Brewing Co.
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

Its going to be a doozy!

This Weekend: Beer Church’s 12th Annual Turkey Bowl

Grab some BC Pale this weekend at Turkey Bowl! (Photo: BeerChurch.com)

So, we are officially the worst procrastinator of the bunch (of beer bloggers). Thanks to Geoff Kaiser of Seattle Beer News for reminding me, via his post, to let you all know about Beer Church’s Turkey Bowl!

Beer Church is a Seattle non-profit organization who, along with our amazing Seattle beer community, raises funding for a variety of charities. They do it all through the magic of beer!

Through the annual Turkey Bowl, Beer Church raises a significant funding and food resources for the West Seattle Food Bank. The bowling lanes at West Seattle Bowl are already full, but you can still join them this Saturday to donate food, drink some beer and get to try their newest creation, a collaborative pale ale made with Big Al Brewing, called Beer Church Pale Ale.

Beer Church is a wonderful organization put together by some even better people – Kendall and Kim Jones. Kendall & Kim also run Washington Beer Blog, one of our favorites. Make sure to check them out, if you haven’t yet.

Here is some information on the event:

 

Join the members of Beer Church Seattle for the annual Turkey Bowl – Saturday, Nov. 20th at 5:30 p.m.

BOWLING PARTY, FUNDRAISER & FOOD DRIVE
for West Seattle Food Bank

Join the members of Beer Church at West Seattle Bowl on Saturday, November 20th (5:30 p.m.) for the 12th Annual Turkey Bowl as they collect food donations and raise money to support the West Seattle Food Bank. Held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the annual Turkey Bowl features more than 200 bowlers and dozens of spectators. The event is open to the public but also includes teams representing local restaurants, bars and breweries.

The West Seattle Food Bank works to eliminate hunger in West Seattle so that no one in our community will go to bed hungry. Opened in 1981, the West Seattle Food Bank serves over 500 families each week. The food bank recently experienced the busiest month in its 29 year history. Please help us support this worthy cause as they face unprecedented challenges.

Food donations and other contributions can be dropped off at West Seattle Bowl on the day of the event. For more information visit http://www.beerchurch.com or call (206) 218-7387.

Saturday, Nov. 20th 2010
5:30 p.m.
West Seattle Bowl – 4505 39th Ave. SW – Seattle, WA 98116

 

Seattle’s Sport Bar, Jillian’s Promotes Local Craft Beers

Photo courtesy of http://seattle.jbcent.com

Jillian’s Billiards Club of Seattle is your quintessential sports bar: pool tables galore, a wide collection of large, flat screen TVs, sports apparel on the walls, okay food and a slim selection macro-brews on tap.

This past Friday, Jillian’s changed that with a beer fest called Micros and Music. $5.00 bought you 10 2oz pours of local, craft brews and unlimited finger foods, such as min-burgers, hot pretzels and spring rolls. As stated on Washington Beer Blog’s preview post about the event, this new direction and focus on craft brewing is largely due to new management. I think sports and great beer should always go hand in hand.

Aside from the fact that this was a great deal, I was able to taste not just Washington State beers, but several local, Seattle beers.

Highlights include:

Georgetown’s Lucille IPA- fruity, smooth and refreshing.

Odin’s Smoky Bacon Beer– robust, perfectly smoked and slightly salty.

Schooner Exact Brewing’s Puget Soundian Dark Ale, Black IPA– a great balance of hops and roasted malt remaining consistent with the body and texture of an IPA- well done!

Other note worthy brews:

Big Al’s 5 Star Chili IPA got the group’s attention. Brewed with jalapenos, chili peppers and habeneros, this IPA will scorch your mouth and leave you wanting more.

Two Beers Brewing’s Fresh Hop was one of the first of its kind to pour this season, this beer uses 5 different hops in the process and is finished with fresh Centenniel. This was my first beer of the night and its balance of bittering hops and sweet, honey flavors kept me thinking about it the entire time (plus they were giving out stickers).

Sad to say, I did not get to taste all of the beers due to time constraints. Breweries I missed: Naked City, Diamond Knot, Red Hook, Widmer Bros., Alaskan Brewing Co. and Emerald City Brewing Co. This event was a great showcase of what Jillian’s plans on rotating on tap in the future. So if you hesitated about going to Jillian’s due to the lack of options, grab some friends, play some pool and enjoy the craft beer we love so much.

Belltown Pub: My New Hood Haunt?

This logo is pretty slick.

So this is now the third time that I have ventured into thoughts on the new Belltown Pub. But when something new opens in Belltown, pouring decent beer, you have to bet I will have an opinion.

Back in June, I did a short article about the return of the Belltown Pub. Back at that time, there was some hope that the Pub would be up and running by July. Well, it didn’t happen – but they did finally open the doors last Friday, August 20, 2010.

I got in to see them on Saturday. That Saturday was quite an adventure for myself, who visited the Fauntleroy area of West Seattle. After finishing a mini-triathlon, I decided to bike around and visit some places that eluded me over the past few years. First, a stop at Super Deli Mart for a hoagie and pint of Elysian Brewing’s BiFrost – all for about $9.00! Later on, I biked on over to Big Al’s Brewing to sit on the patio in the sun and enjoy a few pints of the rare stuff – Alt bier and Trippel. More on these two places, later this week.

After Big Al’s, I decided to head back to the mayhem that was Belltown last weekend. If you didn’t know, Hempfest took over the city last weekend. Pure honesty: I don’t like this event. Every year someone vomits and passes out in front of our door and a gobs of others break windows, piss in our alley and generally litter the grounds. Its something we try and avoid.

But, with the launch of the hood’s new digs, I had to return. The result: I like it.

 

The Look.

 

Belltown Pub is essentially a carbon copy of the old Belltown Bistro, as far as the layout and improvements. The new owners were wise to keep the layout, as it facilitates good food service and dining. But, they made two important changes: (1) changed the decor and paint and (2) pushed the bar area back into the dining area some 2′ feet.

The new Pub has a very nice “woody” or aged feel to it. Tones of green and brown gravitate towards the classic fisherman’s pub look and feel. Moving the bar back a few feet was a move of pure genius. It allows the bar goers more room and some distance from the diners – giving them a feel of their own separate habitat.

 

The Beer.

 

The beer is above average. One of the owners is Dave. Dave is a beer man, and he was wise to understand that Belltown does not have much rotation. With the exception of Buckley’s Tavern (which is generally packed to the brim), none of the bars in the area change out what they are pouring. You might see some good taps (Two Bells has Scarlett Fire, Cyclops has Boundary Bay One-Eye PA, and Frontier Room has Union Jack IPA), but they simply do not change.

Dave promises routine rotation of almost all of the taps (exception given to PBR and Guiness, of course) and their initial offerings promised great things ahead. On tap for Saturday was Fremont Brewing’s Interurban IPA, Skagit River’s Washington Wheat, Bridgeport’s Hop Czar, Georgetown’s Chopper Ale, and several other fine micro ales. With only 9 taps, I was very excited to see that two were devoted to a couple impressive IPAs. Dave knows his crowd will feverishly crave the hop goodness.

 

The Food.

 

The menu is excellent. Much more impressive than the beer selection, is the impeccable selection of intriguing food options that you seldom see at other places. While I was there, I dared to say it was the best bar menu I have seen since Avenue Pub in New Orleans (our personal favorite). I might not back off that comment, either. Where else do you see house-smoked salmon tamales, muscovy duck salad sandwiches and duck stew? Also, they have wings – my personal weakness. Even better, the  wings are created by a former Wing Dome master and served in large portions.

So, we are raring up for a full visit that will undoubtedly end up in 52 Weeks. But for now, I wanted you all to know the goods. With 7 or 8 plasma TVs and the NFL package, why not stop bye for a game, an IPA and some wings! I still cannot locate a website for the new Pub, but they do sport a fine Facebook page.

 

If you make it in to the Pub, please let us know about your experience below in the comments.

 

Beer Blotter’s Guide to WA Brewers Fest 2010

A major highlight at this year's WA Brewers Fest

This coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday is the WA Brewers Fest.  You should go.  Support our great state’s breweries, both new and old.

Very few states in this great US of A have so many exciting breweries.  Unless you are some sort of professional brewery visitor and all you do from Monday through Friday is travel from brewery to brewery, trying everything available, there is no way you have tried all of the beers available at this fest.  Get out, educate yourself, have fun, challenge your palate, and be responsible.

The following is the complete list of beers available for taste throughout the weekend.  Well, I guess they won’t all be available throughout the weekend, some are Friday only (indicated with **).  I’ve chosen to steer clear of these, for the most part, for several reasons.   The biggest reason being that most of these beers have rarely been seen before, if at all, and thus I have very little information about them.  If they sound good, and most do, and you are able to get a pour, sip it down and let us know what you think.

Of the remainder, I’ve highlighted the ones that I feel are most worth checking out.  If you know about something special that I glossed over, please feel free to contact us.

Washington
192 Brewing*- Kenmore, WA
Granny’s Apple Ale (Fruit Ale)
Shticky Blonde (Blonde Ale)
Bier de Garde (Farmhouse Ale) – Timperial Stout loves saisons and is in a constant search for the world’s fairest.  A recent visit to The Dray allowed for our taste buds to experience the exquisite nature of Double Mountain Bonne Idee.  FL’s St. Somewhere probably makes one that’s even better.  How will this new brewery’s offering compare?
Shed Light (Light Ale)
Vanilla Stout** (Stout)

7 Seas Brewing*- Gig Harbor, WA
British Pale Ale (British Pale Ale)
Rude Parrot IPA (Spring/Summer Seasonal IPA)
Ballz Deep Double IPA (Double IPA)

Airways Brewing– Kent, WA
First Class IPA (IPA)
Jet City ESB (ESB)
Triple Chocolate Stout (Stout) – Airways keeps eluding me.   The name of this brew alone makes my mouth water.  A must try for me.

Alpine Brewing– Oroville, WA
Alpine Pilsner (Pilsner)
Alpine HefeWeizen (HefeWeizen)– Alpine and Chuckanut are always battling it out for German style superiority.  A hefe is one of the very best styles for outdoor summer drinking.

Anacortes Brewery*- Anacortes, WA
Belgian Dubbel (Belgian Dubbel)
Mai Oh Maibock (Maibock)
IPA (IPA)
Hefeweizen (Hefeweizen)
Cask IPA** (Cask IPA)

Baron Brewing/Three Skulls Ales*- Seattle, WA
Three Skulls Blood Orange Wit (Witbier)
Three Skulls Amber (American Amber Ale)
Baron Pilsner (German Pilsner)
Baron Schwarzbier (Schwarzbier)
Hop the Plank IPA (IPA)

Big Al Brewing*- Seattle, WA
Summer Lager (Helles)
Big Al Pale Ale (Pale Ale)
Belgian Tripel (Tripel)
Brougham Bitter (ESB)
5 Star Chile IPA** (Chile IPA)

Big Time Brewery– Seattle, WA
Wheat beer (American Wheat)
Trombipulator (Belgian Tripel) – In case you didn’t know, bb.com has a strong affinity for Belgian ales.  Big Time is quite possibly Seattle’s best brewery, but it often slips under the radar with its U-District hideout and lack of bottle distribution.  I’ll take a little slice of Europe in the Emerald City any chance I get.
Ave Rat Malt Liquor (Malt Liquor)

Black Raven Brewing*- Redmond, WA – Ummm… I’d say it’s pretty safe to say that Black Raven isn’t messing around.  Every one of these is worth a try.  Wisdom Seeker is WA’s greatest effort to date for world hop supremacy.  Not to be missed.  Coco Jones won gold at the most recent World Beer Cup for “Herb and Spice Beer”.  A true rarity.
Wisdom Seeker (Double IPA)
Malt & Vine 3rd Anniversary (Sour Mash Rye)
Jerked Brown Porter (Herb & Spiced Ale)
Splinters (Bourbon Barrel Aged Scotch)
Coco Jones** (Coconut Brown Porter)

Boundary Bay Brewery– Bellingham, WA
German Tradition Single Hop Pale Ale (Pale Ale)
IPA (IPA)
Peach Blonde Ale (Blonde Ale)
Dunkles Bock (Dopple Bock) – Silver medal winner at this year’s World Beer Cup.  Drink some suds from the nation’s largest brewpub.

Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen– Bellingham, WA
Kolsch (German Ale)
Pilsner (German Pilsner) – It is extremely rare that I recommend a lager of any kind, especially a pilsner, but chances are good that you will find no better brew in the style than that of Chuckanut.

Diamond Knot Brewing*- Mukilteo, WA
Industrial IPA (Imperial IPA)
Scottish Ale (Scottish Ale)
Whip Ale (American Pale Ale) – This is Michael “Whip” Wilton of Queensryche’s beer.  Lazy Boy Brewing made it first, now it’s DK’s turn.  Let’s see if it has been improved.
Mystery Cask (changes daily)

Elliott Bay Brewing– Seattle & Burien, WA
Demolition Ale (Strong Pale Ale)
Wit von Boorian (Belgian Wheat Beer)

Elysian Brewing*- Seattle, WA
Loser Pale (Pale Ale)
Avatar Jasmine IPA (IPA)
Mens Room Original Red
Valhalla

Fish Brewing*- Olympia, WA
Fish Tale Organic IPA (IPA)
Fish Tale Organic Blonde Ale (Blonde)
Leavenworth Whistling Pig Hefeweizen (Alpine Style Hefeweizen)
Spire Mountain Pear Cider (Pear Cider)
Starfish Imperial Red Ale** (Imperial Red Ale)

Flyers Restaurant & Brewery*- Oak Harbor, WA
Pacemaker Porter (Robust Porter) – I’ve never had this one before, but a very reputable source once told me that this is the best porter in WA.
Afterburner IPA (Northwest IPA)
Humbles Blonde Ale (Blonde Ale)
Barnstormer Brown Ale (English Dark Mild)
Afterburner Mach II IPA** (IPA)

Foggy Noggin Brewing*- Bothell, WA
Bit O’ Beaver (English Bitter)
Christmas Duck (Porter) – Here is a good chance to check out one of our newest breweries.  At the very least, these guys seem to know how to name a beer.  I’m simultaneously hungry and thirsty right now.
Kastrated Dawg** (Strong Ale)

Fremont Brewing*- Seattle, WA
Universale Pale (Pale Ale)
Interurban IPA (IPA)
Solstice (Summer Ale)
Mystere de l’ete (Mystery beer) – We really like Fremont Brewing.  Whatever this ends up being, it should be tasty.
Scary Monster Double IPA** (Ridiculous IPA)

Gallagher’s Where U Brew– Edmonds, WA
Magnum PI…A (IPA)
Citra Blond (Blond Ale)
Eric the Red (Red IPA)

Georgetown Brewing*- Seattle, WA
Manny’s Pale Ale (Pale Ale)
Lucille (IPA) – Those of you who read our work with any regularity know that we have done some gushing about this one.  Timperial has yet to try it.  It will be sampled.
Roger’s Pilsner (Pilsner)
Cask Porter** (Porter)

Hale’s Ales Brewery*- Seattle, WA
Supergoose (IPA) – Chances are good that you have had this one before.  Its presence on the market is very strong.  If by chance you haven’t, please do yourself a favor.  This beer is really good.
IX Gold on Sour Cherries (Belgian Strong Golden)
Kolsch (Kolsch)
SBW (Double IPA)
Saizon** (Saison) – Another saison for us to try.  Let’s see how a Fremont brewery interprets the farmhouse style.

Harmon Brewing*- Tacoma, WA
Pt. Defiance IPA (American IPA)
Scott’s Puget Creek Vanilla Porter (Flavored Brown Porter)
Rajah’s Royal IPA** (IPA)

Hood Canal Brewery*- Kingston, WA
Dabob Bay (IPA)
Big Beef (Oatmeal Stout)

Iron Horse Brewery*- Ellensburg, WA
Quilter’s Irish Death (Dark Smooth Ale)
High Five Hefe (Ginger Honey Wheat) – A recent bb.com trip to Ellensburg solidified our opinion that all things Iron Horse are worth drinking.  This hefe packs a punch, but should fit in very well at this outdoor festival.
Loco Imperial Red Ale (Big Hoppy Red)
Biere de Garde (French Ale)

Issaquah Brewhouse– Issaquah, WA
White Frog (Wit Bier)
Brutal IPA (IPA)

Chili

Beer

Plus

Lazy Boy Brewing*- Everett, WA – This is what they call “shameless self promotion”.  But seriously, all of these beers are delicious.  If for no other reason, get the chili beers so that all of the pain Shawn and I go through manually chopping those peppers is worth it.  Dry, cracked brewer hands + Scoville units = burning for days!

Nacho Pilsner (Dry Hopped Chiles/Pilsner)
Lazy Boy Pale Ale (Pale Ale)
Oscuro Con Chiles** (Infused/Porter)

Mac & Jack’s Brewing– Redmond, WA
African Amber (Amber)
IPA (IPA)
Black Cat Porter (Porter)

Maritime Pacific Brewing– Seattle, WA
Double Dry Hopped Imperial IPA (Imperial IPA) – Just read the name.  ‘Nuff said.
Maybock Lager (Helles Style Lager)
Nightwatch Dark Amber Ale (Amber)
Special Aged Portage Bay Pilsener (Northern European Style Lager)

McMenamin’s Brewery*- Seattle, WA
Terminator Stout (Stout)
Herd of Eagles IPA (IPA) – OK, this beer is called Herd of Eagles.  I need it.
Whiskey Barrel Aged Terminator Stout** (Cask Stout)

Naked City Brewery*- Seattle, WA
Yankee Drifter (Pilsner)
Fleur d’ Elise (Saison) – Oh look, another saison.
Hopacalypse Now** (Double IPA) – Yes, this is a **, but bb.com had an extensive discussion with Don Webb about this brew a few weeks back and let me tell you…it’s a labor of hop love.  Strongest possible recommendation.

Northern Lights Brewing*- Spokane, WA
IPA (IPA)
Solar Winds (Strong Pale Ale)
Blueberry (Fruit Ale)
Chocolate Dunkel (German Style Dark Ale)
Cask IPA** (Cask IPA)

Odin Brewing– Seattle, WA
Odin’s Gift (Ruby Red)
Freya’s Gold (Kolsch)

Old Schoolhouse Brewery*- Winthrop, WA
Ruud Awakening (IPA)
Blazing Amber (American Amber)
Epiphany Pale (American Pale)

Pike Brewing*- Seattle, WA
Dry Wit (Belgian White Beer)
Naughty Nellie (Golden Ale)
IPA (IPA)
Kilt Lifter (Scotch Style Ale)

Port Townsend Brewing*- Port Townsend, WA
Hop Diggidy (IPA)
Brewer’s Surprise 1 – Ohhh I like surprises.
Brewer’s Surprise 2 – See above, number 2.

Pyramid Breweries*- Seattle, WA
Haywire (Hefeweizen)
Outburst (Double IPA)
Curveball (Blonde Ale)
Thunderhead (IPA)

Ram Restaurant & Brewery*- Seattle, WA
Barefoot Wit (Belgian Style White Ale)
Black Sheep IPA (IPA)
Cat Tread Red (Red Ale)
Cloudburst Cream Ale (Cream Ale)

Redhook Ale Brewery*- Woodinville, WA
Copperhook (Copper Ale)
Rope Swing (Summer Pilsner)
Big Ballard Imperial IPA (Imperial IPA) – Much respect for acknowledging those Ballard roots.  Plus, “imperial” is in the name.

Rock Bottom Brewery*- Seattle, WA
Raw City Red Ale (Irish Red Ale)
Saison au Printomps (Farmhouse Ale) – Ok, I think you get the point.  Looks like you could make a day of the saisons alone.  We likie.

Rock Bottom Brewery*- Bellevue, WA
Hop Bomb IPA (IPA)
Pretty N Pink (Raspberry Wheat)
Uberwit (Belgian Wit)
Milk Stout (Milk Stout) – I’m hoping to make a milk stout in the near future at Lazy Boy.  Every brewery should make one.  Sweet, creamy, delicious.

Roslyn Brewing– Roslyn, WA
Roslyn (German Style Dark Lager)
Brookside (German Style Pale Lager)

Schooner Exact Brewing*- Seattle, WA
Seamstress Union (Raspberry Wheat)
Gateway Golden (Golden Ale)
Gallant Maiden (Hefeweizen)
3 Grid IPA (IPA)
Imperial Project #2: Virgil Gamachinator** (IPA)

Scuttlebutt Brewing*- Everett, WA
Tripel 7 (Belgian Tripel)
Mateo Loco (Imperial Red Ale)
Homeport Blonde (Blonde Ale)
Cask Oaked Porter** (Cask Porter)

Seattle Beer News/Big Al Brewing*- Seattle, WA
Passive Aggressive Wheat (Hoppy American Wheat Ale) – Props to our buddy Geoff Kaiser over at Seattle Beer News for making this happen.  “Hoppy” and “wheat” rarely tangle together.

Silver City Brewery*- Silverdale, WA
Ridgetop Red (Irish Red Ale)
Fat Scotch Ale (Scotch Ale)
Whoop Pass IPA (Double IPA)

Skookum Brewery*- Arlington, WA
Off Kilter (Scottish Style Wee Heavy)
Olde Tom (American IPA)
Katspaw (Blonde Ale)
Mammoth Jack** (American Double IPA)

Snipes Mountain Brewing– Sunnyside, WA
Dos Borracho’s (Pilsner Lager)
IPA (IPA)
Cask IPA (Cask IPA)
Cask Twangzister Sour Cherry Stout** (Barrel Aged Sour)

Snoqualmie Falls Brewing*- Snoqualmie, WA
Summer Beer (Alt Style Pilsner)
Wildcat (IPA)
Haystack (Hefeweizen)
Black Frog (Nitro Stout)
Sunstroke** (Imperial Pilsner)

Trade Route Brewing– Pacific, WA
Midnight Ale (Brown Ale)
Chieftan Amber (Amber Ale)
Jetstream Lager (Lager)

Two Beers Brewing*- Seattle, WA
Crooked Belgian Wit (Belgian Wit)
Immerson Amber (Amber)
Evo IPA (IPA)

Alaska
Alaskan Brewing– Juneau, AK
Alaskan Amber (Alt Style Amber)
Alaskan Summer Ale (Kolsch Style)
Alaskan IPA (IPA)
Smoked Porter (Rauchbier) – This is a perennial favorite.  If you like liquid smoke, join in on the fun.

California
Firestone Walker Brewing– Paso Robles, CA
Double Barrel Ale (English Style Pale Ale)
Pale 31 (California Style Pale Ale)

Sierra Nevada Brewing– Chico, CA
Summerfest (Lager)
Southern Hemisphere Harvest (IPA)

Stone Brewing– Escondido, CA
Stone Lieviation Ale (Amber)
Stone IPA (IPA)

Colorado
New Belgium Brewing– Fort Collins, CO
Ranger IPA (IPA)
Trip VI (Spring Citrus Pale Ale) – In case you have been living under a rock for the past few years, the Trip series is a collaboration with Seattle’s own Elysian Brewing.  These rarely strike out.  Spring Citrus sounds really refreshing.

Oskar Blues Brewery– Lyons, CO
Dales Pale Ale (Pale Ale)
Old Chub (Scotch Ale)

Delaware
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery – Milton, DE
Festina Peche (Berliner Weisse) – I don’t think that we could possibly talk up DFH any more.  These guys poop gold.  A low abv, peach flavored sour beer…are you kidding me!  The pinnacle of spring/summer drinking.
Indian Brown Ale (Brown Ale)

Hawaii
Kona Brewing– Kailua Kona, HI
Longboard Lager (Island Style Lager)
Wailua Wheat (Wheat Ale)

Illinois
Goose Island Beer Co. – Chicago, IL
Matilda (Belgian Style Ale) – I’m kind of amazed that these guys are going to be at the fest.  They are clearly quite serious about pushing into the WA market.  That’s very fortunate for us.  Goose Island makes killer brews and Matilda is no exception.

Missouri
Boulevard Brewing – Kansas City, MO
Unfiltered Wheat (American Wheat Beer)
Single Wide IPA (IPA)
Zon (Belgian Style Witbier)

Oregon
BridgePort Brewing– Portland, OR
BridgePort IPA (IPA)
BridgePort Hop Czar (Imperial IPA)

Deschutes Brewery– Bend, OR
Twilight Sumemer Ale (Light Ale)
Hop in the Dark (Cascadian Dark Ale) – CDA is another way of saying black IPA, or balanced to the extreme.  You can never go wrong with Deschutes.

Double Mountain Brewery– Hood River, OR
Kolsch (Kolsch)
India Red Ale (Hoppy Red Ale)
Hop Lava (Northwest IPA)
The Vaporizer (Pale Ale)

Ninkasi Brewing – Eugene, OR
Total Domination IPA (IPA)
Rudiant Seasonal Ale (Pale Ale)

Widmer Brothers Brewing– Portland, OR
Drifter Pale Ale (Pale Ale)
Widmer Hefeweizen (Hefeweizen)
Sun Burn (Blonde Ale)

2010 Washington Brewers Fest WABL Beer
Three Tree Imperial Porter by Elliott Bay Brewing
Available exclusively to WABL members at the WABL/Merchandise Booth

So that’s the list.  Very impressive if you ask me.

If you happen to be at the fest early on Saturday or late on Sunday, swing by the Lazy Boy Brewing booth and say hi.

Big Al Brews Suds For Seattle Sounders Supporters.

Brougham Bitter debuts this weekend at Fuel and Qwest Field (Photo: The Examiner)

Tongue-twisting title – you bet. Tongue-quenching beer – certainly.

Seattle’s Big Al Brewing is at it again with another special contract brew in honor of another Seattle favorite – the Seattle Sounders football club. You might remember that earlier this month, Seattle Beer News‘ editor Geoff Kaiser announced that he had collaborated with Big Al’s Alejandro to make “Hoppy American Wheat Ale” for the Washington Brewers Fest next weekend.

Big Al seems to be making quite a habit of creating custom ales for Seattle beer fans. The newest collaboration is called Big Al Brougham Bitter, an English-style session ale that you can find at your next Sounders match. The beer is not contracted by the Sounders’ organization, but the faithful fans at Emerald City Supporters (ECS).

ECS is a group of roughly 1300 well-organized supporters that fill the areas of Sections 121-123 at Seattle’s Qwest Field (according to their website). ECS has always had a well-received connection with the folks at Qwest Field. When they heard the cries of fans demanding better beer from the taps at the stadium, they reached out to Alejandro to create the perfect soccer companion – an ESB brewed specifically for the soccer fan.

News went out on Seattle Soccer Talk that the beer will debut this weekend at the match against the New England Revolution. The talk says that the beer will actually find digs on four taps at Qwest in Sections 104, 107 and 122! This is very impressive for both Big Al and for ECS.

From the article that appeared originally in the Examiner:

The Brougham Bitter is the new ECS beer brewed with Big Al’s Brewery out of White Center. Brougham Bitter is a well balanced English style ESB that is easy to drink and comes with a 5.5% kick. Come down and taste this for yourself and be a part of history as this is the first soccer beer brewed specifically for Seattle’s soccer fan and Sounders supporters. It may not be a first on a global scale, but it is truly a first in American soccer and MLS! This beer has already converted plenty of hard alcohol drinkers… 60 kegs are ready for consumption and the beer will be on tap at Fuel all season long as well as the Atlantic Crossing, Temple Billiards, and other bars yet to be defined…

With the Sounders in the dumps right now, its certainly a good time to locate some good beer at the stadium. Considering the play of late – its a bit easier to put down a pint.

Big Al is certainly making a big splash with this beer, at this time. With the World Cup starting up next week, many soccer-themed bars in the area might get the hankering to jump on the Brougham Bitter train. This is excellent marketing for a wonderful Seattle microbrewer who continues to improve its beer with every new release.

We would not be surprised to see Brougham Bitter at places like the George & Dragon, the Dray, Fado and Kells. ECS works with partner bars in the area, such as Fuel, McCoy’s Firehouse, and the College Inn Pub, all of which are likely to get a taste of the beer.

For now, we have been told that the beer will be sold at Pioneer Square’s Fuel, a long time Sounders’ supporters bar (ok ok “long time” is 2 seasons, whatever). The beer is set to debut at 3 PM on June 5th, 2010 during the USA v. Australia friendly. Head over to Fuel and grab a pint.

Seattle’s Fremont Brewing Begins Route to Canning and Sour Beer

Fremont Brewing's Matt Lincoln barreling beer....sour ale is on its way.

Seattle’s sustainable brewer, Fremont Brewing, is making a big splash. Amidst increasing exposure and growing popularity, Fremont Brewing is finally rolling out a canning line. Even more exciting (to us) is that Fremont has begun the process of producing sour beer, right here in Washington state.

Both of these items were disclosed by way of a blog post today at the brewery’s website. The blog post states that the brewery acquired a used canning system that will allow them to put beer in a can at impressive rates.

From the post:

The used caning line Matt scored for us arrived yesterday! It’s a manual system capable of canning 20 cases an hour. Now we just have to buy some cans (minimum order: 85,000) and soon you’ll see us in grocery stores — and elsewhere…

This is some pretty exciting stuff. If Fremont moves quickly, they will be the 3rd (2nd?) canner in the state of Washington. Whats great about this news is that shows that Fremont has fulfilled its dreams.

When the first announcements of Fremont’s launching were released, the press release promised canning – now they have fulfilled that lofty goal. Congrats Fremont, we cannot wait to crack a beer.

More interesting to many of us at BeerBlotter.com was the claim that Fremont began barreling its Universale Pale Ale in Cabernet barrels this week. That beer will be fermented using wild yeasts to create sour ale. Yum.

Washington brewers and sour ale have not historically joined forces. Minuscule batches of sour ales have been brewed in the past for super-limited releases from Elysian Brewing and Big Al Brewing, but nothing consistently produced and available to the public.

Fremont’s sour ale endeavor involves using a pale ale, aged in cabernet sauvignon barrels. The concoction may closely resemble that used to create Russian River Brewing’s Consecration (though no fruit was mentioned).

Lets just hope that Fremont sticks with this trend. Sour beer is a great seller and something that can raise a brewer’s profile considerably.

Hey, maybe they will even entertain the idea of canning their new sour creation? Its highly doubtful, but its been done – just ask Rodenbach, who’s Grand Cru can be found in cans throughout Belgium.

We cannot wait to try both of the new products from one of Washington’s finest.

Seattle’s Lost Grog Spots: 3 Pubs, 1 Brewery and 1 Bottleshop

The inviting inside of Black Raven Brewing Company in Redmond, WA (photo by Lee Killough)

Sunday, November 29, 2009 marked Beer Blotter’s adventure to beer bars unknown and a brewery worth the trip.  This trip refers to a 25 minute drive from downtown Seattle to Redmond, Washington. “What is there besides Microsoft in Redmond?”  Well, that is why we are here, to stimulate your brain and your taste buds.

Stop #1 Black Raven Brewing Company

Known for their Trickster IPA (which won Beverage Place Pub‘s year round IPA tap spot), Black Raven Brewing Company’s brew pub is part of a commercial park.  Inside, the space is warming and welcoming.  We immediately walk up to the bar, order the sampler (and an extra Wisdom Seeker Double IPA) and take a seat at a wooden top table. Sunlight, well what Seattleites consider sunlight, streamed through the windows.  The bartender and bar regulars were very passionate about beer and Black Raven. Beer blotter would like to thank Lee Killough for the pictures and insider facts about the brewery.  Aside from the two IPAs, the Brown Porter and Second Sight Scotch Ale come highly recommended. The porter is surprising light for the style and is nutty with caramel undertones.  This brew was an experimental recipe when the brewery first opened and they got it right the first time around!

Black Raven is located at 14687  NE 95th Street, Redmond, WA 98052. Beware: This brewery might have great brewing equipment (which you can sit near in the back room) but they do not serve food. Menus are placed at every table for delivery option to the brewery.

Stop #2 Malt and Vine Bottle Shop

After a great time at Black Raven, we decide to stick around Redmond for a little while longer. This provides us with a great opportunity to visit the local bottle shop, Malt and Vine.  Like so many establishments in Redmond, Malt and Vine is located in a strip mall off of Redmond Way and my dear beer lovers, it is worth the stop in every way, shape and form.  Not only does this bottle shop have approximately 15 taps flowing at any given time, (Lets take a moment for some name dropping: New Belgium Love, Lost Abbey Angel Share) their bottle selection is amazing and the refrigerators are organized by brewery, not by style. This approach to organizing your beer coolers, in our humble opinion, makes bottle shopping easier and that much more enjoyable.  The only negative about this bottle shop is that the area in which one might enjoy one of these profound beers is not very welcoming and is reminiscent of a high school cafeteria.  If only high school cafeterias sold rare beer and had an amazing tap list…the world would be a better place….or not… But during our time spent at Malt and Vine, the world did seem a bit better or at least bearable.

Malt and Vine is located at 16851 Redmond Way, Redmond, WA 98052. Less than 5 miles from Black Raven Brewery.

Stop #3 Wedgewood Ale House

We had heard such great things, had such high expectations.  Maybe that was our problem.  A cold November day, we were looking for a place to walk into, to warm our hearts and fill our souls. The only thing warm about the Wedgewood Ale House was the Boundary Bay Brewing Cabin Fever and Port Townsend Winter Ale on nitro.  Although it was too cold and the wings were too small, Wedgewood Ale House has the quintessential bar menu and they support Washington breweries. With only Washington breweries on tap, the BB Cabin Fever is perfect for the winter/holiday season. It tantalizes your taste buds and tickles the back of your throat with hops and vanilla. The Port Townsend Winter Ale was inviting and spiced well with a malt balance.

The Wedgewood Ale House is located at 8515 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115

Stop #4 Fiddler’s Inn

Fiddler’s Inn has a hidden rustic quality upon first sight with a comfortable, “home for the holidays” atmosphere  inside.  Stuffed from our previous stops, no food was ordered, but the menu boasted pizzas and what we would call Italian fare. But food isn’t really why were are hear as the tap list and wall mounted taps prove their passion for the punch. A taste of this so-called “punch” included New Belgium Wild Ale, Anchor Steam Christmas Ale and Fremont Brewing Co. Little Woody Pale Ale. A quick side note about New Belgium Wild Ale, it is brewed with schisandra berries. WAIT! Keep reading.  This berry is known as the “5 flavored berry” presenting notes of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and bitter. This beer is all that rolled into one.

Fiddler’s Inn is located at 9219 35th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98115.

Stop #5 Pub at Pipers Creek

The space is awkwardly open and if you decide to take a seat that is not at the bar, your very far away from the only light that brightly shines. Taps form a crescent shape in the middle of the bar. At this point, food was the last thing on our minds, so we are sticking to what we know and love, beer. Big Al Brewing Winter Warmer had stout like qualities and was spicy, somewhat creamy and delicious.  We were all pleasantly surprised by Elysian’s BiFrost which has an undeniable hop presence as well as Dick’s Brewing’s, Silk Lady.

Pub at Pipers Creek is located at 10527 Greenwood Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98133

We met some friends along the way, tried some great beers, bought some bottles and beat the Sunday blues.  Let us know if there are other Seattle or Washington State beer bars for us to try. Hell, we will even leave the state or the country if need be.

Leave a comment or email your bar idea to beerblotter@gmail.com.