Seattle Part 3: Pub Crawl

 

The 3am phone call I made to Shannon on my journey down to Seattle to beg for a raincoat was in vain.  The weather instead was sunny and in the low 70s!  Quite a treat for a woman living in a rainforest on the coast in Alaska.  After we lunched, checked into a brewery, and dropped our parents at the train station, Shannon and I headed back to the hotel to get a little dolled up to start the crawl.  My sister used her nifty itouch to find a good happy hour at 1pm on a Tuesday with great success: Japonessa.  The sushi was great, the prices were excellent, and the waiter was a fabulous help choosing a local beer.  I had the Harmon Brewing Company's Puget Sound Porter; it was so great that I can't even remember the beer Shannon had!  The porter went well with the sushi, adding a dark taste to such a light meal.  Also, I noticed a slight similarity to a red ale which was very intriguing.   

Next stop was Elephant and Castle.  I love love love all things British and a British pub is no exception.  This pub was suggested when I asked Two Beers Brewing Co where to go to drink their beer; I had an Immersion Amber which was delicious!  I'm glad I made a quest out of finding this beer to taste.  Shannon had a Maritime Pacific Islander Pale Ale, another step in her journey to try hoppier beers.  

I really wished we could have stayed for another, but the crawl must continue!  It was a 2 block walk to our next destination The Taphouse Grill.  The restaurant is down a flight of stairs; your first view is all the wonderful beers they have on tap. For the first round, I choose 3 Skull's Blackbeard Dark Lager.  I love the complexity of dark lagers, robust yet light at the same time.  Shannon had the Georgetown Brewing Company's Chopper Red Ale.  Red ales are high on my style list; I love the magical combination of malt and hops.  Enjoying the easy access to so many Seattle beers, we stayed for a second round.  This time out waiter suggested the NW sampler and picked us out 4 more Seattle brews.  Sadly, our taste buds, at this point, are getting pretty worn out but I can say we thoroughly enjoyed Emerald City Dottie, Elysian Dragon's Tooth, Hale's Cream Ale, and Big Al's Villain IPA.

Next stop?  The hotel!  As fun as it was to get dolled up, my feet were killing me.  Back in my Keen boots, we walked east this time to The Hideout.  The place had great ambiance but we were hoping for food to go along with out brews and their kitchen had closed.  So we quickly finished our beers and headed to Capitol Hill.  The streets were filled with people and on a Tuesday night too!  Shannon had been to Bimbo's Cantina before and loved it, I too was impressed.  So we finished the pub crawl with giant burritos and a Manny's Pale Ale by Georgetown Brewing Co.

The Pike Brewing Company

1415 First Avenue

Seattle, WA 98122

206.622.6044

www.pikebrewing.com

The hustle and bustle of Pike Place Market was obvious with the arrival of the first run of Copper River Salmon (daytime work plug!).  Living in a small town, this is what I miss: the fresh food, the diverse selection, and the fishmongers yelling at you to pick their fish because well, it's the best!  In the heart of all this stimulation is Pike Brewing Company.  My parents, Shannon, and I just stumbled across it's cozy, tucked away location.  It's lower than street level; look for directions to head downstairs by glowing Pike Brew signs. 

Before my parents, Kim and Bill, headed back to Portland (everyone had come up from there to visit me) we followed the signs and ordered some beers.  I have had Pike Brewing Company beers before, they are very available in Oregon and have excellent labeling that draws the eye, but Pike on draft is far superior.  Especially Shannon's choice of the Naughty Nelly: if you ever get a chance to do a compare or contrast, do it!


I ordered the Kilt Lifter Scottish Red Ale which I found wonderfully malty without being to thick.  My dad got the Pike Dry Wit, a white ale which steered him away from his usual wheat ale.  My mom got the Pike Pale Ale, which calls itself an amber ale but seemed to lie between the two styles.  I found myself grabbing for her beer more than once which calls for an excellent review!

The moral of this story is, if you like Pike Brewing Company's bottles and labels, make the trip to Pike Place Market in Seattle for the pub effect.  The place has ambiance, brew history posted all over the walls, and a variety of beers on tap.  And afterward you can wander the nosy market hoping not to get smacked by a flying fish.

Stay tuned to hear about the other Seattle brews I sampled while in town.

Seattle, Washinton

Pulling into the airport at 1am, this trip to Seattle does not seem as exciting as all my looking-forward-to has made it out to be.  I curse myself for leaving my rain jacket on the chair at home; what am I going to do, it's always raining in Seattle.  Is it going to be worth it?  Only 36 hours in Seattle where I'm going to be tired the whole time, and now wet too.  The simple answer is.... yes.  Yes it was worth it.

Seattle Brewery Recommendations?

Next week I am heading down to Seattle for work.  My boss and I are flying down with the first shipment of Wild Alaskan Salmon for a chef cook-off at the Sea-Tac airport.  If you want to know more or check out what I do for work, head over to our facebook page.
Ok, now for the real reason we're here... beer.  After I get done with work, I still have an afternoon, evening, and morning to spend in Seattle.  What breweries should I go to?

Leavenworth Ale Fest

 

 Leavenworth is a awesome little town, worth a visit even if there wasn't a brew-fest there this weekend.  In 1962 Leavenworth transformed itself into a mock Bavarian village, made more authentic by the surrounding mountains.  Is there a better place for an Ale-fest?  24 breweries will be attending, including small and large craft breweries.  Check out the website, they even have some tips for tasting!

March 2011 Review

Ninkasi Brewing Company Taproom - Eugene, OR
Naked City Brewery - Seattle, WA (But they didn't have any of their beers on tap!!!!!!!!!!!!)

My Seattle Beer 2/7 of a Week

Heading up to Seattle Wednesday to spend two nights in the Emerald City. Let's take a look at my past brewery visits and scope out what I should hit this time.
Baron Brewing - if I head that way, have to make sure I call for an appointment!
Georgetown Beer - I've tasted the Manny's Pale Ale before, excellent session beer.
Pacific Rim Brewing Co - has closed, and reopened as Big Al Brewing.

Big Time Brewery - visited Thanksgiving 2009 with Jonah and Caleb Riley.  An excellent spot.

Elliott Bay Brewery Pub - The original, city-based Elliot Bay pub, which is has organic beer.
Elysian Brewing Co - With 3 locations, I visited the Tangle Town pub with Jonah, Caleb, Molly and David Wolf Thanksgiving 2009.  Maybe I will try to hit up the Pike Street location this time.

Hale's Ales - This brewery is housed in an awesome building, I got to see it with Jonah and Caleb for Thanksgiving 2009.

Maritime Pacific Brewing Co - We tried to find this brewery before but they were in the midst of a move, I would love to see their new place.
Naked City Brewery -  looks to have quite a few beers and a kick ass logo.
Pike Brewing Company - I have been wanting to visit this brewery for awhile, maybe this time I'll remember to bring my ID.
Pyramid Brewery -  the original location of this large craft brewery.

Are there any I missed?

Boundary Bay Brewery

1107 Railroad Avenue

Bellingham, WA 98225

360.647.5593

http://www.bbaybrewery.com/

I have wanted to go to Boundary Bay Brewery since the summer of 2008.  That summer was my first Oregon Brewers Festival.  I went with Jess Stedman and we both shared a love for extremely hoppy IPAs. At that time my favorite was Boulder Beer Co.'s Hazed and Infused, I had been to the brewery the year before and it held up to my expectations.  Well, at the festival Jess and I (the second day we were there) grabbed samples of all the hoppy IPAs there and judged.  Boundary Bay, you will be glad to know that Jess voted for your brew but I stubbornly held on to my love for Hazed and Infused.  I know this isn't the way the story should be going for a review of Boundary Bay but that taste stayed with me.  Also did the intrigue of this northern washington brewery.  

So, over 2 years later, the ferry back from Alaska dropped us off within walking distance of this brewery that has been on my mind for all that time.  Jonah and I met up with Tommy McGinley, who we've beer-adventured with before, and Dani Hess, who I worked with up in Alaska.  Crazy enough, I did not get the IPA!!!

I don't know but I must have been in a dark beer mood, I started with the Dry Irish Stout and ate some wonderful stew.  I finished it up with the Imperial Oatmeal Stout.  Both beers were fabulous.

Plus, the merchandise rocks!

Skagit River Brewery

404 S. 3rd Street

Mount Vernon, WA 98273

360-336-2884

http://www.skagitbrew.com/

Jonah and I arrived in northern Washington off the ferry from Alaska, where our good friend Tommy McGinley lives, so we decided to stay with him to hang out before we headed the rest of the way south.  We got there early so had some time to kill.  After showering the ferry off us we went brewery cruising and found Skagit River Brewery.

I was floored when I saw that these were the guys who made Sculler's IPA!

I drank so much Sculler's IPA in college.  I had a roommate Brandy Rodtsbrooks who I explored beer with at our excellent local grocery store, and Sculler's was one of our awesome finds.

Sadly, they didn't have it on tap!  Now I will definitely have to go back, maybe I'll drag Brandy with me ;)  

Instead of the Sculler's IPA I had the Skagit River "Steelie" Brown Ale.  It was a solid brown but I will still have Sculler's on tap on my mind.

Ok,, let's get started

I have been meaning to start this blog for awhile but it's hard to know where to begin. I have been visiting breweries around the country for years, and while I've been taking good notes (most of the time) it's hard to review them all. So I will start with trying to list them all, then one by one I'll post the reviews sound good. Plus you have my solemn oath that I will try very hard (most of the time) to keep up with my new adventures.
** I'm going to use the double star as an indication of a brewery that has no pub and I couldn't get into the brewery for a sample, but found a bar close by with their beers.
): I'm going to use the frown face for pubs that I found out too late don't brew the beer on premise.

East Coast:
Trinity Brewing Co. ~ Providence RI
http://trinitybrew.com
Boston Beer Works ~ Fenway Park, Boston MA
http://www.beerworks.net/html/locations_fenway.html
Salem Beer Works ~ Salem MA
http://www.beerworks.net/html/locations_salem.html
Cottrell Brewing Co. ~ Pawcatuck CT **
http://www.cottrellbrewing.com
Harpoon Brewery ~ Boston MA
http://www.harpoonbrewery.com

Florida:
Orlando Brewing ~ Orlando FL
http://www.orlandobrewing.com/

Michigan:
Motor City Brew Works Inc ~ Detroit MI
http://www.motorcitybeer.com/

Colorado:
Odell Brewing Co. ~ Fort Collins CO
http://odellbrewing.com/
The Fort Collins Brewery ~ Fort Collins CO
http://www.fortcollinsbrewery.com/
New Belgium Brewing ~ Fort Collins CO
http://www.newbelgium.com/
CooperSmith's Pub & Brewing ~ Fort Collins CO
http://www.coopersmithspub.com/
Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery ~ Vine Street Pub, Denver CO
http://www.mountainsunpub.com/
Estes Park Brewery ~ Estes Park CO
http://www.epbrewery.com/
Golden City Brewery ~ Golden CO
http://www.gcbrewery.com/
Breckenridge Brewery ~ Coors Field, Denver CO :(
http://www.breckbrew.com/
Flying Dog Brewery ~ Denver CO :(
http://www.flyingdogales.com/
Great Divide Brewing ~ Denver CO
http://www.greatdivide.com/
Wynkoop Brewing Co. ~ Denver CO
http://www.wynkoop.com/
Bull & Bush Pub & Brewery ~ Denver CO
http://bullandbush.com/

Idaho:
Brownstone Restaurant & Brewpub ~ Idaho Falls ID
http://brownstonebrewpub.com
Trail Creek Brewing Co. ~ Twin Falls ID
http://www.trailcreekbrewing.com
Sun Valley Brewery ~ Hailey ID
http://www.sunvalleybrewery.com

Wyoming:
Suds Brothers Brewery ~ Evanston WY
http://sudsbrothersbrewery.com/
Bitter Creek Brewing ~ Rock Springs WY
http://www.bittercreekbrewing.com/
Altitude Chophouse & Brewery ~ Laramie WY
http://www.altitudechophouse.com/

Washington:
Fish Brewing ~ Fish Tale Brew Pub, Olympia WA
http://www.fishbrewing.com/
Roslyn Brewing Co. ~ Roslyn WA
http://www.roslynbrewery.com/
Big Time Brewery & Alehouse ~ Seattle WA
http://www.bigtimebrewery.com/
Elysian Brewing Co. ~ Tangletown, Seattle WA
http://www.elysianbrewing.com/tangletown.html
Hale's Ales ~ Seattle WA
http://halesbrewery.com/
Snoqualmie Brewery & Taproom ~ Snoqualmie WA
http://www.fallsbrew.com/
Walking Man Brewing ~ Stevenson WA
http://www.walkingmanbrewing.com/

Oregon:
Calapooia Brewing Co. ~ Albany OR
http://www.calapooiabrewing.com/
Standing Stone Brewing Co. ~ Ashland OR
http://www.standingstonebrewing.com/
Barley Brown's Brew Pub ~ Baker City OR
http://www.barleybrowns.com/
McMenamins ~ http://www.mcmenamins.com/
Back Stage Bar ~ SE Portland OR
Bagdad Theater & Pub ~ SE Portland OR
Blue Moon Tavern & Grill ~ NW Portland OR
East 19th Street Cafe ~ Eugene OR
Grand Lodge ~ Forest Grove OR
High Street Brewery & Cafe ~ Eugene OR
Hillsdale Brewery & Public House ~ SW Portland OR
Kennedy School ~ NE Portland OR
McMenamins Cedar Hills ~ Beaverton OR
McMenamins Corvallis ~ Corvallis OR
McMenamins Greenway Pub ~ Tigard OR
Murray & Allen ~ Beaverton OR
Northbank ~ Eugene OR
Oak Hills ~ NW Portland OR
Ringlers Annex ~ SW Portland OR
Ringlers Pub ~ SW Portland OR
Riverside Pub ~ Beaverton OR
The Old St. Francis Pub ~ Bend OR
Bend Brewing Co. ~ Bend OR
http://www.bendbrewingco.com/
Deschutes Brewery & Public House ~ Bend OR
http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/
Silver Moon Brewing ~ Bend OR
http://www.silvermoonbrewing.com
Eugene City Brewery ~ Eugene OR
http://www.rogue.com/locations/rogue-breweries.php
Ninkasi Brewing Co. ~ Eugene OR
http://www.ninkasibrewing.com/
Oakshire Brewing ~ Eugene OR
http://oakbrew.com/
Steelhead Brewing Co. ~ Eugene OR
http://www.steelheadbrewery.com/
Mt. Hood Brewing ~ Government Camp OR
http://www.iceaxegrill.com/mthoodbrewco.php
Big Horse Brew Pub ~ Hood River OR
http://www.realbeer.com/nmvbp/bighorse.htm
Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom ~ Hood River OR
http://www.doublemountainbrewery.com/
Full Sail Brewing Co. ~ Hood River OR
http://www.fullsailbrewing.com/
Alameda Brewhouse ~ NE Portland OR
http://www.alamedabrewhouse.com/
Amnesia Brewing ~ NE Portland OR
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/9685/?view=beerfly
BridgePort Brewpub & Bakery ~ NW Portland OR
http://www.bridgeportbrew.com/
Cascade Brewing Co. ~ Raccoon Lodge, SW Portland OR
http://www.raclodge.com/
Deschutes Brewery & Public House ~ NW Portland OR
http://www.deschutesbrewery.com
Hopworks Urban Brewery ~ SE Portland OR
http://www.hopworksbeer.com/
Laurelwood ~ NW Public House, NW Portland OR
http://www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com/
Lucky Lab Beer Hall ~ NW Portland OR
http://www.luckylab.com/
Lucky Labrador Brewing ~ SE Portland OR
http://www.luckylab.com/
The Mash Tun Brewpub ~ NE Portland OR
http://www.themashtunbrewpub.com/
MacTarnahan's Brewing Co. ~ NW Portland OR
http://www.macsbeer.com/
New Old Lompoc ~ NW Portland OR
http://www.newoldlompoc.com/lompoc_home.html
Lompoc Brewing ~ Hedge House, SE Portland OR
http://www.newoldlompoc.com/hedgehouse_home.html
Lompoc Brewing ~ 5th Quadrant, N Portland OR
http://www.newoldlompoc.com/5thquadrant_home.html
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery ~ SW Portland OR
http://www.rockbottom.com/
Rogue Public House ~ NW Portland OR
http://www.rogue.com/
Roots Brewing Co. ~ SE Portland OR
http://www.rootsorganicbrewing.com/
Tugboat Brewing Co. ~ SW Portland OR
http://www.d2m.com/Tugwebsite/
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. ~ N Portland OR
http://www.widmer.com/
Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. ~ 7th st. Brewhouse, Redmond OR
http://www.cascadelakes.com/locations/7th_St._Brewhouse/

California:
Napa Valley Brewing ~ Calistoga CA
http://www.calistogainn.com/
Pizza Port Brewing Co. ~ San Clemente CA
http://www.pizzaport.com/
Firehouse Grill & Brewery ~ East Palo Alto CA
http://www.firehousegrill.com/
Stone Brewing Co. ~ Escondido CA
http://www.stonebrew.com/
Half Moon Bay Brewing Co. ~ Half Moon Bay CA
http://www.hmbbrewingco.com/
Huntington Beach Beer Co. ~ Huntington Beach CA
http://www.hbbeerco.com/
Ocean Avenue Brewing ~ Laguna Beach CA
http://www.oceanbrewing.com/
Los Gatos Brewing Co. ~ Los Gatos CA
http://www.lgbrewingco.com/
English Ales Brewery ~ Marina CA
http://www.englishalesbrewery.com/
Redondo Beach Brewing Co. ~ Redondo Beach CA
http://www.redondobrewery.com/
San Diego Brewing Co. ~ San Diego CA
http://www.sandiegobrewing.com/
21st Amendment Brewery ~ San Fran CA
http://www.21st-amendment.com/
Magnolia Gastropub & Brewery ~ San Fran CA
http://shop.magnoliapub.com/
Thirsty Bear Brewing Co. ~ San Fran CA
http://www.thirstybear.com/
Creekside Brewing Co. ~ San Luis Obispo CA
http://www.creeksidebrewing.com/
Downtown Brewing Co. ~ San Luis Obispo CA
http://www.downtownbrew.com/
Santa Barbara Brewing Co. ~ Santa Barbara CA
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-Barbara-CA/Santa-Barbara-Brewing-Company/83266603049
Santa Cruz Ale Works ~ Santa Cruz CA
http://www.santacruzaleworks.com/
Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing ~ Santa Cruz CA
http://www.santacruzmountainbrewing.com/
Seabright Brewery ~ Santa Cruz CA
http://www.seabrightbrewery.com/