Category Archives: Local

Aslan Brewing Is Coming To Seattle

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Even though we have a large number of breweries right here in Seattle, many of us often take trips away from the city to explore breweries farther away or perhaps to visit some favorites we’ve found on previous craft beer excursions.

One popular destination for those leaving Seattle on one of these excursions is the city of Bellingham, WA.  I myself am a big fan of many Bellingham breweries including: Wander, Kulshan, Chuckanut, Structures and, of course, Aslan.  Well, if Aslan Brewing Company is on your list of favorite Bellingham breweries, then I’ve got some great news.  This Summer, Aslan will open a location in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood.

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Get Your Tickets Now For Pike Brewing’s Annual Chocofest

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Are you still searching for the perfect Christmas gift for that special someone? How about Valentine’s Day?  Have you thought about that yet? Yeah, I know. It’s still two months away but hear me out.  What if you could kill 2 birds with one stone?  Does your significant other enjoy craft beer? How about wine? How about spirits? How about small bites from top local restaurants? How about chocolate!? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then tickets to Pike Brewing Company‘s annual Chocofest might be just the gift you’ve been searching for.

Chcofest seems to grow bigger each year and is Pike’s most popular annual event. That’s why, in order to accommodate the more than 900 expected attendees, this year’s Chocofest will encompass all three levels of Pike including the brewery, the Pike Pub and Tankard & Tun.

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Breweries To Host Nationwide Pint Night For Camp Fire Relief

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I recently told you about Resilience IPA from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and their drive to have as many breweries as possible across the US brew this beer and donate the proceeds to Camp Fire relief.

Sierra Nevada received an amazing response to their call. Over 1400 breweries nationwide brewed Resilience IPA and now, this coming Thursday, December 20th, all of those participating breweries will be hosting a Nationwide ‘Resilience Night’ for Camp Fire relief.

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Reuben’s Hosts The Third Annual Hop Idol Homebrew Contest

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Are you a homebrewer?  Do you think you’ve gotten pretty good at it?  Do you think your beers are good enough to be brewed on a large scale, canned and sold to the craft beer masses here in Seattle?  Then Ruben’s Brews has the contest for you.  Returning for the third straight year, Reuben’s Brews presents: “Hop Idol”.

It’s time to refine your best hoppy recipes and hone your brewing techniques so you can put your best brew(s) forward.  Don’t wait too long to start either, because the cutoff date for entries is February 27, 2019.  It all comes down to you and your brew, because (Best Ryan Seacrest impersonaltion) THIS………. is Hop Idol!

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Breakside Rounds Out 2018 With Quiescence

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Breakside Brewery out of Portland Oregon has a pretty diverse portfolio.  I’ve had quite a few of their beers over the years; everything from their IPAs to their Stouts and Sours and, for the most part, they’ve been pretty solid.

More recently, Breakside has been working to expand their barrel-aged Sour program.  Perhaps you’ve had their In the City of Flowers or their popular Qualia (one of my favorites of the series).  Now, as 2018 draws to a close, Breakside is preparing to release Quiescence – a blend of 13 casks of wood-aged sour beer aged for 12 months in Archery Summit Pinot Noir barrels.

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Two Beers Prepares For Their 11th Anniversary

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The story of Two Beers Brewing Company (CBM Sponsor) is one I’ve been following for a long time.  I can still remember when the taproom had just a few stools and couldn’t hold more than a few people.  Today, Two Beers Brewing Company – along with their sister companies, Seattle Cider Company and Sound Seltzer Company – boasts a huge, inviting taproom with 24 taps of beer, cider and seltzer (plus a cider slushie machine), pub games (billiards, foosball, darts, shuffleboard, etc.), a beautiful patio and a food service window run by the folks from Bread And Circuses.

There was some concern in the local craft beer community when, back in 2016, Two Beers Brewing Company and Seattle Cider Company were acquired by the Agrial Group, a leading French agri-business cooperative. Since that acquisition, however, I haven’t noticed any drop in the quality of their products, and they’ve even started expanding their portfolio – releasing lots of new beers this year including what I think may have been their best IPA yet, What A Time To Be Alive hazy fresh hop IPA.  Now Two Beers is prepared to celebrate their 11th Anniversary with another new release: This Goes to 11 Birthday Cake IPA.

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Mr. Heron Goes To Montana

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Seattle is a city that’s just bursting at the seams with craft breweries.  No matter were you are in the city, you’re likely not more than a few stones throws away from a craft brewery.  With so many breweries to choose from though, how do you decide who the standouts are?  How do you know which breweries to recommend to people here for a visit or those asking about which Seattle breweries they need to keep an eye on?

Two factors that can help you decide are, of course, the quality of the beers the brewery is putting out, and the demand for those beers whenever there’s a new release.  By those two measures, among others, Fremont Brewing Company has become one of Seattle’s best known breweries, even outside of Washington.  Many of their beers, particularly their barrel-aged offerings, have caught the attention of craft beer lovers both near and far. They even have a super secret society of members who “solemnly swear to devote themselves to the pursuit of the finest beers that ever were” – the Heron Hunting Club.  Fremont Brewing already distributes their beers to 6 states, including Washington, and now they’re ready to expand into Montana with the help of Hayden Beverage Company.

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Splinters Returns From Black Raven Brewing

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More often than not in the craft beer World, it seems like hops are the big stars.  Much of this is due to the fact that IPA is still king when it comes to craft beer and, while I still enjoy drinking IPAs through the Fall and Winter, I really start to appreciate the complex malt character of less hop forward beers like Stouts, Porters and Scotch Ales to name a few.  I also enjoy many beers that have been barrel aged in Whiskey, Bourbon, Scotch or other barrels and, let’s face it, there aren’t that many barrel aged IPAs out there (though they do exist).

I’m also rather picky about my Scotch Ales.  There are only a few locally made Scotch Ales that I really enjoy, and one of them is Second Sight from Black Raven Brewing Company (CBM Sponsor).  Now, Black Raven is preparing to release Second Sight’s more mature brother, Splinters Bourbon Barrel Aged Scotch Ale.

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The Ballard Brewed Winter Beer Festival Is Coming Up

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I know it’s only Fall.  Winter doesn’t officially arrive until late December, but craft beer has always been a bit ahead of the curve (Pumpkin beers showing up in early August, anyone?)  Being a big fan of Winter beers though, I certainly don’t mind when they start arriving a bit early.

Apparently, nether do many of the breweries in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood.  Because, coming up this coming Saturday, November 3rd is the Ballard Brewed Winter Beer Festival to Benefit Bellwether Housing.  Drink Winter beers from eleven different Ballard breweries and do your part to help Bellwether Housing – creating affordable housing in Seattle.

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Fresh Hops & Fine Cuisine At Urbane

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There are several great restaurants in Seattle.  Since my primary focus here at CraftBeerMonger.com is on craft beer though (and to a lesser degree craft cider and other craft alcoholic beverages), I haven’t visited as many of Seattle’s fine dining establishments as I’d like.  Also, due to my somewhat unusual work schedule, I don’t get to downtown Seattle for a good meal very often.

That’s why I was pleased to receive an invitation recently from Urbane to experience, on them, their Fresh Hop dinner, featuring Fresh Hop beers from Georgetown Brewing Company.  Urbane is a farm-to-table restaurant who prides themselves on sustainability and using locally-sourced ingredients.  In fact, the vast majority of Urbane’s ingredients come from within a 200-mile radius of the restaurant located at 8th Ave and Olive Way in the Hyatt at Olive 8 building downtown.

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