Ice Harbor Brewing Company

Brewery, Bar, Eatery, Homebrew, Beer-to-go

10 E Bruneau St
Kennewick, Washington, 99336
United States

(509) 582-5340 | map
iceharbor.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.69
Beers:
16
Ratings:
235
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.93
Reviews:
13
Ratings:
20
pDev:
10.43%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by rrock44:
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Rated by rrock44 from Washington

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

Feb 26, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.06 by Needmorebeer312 from Washington

Aug 11, 2019
 
Rated: 4.15 by Ironnomad from Montana

Mar 05, 2017
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Reviewed by PapaGoose03 from Michigan

3.81/5  rDev -3.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75 | food: 3.5
(#17 of 49) We stopped here to try their beers and to have lunch. This place sits next to railroad tracks, and I believe the building is a former ice house, hence the brewery's name. The structure has an old industrial look on the outside as well as the inside. Some tables were set up on the front porch. (A former loading dock?) A nice old wooden bar is set up in the pub area along with a number of tables and chairs. We could smell beer brewing which added to the vibe.

There are 12 taps here plus one beer engine. We ordered a sampler flight of 6 of them that were our style preferences, yet a good variety. All of them were brewed in excess of style to different degrees so that we scored them anywhere from a C+ (the red ale was a bit weak) to a B rating (Tangerine Hefe, Kolsch, and the IPA). Overall they came out to a B-minus grade. Cider was noted on the menu as being available too.

The food menu had a good selection, but most of it was typical pub grub offerings. We enjoyed what we had, but it was not notable. In addition to the typical brewery hats, T-shirts, etc. the store also sells homebrew supplies. There is also kegs, growlers, bottles and pigs to go.
Sep 17, 2016
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Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington

3.85/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4
I visited Ice Harbor a couple of days ago while on a Tri-Cities adventure and it's a pretty good place. There were 12 beers on tap, of which I had two (Nut Brown and Sternwheeler Stout), and which were both quite good. The whole place has a very lived-in feel, and when I was there was jam-packed with regulars who all seemed to know each other and know the staff. This place is definitely worth a visit.
May 16, 2016
 
Rated: 4.5 by NWbyNW_Brew from Washington

Nov 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.68 by munimula

Oct 04, 2014
 
Rated: 4.26 by SteveOR

Aug 28, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by bulldogg915 from Wyoming

Nov 10, 2013
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Reviewed by SurlyDuff from Oregon

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Visited on a roadtrip up through Montana (from hometown Bend, Or).

Located in a rather rusty industrial part of town with lots of fruit packers and warehouses. The pub is part of their brewery warehouse building itself, with a handful of outdoor tables and a nice locals-feeling pub inside.

Got a flight of their beers, and was pleasantly surprised. The one of theirs which I've had before was the tangerine brew, a rather tic-tac tasting elixir. Their taster offered all of their offerings, something that I think every brewery should do. I hate it when they give you like 5oz glasses of 4 beers of my choice. I want to try them all dammit! good call guys.

Got a soft pretzel to help absorb the brews, which was salty and served with their house mustard.

Service was not bad, considering I sat outside and the bartender gal was the one one serving that afternoon, also dealing with half a barfull of lushes.

Overall good value, good beer, interesting food menu, and good service. Check em out!
Sep 17, 2010
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Reviewed by jdense from Oregon

3.66/5  rDev -6.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4
Visited Benton Street location on 1.30.10.

After two hours of travel for a meeting the next day, I needed a beer. My first attempt to find this location ended in futility, this time I saw the sign after nearly passing the side street where it is located beside a furniture warehouse.

The tasting room consisted of a 10ish seat bar and tables for about 75 people. The clientele was pretty local oriented, sitting at the bar I was engulfed by the local regulars, employees on their day off, and a number of people having their pigs filled. They do a pretty significant beer to go business here, and after tasting a couple of beers I can see why. The atmosphere left a bit to be desired, this place could use a fresh coat of paint, and it was very loud. That being said, the worst part of the ambience was the dude who sat next to me who hadn't taken a bath in several days. That certainly made my olfactory experience less that pleasing.

While I didn't have the food, I did pay attention to what was coming out of the kitchen. In my mind the portions were pretty small. The onion rings were tiny, where did they get those midget onions? The one thing I did see that looked appealing was a chicken flatbread pizza on special for $8.

The beer selection was pretty good. All their regular beers were on tap, as were three seasonals, a Winter Warmer, a hefeweizen (not the tangerine one) and when I first arrived a Pilsener, which all the locals clamored about. Beers were reasonably priced at $4 a pint except for the IPA which was $4.25. They make their own root beer which certainly contributed to the family friendly atmosphere.

The service, while competent, left something to be desired. While I enjoyed the banter between the barkeeps and locals, the computer system took a nosedive right at shift change. More than once one of the locals had to grab the servers attention to get me another beer.

The highlight of the trip was a nice conversation with the brewmaster, who certainly knows his stuff. He gave me a short tour of his 10 barrel system, passed of a few samples of his special beers (Triple IPA and a bourbon barrel aged IPA), along with answering my numerous beer geek questions. Though constrained by his small system size he was brewing some really quality beers, with the occasional lager thrown in for good measure despite his limited capacity. I though the IWA was quite good, and the IPA, the signature beer accounting for approximately 30% of sales, outstanding.

If you are looking for some quality beer while in the Tri-Ciites, I highly recommend this place, despite the boisterous atmosphere. Beer is the key, and on that note this is one fine place. Check it out.
Jan 31, 2010
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Reviewed by bigkingken from North Carolina

3.3/5  rDev -16%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 2
Ice Harbor (the original location, not the harbor location) is definitely off of the beaten path and not recognizable as a brewpub just driving by, which I did before locating it. It seems the restaurant and small store sprung up adjacent to the brewery, as they tend to do. Inside has a very "Cheers" atmosphere with sparse tables heavily populated with regulars, even on a Sunday afternoon. There's nothing cheesy or fake about the place, just a solid, down-to-earth establishment.

There's nothing special about the pub grub served, which is what they specialize in. Onion rings were solid but nothing spectacular and the same could be said for the very simple, but tasty, French dip sandwich I ate. I recommend splitting some appetizers, since the pretzel, beer cheese, and beer mustard are all the best things on the menu. I tried the cheesecake as well, and it was dry and very disappointing.

The beer is by far the best in the tri-cities. It blows away the competition. Every beer is extremely tasty and well-done. They are well-hopped and attack your taste buds in a great way. The lighter beers were definitely better, since the darker varieties were scarce. The Runaway Red and Harvest Pale were my favorites. And of the seasonal, a summer ale spiced with orange and coriander took the prize. There are few breweries I've been to serving more consistent beer than Ice Harbor.

Unfortunately the place was packed and one server was hustling to attend the entire bar and restaurant. She did well, but come on, give her some help.
Sep 24, 2008
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Reviewed by tbeck from Washington

4.28/5  rDev +8.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
I have been here many times but had a chance to stop by after work and was able to soak in the atmosphere without to much distraction (aka excesive drinking). The atmosphere is very pleasant, laid back. There is usually a number of people in the joint but is never to many. The quality of beers is excellent as well as the service. The staff is knowledgeable about the product. There are a number of seasonal beers on tap that are always excellent. They cover a wide range of beers, and food is excellent. Cost is not high, but if you wait for a train to come by they spin the will for pricing, which is usually a bargain.
Aug 06, 2008
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Reviewed by ccrida from Oregon

3.65/5  rDev -7.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
I was in town for work and hit both the brewery and the marina, quite different, both nice. I sat at the bar both times, the marina is more swanky, nice dark wood bar, same draft list as the brewery. I just tried the ahi tuna on recommendation, it was OK, but living in Portland I'm spoiled. Since I just had an appetizer at the bar, my scores don't reflect on the marina restaurant dinner menu, which I didn't really browse. Had a good sandwich at the brewery, which was on Monday, so I got really cheap brews, which was nice. The food highlight was their killer spicy mustard, I bought one to bring home with me, a bit like Chinese hot mustard. Very friendly locals, the brewery is cozy and old school, kinda of reminded me of a country restaurant type place, lots of families, nice little vibe. Beers were all pretty good if not mind blowing, I think the Harvest Pale Ale was my favorite, very hoppy, as was the IPA, both pretty solid, and local favorites.
Jul 17, 2008
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Reviewed by RJLarse from Washington

3.33/5  rDev -15.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3
I was on a day trip in the area, and stopped at Ice Harbor brewing on the way home.

The pub is a large cement walled room in a warehouse. The theme of the pub and the brewing company is inspired by the river, railroad and agricultural history of the area. There is seating for about 100. There was a curious working class crowd in the bar when I was there, right around 5:00 PM. There is also a small shop on the premises, with beer paraphernalia, gifts and home brewing supplies.

Ice Harbor brews are very good quality.

The service was OK. A bit slow perhaps, but the wait staff were preoccupied with decorating for the holidays. A large wait staff was coming on at 5, so I assume they get a fair size crowd in the evening.

Selection is good. Nine taps and one cask selection plus root beer. The company appears to brew about a dozen beers all together, with varying availability. Availability is tracked on a large chalk board at one end of the bar. The brew is available in pigs, growlers and some selection can be had in six-packs.

I did not try the food, but the menu was fairly substantial, and appears to be appetizers, burgers, wraps and salads. Soft drinks are also available for the non-beer drinking patrons.

Ice Harbor is a good at 3.75 per pint, with some brews available in six packs at $7.99 each.

NOTES: There is a second Ice Harbor location in the marina, which is said to be more upscale than the warehouse location.
Dec 02, 2007
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Reviewed by RedDiamond from Oregon

3.48/5  rDev -11.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3
If I had to pick a favorite among the three tri-cities brewpubs, I'd make it Ice Harbor. The best of their beers are superb and though some others are more mundane, their selection is large enough to accommodate a variety of good choices. They produce a very drinkable kölsch, a big fruity red ale, and their IPA is a contender for the crown, especially in cask form.

The bar is an old furniture warehouse near the railroad tracks. Every time a train rolls by, the bartenders spin a wheel to determine the next beer special. If you're lucky, the spin will land on a low number and your next pint will be two bucks. Though the trains are infrequent, they run close enough to rattle the walls. Train and steamboat memorabilia also account for much of the ornamentation on the exposed red brick interior and provide inspiration to beer varieties such as Sternwheeler Stout.

The bar was custom made locally by a gent who sat down next to me and told me about it with some enthusiasm. He also worked on the bar at Ice Harbor's new non-brewing location down the street on Clover Island, which opened in October, 2007. An array of nine taps offers a diverse selection of house beers, several of which are likely to be seasonal rotations. Plus, they brew root beer. The vibe is of friendly locals. Children are abundant but if you want to lose them, you may step upstairs to the gaming area where a pool table and darts await you beneath a ballroom chandelier. Just be advised that you won't get table service upstairs. And those stairs are perilously steep.

You can't evade the music however, which I found blaring and intrusive. They play a commercial FM rock station at inescapable volumes. I like the music, but don't care to fight it for conversation and lucid thinking. They kindly responded to my request to take it down a notch when there were just two of us left at the bar, so score one for service. Score a minus one for service when my pint was refilled directly without a rinse. I don't mind a refill of the same beer in a glass without a rinse. But serving a lager in an unrinsed glass that just held a nut brown is a major league faux pas. I thought this might have been a simple oversight, but I actually got a third beer served in the same unrinsed glass! Clearly, this server needs to refine her technique and could stand a bit of managerial oversight.

Ice Harbor also operates a well-stocked home brewing supply store down the hall from the bar. From here you can purchase malts and carboys and wine making supplies of all sorts, plus they've got Ice Harbor beer in six-packs to go. Most of the menu is basket food. It's not awful, but I got a pizza that arrived before my silverware and was undercooked.
Oct 31, 2007
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Reviewed by dnichols from Washington

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3
The setting was a bit of a surprise given the limited parking, however, the warehouse venue was very enjoyable. There is seating on the front loading dock near the entrance but the true treat is the bar and brew shop. The establishment is family friendly but the dominant clientèle appeared to be 30s to 50s with a decent mix of males and females.

The bar has an excellent selection of Ice Harbor brews (we only sampled two but 8 were listed on the chalkboard at the rear of the bar). There is seating on the first and second floors at tables and a dozen or so bar seats.

We were there on a late-Friday afternoon and the place was filling up by the time we left in the early evening. Despite being busy the staff was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the products.

We visited the brew shop and picked up a few "Barley Wine" Ales for later sampling, as well as a couple of home brew magazines. The shop carried Ice harbor beers and a healthy line of home brew supplies (e.g., yeast, malts, bottles....). The brew shop staff arraigned a visit with Russ the brew master. He shared a sample of their new brew "Hop Warrior" which promises to be a hop heads delight with enough malty balance to make it a crowd pleaser.

We limited our food intake to a sampling of the appetizers. Spiced and cheesy fries and deep fried potatoes were good but nothing to get real excited about. Its the beer and atmosphere that is the draw...and that's OK by me.
Sep 15, 2007
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Reviewed by tozerm from Washington

4.28/5  rDev +8.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
The homebrew shop is awesome. Not only a great selection but there is at least 4-5 guys who perform some function of brewing the beer that can answer questions about homebrewing. The two owners obviously started out from a homebrewers perspective so they're happy to help.

Food is solid pub fare that's priced right. Tons of different styles of beer on tap all the time. When they do bring in a guest tap it's usually something pretty cool like DFH 60 or 90. Definitely worth seeking out if you're in south central Washington.
Jul 20, 2006
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Reviewed by woemad from Washington

4.33/5  rDev +10.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Please note that Jreitman's review below is for the tasting room at their old brewery in Pasco, which no longer exists. I have deleted my own review of the same location. What follows is a review of the new(er) brewpub in Kennewick, where all of Ice Harbor's brewing now takes place.

The brewpub is located in an old industrial building of some sort near the railroad tracks in eastern Kennewick, a part of town still called by old-timers as "downtown." Today, most of the town's business is on the other side of town by the insidious mall. When I first heard they were moving across the Columbia to this location, I worried they wouldn't get enough business to survive, but I've never been in here and not seen someone coming in to get their growler(s) refilled, so I think it's moderately popular.

The interior is cozy without being cramped. There are several tables and booths, and an a cool looking old bar is towards the rear. The bar was rescued from Gabby's, an unremarkable "meetmarket" in Spokane that is in the process of being replaced by a parking lot as I type this. There's lots of old railroad memorabilia on the walls, along with some old rustic regional stuff. There's an upstairs that consists of a couple of tables and a pool table, accessable by some "industrial" looking stairs that are not unlike those encountered on ladders of naval vessels. I have to wonder how many people who've had a little too much to drink fall afoul of them (literally ). I usually hit this place coming into or leaving town (my parents live a couple of miles away), and it (the upper floor, not the brewpub!) seems to always be closed during the day. The place seems to be non-smoking, which is nice.

I've only been here in the early afternoon, and there are usually not too many people in then. I've always sat right at the bar, and have never had poor service. It's always been the same bartender, who waits on the tables as well. Don't know if they have waiters/waitresses in the evenings.

There are approximately eight taps. All are their own brews, except one that is often set aside as a guest tap. Their regular brews are the pale, the red and the IPA (which is outstanding), others are seasonals and one-offs, like their brown ale, their alt, and their "India Winter Ale." They may have macro crap in bottles, but I've never seen any on-tap. They also keep around several varieties of the local wines - not a bad thing to do when you consider the area is a major wine region (sadly, most non-high-end places in this part of the state usually have cheap Californian wines). The glasses may be chilled, but not to a noticeable degree. They sell beer to go in growlers, party pigs, and some other sort of container I'm forgetting.

Their menu is made up of sandwiches and pizzas, all of which are very reasonably priced. I believe the beers generally go for $3.50.

I believe the place sometimes serves as a live music venue. They also sell homebrew supplies. in a room off to the side, along with 6-pks of beers that they bottle.

A nice place that is not going to put much of a dent in the wallet, and makes pretty good beers. I vastly prefer their beer to Rattlesnake Mountain's (I haven't had any Atomic Ales in several years, so I'll leave them out for the moment).
Apr 18, 2004
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Reviewed by jreitman from California

3.6/5  rDev -8.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4
The "Brewpub" pretty much consists of a couple round tables with chairs and a bar that faces the brewery proper (fermenters staring you right in the face). The beers are outstanding here and it is worth a visit to stop by during their operating hours and try them out. The owner was very easy to get in touch with over email and was more than happy to talk.
May 18, 2002
Ice Harbor Brewing Company in Kennewick, WA
Brewery rating: 3.69 out of 5 with 235 ratings