North Sound Brewing Company

3.92/5  rDev +0.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 4

North Sound Brewing is a charming brewery on the outskirts of Mount Vernon. They had a dozen beers on tap, focusing mainly on English-influenced styles; I don't know if this is their regular deal but it was the case when I visited. There were also some bottled ciders and gluten-free beverage options available, plus typical bar snacks. The beers I tried were mostly pretty good; they offer 10oz and 20oz nonics; I like the half-size glasses so I can get a few without having too much booze. Service was really good despite the place being packed with regulars; though the bar itself is small, there is a huge outdoor seating area. I'd definitely like to return here.

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3.97/5  rDev +1.5%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4

finally stopped in at north sound - a spot i've driven by a number of times. located in the gorgeous skagit river valley, in between anacortes and I-5.

small taproom, a bit of outdoor seating that was fully utilized on a perfect march afternoon.

10-12 taps, including the lovely 101 DIPA and also an aged barleywine. No food, but bring your own.

A good place to visit when travelling to anacortes, the tulip fest, whidbey island, or just bored.

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3.43/5  rDev -12.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5

A comfortable tasting room to sit and enjoy a pint. It is rather small but in the spring and summer they have a patio to sit outside. There's no food, of course, but if you have Sahara Pizza deliver there you get a couple bucks off your pizza (and it's definitely worth it). The couple times I've been in there the staff wasn't the most welcoming, including the brewer who was more than happy to talk about the beer though he wasn't the most personable guy. The best thing - $8 growler fills on Wednesdays.

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4.2/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4

Dropped by just to fill growlers, since we didn't have time to sit down for a pint. Atmosphere was nice -- it's a little town with at least one other small brewery (Skagit River). It seemed relatively busy, but not crowded, rowdy, or loud.

The owners were serving and they seemed very nice. According to brewer's wife, the brewer had been homebrewing and just decided to start up an operation. There was a surprisingly good selection for a brewery that opened only a few weeks earlier. They were free with the samples; I tried the IPA, the Imperial Red, and the stout. I filled my growler with the Imperial Red. It was delicious.

Prices weren't cheap, but they weren't overpriced. It was fair. I'd love to go back, but I'm not in the area often.

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