Whitstran Brewing Company

Soon enough, Whitstran will open a full service brewpub in Prosser. They’ve been in business for eleven years but have thus far only operated a tasting room at their brewing facility in an industrial “incubator” site outside town. It’s likely that the tasting room will also remain open, as it tends to draw curious wine tasting tourists who wander in while sampling the grape at neighboring wineries. Whitstran may also expand from their present 5-bbl system to something a bit more accommodating to pub life. At present the tasting room closes at 5PM.

Whitstran’s menu is divided into their six regular “premium” beers and five specialties. On the weekend I visited, the specialties were not available in draught or bottled form and I missed out on the chance to try their lambic tributes, their imperial stout, or their abbey-style golden. A single batch of barleywine is brewed annually in March and released around Thanksgiving. The small sample I had of last years model suggested that the occasion of the next release might be something to look forward to.

As a tasting room, Whitstran has no kitchen and offers no more than free pretzels to munch on. The pretzels are apparently modified in some way, perhaps by a bath in garlic oil, but the owners were very tight lipped about the recipe and won’t reveal their secrets. Another secret they intend to keep is how the Over-the-Edge Pale Ale is dry hopped. Okay, they told me the secret, but they made me promise not to write about it so you’ll have to ask them yourself.

Though the single room is tiny, it sports an upright piano. Myriad displays of colorful kites hang from the ceiling lending a festive note. The walls and seats are adorned with famous beer quotes, most of which are familiar to me but are still amusing, especially to those wayward oenophiles.

As for the beers, I mentioned that Whitstran’s specialty beers were unavailable to me, but I’d be darn curious to try them. Their regular beers are quite deserving and are usually available in single 12-oz. bottles, six-packs, and growler fills. As of this writing no date has been set for opening the new pub, so call ahead if you’re in the area.

A couple of friends and I stopped by on 10/19/2007. The brewery and tasting room is located in an Food and Winery industrial park near the an exit to I-82 in Prosser, WA.

They had nine taps available but only six were available. We ordered samplers allowing us to taste all six brews. They also informed us that several seasonal beers are in process and should become available later in the year.

We we served by the wife of the brewer, who was friendly and knowledgeable about the beer. They provided salted mini-pretzels to cleanse the palate between samples. In addition to two different sample options the brewery also offered pints for tasting. Additionally, you could purchase growers and bottles to go. The place is small and quaint. Prices were reasonable and you could sense the "craft" nature of the brewery.

We were encouraged to come back when we could arrange a time to meet the brewer or to rent out the facility for a private party.