Camping and Beer in Washington.

You can get pretty decent beer at most grocery stores. There's a natural food type grocery store in Port Angeles that has a good selection.

 

Unless you're limiting your stops exclusively to gas stations, you'll have no issue finding 6pks of great camping beers and more specialty options if you're so inclined. John's point about the selection at Seattle shops is also true.

If, like me, you couldn't fathom travelling to a new area and not visiting a local bottleshop, you should plan to hit one of the places mentioned above and see their selection while taking note of labels. I'm guessing PA distro and WA distro have very little overlap, so a lot of stuff will look unfamiliar at first, but it may help when you're in a grocery store in a small town to know which breweries are familiar from a place where beer is their core business model. Maybe pick up a special treat or two, but you should be fine finding 6pks or growlers of good stuff in virtually every populated part of the state.

 

Thanks, good to hear.

Yeah, off the top of my head I think the only Washington breweries that I've had a couple of beers from are Redhook, Elysian, Pike, and Fish. Although when I saw the name Old Schoolhouse that rung a bell, and sure enough I checked my reviews and I drank a bottle of their Imperial Stout a couple years ago. Which is weird because currently Old Schoolhouse only lists Washington distribution locations on their website.

 

Previous ownership used to distribute to a few states, but pulled back (or lost the accounts) a few years ago before selling.

 

What are you looking for? Solid crushable camping beers or are you seeking some walezbro?

If you just want good camping beer, you'll have no problem getting cans of Fremont, Reubens, Bale Breaker, etc. all over. If you want bigger beers (barrel aged and hyped stuff) you'll need to hit up a shop in Seattle or Bellingham.

 

When you come to the North Cascades, you damn well better contact me. I will show you around Bellingham and its environs. Plus, I has answers to your questions.

 

Just myself and the wife (who will on the lookout for the local hard cider instead), so I'll only need a a few six packs at a time. I was just thinking about past experiences visiting National Parks in rural Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah where it was 50 miles between gas stations only selling B/M/C and maybe some Sam Adams or Sierra Nevada. I know Washington is much more craft beer friendly, but just wanted to check.

Ah, that makes sense. We'll be spending a night in Winthrop so looks like a stop at Old Schoolhouse will be in order.

Just the former, I like to try the quality local brews, but doesn't need to be limited release or anything. So it sounds like I will be all set.

I don't think we're going to get quite as far north as Bellingham. We'll be going up the east side of the Cascades from Rainer. Then after staying 3 nights in the North Cascades park, we're going to stop a night at Deception Pass on Whidbey Island on our way back to Seattle.

Based on an old thread I found, looks like Washington doesn't have any growler labeling laws. So looks like I can fill up my stainless steel vacuum growler at stops along the way.

 

Yeah, in WA you can fill any "sealable" container as a growler, so you'll have no problem getting fills. Out here every little mini-mart sells craft beer, often local/regional stuff that you might not see 50 or a hundred miles away.

Deception Pass is awesome, and only 45-60 minutes South of Bham, so contact me any way, I look for any excuse to head down there. You'll be near to Flyers in Oak Harbor, and Anacortes Brewing in Anacortes, both of which are personal favorites for me. If you like Lagers, Chuckanut has a spot in Skagit County now, just off the road to Deception Pass.