Visiting Seattle (Spring 2016 Update)

FTFY




(now you see how I end up in hot water so often)

 

I didn't do a gotcha or anything like that. Just said I knew someone who had brought a beer in December and it was ok at the time. Mentioned what I was thinking of bringing (AA El Cuatro or LPF), that id also have something there and said the other five people in my party would be doing wine and cocktails. Finished it up with understanding if this is policy and/or state law and that I respect that.

Got a really nice response and they're checking with the sommelier to see if they can allow it.

 

Heard back from Canlis. They're fine with large format beer bottles, but don't want people bringing in 12 oz bottles.

 

Spent the weekend in Seattle after being up there for an interview on Thursday made a few stops that I haven't made on previous visits.

Made the usual rounds at Chucks and Brouwers. Went to Flying Bike first because it was right by my friends house who I was staying with. Chill taproom, beers were ok. I got their Best Bitter and my friend got Equinox, both were ok. Also tried their gruit.

First visit to Fremont since they've remodeled and it looks quite good. Had their pilsner, it was great for sitting out in on a sunny Friday afternoon. Lucky enough I was there before the... well it wasn't packed, just pretty busy. After that walked to Cloudburst; that on the other hand... I got there right at 4:50pm on a Friday afternoon, so it was filled to the gills. Cool brewery, I actually really like the feel. My friends and I got Happy Little Clouds, Vibes & Stuff, and Jump Sturdy. All were good, they definitely are good with their hops.

Saturday went to Holy Mountain... god damn. That is a very stylish nice basic taproom; beers were great and great priced. My friend got Kiln & Cone and Dawnbreaker while I got... things with more complicated names. Suniver? A white wine barrel aged saison which was stupid good. And... something I don't remember the name of, foudre aged brett farmhouse? Also really good. After trying my friends beer I really wished I could've got a growlette of Dawnbreaker for a bbq we did later that night but settled for Kiln & Cone (which isn't much settling). Then made a stop at Rooftop brewing because it was near my friends gf's house. Beer was alright; I got a pilsner, my friend got a CDA, and his gf got coffee pale ale on nitro. Liked the coffee pale the most. Sat outside on the roof area in the sun which was nice.

Overall: Holy Mountain god damn, Cloudburst pretty damn good, Fremont same as it ever was, and everything else solid.

Question: My friends roommate wanted to go up to Lantern Brewing on Sunday but ended up going fishing instead and were to lazy to do it after she left, did I miss out?

 

I've yet to hit up Lantern's taproom. I bought a bottle of their pale years ago at the Phinney farmers market back when they were still figuring things out.

 

Interesting. I just made my first trip to Rooftop since they moved to their current location. I too tried the pilsner, which I should mention is not actually a pilsner but a pilsner style ale. I thought it was just "ok" at first but by the end of the pint it had grown on me. The Gateway Pale was actually really tasty. If you make it back there, definitely give it a try.

Next time you visit, go check out Seapine. I really loved their lagers and their Positron IPA is delicious.

As far as Flying Bike goes, Kevin is a very talented brewer and I dig a lot of his stuff, but some of the FB brews can be hit and miss. He's done some fantastic pale ales in the Pale Hoppy Thing series, especially on cask.

Lantern in my experience is also hit and miss. The best beer I've had from them is the triple. I dug some of the stuff the first time I visited, but the second I found much of it barely mediocre. I hate saying that because the guy that runs the place is very nice. Who knows though, I was so thoroughly unimpressed last time (which was at least a year ago) that we haven't been back.

 

Wow, 2nd page? Well bump and...

Does anyone know of a good hefe or amber available in Seattle in kegs? Preferable from a Seattle brewery or at least Washington.

My friend I stayed with asked me if I knew any breweries that keg hefes/ambers with good availablity for his kegerator for a backyard bbq he's doing soon and wants to please all the people and admittedly it's not something I keep my ear to the ground about.

 

I have no clue. I thought maybe Chuckanut did a Hef, but apparently they don't. A keg of Pyramid Hef must be super easy to get. Lots of WA breweries do ambers. Maybe Georgetown's Chopper or Mac n Jack African Amber? Silver City Ridgetop Res, Elysian's Men's Room Red, Snoqualmie's PGA.

Still clueless as to mass produced WA hefs. This is gonna drive me nuts, so I'll research it.

 

i've never had a WA hef by anyone but Pyramid. i think stoup makes one, and they do kegs-to-go.

 

Stoup does make one, but I'm not sure how often it's made. Ice Harbor has a tangerine Hef and Ravenna Brewing makes a peach Hef that I really like. Iron Horse does High Five Hef. That shouldn't be hard to get.

Really surprised Chuckanut doesn't do a Hef.

Also, with the advent of cloudy juice IPAs, what about crazy hoppy hefs? Yes? No? Awesome idea? Worst idea ever?

 

Hoppy wheat beers are great - new glarus owns that. Gumballhead, too. Not hefs, but close enough

 

Gumballhead is my favorite FFF beer. Kinda surprised we haven't seen someone do a juice/Hefeweizen hybrid. Even if it is a terrible idea.

 

How about Hales' El Jefe?

 

Not quite the same, but the COBW Beer this year is a cloudy tropical wheat IPA.

 

I haven't had it in a few years, so there's a caveat, but Anacortes Brewing made a very nice Hefe. Lots of banana and clove. They self-distribute, so it might be worth giving them a call or Email and checking it out.

I posted this very question on FB a few week ago. There's 9 breweries in Bellingham, and not one makes a hefe or Wit. Kulshan does make a Pale Wheat, Dude Man Wheat, that's pretty nice, but that's it. C'mon WA brewers, step up your wheat game!

 

How about:

 

Black Raven makes a Kellerweiss that's pretty nice.

 

Black Raven has a new hefeweizen that's currently on tap: http://www.blackravenbrewing.com/Beerfolio/sunbird-american-hefeweizen

It's listen as taproom-only, so won't help the person looking for a keg of it.

 

Seapine makes a German Hef