My wife and I are heading to Bellingham to visit some friends later this month. Aside from Structures what breweries should I try to visit? Any other suggestions for bottle shops or beer centric restaurants?
I would think Wander, Aslan and Boundary Bay as well, but will of course defer to @BBThunderbolt's expertise. Terry?
Check out Garden Path Fermentation in Burlington. They have a particularly impressive selection in the bottle shop, and their beers are really enjoyable if you're into mixed fermentation beers.
Taproom too, their website is quite up to date. They released their 3rd anniversary beer a few weeks back, a fantastic lightly smoked wild ale with tayberries. It shouldn't work but it does, magnificently !
Well, a lot depends on what your looking for. If you're in love with the murkbombs, Structures is the leader in town for those. Wander is, IMHO, the best brewery in town: a wide variety of styles, all well made. Otherlands is only a year old but nails Saisons and rustic Lagers. Chuckanut is the yardstick that all other NW, and I've made the argument before even national, lager brewesr are judged by. Boundary Bay, at almost 26 years old, is the senior statesman of breweries in town, does 'classic' and new styles, and has one of the busiest restaurants in town, for good reason. Both Gruff and Stones Throw are funky little breweries with personality. Maybe their beers aren't the hottest ticket in town, but are enjoyable, especially when in Gruffs huge outdoor area overlooking the bay, or in one of STs little nooks and crannies. A road trip out SR 542 (Mount Baker Highway) to visit Nooksack Falls and (if the road is open by the time you visit) Artists Point is a must, especially when combined with a stop at the North Fork Brewery, Pizzeria, Beer Shrine, and Wedding Chapel. Eric, the brewer out there, is doing fine and funky stuff with the native Deming bugs. A day trip south to Skagit County is recommended. You really, really want to go to Deception Pass, thoroughly stunning. The above mentioned Garden Path is a must-hit ( the owners used to work at a brewery in Texas you might have heard of, Jester King), and is just down the street from Chuckanut's South Nut spot. Anacortes Brewing/Rockfish Grill in Anacortes has some of my favorite brewery food ever (you want either the Porter Onion burger or one of their pizzas). Downtown Mount Vernon now has a nice little 5 brewery cluster, with 2 more (Farmstrong and North Sound) just outside of town. Back to The City of Subdued Excitement. As is typical in the PNW, you're going to have to work to avoid good beer, just go to whichever restaurant strikes your fancy, and you'll be fine. For casual eats, Juxt has a nice rotating taplist, and fried cheese curds. We really only have a single bottle shop, Elizabeth Station, and it fills its niche nicely. They don't have a tasting room, but keep an eye peeled out for Atwood Ales, from Blaine. A true farmhouse brewery, using stuff they grow, and wild Blaine yeast. If you make it to Birch bay, check out Beach Cat, only about a year old as well. If you have more questions, feel free to ask. Also, hit me up, I'd be happy to meet ya for a beer, schedules allowing. Enjoy your visit!
Hey, all you faithful NW BAs, this post by @BBThunderbolt (I first wrote @Beertunes, because it takes me a while to adjust) is a reminder of how invaluable he is. What a great summary of beer, food, and Whatcom/Skagit geography. He should get a free beer or two from all the establishments he mentions. And, @dbhammel, do make time in your schedule to have a beer with Terry. It's part of the Bellingham experience.
I want to go back to Washington now just to have a beer with @BBThunderbolt . Having visited Bellingham and Anacortes several years ago on vacation, many of those names are forever seared in my brain as being absolutely fantastic places worth patronizing
I hit the like button for this post of course, but that's really not sufficient. What @VashonGuy stated can't be over emphasized as good advice. If you can, make time to have a beer or three with Terry.
Thanks for this incredible write up. I'm very much interested in mixed culture and farmhouse style beers and really intrigued by your recommendations. I'll share this info with our friends and be in touch about sharing a beer!
We'll be in Bellingham 6/27 through 7/2. Then in Seattle the night of the 2nd and **probably** Portland or Oregon coast until the 5th.
Spending two nights in Bellingham next week for some heat relief. Definitely want to do Chuckanut Drive and Deception Pass. Considering Whatcom Falls depending on temps. Will probably score some WCIPAs in Seattle on the way up, but also want to check out some Bellingham breweries with the best food and views.
The food at Otherlands is pretty good despite being vegetarian. I love their pierogis and falafel. Their beer is fantastic too. Can't recommend the place enough. The only brewery with a view worth mentioning would be Gruff (can't say I'm a big fan of their beer). Stone's Throw is in a cool spot but sort of like Gruff I'm not a fan of their beer. Last time I was there it was so bad I left my pint three quarters of the way full and bailed.
Yeah, none of the breweries really have "views". Gruff's beer garden is the best of a limited field, but you look as much at industry as you do water and islands. Whatcom Falls is a nice, in-town day hike. Take a WTA bus out to Bloedel-Donovan park on Lake Whatcom, and walk the trail through the park, back into town. The trail will take you right to Wander and Chuckanut. Hit me with a message, maybe we can grab a beer!
Taking the family up to Glacier to hang out by Mount Baker next week. Thanks for the info in this thread! Will try to visit Structures and Chuckanut on the way up to load up on some drinkable goods.. otherwise, will make do with the Wayfinder I bring up.
