Thanks to Washington Beer Blog for pointing this out: http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19951106&slug=2150971
Article's dated November 1995, close enough to 1996 I guess. 1995: "Washington has the third-highest number of microbreweries in the country, behind Oregon and California." 2013: We're number 2! We're number 2! 1990: 15 breweries 1995: 60 breweries 2013: ~180 breweries Pretty steady growth, all things considered. This is a great look back, thanks Terry. I was basically a Redhook/Pyramid guy by 1996 but it's nice to take a longer view once in a while.
I remember feeling like I was in brewery heaven when I moved to Seattle/Fremont back in 1999. I was super close to Redhook, Dad Watson's (McMenamins), Hales, and Maritime. Plus a new bottle shop called Bottleworks was just down the road in Wallingford.
I know... all that beer goes straight to the fingers. I haven't been able to get my wedding ring off in 3 years.
I was there! We had the Annual Beer Tasting @ the United Soccer Boosters' Convention in August 1997 in Tacoma. In December 1996, I used a free flight from Southwest Airlines to hit Seattle|Tacoma. Lots of great craftbeer. What I particularly remember was finding _bla-bla-bla_ {Widmer|Pioneer?} Whitecap Ale as a guest beer at Fire House #9 in Tacoma.
