Washington Trip

Discussion in 'Northwest' started by LeRose, Jul 17, 2017.

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  1. LeRose

    LeRose Grand Pooh-Bah (4,423) Nov 24, 2011 Massachusetts
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I am headed to Washington this upcoming Sunday and will be ending up near Westport/Aberdeen for two weeks of work. Flying in to Seattle.

    What I am looking for is some place between Seattle and Aberdeen to stock the fridge for the two weeks - I haven't been to the area in a long while but I don't recall many places in Aberdeen to buy bottled beer. So something easy on/easy off the highway in between the two locations would be great, or any suggestions in the Aberdeen area.

    Thanks much!
     
    #1 LeRose, Jul 17, 2017
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  2. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    The Tacoma BevMo is right off of I-5, if convenience is your biggest concern. If you're not familiar with them, they're very similar to Total Wine stores you have back East. It's not the best place to go to if you're trying to find a limited release beer from Holy Mountain or Fremont, but if you're just looking for a place to stock up on decent local APA's or IPA's, they should do just fine for you. If you want something a bit more interesting than that, then I would recommend Pint Defiance. It'll take a bit more work to get over there from I-5, but you still won't have to go too far out of your way to get there. Their selection is considerably superior to what you'll find at BevMo (IMHO).

    I haven't been to Aberdeen in some time, but the beer selection still sucked the last time I was out that way. The local grocery store there will likely have stuff from Stone, Sierra Nevada and Deschutes (I would think) and the like, but probably not much more than that. If it were me, I would stock up in Tacoma before heading out to Aberdeen.
     
    #2 John_M, Jul 17, 2017
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  3. LeRose

    LeRose Grand Pooh-Bah (4,423) Nov 24, 2011 Massachusetts
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks - that is what I am looking for being unfamiliar with the area and getting in a bit late on a Sunday. I don't want to go an hour out of my way - need to be in the plant ready to go early the next morning and I am a lousy traveler until I get settled. Definitely looking for things I can't get at the home base, and Pint Defiance looks easily do-able and they are open late!
     
    #3 LeRose, Jul 17, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2017
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  4. distantmantra

    distantmantra Pooh-Bah (2,954) May 23, 2011 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Pint Defiance is a great option. You could also supplement with a Total Wine (online inventory is accurate). There's actually a brewery in Aberdeen now, too.
     
    #4 distantmantra, Jul 17, 2017
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  5. itracy63

    itracy63 Savant (1,187) Apr 20, 2013 Washington

    First off, I'm a big fan of Pint Defiance, so it pains me a little to say this, but their lack of proximity to I-5 can be a deterrent. That being said, I stopped into Edison City Alehouse in Tacoma because they were one of the bottleshops involved with Instant Karma. They are way closer to I-5, and their tap list and bottle selection were fantastic. I think they fly under the radar which makes finding some of the more popular beers a little more likely. When I'm sure Instant Karma was flying off the shelves elsewhere, there were stacks of it at Edison and like two people there, after work.
     
    #5 itracy63, Jul 18, 2017
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  6. distantmantra

    distantmantra Pooh-Bah (2,954) May 23, 2011 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Does Edison have a large selection of bottles? I've never been, but always mean to check them out when I'm down south.
     
    #6 distantmantra, Jul 18, 2017
  7. NWer

    NWer Pooh-Bah (2,145) Mar 10, 2009 Washington
    Pooh-Bah

    Peaks & Pints in Tacoma has a good beer selection but not terribly convenient.
     
    #7 NWer, Jul 18, 2017
  8. itracy63

    itracy63 Savant (1,187) Apr 20, 2013 Washington

    Not as much as Pint Defiance, but way more than I was expecting and quality stuff too. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area.
     
    #8 itracy63, Jul 18, 2017
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  9. LeRose

    LeRose Grand Pooh-Bah (4,423) Nov 24, 2011 Massachusetts
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I am landing at SeaTac at 5:30 and have a couple hour drive to Westport according to The Google. I'll have to stop for food somewhere anyway. Pint Defiance looks to add about 20 minutes to that drive time - I assume with the GPS I can manage to not get terribly lost. Does that sound like an accurate detour time? On the other hand - could I reasonably stop at both? I've no interest in goin' whalin'...just would like to get some "normal" beer that doesn't come East. Open to suggestions there as well - what to look for, although I'm sure I can get guidance at the shops.
     
    #9 LeRose, Jul 18, 2017
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  10. LockeNess33

    LockeNess33 Initiate (0) Feb 2, 2016 Oregon

    I would also recommend Edison. I also stopped in here to pick up some Instant Karma on my way to Seattle. Quick and easy on/off with I-5 and their taplist and to-go selection was much better than I had anticipated. We were the only ones in there besides the owner so it was nice and quiet and the owner was a great guy and happily answered all of our questions about the area. Will definitely drop in again next time I'm in the area.
     
    #10 LockeNess33, Jul 18, 2017
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  11. itracy63

    itracy63 Savant (1,187) Apr 20, 2013 Washington

    Probably 20 minutes minimum, although I don't know what traffic looks like around there on Sunday. If you're just looking for normal beer, I'd just pick one or the other. Edison is just a nice choice when traffic sucks.
     
    #11 itracy63, Jul 18, 2017
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  12. LeRose

    LeRose Grand Pooh-Bah (4,423) Nov 24, 2011 Massachusetts
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks - I think I can play it by ear a bit. I can go to Edison first, see what's going on there, and if traffic blows, I can turn around and hop right back on the interstate and head west. Or I can loop around to Pint Defiance if traffic's light and I want to go further, then back to the highway that way - sort of backwards, but if one stop (Edison) does the trick I can save the time.
     
    #12 LeRose, Jul 18, 2017
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  13. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    On a Sunday, 20 minutes round trip sounds about right for PD. The time of evening you'll be coming through Tacoma, traffic shouldn't be too bad. With all the construction going on around I-705 and the Dome, there's almost always a bit of a snag on that part of I-5, but Sunday evening shouldn't be too bad.

    I've never been by the Edison City Alehouse, so I can't comment about it.
     
    #13 John_M, Jul 18, 2017
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  14. JonnyBeers

    JonnyBeers Savant (1,211) Oct 24, 2012 Canada (BC)

    Engine House No. 9 has lots of cool bottles for sale, last trip down to Oregon I stopped in and was blown away (helped that they had just had a De Garde release). Fridge at the front has all their own bottles, fridges at back have many nice guest beers. Only about 5mins off the I-5
     
    #14 JonnyBeers, Jul 20, 2017
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  15. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    While never having been to the Mothership, I am a huge fan of E9s beer, and grab bottles whenever I see 'em up here.
     
    #15 BBThunderbolt, Jul 20, 2017
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  16. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    You must go a special route I'm not familiar with. I've never been able to make it under 10 minutes, and depending what traffic is like on S. Cedar or Sprague (not to mention 6th avenue), it can often be considerably longer than that.

    That being said, E9 is great, though I'm not sure I'd recommend it as a pit stop for a can and bottle pick-up prior to heading over to Aberdeen. Also... I know you can buy the E9 brewery bottle stuff to go, but I was under the impression that the bottles back by the bar (the guest bottle beers) were for on premise consumption only.
     
    #16 John_M, Jul 20, 2017
  17. JonnyBeers

    JonnyBeers Savant (1,211) Oct 24, 2012 Canada (BC)

    I picked up at least 6 bottles that weren't E9 to go. Maybe I got lucky with traffic :slight_smile:

    Seems like a no brainer to stop at one of the best breweries in the state when you're visiting and driving pretty much right by it.
     
    #17 JonnyBeers, Jul 20, 2017
  18. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Good to know. They often have an absolutely killer guest bottle selection, with great on premise prices. If that's also the walk out price, then I guess I'd say the prices are a bit high, but given some of the bottles available (vintage HOTD stuff if memory serves, among other things), I'd still be pretty tempted by the selection.
     
    #18 John_M, Jul 20, 2017
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  19. woemad

    woemad Grand Pooh-Bah (5,601) Jun 8, 2003 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    You'll be passing through Olympia, where there's a Total Wine, a massive,corporate, Wal-Mart of alcohol type place: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/32239/?view=ratings
    Just be sure to check dates. This chain seems to hold old beer FOREVER.

    I was also going to recommend Gravity Beer Mart but they've apparently closed.

    If stopping for beer while passing through Oly, the hoary old East Side Club is always worth a visit. Just be sure to bring cash. Also, 3Magnets has a reputation as a great brewery, although I've been unable to verify this as I've yet to convince my brother to agree to go there whenever I visit him there.
     
    #19 woemad, Jul 23, 2017
  20. woemad

    woemad Grand Pooh-Bah (5,601) Jun 8, 2003 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Threadjacking follows:
    There's no Bevmo in Spokane but there's two TWs, and both hold onto old beer forever. How's BevMo in that regard?
     
    #20 woemad, Jul 23, 2017
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