Pacific Northwest Beer Chick

Breweries, Beers & Good Times

Tacoma finds his Wingman! May 31, 2012

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Trade,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Tacoma Breweries,Tacoma Pubs & Taverns,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 10:02 pm

The micro-brew family in Tacoma, WA just got a little larger. Wingman Brewing has been making and distributing their creations to local pubs and markets since April of 2011 but, alas, had no tasting room of their own. Flash forward one year to April 21st, 2012 to the opening of Wingman Brewing’s very own tasting room. Original brick walls surround the room and vintage-style Wingman posters are plastered on the walls. But the best part is the beer!

Falconer’s Flight Single Hop IPA (6.8% ABV) – Dark peach color. Belgian yeasty aroma. Great hop, nicely balanced. Crisp with smooth finish.

Ace IPA (7.4% ABV) – This one was my favorite. Mellow with aroma of grapefruit and flowers. Hoppy, but not too hoppy, with hints of caramel. Clean finish.

P-51 Porter (8.0% ABV) – Dark brown (almost black) color with a tan head. Rich chocolate and coffee aroma. Malty, creamy, and full of chocolate flavors. This is a nice sipping beer.

Belgian Double (8.4% ABV) – Thinner mouth feel than the others yet very sickening sweet. Dark brown color. Spice notes in the aroma and flavor with a slightly sour finish. This was an interesting beer, but too not one of my favorites.

Stratofortress (11.4% ABV) – Wingman took the Belgian Double and aged it in oak. Though much higher in alcohol than the Double, in this form it was much more drinkable. Slightly medicinal aroma. Sweet and sour taste with a malty balance. It’s amazing what a little oak can do!

As you can see Wingman is really into “big” beers. The alcohol does not go below 6% ABV. It’s my hope they will look to brew something lower in ABV that won’t cause the casual drinker to lose their faculties after one pint.  A nice wheat, pale ale or pilsner perhaps (hint, hint).

The tasting room is huge! There is a lot of seating around the bar but a lot of open space that could be utilized for more seating. But hey, they just opened. They may have more great plans for the tasting room in the works. Wingman does not prepare food but the New Frontier Lounge down the street will be more than happy to deliver pizza right to the taproom door. The taproom is open Thursday through Saturday from 2:00pm-11:00pm.

 

Cheers!

Liz

www.wingmanbrewers.com

 

 

2012 Gig Harbor Beer Festival May 21, 2012

Filed under: beer,Beer Festivals,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Seasonal beers,Summer Beers,Washington beer,Washington State Micro Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 9:12 pm

Last weekend the beer Gods truly smiled on me. The sky was blue, the temperature was perfect, and the first annual Gig Harbor Beer Festival was held less than a block from my home! Who could ask for anything more? As usual, for the sake of length I will share my top favorites of the day.

Local Logger Lager (Everybody’s Brewing, White Salmon, WA) – 4.8% ABV The best beer of the event! Clean and crisp with a honey sweetness. Saaz and Golden hops create a light hoppiness that does not overpower the sweetness. Golden Grahams cereal came to mind immediately. A truly delicious beer!

Hulaweizen (7 Seas Brewery, Gig Harbor, WA) – 5.6% ABV A very different beer for this brewery. A lovely wheat beer brewed with coconut water and lemon grass. The pungent sourness of the lemongrass really comes through balancing out the sweetness of the coconut. I really hope 7 Seas makes this beauty one of their permanent beers!

Dog Zebra (Valholl Brewing, Poulsbo, WA) – Wonderfully hoppy beer! This lovely IPA had a lot of great citrus flavors and bite. The aroma was like walking through a grapefruit orchard. Wish I had more!

Agate Pass Amber (Hood Canal Brewery, Kingston, WA) – 5.5% ABV Fruity and hoppy, this well-balanced beer had notes of honey and pears. Not too sweet, not too hoppy. Great beer for a hot summer day.

Autumn Scotch (Der Blokken Brewery, Bremerton, WA) – 7% ABV I love scotch ales, but this one takes the cake! Thick, malty and sweet, Autumn Scotch has an unusual butterscotch aroma and flavor. The body is more on the fuller side and the finish has a “candy-like” sweetness. This is a great beer for kicking back and relaxing.

The festival, for the most part, was very well-organized. Unfortunately, the organizers seem to have made the same mistake most first time festival organizers make and misjudged the expected attendance. Most of the brewers were out of beer by 4:00 and the festival still had three hours to go! The use of available space for the festival goers was another issue. The festival surrounded a huge gazebo that had tons of shade. This area was blocked off and not assessable to the festival goers and instead used to store boxes of t-shirts and the token booth (1 guy, 1 table). We were forced to squeeze into what little shade we could find and had to stand as there we no chairs or tables anywhere. I also feel this would have been a great opportunity for the surrounding restaurants to have a small food cart or something in the area. Instead festival goers had to leave the festival, walk to the restaurants, and wait for over an hour for food.

I had a great time and, of course, the beer was the best part. With a few tweaks, Gig Harbor should have a heck of a festival next year!

Cheers!

Liz

www.7seasbrewing.com

www.everybodysbrewing.com

www.hoodcanalbrewery.com

www.valhollbrewing.com

www.derblokken.com

 

 

 

Coming Soon: Wingman Brewing’s new tasting room, Gig Harbor Beer Festival, and some new summer beer releases! May 16, 2012

Filed under: beer,Beer Festivals,breweries,Craft Beer Trade,Micro brew,Oregon Brewers,Oregon Micro Breweries,Pacific Northwest Beer,Seasonal beers,Seattle Beer,Summer Beers,Tacoma Breweries,Washington beer,Washington State Micro Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 10:42 am
 

A little bit of summer in every box… May 1, 2012

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Trade,Seasonal beers,Summer Beers — pnwbeerchick @ 10:04 pm

I have been a big fan of the Boston Beer Company since I began my beer journey twenty years ago. Though many beer enthusiasts may feel Samuel Adams is too commercial or popular for their taste I personally feel it is still one of the best craft breweries in the country. Yes, it is a larger brewery and quite popular. But does that mean the beer is no longer good? Absolutely not! Boston Beer Company has proven time and time again that it is still one of the top craft brewers in the country. And it’s this commitment to excellence that once again shines through on this year’s summer seasonal releases.

I picked up a case of Samuel Adams’ summer seasonal beers and will definitely go back for more. The pack contains a variety of six different beers (2 of each beer): Belgian Session, Summer Ale, East-West Kölsch, Cherry Wheat, Noble Pils, and of course the flagship Boston Lager. While I love all of them I decided to focus on four of the summer releases.

Belgian Session – Strong banana clove and spice aroma. Medium body mouth feel but not heavy. Brewed with Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble hops and American Ahtanum hops creating notes of flowers, honey and toffee linger and the finish is sweet but not sugary. This is a lovely Belgian-style beer.

Summer Ale – Crisp and lightly hopped. Lemon peel and the rare African pepper, Grains of Paradise, are used in this pretty beer.  Orange blossoms, honey, and fresh oranges dominate but this is no “chick beer.” The finish is clean and snappy. Light to medium bodied.

East-West Kölsch   – Jasmine up the wazoo! This floral beauty is brewed with jasmine flowers, cloves, and plenty of hops. Yeast, hoppy and sweet this Kölsch finishes on a spicy note. This is an incredible beer. But, again, definitely not a chick beer!

Cherry Wheat – This gem has been an overall favorite of mine for close to twenty years and one of the reasons I look forward to summer! I’m serious!! Brewed with fresh Michigan cherries, the aroma and taste is just incredible. There is no mistaking the fruit but it is true fruit flavor and does not have that weird “fakeness” that one sometimes sees in fruit beers.  I have a hard time just drinking one.

Most major grocery stores carry the Samuel Adams Summer Variety Pack. If you are one of those folks that feel Samuel Adams is too commercial all I ask is that you give it another shot. Remember, Jim Koch was one of the first “micro-brewers” just starting out. He just happened to produce a great product that became successful. After all, isn’t’ that why anyone starts up their own business?

 

Cheers!

Liz

www.samueladams.com

 

 

Upcoming event… April 25, 2012

Filed under: beer,Beer Festivals,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Seasonal beers,Washington beer,Washington State Micro Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 10:44 pm

 

WHEN: Saturday, May 12th, 2012.

TIME:  Noon-7:00pm

WHERE: Uptown Gig Harbor Pavilion (4701 Pt. Fosdick Dr.)

ATTENDING BREWERIES:

  • 7 Seas Brewery
  • American Brewing Company
  • Der Blokken Brewery
  • Dicks Brewing Company
  • Everybody’s Brewing
  • Harmon  Brewing Co.
  • Hood Canal Brewery
  • Port Townsend Brewing Co.
  • Silver City  Brewery
  • Sound Brewery
  • Valholl Brewing Company

Pre-sale tickets are $20 or $25 the day of the event. Admission includes a 2012 commemorative taster cup and eight taster tokens. 21+ up only. You can purchase tickets through the festival website, www.gigharborbeerfestival.com or from www.brownpapertickets.com.

I will definitely be there!

Cheers!

Liz

 

Texas summer in the PNW! April 22, 2012

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Trade,Micro brew,Seasonal beers,Summer Beers — pnwbeerchick @ 7:59 pm

Summer in the PNW cannot come soon enough! Luckily the summer seasonals are already churning out. And apparently a little brewery in Texas knows what summer should taste like. I have been a huge fan of Spoetzl Brewery’s Shiner Bock for years. Well, I happened upon a new concoction released for summer. Shiner Ruby Redbird is a wonderful citrus seasonal brewed with Texas Ruby Red grapefruit juice and fresh ginger. The grapefruit flavor is not the hoppy kind, but the sweet, juicy kind. The ginger sweetens ups the tart of the grapefruit by adding a light pungent character creating a very well-balanced, flavorful beer. Mt. Hood, Citra and Cascade hops along with Munich malt give a little extra kick and texture to this lovely crisp beer. The finish is clean and sweet and at 4% ABV it is perfect for the hot summer days.

So next time you’re sitting in your fold up chair with your feet in the kids wading pool, don’t forget to grab one of Shiner’s finest. It’s a great start to a lovely, hot summer.

Cheers!

Liz

www.shiner.com

 

 

Upcoming event: Hand Truckin’ @ Latona April 16, 2012

Filed under: beer,Beer Festivals,breweries,Earth Day,Pacific Northwest Beer,Seattle Beer,Washington beer,Washington State Micro Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 7:08 pm

Local Brewery and Pub Toast Earth Day with Ten Mile Hand Truckin’ Event

Two Dozen Volunteers Trek Beer From SODO to Green Lake to Promote Neighborhood Walkability

Event Name: Hand Truckin’ @ Latona

Venue: Latona Pub; 6423 Latona Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98115

Description: A unique Earth Day celebration for beer lovers and supporting a more walkable community. Enjoy a beer and socialize with walking enthusiasts, pedestrian advocates and craft brew lovers. This event benefits Feet First, the only organization in Washington working to ensure there are walkable communities across the state. Your ticket gets you a Feet First pint glass and a big frothy mug of Two Beer’s limited edition Hand Truckin’ Wheat Ale. Prior to the event, volunteers will transport the ale 10 miles on foot from SODO to Greenlake in order to make this a zero-carbon event (call to be part of the great beer hike). Hand Truckin’ Wheat Ale is a bright-colored draft with a soft, slightly fruity aroma that is both brisk and refreshing. This beer is a tribute to people powered beer transportation, Mother Earth, and Feet First’s continued efforts to save lives, improve health, and expand economic growth in Washington.

 

When: April 22, 2012 (Earth Day). 2pm- 4:30 pm (there will be a press event with speakers and photo op at 2:20pm)

Price: $20

Tickets Website: http://feet-first.ticketleap.com/two-beers-a-pub-and-a-nonprofit/

Contact Name: Lee Warnecke

Contact Email: lee@feetfirst.org

Contact Phone: 206.652.2310 ext 4

Visuals: (Image: http://feetfirst.info/KegsAlongBGTrail.jpg ) The unveiling of the Feet First Chicken, the organization’s new mascot designed by staff at Seattle Central Community College’s Apparel Design program. Dozens of volunteers hand trucking kegs on foot from SODO to Green Lake. Friends and neighbors celebrating Earth Day by enjoying a glass of hand trucked ale at Latona Pub.

 

This event is sponsored by Feet First, Latona Pub, Two Beers Brewing Company and Immersus Tours. For the past ten years, Feet First has worked to ensure that all communities in Washington State are walkable. Walking is a vital transportation mode that connects communities, reduces pollution, improves health and physical fitness, and allows people to explore their natural environment.
 

My Beer Vacation – Part 3 April 12, 2012

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Port Townsend,Seattle Beer,Washington beer,Washington State Micro Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 7:45 pm

A lovely drive north on the Olympic Peninsula will take you to the gorgeous seaside town of Port Townsend, WA. Port Townsend is the perfect getaway for lovers of Victorian architecture and all things nautical. It’s also a fantastic spot for some tasty beer.  But first, a short history lesson.

Port Townsend is a step back into time. Founded in 1851, the town’s physical appearance has changed very little over the last 120 years. Gorgeous Victorian buildings line the

Manresa Castle

Manresa Castle

downtown area and amazing Victorian homes (AKA “painted ladies”) peer down from the cliffs just behind the main street. You can stay in one of the historic hotels located on the main street or you can do what hubby and I did and stay just a few blocks away at Manresa Castle. Yes, there is a castle in Port Townsend! Built in 1892, it was the hill-top home of Port Townsend’s first mayor and his wife: Charles and Kate Eisenbeis.  Jesuit priests bought the home in 1927 and used it as a training college. Today it is a hotel lovingly restored and   gorgeously decorated in period antiques and photos of Port Townsend’s past. One can’t help but want to explore every nook and cranny of the grand old house. As with most old structures, Manresa Castle is rumored to be haunted. I was so looking forward to encountering a spirit. Alas, not this time.

Just down the hill in the ship yard sits Port Townsend Brewing Company. Opened in 1997, the brewery has become the pride of the town. And it’s no wonder why! The tasting room is very large and quite elegant. And boy do they have a lot of beer. I enjoyed the taster tray but was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of beer served; twelve tasters on the tray! Instead of describing every one of them I will pick out my favorites.

Port Townsend Brewing

Chet’s Gold (4.3% ABV) – the lightest beer in the joint. Very crisp, light hops, slightly sweet and finishes clean. Great for a hot day.

Bitter End IPA (6% ABV) – Gold color. Hoppy aroma and full body hop character. Grapefruit notes all the way through. Very tasty.

Hop Diggity IPA (6% ABV) – For an IPA this popular beer has a malty body. Hoppy but easy for the beginning  IPA drinker to enjoy. Lovely grapefruit finish.

Planet Zythos Pale (6.8% ABV) – Unfiltered, hoppy, and well-balanced. Another great beer for the beginner to give a try, but the enthusiast will enjoy as well.

Straight Stout (6% ABV) – For the chocolate fans, this one’s for you! Ink black color and light tan head. Chocolate aroma with smooth, chocolate, malty body and finish.

It was very hard to choose just a few of Port Townsend Brewing’s beers to talk about because they were all great. The tasting room is open Tuesday through Saturday. During warmer weather they open the grassy beer garden and feature live music.

Sirens

Making a right onto Hwy 20 will take you to the middle of the town’s main drag. Located on the second floor of one of the Victorian buildings is Sirens: A Pub of Distinction. I would

describe Sirens as a mix of gypsy den and antique store. There is outside seating and a gorgeous view of the Puget Sound. Sirens has a great beer selection (11 brews on tap and various bottled beers) and the food in incredible. The staff is very friendly and there is live music on occasion so be sure and check their schedule.

Port Townsend is a town full of maritime and Victorian history. Great for an overnight stay or a romantic weekend getaway, I would suggest anyone to stop through at least once. There aren’t too many towns like this left!

Cheers!

Liz

www.porttownsendbrewing.com

www.manresacastle.com

www.sirenspub.com

 

My Beer Vacation – Part 2 April 9, 2012

Filed under: beer,breweries,McMenamins Brewery,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,WA — pnwbeerchick @ 8:33 pm

The next leg of my beer vacation took me to the sleepy little town of Centralia, WA. What’s in Centralia you ask? McMenamins Olympic Club, that’s what! What is the Olympic Club? A gym? Ok, enough of the questions. The Olympic Club is a historic hotel located in old downtown Centralia. Built in 1908 and renovated in 1913, the Olympic Club has spent the last century reinventing its self and, as with most old hotels, has a colorful history. Spending most of its life as the Oxford Hotel, it was known as a gentlemen’s club, a pool hall and, of course, there are even tales of a brothel. Today it serves as a 27 room hotel with a full service restaurant, two bars, pool hall, and movie theater.

McMenamins Brewery bought the club in 1997 and lovingly restored it to the impressive retreat it is today. Now I could go on all day about McMenamins Brewery and their commitment to salvaging PNW history one building at a time but I will save that for a later article…back to The Olympic Club. Now if you have never been to a McMenamins establishment you are in for a treat. Except for the name change the Olympic Club has remained virtually unchanged over the last 100 years, right down to the Tiffany-style stained glass light fixtures and Belgian crystal to the ceramic tile floors and antique cash register. In fact, if you take a stroll through the building you will see many photos of The Olympic Club and the city of Centralia over the last century. The adjoining restaurant is kid friendly and more of the original establishment lurks in every corner. In the connecting pool hall you can choose your “stick” and play a few games on the original century old pool tables.

Down the hall you will find McMenamins movie theater. You can cuddle up on any of the love seats or choose a comfy chair and enjoy one of the latest releases. Food and drink are very welcome in the theater and they will even bring it to you when you order from the bar. Kid friendly matinees show during the day and the latest blockbusters begin showing in the early evening. Live bands also grace the theatre so check the club’s schedule for performances.

Up the creaky old stairs the hotel’s spirits greet guests in photo and art. McMenamins artists preserve the history of the club by whimsically illustrating stories on the walls. Each guest room is named for and tells a story of a different character in the clubs history. Guest room prices depend on bed preference: queen beds or bunk beds. Trust me… it’s great fun reliving childhood by sleeping in a bunk bed! One thing I must warn you about, if you are not a fan of European style restrooms (shared restrooms) then this hotel may not be for you. Only one of the guest rooms, the King Suite, has a private bathroom so you may want to check far in advance for availability. But in all honesty my husband and I have stayed at the Olympic club MANY times and have never had a problem with unavailability of the shared bathrooms.

Now you are probably thinking “Liz, this is all great, but where does the beer come in?” Glad you asked. McMenamins has been brewing beer since 1985 and is exclusive only to McMenamins pubs, hotels and restaurants. You can drink beer anywhere in Olympic Club including the hotel and theatre. What’s on tap? One of my favorites is also one of McMenamins most popular beers: Ruby. Not too sweet Ruby is brewed with 42lbs of Oregon grown raspberry puree. This Raspberry ale is crisp, light bodied, and fruity and a great beer for warmer weather but also enjoyable no matter what time of year you visit. Hammerhead is McMenamins top-selling beer and it’s not hard to see why. This lovely pale ale is brewed with Cascade hops and crystal malt creating an incredibly hoppy aroma and flavor but finishing very smooth.  For those of you looking for something a bit darker I would recommend the Terminator Stout. The black beauty is full-bodied and toasty with flavors of coffee and dark chocolate. I enjoy this one on the Olympic Club back patio next to the fire pit. The Olympic Club has seasonal beers on tap so always ask the bartender what’s new. McMenamins also owns a winery and a distillery creating some pretty potent spirits.

Tickets to the movie theater and access to the pool tables are free to hotel guests. I love the Olympic Club. One could spend the day browsing through the nearby antique stores or playing pool in the pool hall. It’s a great way to spend an evening or even a long weekend.

Cheers,

Liz

www.mcmenamins.com

 

For those of you serious about the craft beer industry,….. March 24, 2012

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Trade,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,WA — pnwbeerchick @ 9:51 am

   I received this publication from Valerie Chapman-Stockwell of Central Washington University.

                                                                                  

CWU’s Craft Beer Trade Certificate Responds to Industry Needs

March 24, 2012

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Central Washington University is one of a very small number of universities in the nation to offer an academic program about beer. The Craft Beer Trade Certificate is open to individuals 21 years or older who are interested in craft beer brewing and the craft beer industry. Launched in 2010, the goal of the program is to prepare students for careers in this important and growing Washington industry.

Craft beer is an important part of Washington’s economy. The state has more than 120 breweries, ranking second in the nation only to California in that category. Overall, the brewing industry is responsible for about 100,000 jobs in the United States. That means CWU’s certificate program produces highly sought-after graduates.

“One of our major challenges is finding new employees with the knowledge and skill set we need to staff our growing businesses,” says Dan Lee, owner of Odin Brewing Company in Seattle. “The CWU craft beer program is helping us meet that need by preparing qualified applicants for the job market.”

With an advisory board of industry professionals from companies such as Hop Union, Northwest Brewing News, Hale’s Ales, Diamond Knot, and other well-known Washington breweries, the program is geared toward industry needs. The board provides important feedback and direction to CWU faculty, ensuring that the program stays current and provides students with skills and knowledge that the industry is looking for.

Along with math and chemistry prerequisites, students in the certificate program must complete four courses (16 credits) to receive the certificate: Brewing Microbiology, Principles of Malting and Brewing, Merchandising Management for Micro Brewing, and Brew Process Technology. The program includes lectures, laboratory work, field trips, industry speakers, brewing, and tasting components. Most students can expect to complete the program in less than a year, graduating with a well-rounded knowledge of brewing and the craft beer industry.

In 2011, A.J. Keagle, a senior recreation and tourism major from Selah, was among the first to receive the certificate. ”In the courses, we explored not only the science and the equipment used in brewing, but also the business side of the industry,” he said. “I’d like to open my own brewery someday, and this program has given me opportunities that I would otherwise not have had.”

Last year’s program graduates are already working in the industry, and the second wave will graduate this spring.

The Craft Beer Trade Certificate program is a collaboration of CWU’s Office of Continuing Education and the departments of Biology, Industrial & Engineering Technologies, and Information Technology and Administrative Management.

For more information visit http://www.cwuce.org/beer_education or e-mail pangrazi@cwu.edu.

Media Contact: Franklin Pangrazi, CWU Office of Continuing Education, 509-963-1563, pangrazi@cwu.edu

Valerie Chapman-Stockwell, CWU Public Affairs, 509-963-1518, valeriec@cwu.edu

Cheers!

Liz