Pacific Northwest Beer Chick

Breweries, Beers & Good Times

Fly the friendly skies with Airways Brewing Company January 7, 2012

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Uncategorized,WA,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 5:15 pm

What does one do when one has a love of 1960’s aviation and a passion for beer? Just ask Alex Ditmar, owner and head brewer of Airways Brewing Company. Alex combined his two loves and created a unique micro-brewery in Kent, WA. Airways opened its doors in 2010 with a brewery and tap-room and in 2011 opened a second bistro location.

And the beer…oh boy…fasten your seatbelts!

Sky Hag IPA (7.8% ABV) – Airways most popular beer is also their best! Sky Hag has a dark, caramel color and a hoppy nose. Grapefruit hits the palate right off and has a lovely floral, hoppy finish.  Yummy!

Jet City ESB (5.5% ABV) – I love ESBs and this one does not disappoint. Caramel, hoppy aroma and a malty, bready mouth feel. It finishes sweet and clean. I love this beer!

First Class IPA (5.5 % ABV) – Dark honey color. Crisp, citrus notes with what I call a “back of the throat” hoppy finish. This is a lovely beer. It may be low in alcohol, but it is large in flavor!

Midnight Departure CDA (6.5% ABV) – Ink black color. Dark chocolate, coffee and molasses hit the palate. Nice toasty finish. Midnight Departure is definitely a sipper.

T-Tail Blonde (5.0% ABV) – this beer is currently on hold but I had the chance to try some beforehand. This blonde is sweet with pineapple notes and light hops. It’s sweet, malty, and finishes crisp and clean. Very nice beer for spring and summer. Fingers crossed it will come back out soon!

To spice things up a bit Airways brews special beers throughout the year. Recently tapped is their dry hopped Lavender ESB. But soon Captain Steve’s British Dark, Starliner Stout with raspberries, and the ever popular Über Hag IPA will join the gang so keep a look out.

Airways does not have a taster tray but don’t fret; they do sell 8oz pours for $2.50. Both locations are very warm and inviting and the photos on the walls attest to Alex’s love of all things old school aviation. At the tap-room, you can order food from Yukon Grill next door and bring it over to enjoy with your pint. The food at the bistro great and the flat bread pizza is to die for!!!

You may not be able to join the “mile high club” but throwing back one of these pints is the next best thing! And you won’t need to return your tray and seat to their upright positions.

Cheers!

Liz

www.airwaysbrewing.com

 

Coming Soon: Portland Holiday Ale Festival, Airways Brewing Co, Trade Route Brewing Co, and a couple of tasty 22oz brews. December 18, 2011

Filed under: beer,Beer Festivals,breweries,Holiday Ales,Micro brew,Oregon Brewers,Pacific Northwest Beer,Portland Holiday Ale Festival,WA,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 10:39 am
 

upcoming book signing in Seattle! November 24, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Tacoma Pubs & Taverns,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 10:58 am

AUTHOR CHRISTIAN DeBENEDETTI TO HOST

THE GREAT AMERICAN ALE TRAIL BOOK SIGNING PARTY

DURING PIKE BREWING COMPANY’S “MEET THE BREWER” NIGHT

SEATTLE, WA – On Thursday, December 1, from 4 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., author Christian DeBenedetti will join Head Brewer Dean Mochizuki at Pike Brewing Company (1415 First Avenue, 206-622-6044) for a beer tasting and book signing of DeBenedetti’s first book, The Great American Ale Trail: The Craft Beer Lover’s Guide to the Best Watering Holes in the Nation (Running Press; September 2011; Paperback; $20.00 US).

“The well-traveled beer enthusiast will be signing copies and talking all things ale alongside Pike’s head brewer, Dean Mochizuki and Pike Brewing owners, Charles and Rose Ann Finkel.   For the event, Mochizuki will be offering his Pike Double IPA, which has been dry hopped with summit hops, for $3.50 a glass.  In his book, DeBenedetti lists Pike Brewery as one of the “Best Watering Holes.”  Books will be available for purchase, and guests are also invited to bring their own copy if they have already bought one to have it autographed.  Following the meet-and-greet and signing, the event will feature live music from Atlas Stringband, and of course, plenty of great draught beer. ” – Jennie Hatton, Profile Public Relations

WHO:        Pike Brewing Company and author Christian DeBenedetti 

WHAT:      The Great American Ale Trail Book Signing Event

WHEN:     Thursday, December 1 from 4 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

WHERE:   1415 First Avenue, Seattle, WA

Cheers!

Liz

www.christiandebenedetti.com

www.pikebrewing.com

 

The Best of Tacoma (part 2) November 13, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Tacoma Breweries,Tacoma Pubs & Taverns,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 5:46 pm

Part two of my Best of Tacoma series starts off at a little hole in the wall just about five minutes up the road from the Parkway Tavern: Magoo’s Annex Ale House & Eatery. Located in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Tacoma and operating almost continuously since 1943, Magoo’s offers great microbrews, a nice pool table, and the best jukebox in the state of Washington! The Jam, Ramones’s, The Clash, -X-, and other alternative and punk rock legends are queued up to be played while you toss back some fine microbrews from around the country. Eclectic decor on the inside this is another great pub that gives a nod to Tacoma’s history and the microbrew beer culture. A bit more rough around the edges than the aforementioned pub in my last posting, but Magoo’s has an old school rustic charm about it that makes it laid back and cool, and the beer is really cold and fresh.

Changing the pace a bit I would like to take you down town to a little Irish pub I fell in love with the moment a crossed the threshold: Paddy Coyne’s Irish Pub on Pacific Ave. Paddy Coyne’s is not only one of my favorite Tacoma pubs, but it is one of my favorite pubs period. Warm and inviting dark wood-paneled walls and hand carved antique bar really gives me the feeling of being in a pub in dear old Ireland. The best Irish and English beer on tap a long with a couple of guest brews are always fresh. The best Irish and Scottish whiskeys line the back of the bar and are carefully guarded by the old souls carved into the back bar. If you are into rustic Irish pub food (Lord knows I am) then look no further. Traditional fish and chips, banger’s and mash, ploughman’s lunch, shepherd’s pie,  and other UK favorites are done up right and served up with fresh Irish soda bread. It’s a great place to visit on a cold, rainy day. The fireplace in the middle of the restaurant will always be on. Paddy Coyne’s has two other locations: Seattle and Bellevue.

So I know many of you are thinking about some great bars and pubs that were not mentioned. Let’s be honest, Tacoma is a potpourri of great bars, taverns and pubs. Talk to the locals, they know best where all of the hotspots are.

Cheers!

Liz

Magoo’s – 2710 N 21st St, Tacoma,WA 98406

www.paddycoynes.net

 

 

 

The Best of Tacoma (part 1) November 12, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Seattle Beer,Tacoma Pubs & Taverns — pnwbeerchick @ 10:29 pm

I often get asked “PNW Beer Chick, where are the great pubs in Tacoma?” Well kids, there are more than a few great places  to have a pint that are in ideal areas, have great atmosphere, and rotating taps. So I decided to write about them in two parts.

First on my list of the Best of Tacoma: Red Hot. If I were to own my own pub, the Red Hot would be it! Located on 6th Ave

Red Hot

in Tacoma, this retro pub has been featured on the Food Network. The inside is decorated with everything micro-brew and historical Tacoma. You won’t see a Budweiser flag in this joint! Awesome beers are constantly rotating both on tap and in the bottle. As for grub, who doesn’t love a hot dog? Red Hot offers the most unusual selection of hot dogs in town along with childhood favorites like Frito Pie and Moon Pies for desert. You haven’t lived until you have taken a bite of the brightest neon green relish ever made! Micro-brews such as Russian River, Dogfish Head, Stone, Hales, Rogue, Anchor Steam, Bear Republic and tons of others and constantly shuffling through so you are assured to get the freshest beer in town. Undecided about what type of beer you want? Just ask Justin, owner Chris, or any of the staff. These folks know their beer stuff! Red Hot is one of my favorite Tacoma hangouts.

Travel about five minutes up the road and turn left onto “I” St for the Park Way Tavern. Housed in a renovated Craftsman bungalow, the Parkway offers 30 rotating taps of the best micro-brews from around the world. The decor gives a nod to Tacoma’s
history and the micro-brew culture. In the back you can enjoy playing pool, air hockey, or take a load off in the zebra room with the corner fireplace. There is a patio out front for one to sit and enjoy the view of the gorgeous “painted ladies” in the neighborhood. The food is fresh and delicious. Try the chef salad, salmon burger, nachos or fresh quesadilla.  The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable about what they are pouring. There’s nothing like enjoying a beer in one of Tacoma’s prettiest historic neighborhoods.

Coming soon…part two of The Best of Tacoma.

Cheers! 

Liz

Information for Red Hot and Park Way Tavern can be found on Facebook.

 

Sayonara Summer! November 8, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer — pnwbeerchick @ 7:10 pm

In the Pacific Northwest autumn takes on a certain feel, smell and even taste. But have you ever experienced a Japanese autumn?  Thanks to Widmer Brewing you can now experience what autumn in the orient may taste like.

Widmer Brother’s Reserve Lemongrass Wheat Ale is a gorgeous ale brewed with fresh lemon grass and Muscat juice. It’s thick, sweet, but not too sweet, lightly spiced, and has an interesting resin mouth feel.  The lemongrass adds a slightly pungent tartness that mellows out the syrupy sweetness. Resembling a carbonated white or rice wine with a cider finish, this limited edition brew is sure to warm you up. And at 9% ABV I would suggest this ale as a nice after dinner beer or enjoy next to a warm fire on a crispy night.

 

Cheers,

Liz

www.widmerbrothers.com

 

 

Beer…the cure for what ‘ales’ you! October 13, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Poulsbo,Seattle Beer,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 9:21 pm

Feeling a bit under the weather last weekend I made the difficult decision to bow out of The Great Pumpkin Beer Fest. Instead,  I decided to take it easy and just visit a few breweries on the peninsula and see what they have in store for autumn.  After all, why let a little sniffle take me completely out of the game?

First stop was Hale’s Ales in Silverdale. I much prefer Hale’s location in Seattle. It just feels odd visiting an ale house in a
mall. Luckily once you’re inside the ale house that feeling goes away.  This month Hale’s is pouring O’Briens Harvest Ale. At 6.9% ABV this is just the warmer I needed to pep me up at bit. This ESB style ale is hoppy and crisp with a toasty finish. It has a
really pretty pumpkin orange color and essence of autumn leaves. Full-bodied and malty, O’Briens is just what the doctor ordered.  I followed up with the H.S.B. (Red Menace on nitro). This was a pretty beer. Smooth, creamy head and a malty
mouthfeel, I detected a hint of toffee. The finish is lightly hopped and very enjoyable.

Next stop was one of my favorite PNW breweries: Slippery Pig in Poulsbo. Now, I know this particular brewery is known for producing some crazy beers…but I think Hog Thai’d is their craziest one to date! And, at 9.5% ABV this baby packs a wallop. Ready for the ingredients? Glazed, smoked summer squash, toasted coconut, and zucchini. This beer starts out smoky and ends the same way. Hoppy, medium to full body with a touch of sweetness from the coconut, this baby would be worth a growler full! Also on tap was their Black Boar Hefe. I have never had a black hefeweizen. I’m talking this puppy is ink black. Black Boar is malty and full-bodied with a slightly sweet-tart finish. According to owner/brewer Dave, the wheat used in Black Boar is sautéed in a wok creating a lovely toasty element. Well done!

My last stop on my “Feeling A Bit Cruddy Tour” was Valhöll Brewing. I could hardly wait to try the brewery’s newest creation: Hop Fuk Wet Hop IPA. Beautiful Belgian lace floated elegantly above the amber-colored brew. Hop Fuk has a great hoppy aroma, starts out sweet and then pounds you in the face with an oily, full mouth feel. 7.6% ABV. I was very pleased.

I finished up with the very dark, very pretty Punkin Stouty. Served in a goblet, this elegant looking brew is strong (8.8% ABV) but easy to drink. Brewed with real pumpkin and spices, Punkin Stouty is malty, full-bodied and carried notes of brown sugar. Great little sipper.

So after a relaxing day at the breweries and about twelve hours of sleep, I was finally able to shake whatever it was that
ailed me. I guess beer really is the great “cure all.

 

Cheers!

Liz

www.halesbrewery.com

www.valhollbrewing.com

Information about Slippery Pig Brewery can be found on facebook.

 

Another Great Pacific Northwest Beer Festival: Anacortes Oktoberfest Bier on the Pier September 28, 2011

Filed under: beer,Beer Festivals,breweries,Pacific Northwest Beer,Seattle Beer,Tacoma Breweries,WA,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 1:40 pm

WHEN: October 7: 5PM-9PM & October 8: 12PM-6PM

WHERE: 1st & Commercial, Port Warehouse. Located on the pier over-looking the beautiful Guemes channel in Anacortes.

HOW MUCH: 2 day advance passes and single entry tickets  available online at Brown Paper Tickets.

  • 2 day advanced pass $35 plus 12 tasting tickets and festival glass—$45 at
    the door.
  • 1 day ticket $20 advanced plus 6 tasting tickets and festival glass—$25 at the door.
  • 1 day ticket sales begin August 15
  • 21 and older, must have ID

30 breweries will be pouring their finest for…2 days! The event will also feature live music and a variety of food vendors with festival style seating.

So many festivals…so little time!

Cheers!

Liz

www.anacortes.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elysian Brewing Company’s 2011 Great Pumpkin Beer Festival

Filed under: beer,Beer Festivals,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Pumpkin Beer,Seattle Beer,WA,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 1:07 pm

Hey kids! It’s that time of year again! Elysian Brewing Company will be holding their annual Great Pumpkin Beer Festival in their new location in Seattle’s Georgetown Neighborhood. Elysian will serve 11 of their own beers brewed just for the occasion and 50 guests beers will also be sporting their best. Linus would be so proud!

WHEN: OCTOBER 8-9, 2011
Sat. 10/8 from 12-10PM
Sun. 10/9 from 12-6PM
The Great Pumpkin is tapped at 4PM each day.

WHERE: 5510 Airport Way S., Seattle, WA 98108

HOW MUCH: $20 Presale and $25 at the door – includes souvenir pumpkin glass and 6 drink tickets. You can purchase tickets through Brown Paper Tickets, at any of Elysian’s pubs, or from Full Throttle Bottles.

ELYSIAN BEERS: Mr. Yuck Sour Pumpkin Ale, Night Owl, Great Pumpkin, Dark o’ the Moon Pumpkin Stout, Hansel and Gretel Ginger Pumpkin Pils, Coche de Medianoche (new!), Kürbitinus, PK-47 Pumpkin Malt Liquor, Headless Horsey (new!), Ursa Orange (new!) and another TBA. Elysian collaborations will also be poured: Kick Sour Cranberry Pumpkin Ale (New Belgium), Saison of the Witch (Tom Douglas) and Le Citrueille Celest de Citricado (Stone, The Bruery).

GUEST BREWERS: Silver City, Big Time, Rock Bottom, Ram, Schooner Exact, Fremont, Georgetown, Naked City, Black Raven, Snoqualmie, Elliott Bay, Pike, Anacortes, Rogue, Anderson Valley, Russian River, Allagash, Jolly Pumpkin, Avery, Cambridge, Iron Hill, Howe Sound, St. Arnold, Utah Brewers Collective, Nøgne Ø and more TBA!

 Food trucks will be on-site.

See you there!!!

Cheers,

Liz

info@elysianbrewing.com  or 206.860.3977

 

 

A Brewery Looks At 30 September 20, 2011

Filed under: beer,Beer Festivals,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Redhook Brewery,Seattle Beer,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 11:07 pm

I’m not talking about a certain “parrot head” and his mid-life crisis, I’m talking about a Washington icon celebrating 30 years as
one of the Pacific Northwest’s best breweries. This year Redhook Brewing turns 30 years old and boy do they know how to throw a party! Mitten, the Tom Tom Club, Psychedelic Furs, and headliners DEVO performed during the event. And I got a chance to sample Redhook’s Extra Special Birthday beer making this the best birthday bash I have ever attended. More about the

Jeffrey, Shannon, Master Brewer Greg and Robert

entertainment in a bit; first things first…the beer!

We started off the event with an enjoyable lunch and conversation with the Redhook crew: Jeffery, Shannon, Ciea, Robert, and Master Brewer Greg.  The Redhook staff was decked out in their 1980’s best and I had some serious flashbacks (Why did we ever dress like that? I think I owned a pair of those fish nets! Did makeup really need to come in neon?) But back to the beers…Scott & I threw back a couple of the Redhook’s best…

Tina Weymouth of Tom Tom Club

Big Ballard Imperial IPA (8.6% ABV) – Dark amber color. Hoppy yet surprisingly sweet for an IPA. Nice malty texture. Well balanced hop/caramel character with a crisp hoppy finish.  Great beer for the “hop heads.”

ESB (5.8% ABV) – One of the brewery’s flagship beers, the ESB is dark red in color with a spicy nose. Crisp, medium bodied, and hoppy.  Malty caramel notes without being too sweet. One of my favorites!

Blonde (5.7% ABV) – Smooth and malty with a soft honey sweetness. Just a hint of hops giving it a nice citrus snap. Great for
hanging out by the pool.

Pilsner (5.3% ABV) – Dark honey color and think honey flavor. Crisp and clean with a nice medium body. Light hops and spices brings out a lovely floral character.  The summer to autumn transition just got a little easier.

Wit (5.3% ABV)- Another Redhook favorite of mine! Gorgeous banana clove aroma and flavor. Master Brewer Greg and I had a

Psychedelic Furs

great discussion about this beauty. He informed me that tea from the famous Market Spice located in the Pike Place Market in Seattle is used in the brew, creating the lovely spicy aroma and flavor. I truly love this beer!

Extra Special Birthday Beer (7.0% ABV) – Now for the Pièce de résistance! Don’t let the dark color of this gem fool you. Paying homage to the original ESB, Redhook modified their recipe and uses a special yeast strain to create a lovely banana clove character. Very rich and slightly toasty with a little bit of a dry finish. The Extra Special Birthday Beer is a great tribute to Redhook’s brewing legacy! The Extra Special Birthday Beer is in the process of being bottled and will hit the stores soon…but only for a limited time!

As the day progressed we joined the crowd of 5,000 Redhook fans outside for the birthday party featuring live music from some great music icons: Tom Tom Club, Psychedelic Furs and DEVO. Opening New York band Mitten took the stage first followed by Tom Tom Club. Tina Weymouth still has it after 30 years!

DEVO

The rain held out as long as possible but the Psychedelic Furs took the stage and the sky opened up! The Furs still sound as great as they ever did and Richard Butler’s raspy vocals and sexy stage presence still captivates!

As the rain Gods continued to pummel us, DEVO strummed their first chord and we all suddenly forgot we were getting soaked. Being true showman the band played on without complaint…and they were getting just as soaked as we were. DEVO is just as great to watch now as they were when I was a teenager in the 80’s!

Well as I said earlier, Redhook knows how to throw a party. Thank you again to Redhook for inviting me to this great event. The brewery should be proud of their accomplishments over the last 30 years and I’m proposing a toast to the next!

Cheers!

Liz

www.redhook.com

For more pictures of the 30th Birthday Party visit my Facebook page.