Pacific Northwest Beer Chick

Breweries, Beers & Good Times

Summertime at Silver City June 14, 2014

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Breweries,Craft Beer Trade,Pacific Northwest Beer,Seasonal beers,spring seasonal beers,Summer Beers,WA,Washington beer,Washington Craft Beer Brewing — pnwbeerchick @ 10:12 pm

 

 

I have been a big fan of Silver City Brewing Co. for quite some time and always look forward to anything new. Recently I had the privilege to hang out with the guys at Silver City’s tap-room and sample some of the new seasonals and specialties on tap. I got to relax with the brewery’s owner, Scott, and with the brewers themselves enjoying some tasty seasonals currently on tap. A game or two of “Ziggy Zoggy Foursquare” took place, and fun was had by all! So let’s get to it!

Huckleberry Wheat (5.4% ABV) – Subtle fruit from throughout. Crisp, clean, with a soft fruit finish. Lightly hopped. Very nice.IMG_1163

Sour POWr Pear Lambic (6.2%ABV) – Gorgeous golden color. Pears are aged in the beer for a year creating a wonderful fruit sourness. Light honey top notes with a nice sour finish.

West Sound IPA (5.2%ABV) – For those who like a lighter hopped IPA, be careful! This beer is deceiving. The aroma is hoppy but soft. The first sip is mild but then suddenly, POW! The hops just punch you right in the face. Big citrus finish. Perfect for the IPA lover.

Rye Bock (6.5%ABV) – Sweet and hazel nutty. Rye character carries all the way through. Malty, sweet finish. Medium to full body.

Deluxe Spring Lager (6.2%ABV) – Once of my favorites of the day! Very nice with honey, floral character. Light, not too sweet. Reminds me of Golden Grahams cereal. Nice sweet finish. Perfect for spring or an early, mild summer day.

Happy Fun Time Ginger Beer (4%ABV) – I’m usually not a fan of ginger beer. Most brewers tend to overdo the ginger producing a much too tangy product. But this ginger beer is a delight! Big ginger aroma and nice ginger flavor throughout. Well-balanced and refreshing. The ginger is just right, not too overpowering.

B-Town Sour Red (6.3%ABV) – Sweet-tart candy sour. Slight hard-alcohol aroma. definitely a sipper.

Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged ImperiaI Red (8.5%ABV) – Thick, syrupy body. High alcohol aroma. Sweet, nutty first note. Finishes strong. Be careful!

Golden Mountain Pilsner (5%ABV) – Sweet, bubbly, effervescent. Honey notes, finishes crisp. Light and well, balanced.

The Silver City Flagship Restaurant is located at 2799 NW Myhre Road  in Silverdale at the Silverdale Mall. The Brewery & Tap Room is located in Bremerton at 206 Katy Penman Drive. The tap-room does not serve food but you are welcome to bring in anything you wish to munch on. Many of their beers are available in bottles at your local market or bottle shop.  If you haven’t stopped by one of these locations in person then all I have to ask is, where the heck have you been?

 

Cheers!

Liz

http://www.silvercitybrewery.com

 

 

 

Southern-Style Spring May 14, 2014

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Breweries,Craft Beer Trade,New Orleans,Seasonal beers,spring seasonal beers — pnwbeerchick @ 2:55 pm

I love Louisiana. I have only been there once, but my Cajun roots keep calling me to come back. I visited in 2005 and fell so much in love with the state that I10339691_10202847640451023_2383398713637856762_n booked a trip to go back the following October. I did not get a chance to visit Abita Brewing  during my one and only visit so 2005 was going to be my year. Unfortunately, fate saw differently and Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf ruining my plans to visit, and shattering thousands of lives.  Abita Brewery suffered about $30,000 in property damage from the hurricane along with the loss of 31 gallons of fermenting beer. Luckily, they were able to reopen two weeks later and have been going strong ever since.

Well, it’s 2014, spring has sprung in the south and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with Abita’s Strawberry Harvest Lager. The essence of fresh picked strawberries hits the nose immediately. This beer is lightly sweet with a touch of sour. Louisiana strawberry juice is added after filtering giving a fresh fruit flavor without tasting sugary or fake. Subtly strawberry flavor carries right through to the crisp finish. Though this is a “fruit beer” it is by no means  “chick beer.” And at only 4.2% ABV this lovely lager is perfect for those hot, humid, southern afternoons and cool breezy evenings. It pairs well with any food because the sweetness of the fruit is well-balanced and not too overpowering. So instead of grabbing a sweet tea at your next BBQ, grab one of these.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Liz

http://www.abita.com

 

 

Beer 101- Fruits of May, the conclusion June 10, 2013

Filed under: beer,breweries,Fruit beers,Hawaiian Breweries,Micro brew,Seasonal beers,spring seasonal beers,Summer Beers,Uncategorized — pnwbeerchick @ 7:01 pm

It’s no secret that fruit beers are among my favorite beers. Now I’m not talking about that slice of lime wedged on the side of your mexican lager. I’m talking real fruit, fruit juices, and fresh puree added to everything from ales to lagers to wheat beers,to stouts and porters during the brewing process. To some, adding fruit to beer is sacrilege but fruit has been fermented and added to alcoholic beverages for millennium. Others simply won’t try it because they consider anything with fruit “chick beer.” They are really missing out! Here are my favorites from the month of May…

Samuel Smith Organic Strawberry Fruit Ale (5.2% ABV) – Amazing strawberry aroma. Thick body, jammy, natural fruit flavor (doesn’t taste fake). Crisp and “sparkly” with a wonderful fruit finish.

Unibroue Ephemere (5/5% ABV) One of my favorite beers for “Fruits of May!” Lovely green apple aroma. Crisp apple flavor and spices. Very similar to a hard, green apple cider…but better. I wouldn’t pair this with any food. It’s best sipped on its own.

Kona Brewing Wailua Wheat (5.4% ABV) – Lovely summer beer! Passion fruit aroma and body. Slightly pungent with a sweet/tart finish. If you have ever been to Hawaii, you will have wonderful flashbacks while sipping on this!

Samuel Smiths Organic Raspberry Fruit Ale (5.1% ABV) Another one of my favorites! Actually, in my opinion any of Samuel Smiths Fruit ales are amazing. This one is thick, rich, and full of raspberry goodness. Not one to be paired with food, except maybe for some vanilla bean ice cream. Wonderful!

Brouwerif Lindemans Framboise Lambic (2.5% ABV) Pretty much ANY of the lambics from this amazing Belgian brewery is a treat! Syrupy and elegant. Fresh raspberry aroma and flavor. Very effervescent with a gorgeous fruit finish. The best way I can describe this beauty is it’s like drinking raspberry champagne. My absolute favorite beer…period!

I feel any beer drinker should try a fruit beer at least once. Fruit beers are sweet, refreshing, and can really compliment a meal or serve as a lovely desert.

What’s in store for june? How about “a blonde named June?” I like it!

Cheers!

Liz

 

Silver City strikes gold! June 7, 2012

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,spring seasonal beers,Summer Beers,Washington beer,Washington State Micro Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 7:13 pm

Just when you though Silver City Brewing couldn’t get any better they go and open a taproom! And not just any run of the mill taproom; probably one of the nicest tap rooms I have been to (and I’ve been to a lot!). The outside of the building is beautifully designed and the inside is very casual, open, and inviting. The bar area opens up into a 2nd room to sit back at a high table and enjoy your beverage. A flat screen TV hangs high on the wall along with vintage posters of drinking days gone by.

But the “magic” happens next door in the brewery itself. Windows in the bar area give the patron a chance to view where the brewing process happens. To be honest, there is nothing prettier than large, shiny, mash tons and kettles!

What did I drink on this day? I’m glad you asked. For my first pint I enjoyed a lovely pint of Silver City’s Deluxe Spring Lager (6.2% ABV).  One of my favorite seasonal beers from Silver City, the Spring Lager is crisp, sweet, and very flavorful yet the body is light to medium.  Light hop/floral aroma and finish really make this baby something special. My next pint is a crowd favorite among Silver City fans: Ziggy Zoggy Summer Lager (5% ABV). I get excited every year when this gem is released. Unfiltered, sweet, spicy and elegant, this German-style “Zwickelbier” is sure to make you smile. Honey Malt and Pilsner Malt give Ziggy Zoggy the pretty sweetness I love and the finish is smooth with a touch of honey.

Food is not served at the taproom but they do offer pretty darn tasty peanuts but you are welcome to bring your own food. Brewery tours are available Wednesday through Saturday at 4:00pm but they also offer private parties and tours on Mondays and Tuesdays so check with the taproom for available times. The taproom itself is open Wednesday through Sunday and is a perfect way to spend an afternoon!

 

Cheers!

Liz

www.silvercitybrewery.com

 

 

Spring forward with two new seasonal releases! February 16, 2012

Filed under: beer,breweries,New Belgium Brewing,Seasonal beers,spring seasonal beers — pnwbeerchick @ 5:47 pm

Though the weather in the PNW is still a bit on the chilly side, the beer choices are lightening up a bit. Yes kids, it’s time for spring seasonals! You know… the light, fruity, hoppy beers that drink nicely on cool, breezy days and crisp nights. I recently picked up a couple of fresh releases to get me in the mood for those flowery spring days.

New Belgium’s spring seasonal for 2012, Dig Pale Ale (5.6% ABV), is brewed with Sorachi Ace, Nelson Sauvin and Cascade hops and has a beautiful citrus aroma. Grapefruit, lemon rind and mango come on strong with grassy notes in the finish. It’s crisp and clean and quite refreshing. Dig Pale Ale is a lovely spring ale.

Changing styles a bit, Deschutes Brewery’s Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale (6.2% ABV) is the polar opposite of Dig Pale Ale. Red Chair is lightly hopped and gives just enough punch for the PNW palate. Seven select European and American malts gives a smooth and slightly caramel finish. Red Chair is medium bodied and quite yummy.

Although Dig Pale Ale is more of a classic style pale ale, I think Red Chair is equally as tasty. Both are available at the local grocery so run in and grab a sixer!

 

Cheers!

Liz

www.newbelgium.com

www.deschutesbrewery.com

 

 
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