Coming soon: The Olympic Club, Airways Brewing Company, and The Red hot. Wow! I better get to work! August 6, 2011
Velkommen tilbake til Poulsbo! August 4, 2011
So, hubby and I headed to Poulsbo, WA for a little brewery action as we heard tell a few new breweries that recently cropped up are making a splash. Not ones to pass on a chance to experience a new brewery we eagerly made our way back to the little Norwegian town we love so much. Turns out, the rumors are true! Located within minutes of the downtown area and just blocks
from each other, Sound Brewing and Slippery Pig Brewery are carving names for themselves in the micro-brew scene. Each
brings their own styles to the micro-brew table and I see both really going places.
Sound Brewing opened its doors earlier this year and so far is doing relatively well. Sporting a very chic tasting room, Sound Brewing serves up equally chic beer.
Dunkelweizen (5.0% ABV) – Pretty amber color and toasty aroma. Slightly sweet, caramel and malty with a clean finish.
Kristallweizen (5.0 % ABV) – Golden color and nice wheat aroma. Clean and easy to drink, Kristallweizen reminds me of a light tasting, blonde ale.
Poundage Porter (5.5% ABV) – Dark brown color with a hard alcohol and dark chocolate aroma. Toasty, bitter dark chocolate, coffee. Great porter for chilly nights.
Dubbel Entandre (8.0% ABV) – A bit high in alcohol, this beer tastes a bit stronger than expected. With hints of fig and brown sugar, the taste is sweet, malty and full-bodied. Not for the meal, strictly for sipping.
Bevrijder Belgian Style IPA (7.0% ABV) – Ok “hop heads,” here you go! The Bevridjer (bev-ryder) is chock full of hops and citrus notes. Hints of honey grace this pretty beer and beautiful Belgian lace coats the glass on the way down. For an IPA, the Bevrijder is very easy drink and quite enjoyable.
Koperen Ketel Belgian Style Pale Ale (6.0 % ABV) – Dark honey color and aroma. Lightly malted with soft caramel hitting the palate. Light to medium bodied. Can drink with a meal, but probably more enjoyable on its own.
Monk’s Indiscretion Belgian Specialty Ale (10.0% ABV) – Hold on to your rosary beads! Monk’s indiscretion is dry hopped creating a beautiful hoppy aroma yet sweet, honey like flavor. Citrus notes sharpen up the sweet a bit. This beer is not for
the faint of heart.
O’Regan’s Revenge Irish Red Ale (5.5 % ABV) – My favorite beer from Sound is the Irish Red. An aroma of hazelnuts and autumn leaves start this beer off right. Slight sweet and toasty with hints of caramel, the Irish red finishes clean and crisp. Lovely beer!
Located just a block away from Sound Brewing Co and down a quiet, dirt road sits one of the most relaxing and serene breweries I have ever been to: Slippery Pig Brewing. The tasting area is in the brewer’s front yard and the smell of the grasses and fresh flowers swirl around in the breeze. Slippery Pig is also one of the most unusual breweries I have encountered as they incorporate local, quirky ingredients like dandelion, stinging 
nettle, and rhubarb in their beer creating one-of-a-kind style and taste. You are sure to be greeted by the two resident dogs as you approach the tasting area. Oh, and the owners are really nice!
Dandelion Bitter (5.2% ABV) – Who knew a common weed can produce such a tasty brew? Brewed with actual dandelion the Bitter is light bodied and slightly bitter with a very pretty floral note. A great beer for sitting around a camp fire and chatting up friends.
Rhübbel Double Rhubarb (6.5% ABV) – A combination of two of Slippery Pigs brews, Rhübbel is double fermented creating a gorgeous floral, hop aroma and a soft tart flavor. It finishes clean and sweet.
Rhubarb (6.5% ABV) – Dark amber color. Brewed with fresh rhubarb, the sweet-tart character of the vegetable smooths outs
the bitterness of the hops creating a unique beer.
Curly Tail Pale Ale (5.0% ABV) – A favorite of mine at the recent Bremerton BrewFest, Curly Tail is brewed with 10 lbs of stinging nettles creating a wonderfully sour ale. Dark red color and medium body. One of Slippery Pig’s best!
Sprung (4.5% ABV) – Flowers, honey, coconut…what more can a girl ask for (except for chocolate). Medium bodied and has a slight high alcohol character. Sprung is a gorgeous, crispy beer with a nice smoky finish.
Two more Poulsbo breweries have also made a mark: Battenkill Brewing Co and Valhöll Brewing. Stay tuned for Poulsbo Breweries #3 featuring these two wonderful breweries. Wow! Four great breweries in the same small town! As Poulsbo’s brewing scene continues to grow, so does my love for this wonderful little town.
Cheers!
Liz
Information about Slippery Pig can be found on Facebook.
1st Annual Bremerton Summer BrewFest 2011 July 27, 2011
Beautiful blue sky, 85 degree weather, and 23 micro-breweries…what a great day! Well…for the most part it was.
The first annual Bremerton Summer BrewFest on Saturday was packed full of some of Washington State’s best brewers pouring some of their finest, and quirky, beers. Over 50 beers were served, sipped, discussed and spilled. But it was quite apparent there are some bugs that need to be worked out before the 2nd annual is held. Let’s discuss the low points a little later. Right now let’s
get into the high point of the day…the beer. Below I have listed my top 5 favorites.
#5 Summer Rain Pale Ale – Battenkill Brewing Co. (5.8% ABV) Poulsbo, WA – This wonderful pale ale is like orange blossoms in a glass. Sporting a beautiful orange blossom nose and sweet honey finish, Battenkill brews this great summer ale with NW Pale ale malt, Simcoe and Amarillo hops, and a bit of Orange Blossom Honey. Summer Rain is a sweetly refreshing, light and crisp ale and one of my favorite beers of the day.
#4 Curly Tail Pale Ale – Slippery Pig Brewery (5.0% ABV) Poulsbo, WA – Unusual brew, and wicked good. One of Poulsbo’s newest breweries has created a deliciously fun pale ale brewed with 10 lbs of stinging nettles. This dark red ale is a little sweet and a lot sour. Very similar to the increasingly popular sour beers, but not quite as tart. Great job Slippery Pig!
#3 Mt. Walker Wheat Ale – Hood Canal Brewery (4.0% ABV) Kingston, WA – Who doesn’t love gum balls?
Another fun beer making an appearance at the BrewFest, the Mt. Walker Wheat smells like bananas, wheat, and flowers. The taste is just as tantalizing with flavors of banana and gum balls. I know it sounds strange and overly sweet, but trust me…you will have a hard time putting this one down!
#2 Loser Strong Pale Ale – Elysian Brewing Co. (7.0% ABV) Seattle, WA – One of my favorite breweries in Washington created one of my favorite beers of the day. Both my hubby and I loved this beer! Elysian uses quite a few different hops and malts creating a very well-balanced, crisp pale ale that has what I can only describe as a “rice crispy” finish. Medium bodied and yummy!
#1 Yoda’s Green Tea Gold – Port Townsend Brewing Co. (4.7% ABV) Port Townsend, WA – With me The
Force was (Yoda voice) after my first sip of this awesome beer! Brewed with an organic, steamed green tea called bancha, Port Townsend created a truly refreshing, flavorful beer unlike any I have ever had before. I had to take it slow while I enjoyed this brew because it was very easy to forget I was not drinking an iced green tea! MMMmmmmm (Yoda voice again)What a gem!!!!
Now for the low points…unfortunately, the brewers began running out of beer around 3:00pm and still had 6 hours to go! We cut the organizers some slack because, after all, this was the 1st annual BrewFest and perhaps they underestimated what the turnout would be(about 4-5,000 people showed up!). But hopefully next year they will be a bit more prepared. There was absolutely no place to sit unless you found a curb and the only shady spots were under the baby trees that lined the street. There was 1 food cart that served hamburgers and hotdogs but again, no place to sit and eat it and there wasn’t a bottled water or soda in sight. Live bands provided some entertainment, but, for the third time, no place to sit, not even a tree stump, anywhere! Overall, we had a pretty good time and will give it a go next year, but will be bringing my own chair… and umbrella hat… and food.
Cheers!
Liz
www.battenkillbrewingcompany.com
Info for Slippery Pig Brewery can be found on Facebook.
Upcoming Event: Bremerton Summer BrewFest July 20, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Noon – 9pm
Downtown Bremerton on Pacific Avenue between Burwell and 6th St.
$15 advance tickets, $20 at the door (military discount tickets are $15 at the door)
**Entry includes a tasting cup and five tokens good for 5.5oz tastes each
**Additional tokens may be purchased at $1.50 each or four for $5
www.washingtonbeer.com/bremerton-summer-brewfest/
chicks love Dick’s…Brewing company! July 11, 2011
Sometimes the most nondescript buildings contain the best little surprises. Case-in-point is Dick’s Brewery located in a residential area of Centralia, WA. The brewery is in the plainest of buildings with a simple sign out front. If you blink, you may miss it.
Dick Young began brewing Dick’s Danger Ale from his deli, NW Sausage and Deli, in 1984 as a home brewing hobby. In 1990, he began selling Dick’s Danger Ale to the public and the beer took off. Sadly, Dick recently passed away but the brewery and deli are still going strong producing some pretty tasty beers and serving 
it alongside some of the freshest meats, cheeses, sandwiches and salads in the area. They also have the largest beer sampler tray I have ever seen so be sure and bring someone to share it with…it really is that big!
Golden Ale (5.5% ABV) – Sweet and lightly hopped, Golden Ale is straw in color and light to medium bodied. Tastes a bit like
honey candy with a nice, crisp finish. This beer would go great with summer BBQ cuisine.
IPA (5.5% ABV) – Chinook and Tomahawk hops amp up the flavor creating what Dick’s considers “one of the hoppiest IPA’s on the market.” And they aren’t kidding! Hoppy aroma and taste with a grapefruit rind and caramel finish. Medium bodied, this
is a true, butt-kicking IPA.
Hefeweizen (4.0% ABV) – Caramel color and filtered. Banana aroma with a “bready,” sweet taste. Medium bodied and spicy finish. Yummy!
Best Bitter (5.5 % ABV) – Dark caramel color. Magnum hops and caramel malt create a nicely balanced, hoppy, malty brew. Best Bitter has a caramel flavor and a peppery finish.
Pale Ale – (4.0% ABV) – Extremely easy to drink, the hops are so light that if I didn’t know better I would not realize I was drinking a Pale Ale. Caramel essence and light, with a malty, crisp finish. This beer reminds me more of an English Ale than a Pale Ale.
Irish Ale (5.2 %ABV) – Beautiful red color with an essence of scotch and candy. The Irish Ale is slightly sweet with a touch of
hazelnut. The Irish Ale was one of my favorites.
Mountain Amber Ale (5.0% ABV) – My favorite beer of the day, the Mountain Amber Ale has a pretty straw, honey, floral 
aroma. The floral carries over into the taste and finishes crisp, sweet and clean. Mountain Amber is very easy to drink and would go great with any meal.
Danger Ale (4.5% ABV) – Dick’s flagship is also the most popular. Black malt gives the Danger Ale it’s pretty, dark cherry-brown color and smooth texture. Magnum and Mt. Hood hops creates a nice smoky, toasty taste and medium body. This is a great autumn beer.
Belgian Tripel (9.0% ABV) – Hard-alcohol aroma and medium to full-bodied, the Tripel is honey golden in color with a banana candy flavor and aroma. Be careful, this baby is very high in alcohol.
Lava Rock Porter (6.2% ABV) – Toasty and full of chocolate aroma and flavor, this porter would be perfect next to a cozy fireside.
Dick’s is brewed on-site at NW Sausage and Deli and while the deli produces its own house smoked sausage and deli products. Have a seat in the diner or out on the pretty garden patio and enjoy a sandwich, salad or a pint.
Cheers,
Liz
Coming soon: Dick’s Brewing (finally), Sound Brewery, Slippery Pig Brewing, and The Olympic Club… July 7, 2011
Something’s fishy in Olympia! June 24, 2011
Attention vegetarians, vegans, and lovers of all things organic: Have I found the brewery for you!
Located in downtown Olympia, WA Fish Brewing Company has been crafting beer since 1993 beginning with its first brand, Fish Tale Ales. The Brewery is housed in the historic Skoog Building which once housed the Olympia Knitting Mills. The building is beautifully adorned with murals making it very hard to miss. In 2001, Leavenworth Biers began brewing under Fish’s
roof and in 2004 Spire Cider joined the group. At the turn of this century, Fish began brewing their Organic line of beers.
Located directly across the street is the Fish Tale Brew Pub serving Fish’s entire line of beers and ciders, and the food is to die for! The décor is simple and a little retro. They even have a “living room” where you can grab a book off the shelf and enjoy a brew. But first things first; let’s talk about the Organic line of Fish brews.
Organic Blonde (4.0% ABV) – What a pretty beer for summer! Gorgeous golden color and delicious honey, wheat and floral taste really put a smile on my face. The Blonde is nicely balanced and Glacier hops and a dab of rye gives this light bodied brew
just the right touch of citrus and spice.
Organic Wild Salmon Pale Ale (5.0% ABV) – This lightly hopped gem has a beautiful caramel color and orange blossom aroma. Yakima Cascade hops and 4 organic malts balance this ale very nicely and it finishes crisp and clean. Yum!
Organic Amber Ale (5.0 % ABV) – The first of the Fish Tale Organic line, the Amber Ale is sweet, malty and smooth with a lovely hint of hazelnuts. Fish creates this lovely amber using 3 different malts and Hallertauer hops.
Organic India Pale Ale (6.7% ABV) – As many of you know by now, my hubby is a “hop head.” Well, needless to say this brew was his favorite. Dark honey in color this IPA has a beautiful hoppy aroma and taste thanks to New Zealand hops. There is a slight sweetness and wonderful clean finish. I really enjoyed this IPA.
Fish Brewing also has an incredible menu with homemade, organic dishes and uses nothing but the freshest ingredients. They even make their own sausage!
Hubby asked me which Organic beer was my favorite. I could not give him a definite answer because they were all amazingly good! Fish Brewing Company crafts the freshest, cleanest beer I have ever enjoyed and it is quickly becoming my favorite brewery in Washington State.
Cheers!
Liz
Slummin’ it in Bellevue. May 16, 2011
Hubby and I decided to spend the day in Bellevue, WA to see how the “other half” lives (tongue firmly in cheek). Turns out the “other half” is doing just fine. Beautifully maintained streets, high-end shops, and six-figure vehicles are everywhere. It reminded me of Beverly Hills, CA. Oh, and they have two great beer establishments within just feet of each other. I’m speaking of Rock Bottom Brewery and the Tap House Grill.
Rock Bottom, one of CraftWorks Restaurant & Breweries many brands, has two locations in Washington State; Seattle
and Bellevue, and 32 other locations across the country. Ok, I know, they’re a chain brewery but, unlike many chain breweries all Rock Bottom beers are brewed on-site and each location has their own distinct style.
Kölsch (5% ABV) – One of my favorite styles of beer, Rock Bottom’s version has a lovely sweet, peach aroma and a crisp, floral flavor and a light hoppy finish. What a great beer for spring.
White Ale (ABV unavailable) – Unfiltered and brewed with coriander and spices, the White Ale has a pretty clove aroma and flavor with floral notes and a crisp finish. This is another great springtime beer.
Rock Bottom IPA (ABV unavailable) – Wow! Talk about hops! But don’t be fooled, the taste is not a strong as you might think. The flavor starts out strong, but a subtle maltiness mellows it out nicely giving this IPA a soft, caramel and citrus finish.
Hop Bomb IPA (6.8% ABV) – Dark golden color and hop aroma, this IPA has the great grapefruit flavor hop heads crave and finishes crisp and clean. Hubby enjoyed this one.
Lumber Jack Red (5.8% ABV) – Great dark amber color and sweet honey aroma and flavor. The red is medium bodied and has a nice subtle fruity finish. This was my favorite beer of the day.
Fire Chief Red (6% ABV) – A toastier version of the Lumber Jack Red, Fire Chief is malty, crisp and has a flavor that reminds me of autumn. This beer would go very nicely on a cool evening next to a bonfire.
The Rock Bottom is beautiful and chic. And the food? Delightful.
After our fantastic lunch we walked about 50 paces away from the brewery to another chic place, the Tap House Grill,
to have a pint…or 160…on tap! The Tap House Grill carries various styles of beer and cider from around the world. The wall of tap handles can be a bit overwhelming so take a look at their beer menu. The menu divides the beers on tap by style such as “Ales,” “Wheats,” “India Pale Ales” and “Belgians.” Still don’t know? The Tap House has a variety of sampler trays which includes 4 six-ounce glasses and each tray has a different personality. The Northwest Sampler includes beer brewed in the PNW and the World Tour tray includes beers from around the world. Or, if you’re feeling a bit “adventurous” let the bartender decide for you with the Bartender’s Pick Sampler.
So after a long day of shopping at Neiman Marcus and Jimmy Choo stop in to either one of these great hot spots to kick up your Louis Vuitton heels and enjoy a pint.
Cheers!
Liz
Brewing in perfect HARMONy. April 27, 2011
A staple in the Tacoma, WA brewing scene, Harmon Brewing Company has been crafting beer in Tacoma’s historic University District since 1997. I have been a frequent Harmon customer since moving to “the Sound” four years ago and upon each visit Harmon always has something new and exciting on tap! During this visit I was lucky enough to sample some of the winter and spring seasonal along with Harmon’s flagships.
Mt. Takhoma Blonde (4.4% ABV) – Brewed with Liberty hops, white wheat and German Pilsner malt, this b
eer is light and crisp with a touch of citrus. Mt. Takhoma is a very easy beer to drink and perfect for spring and summer. But don’t let the fact that this is a blonde ale fool you, Mt. Takhoma is packed with beautiful flavor. The brewery serves Mt. Takhoma with an orange slice enhancing the lovely citrus characters.
Pinnacle Peak Pale Ale (4.4% ABV) – One of Harmon’s flagship beers, Pinnacle Peak is smooth, light bodied and slightly hoppy with subtle tones of caramel. 2-row malted barley, German malted barley and Palisade and Citra hops balance out the flavor rather nicely. Pinnacle Peak, from what I have been told, is one of the most popular beers served at the brewery. One sip and you will easily see why.
Vanilla Porter (5.4% ABV) – A popular winter seasonal, this was my favorite beer of the day. Harmon uses 8 different malts and Madagascar vanilla beans to create this full-bodied beauty. Notes of milk chocolate fade in and out 
while the vanilla is a constant present. I would drink the Vanilla Porter by itself. It’s just too good to pair with any food.
Point Defiance IPA (6.1% ABV) – Okay hop heads, this one is for you! Point defiance IPA is not only one of Harmon’s flagship beers; it is also their most popular. Columbus and Centennial hops along with ten pounds of Amarillo hops creates that beautiful grapefruit aroma and strong hoppy flavor. Point Defiance IPA is a crisp pretty beer that even the most discriminating hop head will fall for. This beer is my hubby’s favorite.
T-Town Brown (6.2% ABV) – I enjoyed this brown ale quite a bit. I took a moment to enjoy the lovely vanilla and brown sugar aroma. Both qualities carried over into the flavor. T-Town Brown is medium to full-bodied and has a rich molasses finish.
Black Tartan IPA (6.8% ABV) – One of the most interesting beers of the day, the Black Tartan had a lot of different characteristics. Think of a stout and an IPA having a baby. I caught a smoky, dark 
chocolate flavor but with a hoppy finish. Harmon uses 5 different malted barleys creating a black, full-bodied beer that they brew just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. Order one soon before they run out!
Porter Porter (8-9% ABV) – Yes, it’s really called “Porter Porter.” If you like chocolate and coffee, then this winter seasonal is for you. Harmon uses 9 different malted barleys to create this full-bodied, toasty gem. There is a strong, hard “alcoholiness” taste when you first start drinking, but don’t put it down. The hard alcohol taste mellows out by the 2nd or 3rd sip and you end up with a great fireside porter.
Want to try some of Harmon’s beautifully crafted brews? You don’t have to go far. Harmon has three locations in Tacoma that also serve a great variety of food dishes; Harmon Brewery & Eatery, The Taproom, and The Hub. Can’t make it to the brewery? Pubs all over the Puget Sound serve up Harmon’s creations on tap. Want to take it home? Harmon by the bottle can be found in many of your local Puget Sound grocery stores or whole food markets. So really, you have no excuse not to enjoy a Harmon beer.
Cheers!
Liz
Happy National Beer Day! April 7, 2011 April 7, 2011
It was on this day in 1933, the Cullen-Harrison Act, signed a month earlier by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, legalized the sale of beer with an alcohol content of no more than 3.2% and in the United States. This act paved the way for the eventual repeal of the 18th amendment bringing an end to the “dark times” known as Prohibition. So raise your glass and give thanks!
Cheers!
Liz
Pacific Northwest Beer Chick 