Two Beers Brewing

Two Beers Brewing 27Dec2017

I hopped the D-Line as is usual for most of my trips, and then I caught the 121, which serves East Marginal way, a part of Seattle Metro underserves.

Two Beers is in a warehouse complex on Ohio Street, which is a block off East Marginal Way. 

Building exterior, which is relatively attractive considering the surroundings

The taproom is next to the brewery in a tricked out warehouse space. It manages to be both roomy and cozy through the use of dividers, split levels, and a lot of wood. As you step through the large wood door you see the bar in front of you, to the left the kitchen, and to the right a seating area and a pool table. 

The view as you enter the front door

View to the left with seating and kitchen areas

The tap lists (beer and cider) are above and behind the bar area. 

Beer tap list

Cider tap list and mine host

Flights of 4 x 4 ounce tasters, pints, growler fills, some limited bottlings and cans are all available. I eschewed the cider and chose four beers to sip while I sat at the bar.

l to r: Pilchuck Pilsner, Wonderland Trail IPA, Oude Bruin, and SODO Brown. Not shown - Tipsy Toboggan winter ale. Twas a little darker than the brown beers.

Tasting Notes:

Pilchuck Pilsner (5.0%, 38 IBU): Clear gold. Bready malt with a hop nose for aroma. Malt flavor, brief sweetness, then drying bitterness, and noble hop flavor. Bitter and slightly sweet finish.

SODO Brown (5.4%, 20 IBU): Clear brown with red highlights. Roast malt and chocolate aroma. Roast malt and chocolate flavors, dry bitterness, and a hint of mint. Dry bitter finish.

Oude Bruin (5.7%, 8 IBU): Hazy bronze with gold highlights. Lactic sweet-sour and fruity aroma. Fruit, sour, peaches, lactic flavors. Flavors are soft, not harsh and the body is thin. Sour with a slightly bitter finish.

Wonderland Trail IPA (7.1%, 84 IBU): Clear orange gold. Dank, sweaty hop aroma. Sweet malt, tropical hop flavor, sweat, and bitterness. Bitter sweet finish with lingering bitterness. The sweaty aspect of the hop aroma and flavor is not unpleasant.

Tipsy Toboggan (6.8%, 62 IBU): Opaque brown with red highlights. Ester and hop aroma. Sweet malt, then drying bitterness. Bitter finish. Better as it warms.

The Woods (Two Beers’ name for its taproom) began to fill up nicely for a Wednesday afternoon at 3 pm. I sat at the bar sipping my beers and watched people play pool, darts, and order beer, cider, and food. The ambient lighting is low enough that some parts of the seating area are downright dark. The taproom was buttoned up tight against the December cold. A garage-type door could be opened in the summer to allow in cool breezes from outside and an outdoor seating area is available – not very attractive this time of year.

I finished my flight and ordered a pint of the pilsner, which I thought was well executed. Many of the Seattle pilsners I have tasted lately have been really good. In the past I have not been too impressed with local pilsners, except for Chuckanut, so either my taste has changed – entirely possible – or the brewing community in Seattle has upped its game. I’ll choose the latter. Many of them taste very similar and I am guessing that they have common sources of malt and hops.

I had some time before my bus home so I opted to try a four ounce sample of the Tipsy Toboggan (not shown – I forgot to snap a photo). In the finest Seattle tradition Two Beers is a little heavy handed with the hops, which is to my liking but not on trend. Many breweries in the Northwest and nationwide (by my reading) are trying to balance their beers and emphasize balance and hop aroma.

The 121 to downtown stops near Two Beers about every hour in the afternoon, so I had to watch the time carefully and make sure I got out to the stop expeditiously. I did, then hiked a couple of blocks up hill (a little arduous with a belly full of beer) to catch the D-Line back home.

Triple R Brewing

Triple R Brewing 17Dec2017

Triple R is a Seattle brewery to which I have never paid a visit. I hiked up to NW 85^th Street and then caught the 45 over to the Roosevelt District. Triple R is in an alley near Roosevelt just off NE 65^th Street.

The Triple R Brewing Alley Tavern is, indeed, located in an alley running parallel to Roosevelt in a retail area. 

The alley entrance to Triple R

The door opens into the cozy main taproom with a stairway up to a second level seating area. 

Step through the door and check out the bar and seating areas

The brew kit is hidden away in the back. The bar is immediately in front of you as you enter and the tap list is on a monitor above the taps to the left side. 

A monitor with the tap list including the pub crawl killing Yeti

The greeting at the bar is friendly and familiar. Tasters of 6 ounces (a flight of 6 tasters is available for a flat price), pints, and growler fills are available. I ordered one six ounce taster of each Triple R-brewed beer (only three available at this writing) and sat at the bar to sample my beers and watch the Seahawks get their lunch eaten by the Rams.

From l to r: Golden Smash, Fall Ale, and NW Pale

Tasting Notes:

Triple R Golden Smash (6.6%): Described as a Belgian Golden Strong Ale. Clear pale gold. Fruity, peppery, Belgian aroma some dank hop. Sweet malt, fruit, and smoke with late bitterness and a hint of lemon. Bitter sweet finish. Much better as it warms.

Triple R Fall Ale (4.5%): Described as a specialty smoked beer. Clear bronze. Fruity hop aroma and roast malt. Sweet malt, smoke (coffee like), roast malt. Late bitterness and hop flavor. Sweet sour finish.

Triple R NW Pale (5.25%): American pale ale. Slightly hazy bronze. Unusual hop and sweet malt aroma. Bitter taste and a dry, wort-like malt flavor. Bitter finish.

The tap list of guest beers demonstrates the level of achievement to which Triple R aspires. The list today included Great Divide’s Yeti, a beer that caused a staggering and collapsed end to one of my annual pub crawls. The guest beers are fine examples of their styles. The beers that Triple R make are uneven and works in progress. The Golden Smash is quite good and I ordered a second glass. This tavern is newly opened in July and the guys who run the place have not yet been able to quit their day jobs.

The seating area is inviting with a lot of wood to add warmth. A garage door – closed against the winter weather – promises cool breezes and an open atmosphere in the summer. A steady trickle of customers (appropriate for a Sunday afternoon even with a Seahawks game on the tube) came in to buy pints or filled growlers while I enjoyed my beers.

I hit the bus stop just as the 45 was pulling up and rode back to my Ballard neighborhood. I then walked the mile from 85^th to my house just to get some exercise. No D-Line today.

Ghostfish Brewing Company

Ghostfish Brewing Company 24Nov2017

Ghostfish brews gluten free beer and is located in SODO. I rode the D-Line and when downtown caught a 21. I walked a few blocks to find Ghostfish and ruefully noted a bus stop right across the street. My last visit to this brewery was in July of 2015.

The brewery is housed in a former night club with the brew kit installed in what was a ginormous dance floor. The building sits at Hanford and 1^st Avenue South with the front entrance on 1^st. 

Ghostfish Brewing on 1st Ave South

As you enter the front door you see a few tables in front of you and to the left is a bar and beyond is more seating and the brew house. 

The view as you enter the front door with tables, the bar, and a hint of the brewing area.

As you approach the bar you can see the tap list posted near the ceiling. If you are nearsighted like I am, don’t fret, the beer list is available in printed form at the bar. 

The beer list above the bar

The greeting at the bar is friendly and polite. Flights of 5 x 4 ounce samples, pints, growlers, and limited selections of canned and bottled product are also available. I studied the beer list and ordered my five tasters. 

From l to r: Shrouded Summit, Vanishing Point, Ghost Pepper Saison, Kick Step IPA, and Watchstander Stout

Then I settled in to watch Iowa dismantle the Nebraska football team.

Tasting Notes:

Shrouded Summit (Wit style) (4%, 20IBU): Clear pale yellow. Spicy, grain, and ester aroma. Full body, orange, wit beer yeast profile, corriander. Faint bitterness and fruit. Medium sweet finish with a slight sourness. Refreshing. I know that calling a beer without any wheat a wit is a misnomer, but the entire taste profile is that of a wit beer.

Vanishing Point (5.3%, 40 IBU): Pale clear gold. Ester aroma. Tastes of rich grain, hop bitterness, C-hops with touch of hop perfume. Bitter-sweet finish.

Ghost Pepper Saison (6%, 20 IBU): Slightly hazy yellow-gold. Fruity and peppery aroma. Heat, esters, some smoky phenols, low bitterness. Sweet and hot finish.

Kick Step IPA (5.5%, 60 IBU): Hazy yellow. Piney and citrus hop aroma. Sweet grains, hop bitterness, citrus and pine hop flavors. Bitter finish. A proper IPA.

Watchstander Stout (6.5%, 30 IBU): Dark red brown with red highlights. Roast (not burnt) grain aroma. Sweet grain, roast (more toward chocolate than coffee). Bitter sweet finish. This is a complex beer.

When they opened in 2015, Ghostfish was the only dedicated gluten free brewery in Seattle. They still are and I suppose they could have relied on that status to keep customers coming back. But like most of the breweries I have revisited tin the last two years, Ghostfish has continued to improve and refine their beers and experiment with new styles and variations. All of the beers I sampled were uniformly drinkable. They all tasted like beer in that the grains, hops, and yeast were all playing a role in the flavor profile. The grain flavors were interesting and had me wondering, “Now what does barley malt taste like exactly and how is this different?” A person could spend some time drinking Ghostfish beer while trying to answer that question.

A limited food menu is available stocked with gluten free items as you would expect. The menu has expanded since 2015 when the only selection was gluten free pizza. I didn’t try any of the food but the guy next to me at the bar reported that the food is good. Since the taproom is in SODO, they draw people in on game days and because the competition is fierce in that area, the food has to be good enough to bring people in. The taproom crowd on this Black Friday was not what I would expect on game day, but was still of a respectable size.

The brewery building is modern steel and glass construction. The taproom atmosphere is warmed by the wood laminate floors and abundance of wood furniture. The crowd is typical for a Seattle beer crowd – polite and friendly as well. I rarely have difficulty striking up a conversation with other patrons and Ghostfish was no exception. If you find yourself at Ghostfish with a friend who is gluten intolerant or suffers from celiac, don’t despair. Keep an open mind, drink the beer, and eat the food – I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

The buses were running on a normal weekday schedule and, since fewer people were at work, less crowded. I grabbed the 21 back into downtown where I watched wall to wall buses try to navigate 3^rd Ave shopping traffic. Lastly I caught the 15 Express – along with about 5 other people instead of the normal standing room only crowd - back home.

Tin Dog Brewing

Tin Dog Brewing 12Nov2017

Tin Dog Brewing is in the South Park neighborhood near Burdick brewing and its taproom. The bus route to get there is one bus on two routes – the 28X from Ballard through downtown Seattle where it becomes the 132 and continues through various industrial areas to South Park.

The brewery is housed in a business park that presents a strip-mall-like face to South Cloverdale Street. 

The face of Tin Dog Brewing. In warm weather the garage doors open to
accommodate an outdoor seating area.

An entry door and two garage doors form the face of the retail space with some limited parking in front. Today the garage doors were closed because of typical November cool rainy weather. As you enter the door you see the tiny (two barrel) brewing area straight ahead and the seating area plus bar to the left. 

The view straight ahead as you enter the front door

Seating area and bar

The greeting is friendly – kind of wait and see neighborly – and the beer list is chalked up behind the bar above the taps. 

The beer list and food menus

No tasting flights are offered so the choices are schooners, pints, crowlers, growler fills and limited one-off bottled selections. I had a quick taste of the Tripel then ordered schooners of three beers. 

From l to r: Saison, Azacca Saison, and White IPA

Later I dove into the Tripel. 

Oaked Black Tripel

I sat at the bar and sipped, took notes, and conversed with the bar tender. On a rainy non-Seahawk Sunday afternoon the place was pretty quiet.

Tasting Notes:

White IPA (5.1%): Clear yellow-gold. Black pepper and smoky phenolic aroma. Some sourness from the wheat – sour and dry. IPA bitterness followed by Belgian yeast profile (again the black pepper and smoky phenols). Dry, bitter and beery finish. After a few sips I tasted a bit of lemon.

Azacca Saison (5.2%): Clear yellow-gold. Pepper phenols and dank hop aroma. A complex mix of dry malt body, peppery phenols, bitterness, fruity hop flavor and fruity esters. The lower alcohol (compared to the Saison, below, expresses the hop flavor nicely. Bitter-sweet finish.

Saison (6.8%): Clear reddish gold. Band-aid phenols (mostly pepper and smoke) aroma. Soft but dry malt flavor, slight bitterness and that characteristic Belgian yeast profile that I just can’t pick apart. Bitter-sweet finish. Tin Dog’s flagship beer.

Oaked Black Tripel (10.9%): Opaque black with no highlights. Sweet alcoholic malt and ester aroma with some barrel notes. Sweet malt, astringent barrel, grape and ester flavors. Dry finish. Very drinkable strong ale that belies its strength.

Tin Dog is a community resource in South Park. A couple of years ago, while sampling beers and talking to the bartender, I realized that the business model of a small brewery serving most of its beers on tap to the local community could be viable. Tin Dog gets a mix of locals from the residential neighborhoods and people knocking off work at surrounding businesses. The model works in the right neighborhood – I am not sure how they would fare in the Ballard Brewery District.

Tin Dog brews beers in the Belgian style, which lends their beers a fruity and phenolic profile from the yeast. They source their malt from Skagit Valley Malting, which gives the beers a unique flavor profile. Most of the beers I had were dry to the point of being austere – a taste that I prefer. To be sure, some malt sweetness was present in the beers but more as a dextrinous presence as opposed to sugar sweetness.

The brewery atmosphere is minimalist. When you go to use the restroom, you will walk right past the brewkit, all clean and shining and not very imposing. A lot of good beer originates there, nonetheless. 

Like the concrete floor the minimalism is continued into the taproom. It’s cozy and really needs the presence of people to warm it up. On a slow rainy Sunday afternoon I was not sufficient numbers to fill the room with laughter and conversation. But then one of the reasons I go on Sundays and Wednesdays in the afternoon is that most breweries are quiet then.

After drinking most of that Oaked Tripel I knew the bus ride home was going to seem long. An hour and twenty minutes door to door is not bad but I still felt on the verge of disgracing myself right up until the last minute when I got in the door at home. On the reverse commute the 132 morphs into the 26X which goes nowhere near my house, so I had to transfer to the D-Line once I arrived downtown.

Lowercase Brewing

Lowercase Brewing 01Nov2017

Lowercase once was in South Park along with Burdick Brewing and Tin Dog Brewing, but due to a ruling by the city they had to close their taproom. They found a space in Georgetown. So there I was riding the D-Line and the 124 to Georgetown to find Lowercase once again. They are in the same neighborhood as Machine House, Georgetown Brewing, and near to Two Beers and Counterbalance.

The front door is off a parking lot and a few feet from the street sidewalk. 

The entrance to Lowercase is easy to spot if you are southbound on Airport Way

As you enter the door the bar is on the right with the tap list behind. 

The view as you enter the front door.

The tap list. Year round beers on the left and seasonal beers on the left.

Beyond the bar are high tables and comfortable looking couches. The cement floors lack a certain warmth but the wood furniture and artwork on the wall help counteract that coolth. The greeting from behind the bar is friendly and informed and today the bartender offered many tastes (small sips) of various beers even after I had ordered my flight. Flights of 4 ounce tasters, pints and crowlers are offered but I failed to get the full line up of pour sizes. I was having a nice conversation with the barkeep, which gave my beers a chance to warm up a little, and then some more customers came in so I could get on with sipping and taking notes.

From l to r: sp, hi, w, e, i, b.

Tasting Notes:

sp (Strata Pale) (5.5%): Slightly hazy orange-gold. Fruity (pineapple?) hop aroma. Fruity (pineapple again) flavor, firm malt body, and late bitterness. Bitter-sweet finish. A collaboration with Laurelwood hopped with fresh Strata hops.

hi (hoppy, hazy IPA) (5.7%): Very cloudy reddish gold. Fruity and dank hop aroma. Minty, piney, and fruity hops up front, followed by bracing bitterness and sweet malt. Bitter finish. The recipe came from a homebrew competition held at the brewery and was the winner from among twelve contestants.

Witbier (4.9%): Slightly hazy pale yellow. Phenolic (mostly clove) aroma. Watery (coriander) spicy flavor. Sweet coriander finish. Thirst quenching.

Extra Special Bitter (5.2%): Dark hazy red with some brown. Malt and ester aroma. Bubblegum esters and sweet malt flavors chased by bitter hops. Dry, bitter finish.

India Pale Ale (6.4%): Clear copper red. Ester and piney hop aromas. Dry malt body, hop bitterness, piney hop flavor. Flavors attack almost simultaneously. Bitter finish. This is an old school IPA with a salute to the British.

Brown Ale (5.5%, 60 IBU): Clear brown. Coffee and burnt malt aromas. Coffee and sweet malt flavors with late bitterness. Bitter finish. Another coffee beer catches me unawares.

Lowercase attempts balanced malt-forward beers although the two IPAs I tasted might argue against that stated philosophy. More than a year ago I sampled Lowercase beers at their South Park location and found the beers to be not just malt forward but overly sweet. Since then they have decreased the sweetness of the beers while still keeping the pleasant maltiness. I also tried sips of the Mexican Lager, Squash Beer, and Pale Ale, which were all fine, well-brewed beers. I noted that the English style beers had an aroma profile, probably from the yeast, that was different from the yeast profiles of other ales I have tasted lately. I didn’t ask what strain they are using but I would guess it’s not one of the usual West Coast strains.

I asked about the clientele. I noted that South Park is a more residential neighborhood than Georgetown, so do they get locals at the new location? The bartender told me that they have become more of a destination taproom and so they get the after work crowd and the curious, who seek them out. I think they have increased their brewing capacity and so must be doing a bit of off-site sales, but since I don’t frequent a lot of taverns, I couldn’t say for sure. Business was picking up at 4:30 as I left to go catch a bus. On the way out I snagged a cork-stoppered, 750 ml bottle of barrel aged Squash Ale.

The reverse bus ride has become very familiar to me as has the slow, peak-hour traffic. The 124 showed up pretty quickly and the transfer to the D-Line was smooth (that is, I didn’t have to run), and I was home before 6.

Redhook Brewlab

Redhook Brewlab 25Oct2017

Redhook Brewlab is newly opened and is one of the few Seattle brewery locations, to which I have never been – not counting Redhook when it was in Fremont or Woodinville. I rode the D-Line downtown and picked up the 11 at 4rth and Pike. The brewery restaurant is in the newly constructed Pike Motorworks building.

The front door is on Pike Street but the brewery can be accessed from a courtyard with openings on Boylston, Pine, and Harvard. 

Looking at the front door on Pike with outdoor seating to the right and left

Entering from Pike Street you walk through an outdoor seating area – empty this time of year – and transition into the seating area. Straight ahead is restaurant seating and the kitchen with the brew kit to the left. 

Straight ahead view as you enter with the kitchen on the left behind the barrels

On the right is the bar and more restaurant seating. 

The view to the right of the entrance with the bar and a mural of a stylized Seattle

The beer list is displayed on a screen above the bar and lists ABV and IBU information. 

The beer list on TV. Get out your magnifying glass to see that #10 is missing

Tasters of 4 ounces, 10 ounce schooners, pints, crowlers, and growlers are available. I studied the beer list and ordered a tasting flight of 6 x 4 ounce samples. The tasters were served cold and needed time to warm up and reveal their full aroma and flavor.

Back row l to r: XP Pilsner Trial #3, WA Native III (IPA), Flannel Time (Saison). Front row l to r: Humulus Unum 431 Fresh Hop Ale, Insert Witty Name Here (Wit), and False Facts (Brown Ale).

Fresh Hop Crystallation, a fresh hop lager

Tasting Notes:

Insert Witty Name Here (Wit) (4.5%, 20 IBU): Cloudy pale yellow. Sweet malt, fruit, and phenolic aroma. Quick bite, then a sweet spicy coriander flavor. Sweet finish. Orange flavor late.

Flannel Time (saison) (6.1%, 24 IBU): Slightly hazy orange-gold. Belgian aroma of phenols. Dry malt body phenols and late bitterness. The phenols take on a smoky flavor. Sweet bitter finish.

Humulus Unum 431 (fresh hop ale) (6.5%, 45 IBU): Clear orange-gold. Dank hop aroma. Sweet malt, fruity (tropical) hops, and bitterness. Bitter sweet finish.

XP Pilsner Trial #3 (5.5%, 35 IBU): Clear gold. Beery malt aroma. Bready pilsner malt hop bitterness. Bitter finish. Malt forward and bracing bitterness with just a hint of hop perfume.

WA Native III (IPA) (6%, 60 IBU): Slightly hazy orange-gold. Piney hop aroma. Dry malt body, piney hop flavor, hop bitterness with a hint of hop perfume. Bitter finish.

False Facts (Brown Ale) (6%, 60 IBU): Clear red-brown. Roast malt and piney hops. Roast malt, bitterness, and sweet malt. Bitter finish.

Fresh Hop Crystallation (lager) (6%, 22IBU): Clear orange gold. Fruity, barely perceptible hop aroma. Sweet pilsner malt, dank hop flavor. Sweet finish.

One of my contentions about Redhook is that over the years they have lost their identity, if they ever had one. In opening up shop on Capitol Hill they have become another trendy night spot. They don’t have the class of Optimism or the funk of either Outer Planet or McMenamins Six Arms. The restaurant and bar areas are well-lit from sky-lights and windows. The extensive use of wood is pretty standard these days and gives the place a feeling of warmth. The greeting from behind the bar was friendly and knowledgeable and the service was first rate. The only detraction was the loud music which got on my nerves and interfered with my beer enjoyment. The tap list included 6 IPAs, 4 lagers, and two saisons, which is pretty much on trend. All of the beers I sampled were well brewed with no massive flaws or imbalances. I ate a plate of roasted broccolini, which was very good, finished my flight, ordered a schooner of the Crystallation (which I couldn’t finish), over-tipped the bar staff and stumbled out to catch the bus. 

I walked a few blocks to the bus stop, caught the 11, got off downtown, waited at Seattle’s favorite bus stop, and rode the D-Line back home to eat tuna spaghetti.

McMenamins Queen Anne

McMenamins Queen Anne 11Oct2017

I’ve been saving McMenamins as an easy trip since it is just a short bus ride on the D-Line to the Seattle Center neighborhood on lower Queen Anne. Today was the day since Renee wanted me out of the kitchen while she made crackers. I remember being excited to visit any of the McMenamins locations in Portland when we made family visits in the 80s and 90s. Now McMenamins is old hat with two locations within the Seattle city limits.

McMenamins Queen Anne is in a relatively new mixed use, residential retail building on the corner of Roy Street and 2^nd Avenue North. 

On the corner. An apartment here would be close to beer.

As you enter you are confronted by the bar and forced to turn right or left into the restaurant seating areas. 

Right turn.

Left turn

A beer list (and a separate cider, wine, and spirits menu) and food menu are provided at each table. 

One side of the beer list. I used both sides.

If you wander around the restaurant for a bit you may find the chalk board with specials listed on it. I studied the beer list and picked six for a flight of tasters. 

Back row l to r: Hammerhead, Terminator Stout, and Hipster Juice. Front row l to r: Thundercone Fresh Hop Ale, Passion of the Sour, and Anderson School Oktoberfest

Beer is offered in tasters, 8 ounce glasses, pints, growlers, and some canned options.

Tasting Notes:

Passion of the Sour (3.2%, 9 IBU): Cloudy orange-gold. Sharp, fruity, lactic and acetic aromas. Sweet-sour with some fruit flavors. Clean sweet-sour finish. Very refreshing.

Anderson School Oktoberfest (5.9%, 29 IBU): Slightly hazy amber-gold. Pilsner malt aroma. Sweet malt and German hop perfume flavor. Sweet finish with a touch of bitterness. The perfume note of the hops is something I seek in a lager.

Thundercone Fresh Hop Ale (6.2%, 54 IBU): Slightly hazy yellow gold. Faint aromas of piney hops, some phenols, and slight roast note. Dry malt body with balancing bitterness. Bitter finish. The only hint that this is a fresh hop ale is the richness imparted by hop oils.

Hammerhead (6.0%, 44 IBU): Clear copper-red. Perfume of Cascade and slight roast aromas. Sweet malt, hop perfume flavor and bitterness. Bitter sweet finish. Hammerhead seems to showcase Cascades more fully than does Thundercone with fresh Cascades.

Hipster Juice (7.0%, 46 IBU): Slightly hazy red-gold. Piney fruity hop aroma. Bitter, coffee flavor, malt body. Bitter-sweet finish. I didn’t read the description first and so the unmistakable coffee flavor came as a surprise.

Terminator Stout (6.5%, 30 IBU): Opaque black with no highlights. Roast malt and ester aromas. Burnt malt and sweet malt flavors with very late bitterness. Sweet-bitter finish.

I was happy to re-acquaint myself with McMenamins after two years hiatus. The greeting from at the door was laid back and friendly. The place was nearly empty on a Wednesday afternoon but business began to pick up later. At one table sat a couple and at another some business types ate lunch. Nary a hippy in sight. McMenamins Queen Anne is a warm cozy place to get out of the rain, have a bite, and drink a pint or two. The art on the walls evokes the 60s and 70s while the music was a mix leaning heavily in the same direction as the art. As the afternoon lengthened I detected brewing smells coming from the back. The smell of hops hitting hot wort is welcome as far as I’m concerned. After I finished my flight I ordered a glass of the Oktoberfest and sipped it while reading my book. I watched for the possible thundershowers promised in the weather report, but they were a no show.

So I walked a few blocks to the bus stop and rode the D-Line back home to sample freshly baked crackers.

Optimism Brewing

Optimism Brewing 04Oct2017

Optimism Brewing is on Capitol Hill at the corner of Broadway and East Union. A transfer downtown made the bus ride an hour long with the D-Line and the 2 involved. The 2 is an electric trolley.

Optimism Brewing is in a modestly decorated building on Broadway, but the bright yellow entrance door clearly marks the way in. 

The marking is not ostentatious but the entrance stands out.

The brewery has been there less than two years, but on my first visit in early 2016 I noted the beer was well made, so I had high hopes this visit. Plenty of glass makes the inside well-lit and gives an open feeling. As you enter you see immediately in front of you the bar to the left and the brew kit on your right. 

The view as you walk in the entrance. I didn't "look up" so I don't know what's there. Check it out and tell me.

As you pass through the narrow walls of the entrance you see a large seating area to your far right. 

Seating area that looks out on Broadway

Wood tables, wood floors, wood paneling, and wood supports give the expanse of open spaces a saving warmth. 

Big open space with lots of wood to modulate the light

A series of color pictures on back lit signs lists the beers. 

The beer list above the taps consists of pretty pictures

Tasters (4 ounce), half pints, pints, crowlers, and growlers are on offer. 

The beers all looked good and I made some hard choices to pick four beers. 

Back row l to r: Fresh Hop and Hello World! Front row l to r: One and Daredevil.

After I finished those I went back to the bar and ordered four others.

Back row l to r: Moxee and Heliotropic Front row l to r: Expecto Patronum and Vuja De. If you can't say the last two, you get cut off.

Tasting Notes:

Hello World (Bavarian Bright Lager) (4.8%): Clear gold. Bready pilsner malt and noble hop aroma. Sweet The malt (slightly sweet) and German hop aroma carries over into the flavor. Firm bitterness kicks in. Finishes dry and bitter.

One (London Standard Ale) (5.5%): Clear amber gold. English malt and hop aroma profile. Sweet malt and malt flavors up front, cookie malt but dry. Dry bitter finish. Lingering bitterness of complex English hops.

Daredevil (IPA) (5.2%): Clear ruby red. Slight roast malt and piney hop aromas. Dry full malt body and balanced bitterness. Piney hop flavor and lingering bitter finish. Hop aroma is low – more of a classic IPA.

Fresh Hop (5.1%): Clear amber gold. Fruity hop and bready malt aroma. Subtle bright hop flavor, low bitterness, nice malt backing. Brewery says the fresh hops are Simcoe. The Simcoe hop flavor is there but the presentation is not as heavy as usual for this hop.

Expecto Patronum (Hoppy Saison) (5.6%): Clear yellow. Sweet lactobacillus and underlying funk aromas. Cool dry malt, sour, phenols and funk with medium body. Slight bitterness. Bitter dry finish.

Vuja De (Funky Farmhouse Saison) (6.8%): Clear yellow gold. Sweet lactobacillus, esters, and phenol aromas. A complicated, full bodied beer. Sweet-sour up front. Middle combines lactic sour, phenols, hops, and malt body all at once. Bitter sweet finish.

Moxee (Pacific Northwest Hoppy Ale) (6.1%): Clear amber gold. Big piney hop aroma. Bitterness supported by malt. Earthy piney hops supported by malt. Bitter sweet finish.

Heliotropic (Tropical Hoppy Ale) (7.3%): Clear yellow gold. Fruity hop aroma. Sweet malt, full body, bitterness, fruity hops. Bitter finish.

The promise that I noted in my first visit last year has been filled this year. All of the beers I had were well brewed. The beers are not malt forward but malt figures prominently in the flavors. One day I’ll build up my liver and return to taste all of the beers on offer.

The greeting from behind the bar was polite and friendly. The seating areas were filling in nicely with people and the place was doing a good business for a Wednesday afternoon. I saw good mix of all ages including mothers with babes in arm. The atmosphere was friendly and peaceful with people conversing quietly or eating from the food truck. Maybe it gets louder with a bigger crowd later in the evening. On my first visit I felt the large seating areas were a little cold. On this visit I noted the wood tables and an addition of colorful chairs both of which warmed the place up. What really helped was a nice crowd of people to humanize the space. The space at Optimism is very inviting as is the beer. I don’t remember seeing any televisions on the walls, which is refreshing if my memory is correct. I won’t wait another two years to go back. After finishing my beers I used the unisex bathroom and headed out to catch the return bus.

I thought I had just made the 2 when the driver deflated my lucky feeling by telling me he was 12 minutes late. On an electric trolley line that’s bad because the buses can’t pass each other. But it was good for me since I didn’t have to wait for a bus and subsequently I caught the D-Line to Ballard pretty quickly, too.

Belltown Brewing

Belltown Brewing 02Oct2017

Belltown Brewing in just a block off the D-line on Bell Street. That makes for a very short bus ride from Ballard.

The story I read is that Belltown was a bar and eatery that added brewing capacity recently to become a brewery. Belltown is a rapidly densifying neighborhood that apparently needs a brewery. The entry to the pub is on the corner of 2^nd Ave and Bell Street. An outside seating area sits beyond the garage doors for opening the interior, but the time of the year for outdoor drinking has passed. 

The Bell Street face of Belltown Brewing

As you enter the L-shape of the space is apparent with seating areas to your right and left. 

Seating to the left looking out the garage doors

Seating to the left and the brew kit beyond

The brew kit is to your left and the bar is front and center. 

The bar is visible from the front door

The beer list is chalked up above the taps and today included the three Belltown Brewing offerings plus a boatload of excellent local (Oregon and Washington) brews. 

The chalked beer list with ABV information

Beers can be ordered as five ounce tasters, 12 ounce schooners, pints, and growlers. I ordered a flight of the three house brews plus a Double Mountain fresh hop ale.

From left to right: BB Local Lager, BB Watermain Amber, BB Speakeasy IPA, Double Mountain Killer Red Fresh Hop

Tasting Notes:

BB Local Lager (4.5%, 30 IBU): Clear gold. Bready, fruity, and hop aroma. Slightly sweet, rich malt up front. Low bitterness kicks in. Finishes dry and bitter. The flavors make a nice transition through the mouth.

BB Watermain Amber (5%, 34 IBU): Clear ruby red. Piney hop aroma and malt. Sweet malt up front with a hint of hop bitterness. Finishes dry and bitter. The big malt hides the hops until the sweetness clears then the piney hops rise like a ghost to bring a bitter dry finish.

BB Speakeasy IPA (6%, 60 IBU): Clear orange gold. Piney and fruity hop aroma. Hop forward piney and fruity flavor followed by bitterness. The dry malt body supports the hops. Bitter dry finish.

Double Mountain Killer Red Fresh Hop (7.5%, 78 IBU): Ruby red and clear. Powdery hop aroma; vegetal. Minty hop presence woven in with yeast esters and malt sweetness. Lingering bitter finish. Well done.

The Belltown Brewing space is brand new and part of one of those ubiquitous mixed retail and residential buildings being built all over Seattle. The greeting is friendly, the service is leisurely (to be expected on a slow Monday afternoon), and the service included a delightful hand-drawn “stamp” on my Washington Beer Lovers passport. 

My hand drawn "stamp"

The bar crowd was surprisingly interactive. I had a couple of brief conversations with other patrons. I didn’t expect much conversation at a downtown bar even if it was also a brewery. The décor is pretty standard for current breweries with open ceilings (exposed utilities), wood floors, subdued colors, and miles of windows. The beer was well made and the selection of guest beers and ciders was awesome. I didn’t try the food but I did order a schooner of the BB IPA after I finished my flight.

After I finished my beer I staggered back to the D-Line for a short ride home.

Obec Brewing

Obec Brewing 10Sep2017

We were headed to Fred Meyer when I spotted a sign for a new brewery in the Ballard Brewery District. So I checked on line to learn that Obec Brewing is a new brewery that has been open for a couple of weeks. Another brewery within walking distance! So on Sunday I pulled on my shoes, put together my brewery visit kit, and walked down to check it out.

Obec is on NW 52^nd right next door to Stoup. 

Obec Brewing with the garage door to the left, entrance in the middle, and outdoor seating area to the right.

It is another brewery in a utilitarian warehouse type building. The neighborhood is mixed residential, retail, and light industrial, so the outdoor seating area stands out as much more attractive (along with Stoup) than the surrounding buildings. Today as I approached the building I noted that the garage door was open to the indoor seating area and the brew kit. I entered through the general entrance beside the garage door to get a feel for the year round entry. The narrow hall way opens to the brew kit in front of you with the bar to the right. 

Entering through the door gives you a view of the brew kit.

The bar and taps

The tap list is projected on a wall above the bar. 

The tap list.

The selection of house brewed beers is limited due to the newness of the place, but beers from neighboring breweries are available on guest taps. Cider and wine are also available as well as some cocktails. I asked for a flight of the home pride and settled in to taste.

Front l to r: Czech Pils, Pale Ale, and Porter. Rear: Red Rye IPA.

Tasting Notes:

Inaugural Czech Pils (4.8%, 35 IBU): Clear gold. Warm malt aroma. Balance of malt and bitterness up front followed by noble hop flavor then malt. Full body with a bitter finish. First class Czech Pils.

Inaugural Pale Ale (6.4%, 57 IBU): Clear red gold. Malt hop aroma – piney. Dry malt with full body and earthy hops. Lots of esters. Bitter finish.

Inaugural Porter (7.4%, 60 IBU): Cloudy dark brown, brown highlights. Roast malt aroma. Sweet burnt malt. Medium body leads to a bitter finish. No hop flavors aside from bitterness.

Inaugural Red Rye IPA (6.5%, 80 IBU): Cloudy red. Fruity aroma with some roast – esters and hops. Peppery malt and hops. Fruit esters. Phenols (pepper) lingering. Bitter sweet finish.

The brewer at Obec told me that the name translates to community, which indicates to me that Obec intends to be a neighborhood brewery. The Sunday I visited they had been open two weeks as of the previous Friday. Obec will focus on Czech beers, but the limited number of styles – pilsners and dark – means that they will be brewing many other styles. The pilsner was excellent and I am looking forward to trying the dark when released. Decent lagering requires time (at least six weeks), which means that production can be slow. I am glad that they are not rushing cold conditioned beers out of the fermenters. Ales are turned over faster, so the number and variety will fill in the gaps. The indoor seating is plentiful and the outdoor seating looks inviting in nice weather. After I finished my tasters I ordered a full pint of the Inaugural Czech Pils and had a nice conversation with the guy next to me at the bar.

An interesting exercise would be to sample the Czech Pils at Obec, then stagger over to Stoup to try the German Pils to compare. They are both excellent examples of the indicated styles.

After I finished my beer I staggered home to grill some salmon.