Peddler Brewing

Peddler Brewing  26Apr2017

Peddler is within walking distance of my home in Ballard so I did that – walk that is. I haven’t visited in over a year and the last time I was there the beer was not to my taste. The beers I had were too sweet and had some diacetyl, which led me to think the beers were under pitched. Perhaps that is the reason I have put off taking the 15 minute walk to their front door. Peddler is on Leary Way NW in the space formerly inhabited by Maritime Pacific. They have limited outdoor seating on the sidewalk and a beer garden in the back. Today the weather was too crummy to sit outside.

Peddler with its large windows, inviting doorway, and an openable garage door for warmer weather. A small outdoor, sidewalk seating area is not in use due to the wet and cool weather.

The brewery entrance is right off Leary on an expansive stretch of sidewalk. As you walk in the door you see the brew kit straight ahead on the path to the beer garden. 

The view of the brew kit and the way to the back beer garden.

 The seating area and the bar are to your right.

The bar and some seating with the chalk board beer list.

The seating area and bar are in a well-lighted space overseen by large windows. The offerings are chalked on a board above the bar with all of the statistics clearly written. Tasters of 4 oz., pints of 16 oz., and growlers are all available. I ordered six four ounce tasters.

Six tasters - right side top to bottom; Rando Red Imperial IPA, Pedal Strike Pale, and On Your Left IPA. Left side top to bottom; Chocolate Stout, Tropic Thunder IPA, and Wildflower Honey Wit.

Tasting Notes:

Pedal Strike Pale (4.6%, 22 IBU): Fruity hop aroma. Cloudy yellow gold. Bitter, dry malt, piney hops. Finishes with the flavor of NW hops and dry.

On Your Left IPA (6.2%, 77 IBU): NW hop aroma. Orange gold color and clear. Hop assault, malt full body, piney hop flavor. Very bitter. Bitter finish

Rando Red Imperial IPA (7.5%, 52 IBU): Cloudy red. Fruity hop aroma with some malt. Very bitter hop flavor, and rich dry malt body with some esters. Middle flavor of hop candy. Bitter sweet finish.

Tropic Thunder IPA (6.0%, 60 IBU): Clear red-gold. Fruity hop aroma. Fruity hop-malt balance still bitter. Dry. Bitter dry finish.

Wildflower Honey Wit (6.0%, 15 IBU): Flower (Ginger, coriander, lavender) aroma. Clear pale yellow. Flowers and potpourri, then saison like flavors. Dry flower finish.

Chocolate Stout (5.0%, 23 IBU): Opaque black with red highlights. Chocolate, coffee, roast malt aroma. Chocolate and rich malt flavor with a late roasty-ness. Sweet chocolate finish.

Not everyone who hangs out at Peddler is a bicyclist. I mean, I was there after all. The indoor seating area is open, light, and airy – very inviting on a winter’s or early spring day. I haven’t sat outside, and I hope the seating there is a little more comfortable than the high stools inside. The beers on this visit were all well made. The IPAs were all properly imbalanced to varying degrees of bitterness, the wit was very perfumey, and the chocolate stout hit all the notes I look for.

I made the short hike - uphill - back home while dodging yet another rain shower, which has been way too common an occurrence this record setting, wet year.