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.