While several breweries in the Puget Sound area are accessible by boat, we did this cruise by car. Our next stop was at Silver City Restaurant and Brewery in Silverdale where we paired their Clear Creek Pale Ale with their Crispy Cod Tacos for a satisfying snack. Next, was Downpour Brewing in Kingston where we shared a flight and tossed the bags on their back patio. Downpour is an easy, albeit uphill, walk a half mile from the Kingston Ferry Terminal (from Edmonds) and Port of Kingston which means it is absolutely accessible by boat. If you're in Kingston by boat, I recommend making the trek uphill.
Further away, is Hood Canal Brewery which is another four miles away. It's a small brewery worth your time, but you will need a car. The buses don't go that far and Uber and taxi service are non-existent. If you're a WABL member and filling out your passport, note that nearby CB's Nuts is a WABL sponsor. Stop in, check them out, and get a stamp. I didn't figure this out until after we had left Kingston so I'm not sure what the connection between organic roasted nuts and craft beer is (do they also roast malts?). The only way to find out is vast them and ask so be sure you do and let them know you appreciate their WABL sponsorship.
Our last stop for this Thursday was Rainy Daze Brewing in Poulsbo. We shared a flight there where the Rainy Daze Rye IPA stood out for me. Rainy Daze where "it's not the size of your system—it's how you use it" is a larger facility, with a cool vibe and where their nearly 20 wood tap handles are crafted by local artists. Award winning beers, with front row seating to the brewing facilities, and a beautiful bar make for a good experience.
Friday's expedition started with a flight at Slippery Pig in Poulsbo. Of the three we tried, the Boldur's Blonde stood out for us. We also stopped at Valhöll Brewing Company, also in Poulsbo, where the bartender/owner was very gracious. We enjoyed a pint of the Dry Hop Warrior Golden Ale. Both these breweries are accessible by foot if you are staying at the Port of Poulsbo Marina. Slippery Pig is a few short steps from the marina while Valhöll is a quarter mile away.
Before leaving Poulsbo, we made a quick stop at Sound Brewery. This is only 1.5 miles away from the Port. The roads were busy in some places but it is possible to navigate by bike or bus, if you happen to be in in Poulsbo by way of boat. There, we had a very smooth Munich Dunkel which was quite satisfying. They also have food, if you're hungry.
Our last stop for the day was Bainbridge Island Brewing where we sampled a flight of northwest IPAs. Our favorite was the Windfall Grapefruit IPA. Despite their logo, which looks like a ferry boat, Bainbridge Island Brewing does not supply beers to the Washington State ferry system. Although there are several local craft breweries that do, Bainbridge Island Brewing isn't one of them. (The breweries that have that honor are listed here.) This brewery is located in an industrial complex that also features a winery, a distillery, and a coffee roaster. There is also a gym located there that we studiously avoided.
Saturday was a busy day of focused brewery touring. After taking the ferry from Eagle Harbor to Seattle, we headed to Counterbalance Brewing. This small, out of the way spot in the Georgetown neighborhood south of Seattle seemed to be favored by locals and other beer industry types. We tried the Passion Fruit Hibiscus Farmhouse Ale and the Bohemian Pilsner, both delicious in their respective lanes.
From there we ventured to Lowercase Brewing where the bartenders are friendly, the menu is informative (thank you), and the beer is delicious. A former auto shop, their remodeled interior used reclaimed wood from nearby Boeing for their wood paneled walls. We had the Double Black IPA, a collaboration with Flying Lion, which was outstanding. From there, it was only a quarter mile to Machine House Brewery where we had the Matrimonial Pale Ale which, brewed specifically for the brewer's wedding. Cheers!
A mere 52 feet away, we stopped by another WABL sponsor, Full Throttle Bottles, who was closed for remodeling after a recent ownership change. Nothing to do but venture forth so we headed to Two Beers Brewing Company who was celebrating with Seattle Cider the latter's fourth anniversary. We were still outside while this video was being taken (posted on Facebook). Once we gained entrance, however, we savored a pint of Return of the Tonic. "Looks weird but tastes good," was the advice and it was correct on both counts. This cider was made with ginger, carrot, turmeric and who knows what else? Highly unusual and extraordinarily delicious.
Next was Schooner Exact Brewing which was also crowded as we happened by while they were participating in a block party with their nine winery neighbors. Unable to find parking, we purchased a bomber to go and moved on to Seapine Brewing which was closed for a private event. This place looked interesting so we will definitely want to come back. Luckily, Ghostfish Brewing was right around the corner. And, we were able to find on-street parking.
Everything on the Ghostfish menu is gluten free - the beer as well as the food. They use traditional brewing methods with non traditional ingredients to produce some really great beers. Their taproom is big and open with indoor and outdoor seating with friendly and knowledgeable servers. The samples we tasted were varied and creative. We settled on the Vanishing Point Pale and Grapefruit IPA and liked them both.
Although we would have liked to have sampled some of Ghostfish's food items, we settled on the Ultimate Beer Burger - because bacon jam - at Pyramid Brewing Company at their Seattle Alehouse. Located across the street from Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners, this place can be busy on game days. It was not, the day we visited, so we had ample parking and quick, friendly service. There, we shared a Outburst Citrus IPA (7% ABV) which was just perfect on the outside patio.
Before wrapping up our day's tour, we stopped by a WABL sponsor, The Pine Box, where they have 32 beers and ciders on tap from a wide range of breweries and cideries. Located on the Capital Hill neighborhood of Seattle, this place was just starting to get busy on a Saturday evening when we arrived.
Just as the sun was starting to set, we had our last beer of the day at Redhook's new Brewlab which opened August 14th. Located in the old Pike Motorworks Building, we had no trouble finding the place since we used to have our cars serviced there some years ago. This is one of the largest spaces we've visited. Plenty of room which included two patios and two fire pits for cooler Seattle evenings. Redhook has a long history in Seattle as its first microbrewery. While their main operations are consolidated in Portland, the Seattle Brewlab is a place where they will create the next generation of Redhook brews.
Sunday was draft day for our NFL fantasy team so we didn't make any brewery visits which isn't to say we didn't enjoy any beer. We cracked open a Gin Botanical that we purchased earlier from Seattle Cider and the Hopvine IPA we purchased at Schooner Exact. No doubt they aided in our draft picks for the season.
What ever you end up doing this Labor Day weekend, be sure to stop in and visit your favorite craft brewery for refreshment. We will be home, painting the house. But, it won't be long before we're on the road again, looking for new craft breweries to try.
To our friends who will be in Poulsbo this weekend, sorry we could be there with you. Cheers!
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