Cloudburst Brewing | Alternative Facts IPA

Photo by Cloudburst Brewing

Seattle is home to millions of breweries. Did you know that? That’s right! Some are just undocumented… But they are all fantastic. Truly fantastic. The best breweries! People from Portland, Denver cry when they see our breweries. They’re just bitter, those people. Bitter that more people come to OUR breweries. Not breweries in Portland. Not breweries in Denver. People just love Seattle beer. Every city thinks that they have better breweries, but they don’t. SAD.

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Federation of Malted Republics | A New Hop: Hopi-Wan Galactic Ale

ABV: 4.5%

Two years ago, I heard a shocking story. My brother’s then-girlfriend had never seen the original Star Wars.

No joke.

It seems impossible that one could grow up in America and not see these epic films. I’m not even close to a full blown Star Wars nerd, but I still love those three original films from the ’70s and I am always stoked when a new one comes out. (Well, not the Jar Jar Binks one; that sucked.) I have yet to see Rogue One, but when I saw this bottle of A New Hop: Hopi Wan Galactic Ale from Federation of Malted Republics (FMR), there was no choice but to buy it.

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Odell Brewing | Elephunk Imperial Wild IPA

ABV: 9.9% | IBU: 33

Funky doesn’t begin to describe Odell Brewing Elephunk Imperial Wild IPA. This delicious boozy palette puncher is indeed a wild ride. It’s weird. It’s complex. It’s funky with a “p-h.” Yep, it’s PHunky.
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Three Taverns Brewery | White Hops

ABV: 6.5% | IBU: 55

For me, porch drinking and beer are synonymous with family. My favorite beer of ALL time happens to be Three Taverns Brewery White Hops, which was introduced to me by my brother. For many of us, beer is deeply rooted in the emotion and stories associated with it, which is why I’m so drawn to Three Taverns White Hops.

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Hi-Wire Brewing | Ringmaster’s Reserve Series – Raspberry Wheat Wine

ABV: 13.0% | IBU: 40

I just enjoyed the strongest beer I’ve ever had. Coming from one who actively seeks out high gravity beer, I feel like that’s something of an accomplishment. Even more so considering it’s from North Carolina, a state where the statutory limit of alcohol in beer is 15.0%. And while I don’t see much point in setting a legal limit at all, it’s very much preferable to the previous limit of 6.0% (I mean, really?). Thankfully this was lifted in 2005 when former NC governor Mike Easley signed NC HB 392 into law. I feel safe speaking for beer aficionados across the state when I say, “Thanks, Mike.”

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Braxton Brewing Company | Bluff White Mocha Stout

ABV: 6.7% | IBU: 30

When I heard that one of my favorite Kentucky breweries, Braxton Brewing Co., was creating a “beer baby” to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of one of the most awesome local beer events of the year—Cincy Winter Beerfest—I was immediately excited. When I heard it was a stout beer, I was even more intrigued.

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Cervecería Cruz Blanca | Marigold Strong Ale

ABV: 8.7% | IBU: 35

The Marigold Strong Ale from Cervecería Cruz Blanca, a Chef Rick Bayless restaurant, is a dry, very fresh tasting beer. One thing of note was that it’s also unexpectedly drinkable and lacked any alcohol taste, which was shocking after I learned that the ABV was nearly 9 percent! It had a bubbly mouthfeel, which was very pronounced. It was similar to that of a sparkling wine. When the bubbles reach your nose, they release a fruity fragrance of blackberries and a hint of apple. I could have easily gulped down two glasses without trying, but it is sneakily strong.

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Funky Buddha Brewing | I’m So Excited, I’m So Scared! Imperial Stout

Cover Courtesy Funky Buddha Brewing

ABV: 10 | IBU: 40

It’s always a joy for me when a beer not only has a really good name, but the name is also perfect for the beer when describing it. Funky Buddha Brewery‘s I’m So Excited, I’m So Scared hits the nail on the jittery head with this imperial coffee stout; once I took a whiff of it I got excited, and it was so delicious upon tasting it I was a little scared! Read More

The Pike Brewing Company | Pike Octopus Ink

Drinking a good beer is always a treat, but drinking a good beer to benefit a great cause? Well, that doesn’t just hit the spot – it hits it out of the park. And that’s what Pike Octopus Ink, from Pike Brewing Company, is all about. Not only does this brew delicately walk the line between rich, malty flavors and those bitter notes so synonymous with a classic Pacific Northwest IPA, it also benefits Seattle philanthropy Puget Soundkeeper Alliance. Read More

Horse Thief Hollow | Buffalo Trace Barrel-Aged Cinnamon Girl

Image Courtesy Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Co.

ABV 9.8%

People love eating breakfast. Hell, they love it so much it actually co-opted another meal of the day (lunch) to make the super popular brunch. While some have the time to make a hearty breakfast meal, others must run out the door with little time to eat cereal. With a few exceptions (Raisin Bran and Cheerios for example), you’re going to sound like a 5-year-old when you tell someone what you had for breakfast, though. How do you avoid that social situation? Read More

Two Brothers Brewing | Northwind Imperial Stout

ABV 9.1 | IBU 45

The sun dipped below the North Pole’s horizon long ago — not to be seen again until March. The relentless darkness creates indescribable arctic cold that marches southward all winter. But, there’s more than just frosty breezes arriving from the north, there’s Imperial Stout — Two Brothers Brewing Northwind Imperial Stout.

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Blank Slate Brewing Company | Fork in the Road

ABV: 6.8% | IBU: 70

Blank Slate Brewing Company was my first exposure to the Cincinnati Craft Beer scene when I arrived in 2011, when you could only find its brews on draft. Safe to say, both Blank Slate and I have matured a bit since then. Now, in addition to having a tap room of its own, one of the Blank Slate Brewing stalwarts, Fork in the Road, is available in cans. Read More

Scofflaw Brewing Co. | Interrogation Coffee Milk Stout

ABV: 6.8% |  IBU: 75

In high school, a party was a form of subversion, a rebellion, it was when you began to test the limits. It had it’s moments. The college party was more a celebration of freedom (see “Stair Diving” from 1984’s Revenge of the Nerds), and more testing of limits, but without the threat (or thrill?) of getting caught, it was merely a party for party’s sake.

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Starr Hill Brewery | Warm Up Winter Ale

ABV: 6.1% | IBU: 15

If a brewery says its beer pairs well with gouda and snickerdoodle cookies, you know you’re drinking the right thing.

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Søle Artisan Ales | Pineapple Smoosh

Style: American Double/Imperial IPA

ABV: 7.80% | IBU: 35

I glanced at my phone, bleary-eyed to see a time of 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 11, 2016. Unlike my typical weekend morning, I found myself standing outside of the Susquehanna Brewing Company building in a long line, waiting for the latest can release from their contract brewer, Søle Artisan Ales. The release was being held at noon and I had several long hours ahead of me for my first ever specialty release. Bundled up in layers upon layers of clothing and blankets, I anxiously waited in the cold Pennsylvania weather to get my gloved hands on a case of Pineapple Smoosh, one of the latest milkshake style beers.

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961 Beer | Porter (A Beer From Lebanon)

Cover Photo credit: 961 Beer (via Facebook)

5.6% ABV

Uncertainty and cultural disharmony runs amuck in the world today, but not among beer aficionados. A typical beer nerd’s Instagram feed includes posts from New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico, the UK, Ireland, the U.S. … and Lebanon! Yes, that Lebanon. Sandwiched between Syria and Israel, the region’s history is noted for its tumultuous nature and not one that would appear to be conducive to brewing. But, the region is also rich with beer history – predating the The Peloponnesian War by a few thousand years — and now it has microbreweries. The first one arrived a few years ago, named 961 Beer, and the porter it brews is as good as the area’s beer history is rich.

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WoodGrain Brewing Company | English Breakfast Stout

ABV: 5.1% | IBU: 53

One of the best things about visiting my in-laws in the Midwest, besides enjoying all of their fresh from the farm veggies and napping in … Read More

Fremont Brewing in Collaboration with Chuck’s Hop Shop | Phantom Chair

On Saturday, hundreds of craft lovers came together to celebrate Chuck’s Hop Shop’s third anniversary. The event was a testament to the craft beer bar quickly and swiftly making its mark in Seattle’s Central District neighborhood.

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Red Hare Brewing Company | Berry Belgian Waffle

Berry Belgian Waffle is a truly unique beer that pushes forward the possibilities of beer and brewing style. We can all appreciate breweries that focus on hitting style profiles to the letter. These breweries strive to make classic examples of beer – those efforts often resulting in successful campaigns at the Great American Beer Festival. Berry Belgian Waffle may not be the next GABF medal winning beer out of the booming Georgia brewing scene; What it is, instead, is a fun example of a small brewery, Red Hare Brewing Company, having fun and pushing what is acceptable and expected from American beer.

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Free Will Brewing Company | The Kragle IPA

ABV: 6.6% | IBU: 90

There is a beer that I walk past almost every day. Since it comes from a local brewery, I see it in bottle shops and grocery stores ALL the time. There is no particular reason that I had never tried it. I never read a bad review, heard bad word-of-mouth, or disliked a different beer from the same brewery. I just never reached out and grabbed one. When building a mixed six-pack today, I rectified that error. The last spot in my six-pack carrier was filled with The Kragle IPA from Free Will Brewing Company. Read More