Astoria, Oregon – Night 2
by Lush C
After a day of visiting family in Long Beach, Washington we were ready to go Rogue. Earlier in the day we attempted to got to Long Beach’s only Brewpub the Grey Parrot, but it was closed, even though the sign said open. We we’re a little disappointed. A few years ago we were there and really didn’t enjoy it. We recently met some folks that raved about it, so we were intrigued into trying it again.
Upon our return to Astoria we went straight to the Rogue Public House. About one and half miles east of downtown, it is an easy walk via a river front trail. It is located in the 132 year old Hanthorn building on Pier 39 , in what was once a Bumble Bee Tuna Cannery. They have a nice outdoor area where you can enjoy the sites and sounds of California Sea Lions swimming and lounging on rocks in the river. The interior is what you’d expect form an old cannery, just a large warehouse with ample seating and decent size bar. It is definitely not pretentious, just very simple and comfortable. They have typical pub fare, and a wonderful selection of Rogue Ales and Spirits. We were lucky enough to show up on the day of their “Garage Sale” and and received good deals on some cool Rouge-ware.
Hint: If you need some caffeine before or after your visit to Rogue try Coffee Girl located just inside the same building.
Beer Sampler:
Sesquicentennial Ale, a Northwest Amber brewed in honor of Oregon’s 150th year of Statehood – Cloudy orange with a mild aroma. Very floral with a smooth malt finish. The first taste is a bit of a “wow that’s bitter”, but it follows with a smooth buttery finish.
Hazelnut Brown Nectar – Light brown with a nutty aroma. Smooth, malty, with a rich nutty flavor. This is one of Lush C’s all time favorites.
Mocha Porter – We were given a FREE taster of the Mocha Porter to drink along with the Hazelnut Brown. This was a great experience, and should be tried. The Porter is dark with a coffee and chocolate aroma. By itself, it is rich, malty, with a mocha flavor and a creamy finish. If you follow it with a sip of the Brown, all the flavors collide and really highlight a creamy, vanilla finish. I loved it.
Yellow Snow IPA – FREE taster. Golden in color with a citrus aroma. Hoppy with a hint of citrus and a peppery finish. Tasted much better than I’d expect it’s namesake would.
XS Imperial Stout – Deep Dark in color with a sweet aroma. Rich, malty, and sweet, with a hint of alcohol. One very full Stout.
Upon finishing the Stout, which we shared, we paid up and headed back downtown. We made a quick stop at the hotel, and then walked to Fort George for dinner and a pint.
Going Rogue - by Lush C
Fort George Brewery and Public House
Beer Sampler:
Vortex IPA – Opaque golden with a sweet floral aroma. Sweet and hoppy, but not to bitter. Leaned more towards an Imperial IPA
Drunkin Pumpkin – Lush C liked this so much the night before, she had another. See Astoria, Oregon- Night 1
It was a long day, so we decided to through in the bar towel early. We headed back to the room, watched a little TV and went to bed. The next morning, we woke up, had some waffles, packed up the car, and headed home. We know we will visit Astoria again, and recommend it for a quick one or two night getaway.
Disclaimer: Goodbeertrips.com is not affiliated with any of the businesses listed in this post. Unless otherwise mentioned, all items were purchased and paid for by GoodBeerTrips.com.
Astoria, Oregon – Night 1
We gassed up the car this past weekend and drove to Astoria, Oregon for another Good Beer Trip. Astoria, a city of 10,000 people, is located at the mouth of the mighty Columbia River; 176 mile Southwest of Seattle, and 90miles Northwest of Portland. Not to long ago, it was a sleepy fishing town looking for a new identity. Over the past few years it has been revitalized. The downtown area now hosts many great restaurants, coffee shops, and Cafe’s. You can browse in unique shops, art galleries, and enjoy local attractions like the Maritime Museum or the Astoria Column. What about beer? They boast two downtown brewpubs, Astoria Brewing, and Fort George, as well as a Rogue Ales Public House.
Trivia: You might have seen Astoria in movie classics like: The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop, and Free Willy.
We arrived in Astoria on Friday afternoon. Our first step was to check in to our hotel. On this trip we chose to stay in one of our favorites, the Hotel Elliot. It is located in the heart of downtown, in a recently renovated 1924 historic building. It is an upscale feeling hotel that has very reasonable rates. They have a lot of nice touches like heated bathroom floors, DVD players , free internet, and very comfortable beds. We booked a Queen Room, and got a nice room on the fourth floor, with a view of the Columbia River.
Hint: If you are feeling wealthy, book a night at the Cannery Pier Hotel. Located on a pier on the Columbia River, you get a memorable, up-close view of passing by ships.
After freshening up, walking around town, and a little retail therapy we were at the doors of the Wet Dog Café and Astoria Brewing Company.
by Lush C
The Café and Brewery is located in a dockside warehouse with an amazing view of the river. As you walk in the main entrance, the Brewery is immediately to your right. Up a few steps, there is a kid friendly restaurant, with large windows to enjoy the view. Off to the right is the large bar and a second room with a pool table, pin ball machines, and video poker. We grabbed a great seat at the bar that allowed us to enjoy the river view. Their menu is typical northwest beach pub fare with lots of Burgers and Seafood options. We’d been coming here for many years, even back when it was still Pacific Rim Brewing, and had always enjoyed it. On our previous two trips though, they did not have their own beer, and we were about to give up on them. For the sake of the Good Beer Trips, we gave them another shot, and were glad we did. They had most of their Beers on tap this time.
Beer Sampler:
DaBomb Blonde – Golden blonde with a sweet malty aroma. Crisp, clean, sweet flavor with a slight hoppy finish. A good session beer that should appeal to the masses.
Red Beard Amber – Cloudy amber with a sweet floral aroma. A nice roasted malt flavor with a little more hop flavor than the average amber.
Solar Dog IPA – Cloudy golden in color with a sweet floral aroma. It is sweet and hoppy with a buttery finish . Very smooth and drinkable.
Bitter Bitch Imperial IPA – Cloudy light amber with a strong floral aroma. Hops, hops and more hops, with a peppery dry finish. Not for the hop shy. I do admit this went very well with the spicy remoulade that was served with the excellent Crab Cakes we ordered.
Stone Cold Strong – A nice brown ale with a sweet aroma. Smooth and malty, with a sweet, but not too sweet, finish.
Poop Deck Porter – Dark brown with a roasted malt aroma. Malty with a hint of chocolate, and enough hops to keep it from being too sweet. Very Nice.
Kick Ass Stout – Dark Black and a coffee aroma. Nice dark roasted malt and coffee flavor with a smooth chalky finish. A big Black Beer.
After a sampler and a pint we settled up our tab and hit the streets again. Walking the seven blocks to Fort George.
Fort George Brewery and Public House
Fort George by Lush C
We first discovered Fort George back in 2007 while on a urban hike from downtown to the Rogue Public House. What a great discovery! Fort George has quickly become one of our favorite brewpubs. They have the complete package, a cool building, great local food, and solid beer. Built in 1924, their building originally housed a Ford Service Station. It has been turned into and urban, industrial, hangout. You won’t catch me telling you to check out bathrooms to often, but…. You have to check out theirs! The one on the left is cool, it has great mural of classic Ford’s that pays homage to the building’s past life. The one on the right is simply amazing. The entire room, including the ceiling is painted as though you are inside a log cabin/fort. Complete with pelts drying on the wall, windows to a painted outdoors, and a special “Girl” picture over the commode. A must see! As usual we enjoy sitting at the bar, where we can chat with the servers, brewers and other patrons. Their menu includes many local and natural items including house made sausage. Another nice touch is that they serve their beer in Mason Jars.
Fort George Bathroom 1 by Lush C
Fort George Bathroom 2 by Lush C
- Fort George Bathroom 2 by Lush C
Beer Sampler:
Drunkin Pumpkin – Amber, with a sweet alcohol aroma. Light Bodied, sweet, mild hopped, with a hint of spice at the end. Very good. (per the Bartender, it actually contains no Pumpkin)
Sunrise Oatmeal Pale Ale – Cloudy blonde with a spicy floral aroma. Smooth and malty with a slight nut flavor, and nice hop finish
North III , Seasonal Belgian Trippel – Light brown, with a sweet aroma. Medium bodied, sweet, malty with hints of plum. A very high octane beer. I purchased a 22 ounce bottle to enjoy at home. * Note this was a FREE sample.
Nut Red Ale – Dark Red with a sweet floral aroma. Medium bodied, medium hopped , with a slight nut flavor. Very enjoyable.
After closing out the tab, and bundling up, we head off to our evening entertainment; Zombieland playing at the Columbia Theater. The Columbia is an old school theater showing second run movies. The best part is that they serve beer and pizza in their 21+ only balcony. Right next door is the Voodoo Room and the Columbian Café, both worth visits. Any way, we both (or at least I) enjoyed the movie along with some popcorn and Terminal Velocity IPA, and then headed off to our room to close out the first night.
Disclaimer: Goodbeertrips.com is not affiliated with any of th businesses listed in tis post. Unless otherwise mentioned, all items were purchased and paid for by GoodBeerTrips.com.
Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen – Bellingham, WA
I made a solo trip up North last night and got a chance to go to North Fork again. It was obvious that Ski Season has begun as the bar was full at 4:30 pm with thirsty skiers returning from their day on the slopes. On the way back to Seattle, I drove through Bellingham and stopped at the Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen.
Beer Crossing, by Lush C 2010
Chuckanut is the newest creation of Will Kemper, of Thomas Kempe fame. They recently won four medals and the honor of 2009 Small BrewPub of the year at the Great American Beer Festival. It is located on the water in old town Bellingham; a great location to enjoy a beer and good food. They’ve gone with an industrial steel building, separating the Restaurant from the Brewery with an official “Beer Crossing”. They have a small bar, ample indoor seating, water front outdoor seating, and a large covered outdoor area for special events.
Their menu consists of creative, locally and globally influenced Fresh American cuisine. (per their website) It has something for everyone one. My favorite menu item is the Brat and Pint, a locally made Brat with fresh saurkraut, stone mustard, chips, pickle and a pint of your choice, all for $8.
I find their beer to be very good. Everything I’ve tasted has been true to it’s style. Some of my favorites are the Foreign Stout, Schwarzbier, Vienna Lager, and Rauchbier.
We make it to Bellingham several times a year so I will update the Beer Sampler ocassionally, so check back.
Beer Sampler
British Brown Ale – A nice semi-transparent light brown, thin cream head, and a nutty aroma. It is well carbonated with a sweet nutty flavor with hints of chocolate. It has enough hops to give it some bite and crisp dry finish. Good enough that I purchased a growler to go.
Bock Lager – Dark amber, off white head, and a sweet malt and a little sour aroma. It has a nice caramel malt flavor, finishing with a sweet almost sour coffee and hop flavor. I liked it. Not too sweet. Lush C thought the caramel malts make it nice and pleasant, starting off with a nice bite and finish with a nice malt flavor. (updated 3/14/2010)
Porter – Dark brown, creme colored head, and a sweet malt aroma. The flavor was very robust; dark malt, nutty, a hint of smoke, and a little earthy. Very smooth and quaffable, I love it!! (updated 3/14/2010)
If you like this, check out Chuckanut II.
WABLers sitting at the bar - by Lush C - 2010
Blogging and Drinking - by Lush C , 2010
Disclaimer: Goodbeertrips.com is in no way affiliated with the Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen. All beer and food was paid for by Goodbeertrips.com.
Elysian Fields – Seattle, Wa
Woo hoo!! Went to pick up Lush C tonight from work and ended up at Elysian Fields for a retirement party. Unfortunately, it was not mine. I didn’t know a lot of the people, but there was a core group of good friends to great me and make me feel welcome. It was a great time, and I was glad I made it.
Elysian Fields is located less than a football field away from Quest Field in the south end of Pioneer Square. It is a great place to meet before a game, after work, or whenever. They have a low-light, night club, in an industrial loft feel. A large facility with high ceilings, exposed beams, and concrete floors, I like it! The bar is a monstrous oval with plenty of seats to quench many of fans thirst.
Their food is good, but tends to be little expensive and a little fancy for a brewpub. They do have a great happy hour, and as I learned tonight, Taco Tuesday’s, where you can get $1.50 near- authentic style tacos. Mmm… I love the Mexican food.
It’s the beer that keeps me coming back to Elysian Fields. I really enjoy their standards like the Wise ESB, Immortal IPA, Perseus Porter and Dragonstooth Stout. They also have great seasonal favorites like Night Owl Pumpkin Ale, BiFrost Winter Ale, Pandora’s Bock and one of Lush C’s favorite Avitar Jasmine IPA. It is a must stop for anyone looking for a good beer in Seattle.
Beer Sampler:
Wise ESB – A golden copper well balanced beer. Malty and hoppy but not over the top. It is easy to drink, sit back, and enjoy.
Trade Route Brewing Co. – Pacific, Wa (#202)
The transition from Laughing Buddha to Trade Route Brewing is now complete with the move to a new home in Pacific, Wa. Gone is the Asian inspired Tiki Bar. In is a retro-Americana theme. We went on a Sunday afternoon and were happy to find a sizable crowd. It was good to see that the locals were embracing their first brewery.
They are located in the back of a small industrial park just of Hwy 167. The interior is a large open area with a bar and seating on one and, and the brewery on the other. Automotive signs posted throughout tie in with the big rigs parked out front. Large wood carvings are on exhibit and bring a Northwest flavor. New promotional materials including big posters for their Chieftain Amber and Jet Stream Lager were prominently displayed. Fancy Trade Route Logo neon lights were glowing above the bar. The good news is they now have a taproom that is open daily. There is ample room and multiple TV’s making it a good place to watch the game. They have a limited simple pub menu.
Perhaps things will settle down now, giving them time to expand their beer list. Many of the beers from the Laughing Buddha days are present, however a few are getting new names. Pandan Brown is now Midnight Ale and Dragon King Lager is now Jet Stream Lager. Now, we really want to like their beer, but they don’t always work for us. Their concepts are great but the results are not always to our taste. That said we really like the Midnight Ale. We recommend that you head to Trade Route, sample their beers, and decide for yourself.
Beer Sampler:
Chieftain Amber – Nice amber color, floral aroma, hoppy, with a bitter and dry finish.
By E and Lush C
WABL Anniversary Party
Last Saturday, Lush C and I ventured to the Washington Beer Lovers (WABL) 4th Anniversary party. We’ve only been WABL member since last December, so this was our first time at their annual event. Since it was located at Seattle Center, we were able to easily take public transportation, a wise decision.
Old and New Friends - by Lush C
We arrived about 45 minutes early and the line to get in was already about 20 beer drinkers deep. We heard that people line up early for the event, but wow! When the doors opened at 4pm the crowd of 300 eagerly entered, grabbed their tasting glass, scurried to get a table, and rushed to get their first beer. On tap for the evening were 13 beers, many of them specially brewed for the occasion, from great Washington Brewers.
WABL really took care of us. There was plenty of good food and even a birthday cake. Throughout the evening the emcee and new Executive Director of the Washington Beer Commission, Eric Radovich, raffled off items including t-shirts, beer gift packs, growlers and gift cards from Washington Breweries. The most touching moment of the evening came when we all raised a glass to recently lost Washington Brewer Guild members – Brian Sollenberger , Dick Young , and Jim Quilter.
An empty taster glass.... not mine - By Ron Matthews
The BEER was the reason we were all there. My favorite for the evening was Chuckanut Brewing’s Foreign Stout. I also enjoyed the Peach Pit Wit from Black Raven Brewing, Two if by Sea Brown from Schooner Exact and Two Beers, Dick’s Danger Ale, and Diamond Knot’s IPA. The biggest beer of the evening would have to go to the Oak Aged Jaywalker by Walking Man Brewery. An Imperial Stout aged in Oak barrels and coming out at 12%abv. One quote I heard was “it is as if a keg of Guinness was smuggled in a Johnny Walker Barrel”.
All in all we had a great time. We talked to old friends, met some new ones and had some great beer!
Harmon Brewery and Restaurant – Tacoma, WA
It was a beautiful sunny November Sunday, a rarity in Seattle. A perfect day to drive the 30 something miles to Tacoma to visit one of our favorite Northwest Brewpubs, Harmon Brewery. Located in the heart of downtown Tacoma’s revitalized Museum and University District it is a perfect place to sit back and enjoy good beer, food and friends.
E and a Seasonal Sampler on a Ski
Once in side, you will feel very comfortable They have a Ski Lodge atmosphere complete with ski lift and plenty of old time mountaineer memorabilia, even Eddie Bauer would approve. They have very friendly staff, and Lisa is the best bartender. They have daily specials including all day Happy Hour on Sundays.
They offer two beer samplers, their flagship beers and their seasonal selections. On this trip, we chose the seasonal, finished of with a pint of their IPA.
Beer Sampler:
Vienna Lager – It looks like a typical lager but was anything but. It was Fruity, sweet and had more hops than your average lager.
ESB (on cask) – Lisa gave this one to us as bonus, and were glad she did. A very smooth english bitter with a nice malt an hop flavor.
T-Town Brown – A hue of coffee aroma and a nice dark brown color. Very smooth malty, nutty and a hint of coconut
T-Town Brown Macadamia Nut – Very similar to the Brown but a lot fuller with more complex flavor. You can really taste and enjoy the nut and roasted malt flavor.
Vanilla Porter – A nice dark beer with a sweet aroma. The first taste is the hops that mellow into a nice malt and vanilla finish. A great dessert beer.
Barley Wine – Magnificent like the great octopi from the straits. (Lush C) Lighter and not as sweet as most Barely Wines it is very manageable, this could make it very dangerous. It has a well balance toasty flavor and with just enough Hops.
Point Defiance IPA – This beer has a huge hop aroma and big hop flavor, yet perfectly balnced with a light malt flavor. A very classic NW IPA.
by Lush C
Pyramid Breweries – Seattle, WA
E at Pyramid in Seattle, by Lush C
Halloween at Pyramid. Pyramid is one of our favorite haunts (had to be said, sorry). We’ve been coming here since it opened, and have been drinking their beer since 1993. We look forward to the yearly release of Snow Cap. It wouldn’t be winter in Seattle without it. The pub sits across the street form Safeco Field and is very near Seahawk Stadium.
Visit on a non-game day for a long lunch of pub food with a Northwest twist (lots of salmon, omega -3 goes great with beer). On a game day there is a crazy superfan vibe that can overwhelm the non-sporty (Lush C). The decor is a typical NW , industrial brewery with lots of exposed brick and wood.
Beer Sampler:
Snow Cap– E had the Snowcap because it is hard to resist, and it had been about 10 months since his last one. It is a nice malty, caramel sweet winter warmer with a nice hop finish. It is a very drinkable sneaker beer that is 7% ABV.
Humbug’r – The spooky spetacular Lush C had the new Humbug’r, a nice smokey porter, that was very smooth to the finish.
Written by Lush C and E
North Fork Brewery – Deming, Wa
If you are ever in the Mt Baker foothills, a stop at the North Fork Brewery, Pizzeria, Beer Shrine and Wedding Chapel near Deming, WA is a must. It is a quint essential Northwest gem located on the Mt. Baker Highway just a tad over 20 miles from Bellingham.
Me at the North Fork
It has a very comfortable lodge feel, with friendly service. We prefer to sit at the bar, especially when Vicki ,the owner, is working. She is a hoot, and always makes the visit fun.
To say they have beer memorabilia is an understatement. As their name implies they are a “Beer Shrine”, housing about a centuries worth of beer collectibles.
The Beer is definitely the star here, however the pizza and sandwiches fall right behind, and are phenomenal. Where else can you get great beer, pizza, and get married all in the same place?
They are a small brewery, roughly 3.5 barrels, so their available beers rotate. I really enjoy their ESB and Dry Stout (both on Nitro), and always get Son of Frog when it is available. Since we are lucky and get to visit fairly often I’ll update the Beer Sampler after each visit.
Beer Sampler:
Son of Frog – a local favorite, that is not always in session. It is a traditional English style ale that is a dark red, with a full malty delivery and finish. It has a sweet malt aroma and a has just enough hops to not be cloying.
Dry Stout (Nitro)- dark, smooth, and creamy with a very nice roasted malt flavor. The creamy head stays for the duration of the pint. It is like Guiness’ older and wiser brother. A great beer, that goes down easy.
ESB (Nitro) – nice golden color, creamy white head and a sweet malty aroma. It has a hint of malt with a nice hop finish. Very smooth,thanks to the nitro, and goes down like water. A session beer for the masses. 4.6 abv
Strong Scotch Ale – Dark amber, sweet alcohol aroma. Medium bodied, malty , slight hop flavor, and not to sweet. It is only on tap about 3 or 4 times a year, so get it while you can.
Porter (Nitro) – Being on Nitro is a a rarity for this beer, so I was told. Dark brown, with a thin creamy head and a roasted malt aroma. Rich, malty and hints of chocolate and coffe will delight you. Slightly hoppoer than the Stout. A very drinkable big dark ale (per their description).
Disclaimer: Goodbeertrips.com is in no way affiliated with the North Fork Brewery. All beer and food was paid for by Goodbeertrips.com.
Austin, Texas – Part 2 The Breweries
Going into this trip we knew we had the potential of visiting our 200th brewery. Planning to reach that goal was challenging because most of the Breweries in Austin are Breweries not Brewpubs, and offer tours only by appointment or at specific times. Currently, Austin does not promote their breweries well, so you will want to pick up a copy of Southwest Brewing News. Don’t make the mistake of relying solely on Google Maps like we did. Read on to find out if we made it to 200.
Draught House Pub and Brewery (#195)
After two days in Austin, we finally made it to a brewpub. We took the #3 bus from downtown (Hint: get a 24 hour or 7 day bus pass if you plan to use the bus a lot) that took us right to the front door. Entering the Draught House you are greeted with a traditional British Tudor Pub. A place to just sit back, talk to friends and drink a pint or two. They had three beers of their own along with 70+ guest taps from locals to greats like Old Chub, and Black Butte Porter. We were told by Nate at (512), the Brewer tends to brew with the season; lighter, crisper beers in the summer and darker heavier beers in the winter. At this time, they were finishing their run on Saison’s. It was Sunday night, which meant it was $2.75 local beer night. Strangely, that did not include the in-house brewed beer and that there was no food since kitchen is closed on weekends.
BEER SAMPLER:
Saison Noir – a sweet and hoppy aroma greets you with this beer. It is dark and sweet with a hint of chocolate and a nice floral hoppy finish. It is not too full for dark beer.
Ordinary Bitter – light amber with a sweet malty aroma. It has a light malty flavor that builds to a floral finish.
Saison Rye – cloudy, dark blonde with a fruity aroma. The first taste is the Belgian yeast. It is fruity with hints of spices, and finishes with a bitter hoppy aftertaste
(512) Pecan Porter – dark and malty with a hint of cocoa and nuts, a very good beer. I bet it would be great on Nitro.
Fredericksburg Brewing Company (#196)
About 80 Miles Southwest of Austin lies the German settled town of Fredericksburg. A few years ago, we met a nice couple from here, and were encouraged to visit if we were ever in Texas. We were near and they have a Brewpub, so we rented a car and made the drive through Texas Hill Countryto Fredericksburg. The hill country is beautiful with lots of greenery and rolling hills . The drive was well worth it.
Being a German settlement, it was not surprising that the Fredericksburg Brewpub had a German Beer Hall feel complete with a large Biergarten in the back. It was very well done and not too kitschy. On entry the first thing you notice is the large copper brew kettle and stainless tanks behind the bar. On further glances you notice the limestone brick, exposed wood, large fireplace, and flags hanging from the ceiling. They have a very inviting menu, featuring locally made sausage and a house take on Fish and Chips called Red Fish; a lightly battered, pan fried white fish, with hot sauce in the batter…mmm very good. They are also kid friendly (as most bars seemed to be in Texas). Upstairs is a Bed and Breakfast, so you can even make a night out of it.
BEER SAMPLER:
Not So Dumb Blonde – a German style Kolsch. Light, malty, unassuming would go great on a hot Texas day.
Peace Pipe Pale Ale – blonde in color with floral aroma. It is medium bodied, with a not so overpowering fruity and hoppy taste.
Enchanted Rock Red – red amber hue and a malty aroma. Has a malty flavor with a hint of nut and a light hop finish
Oktoberfest– light in color, fruity, malty with the right amount of hops. Per their description it is like a “Cornucopia of flavors doing a polka on your taste buds.”
Hopnoxious IPA – a massive 110i IBU dark golden IPA.. It was surprisingly well balanced and smooth, and not too bitter. So good, that I had to order a full pint.
Pioneer Porter – dark, but not supper dark. A malty, rich chocolate and coffee flavor and fairly smooth. It was very good and LushC had to order a full pint.
Real Ale Brewing Company (#197)
After walking around Fredericksburg for a couple of hours; shopping in their many stores, enjoying a nice Americano, and talking to 87 year old Historian Clinton Stork, we got back in the car (we were sober) and headed for Blanco, Texas. Blanco is a small town 49 miles SW of Austin. 
Turing off the highway, in what looks to be an industrial park, you are surprised to find Real Ale at the end of the road, in what looks to be a farm. The Brewery itself is in a large Metal building, with white grain silo outside. Unfortunately, we had not done our homework and we found out that the tasting room and tours are only offered on Friday’s from 2 – 5 pm. We did meet with their brewer outside as he was leaving for the day, and got to take a peak at the brewer which was teaming with employees packaging up beer for deliveries. When we go back to Austin, we’d do the Fredericksburg and Blanco trip on Friday, hitting Real Ale on the way, and staying the night in Fredericksburg.
Since were were unable to taste any Beer at Real Ale, upon our return to Austin (after a stop at The Salt Lick BBQ) we headed to Doc’s Motorworks to sample what Real Ale we could.
Fireman’s Four – a refreshing Blonde Ale that is Real Ales number one seller, and is the most common craft brew found in Austin. It is light, with a slight zest that makes it a great beer for the summer and newbies to microbrews
Real Rio Blanco Pale – light golden with little aroma. It is malty sweet, with a hoppy finish. Not super exciting, but very drinkable
Real Brewhouse Brown – brown with a hint of amber. Malty, chocolaty, and coffee goodness with just enough hops. LushC called it “A liquid brownie dipped in beer… Yummy what the patrol guard picnic should have been.”
North By Northwest Restaurant and Brewery (#198)
Located 10 miles from downtown, we waited until we had a car before we ventured to this gem. 
As you walk in the doors you are greeted by a large bar with stainless serving vessels in glass behind it. The building is upscale and well refined, but unpretentious, with lots of exposed brick and wood. The Pacific Northwest images throughout goes with their theme. I’d say they hit the mark and we felt right at home. The only thing that reminded us we were in Texas was when a father bellied up to the bar with his toddler daughter. I still can’t get used to that.
BEER SAMPLER:
Northern Light – light and malty with just enough hops. Very crisp and clean.
Bavarian Hefeweisen – unfiltered traditional German wheat beer. Had an aroma an taste of banana. Finishes really nice, balanced well.
Pyjingo Pale Ale – brewed in the style of the great ales of the PNW with good malt taste, and abundant hops. It is a great session beer.
Duckabish Amber – light amber in color with a creammy roasted malt flavor. Very drinkable.
Okanogan Black Ale – a nice dark brown yet you are still able to see through it. Rich malty, sweet, with enough hop bite at the end. If you savor the drink. You’ll be greated with a nice chocolately malty flavor.
Seasonals
Uptown Brown – very light brown. Malty with a slight nut flavor. A little more carbonated than the Black.
Black Jack Ale – burbon barrel aged Black Ale. You are welcomed by a vanilla and bourbon aroma. It is a nice malty beer with a hint of vanilla and burbonl. It is very smooth and well balanced. Not to sweet or overpowering like bourbon barrel aged beers can be. It’s like the bourbon and the beer shook hands and played a nice game of kick ass beer instead of duking it out for flavor supremacy.
Uncle Billy’s Brew&Que (#199)
Wow… is there anything better than a Brewpub with in house smoked BBQ? Not for me. I am glad we did not miss this, thanks Amy. Uncle Billy’s is Austin’s newest brewpub. 
It has a great outdoor seating area that is dog friendly, with lots of wood and the smell of smoked meats. The interior is all wood with a large bar on one side and large glass garage doors on the other. The service was exceptional, from the beer knowledgeable waiter to the attentive buss boy to the manager giving me free Koozies because they didn’t have the t-shirt I wanted.
BEER SAMPLER:
Agave Wit – light unfiltered Belgian wit. Fruity but not too fruity, with slight hue of orange and coriander.
Hill Country Organic Amber -well balanced malt and hop with a slight fruit flavor make this a good session beer.
Hopzombie IPA – dark cloudy amber with a very floral aroma. It is sweet with a not to hoppy kick at the end. Very pleasant.
Thick Black Smoke – a Shwartzbier with barley smoked on premise. Dark, malty sweet with a light, very pleasant smoke flavor at the end. It was smoky, black and sleek!
Back 40 blonde Ale – a German Kolsch that is a nice golden color. Sweet malty after taste with a middle hop flavor , very crisp and drinkable.. Bet it would be nice on a 100+degree Austin day.
(512) Brewing Company (#200)
512=194! When I saw the name of this brewery, I was hoping it could be number 200, and it was. (2021 update.. recalculated and it was only 194 😦 )512 is a production brewery, with no pub, and they only do tours by appointment. 
Kevin Brand, the owner and brewer, kindly responded to my email requests an agreed to meet us on our way out of town. The brewery is set in a nicely landscaped business park three miles south of downtown. When we arrived we were graciously greeted by Nate, who immediately poured us FREE pints. Unfortunately, Kevin could not make it, but that was OK. We had a nice chat with Nate, drank our beers, bought a shirt, and took off for the airport.
BEER SAMPLER
Pale (on cask) – a nice golden pale with flavors of toasted malt and a nice hop finish. Another great beer for Austin heat.
IPA – a nice golden amber with a fruity floral aroma. Sweet and fruity with a nice hop finish, but not to hoppy.
One – a 1st anniversary Belgian-style strong ale that is amber in color. It is medium bodied with subtle fruit , spice and Belgian yeast flavors. This beer could be dangerous at 8%.
The ones we missed:
Live Oaks Brewing Company – we did sample their Big Bark Amber Lager and their Oaktoberfest.
Independence Brewing Company – we did try their Bootlegger Brown and Austin Amber which was very good and their Austin Amber which were both very good.
Lovejoy’s – we missed this one because it did not come up an Google searches for breweries or brewpubs and their website wasn’t working so we thought it was out of business. It is not, oh well… just means we need to go back.
All in all, the beer from Austin and the Texas Hill Country was good. We did find that there was a lack of really full bodied ales like those found on the West Coast. Probably due to the climate and the palate of the beer drinkers in the area. However, they do have a great foundation to build on, to make Austin a beer destination. Hopefully the tourism board will help them out.
Good Beer Trips 
