Day Trip: Snoqualmie Falls Brewery and Taproom
Snoqualmie Falls circa 2004
Just under 30 miles east of Seattle lies the majestic 268 foot Snoqualmie Falls. It is one of the can’t miss attractions in the region. In the late 80’s/early 90’s it gained international attention after its appearance in the cult classic TV Show Twin Peaks.
Like the waterfall, the Snoqualmie Falls Brewery and Taproom is a can’t miss. What could be better than an afternoon of hiking and peering at mother natures beauty, followed by a pint or two of fantastic beer. We make a point to make it the brewery a few times a year, and the falls every couple of years.
The brewery is located in the small town of Snoqualmie, a mile from the falls, in a warehouse just off the main drag. Don’t judge this one from a drive by or you’ll be sorry. They have kept the ” I’m in a warehouse” feel, leaving it very open and airy. Breaking up the traditional Northwest pub theme of green and burgundy with a pleasant blue and tan. It is nicely appointed with local photos of the falls and Mount Si. The concrete bar in the back has room for about 6 bar stools, and there are 8 or so tables.
We really enjoy their menu which consists of sandwiches (oven baked, panini, or cold), salads, and the soup of the day. Everything is freshly made from the finest ingredients. Since they don’t have a deep fryer you even feel like you are eating healthily.
The beer at Snoqualmie is some of the finest you will find in the Northwest. I don’t think I’ve tried one that I have not liked; from the year rounders like Wildcat IPA, Copperhead Amber or Steam Train Porter, to the seasonal offerings like the Spring Fever Belgian Style Grande Cru Ale and Avalanche Winter Ale. You can enjoy them on tap in the pub, buy them in bottles to go, fill up your growler or Cornelius kegs, or find them in stores or pubs throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
Snoqualmie has the complete package of location, cool environment, good food and great beer. It is easily one of our favorite Brewpubs, and we’ve been to a few.
Beer Sampler
Aged Grande Cru – cloudy golden orange, clean white head. Light bodied, sweet, fruity and tingly. Finishing with a bold flavor of hops and Belgian yeast. I think I’m finally getting the hang of the Belgian’s as I really enjoyed this.
Beauty ehh? by Lush C
Stream Train Porter– Dark black with a clean tan head and an sweet aroma with coffee overtones. Medium bodied and more carbonated than a lot of Porters, but not too carbonated. Sweet dark malty at first it finishes with a dry, smoky, chocolate coffee flavor. With more smoke than chocolate. This is one of Lush C’s all time favorites. A smokier Guinness.
Black Frog Stout (Nitro)– Dark Black, with a nitro-infused thick creme head and a dark roasted malt, chocolate, coffee and cream aroma. It is full bodied, very smooth, and easy to drink. It is a very dark and malty tasting beer; much darker and less sweet than Guinness. I really enjoyed just watching this beer settle, is there anything better? Yes, drinking it.
Lush C enjoying her Steam Train, but not the game
from the door by Lush C
FTC Information: GoodBeerTrips is not associated with Snoqualmie Falls Brewery and Taproom. All Beer and Food was purchased by GoodBeerTrips.
Trip to the Fridge: Fort George North 3
We picked up this beer on our trip to Astoria in November and it has been staring at me every time I open the fridge ever since. I’m not sure why it’s taken us so long to crack it open, but as the old saying goes better late than never. (at least for big beers)
North 3, or simply N3, is a Winter Tripple from Fort George Brewery. The label states that it is “Brewed with maple syrup and sugar plums. No fairies were harmed in its production.” They also advise to “Store upright, cool and dark. Serve in a fancy glass, drink it out of the bottle, watch for sediment and recycle.”
The commercial description:(courtesy of ratebeer) “Brewed strong, bold and sweet with honey malt and maple syrup, then fermented with our jolliest Belgian yeast, this beer then rests in the bright tank with 60 pounds of finely chopped sugar plums until the elves can wait no longer. The resulting elixir arrives onyx in hue with hints of oak and spice and a rich complex cornucopia of cheer for your palate. This is a fruitcake that won’t get tossed!”
My take on it was that it was that it was quite enjoyable. It poured a nice dark amber brown, with a thin white head, and a little cloudy sediment. The aroma was of a dark sour fruit. It was medium bodied and not overly carbonated. It had a fairly complex flavor, tasting of dark fruit and dark malt. It finished with a nice malt and a hint of sour plum. Not overly sour, or overly bitter, very well balanced. There was no real sign of the bread like Belgian yeast flavor. Those looking for a big Trippel may be disappointed, but I was not.
Lush C didn’t really know what to think,as it was very different. It wasn’t as dark and chocolaty as she might like. Her feeling was that it was a big beer, but the slight sourness at the end kept it from being to big.
Consensus: It’s worth a try if you are ever at Fort George when they are serving or selling it.
FTC Information: GoodBeerTrips purchased this beer, and is not affiliated with Fort George Brewery. Although, I am wearing their t-shirt, which I also paid for, as I write this post.
Two Beers Brewing Co – Seattle, WA
On Saturday, Two Beers Brewing Company had an answer for the Seattle Winter Blues. Their Beat the Blues Party was a fun event boasting beer, sausage from Zoe’s Meats, and a Chili Cook-off. Lush C and I met up with Shaqfeasel and his family at the event. I don’t know about the rest of them, but I sure had a good time. From the looks of it, the other 300 or so folks enjoyed themselves too. The beer was good, the sausage was good, and the Chili was delicious. (unfortunately I didn’t get to sample the winner). Not bad for a good beer trip that is only about 5 miles from home. I’m already looking forward to their next party.
After their humble beginnings in Fremont, Two Beers moved to SODO this past summer. We were on hand for their soft opening, and have been coming back on and off ever since. They are located at 4700 Ohio Avenue in the south unit of an industrial park, just off of East Marginal Way. Their main focus is as a production brewery, however on Thursdays and Fridays from 3pm-7pm they roll up the doors and open their Tasting Room. They have built a nice bar, backed with cool reclaimed wood and fronted by a stone facade. There are a few tables and a 46” HDTV to enjoy the game on. Peanuts and Pretzels are offered with your $3 pints. The atmosphere is pretty chill, perfect for winding down after a long week. The space is also available to rent for your special events. You are often served by either Joel, Owner and Brewmaster, or Mark, sales and distribution. They’re both great guys that will sit and answer all your questions.
a break in the crowd, time for a photo
Looking at their name, you may assume that they only have two beers. Thankfully this is not the case. Year round they offer 20:20 Blonde Ale, Echo IPA, Immersion Amber, and Persnickety Pale Ale. I’ve had all four in the past and tend to favor the Amber. Seasonally they have Belgian Crooked Wit, Fresh Hop, Winter Hop, and one of my favorites the Jive Espresso Stout. In addition, they just introduced the SODO Brown, which I hope becomes a seasonal. I had the Wit last weekend at BelgianFest and thought it was a nice, light, refreshing Belgian treat with plenty of spice and citrus flavors.
To beat the blues, we both started of with the SODO Brown. I followed it with a Cask IPA, finishing with a Winter Hop. Lush C, knowing what she likes, stuck with the SODO Brown.
Beer Sampler:
SODO Brown – Dark Chestnut Brown, thin tan head, and sweet malt and nut aroma. Medium bodied and well balanced, that is sweet upfront and then has a rich malt, chocolate, and almost coconut finish. Mmm Mmm, Coco Crisp Goodness!
Simcoe Dry Hopped Cask IPA – Cloudy orange, bubbly white head and a fruity floral aroma. Medium bodied, smooth, sweet malt flavor, finishing with the floral hops. Enjoyable, but I preferred the Brown.
Winter Hop – Cloudy dark amber and a thin white head. A pleasant malty winter ale with an aggressive hop finish. Perfect for the Northwest Hophead who wants a darker beer for a winter warmer. They know their audience.
If you’ve not had a Two Beers yet, give them a try, you just might like it.
If you are stressed out at the end of the week ,stop by their Tasting Room.
If you don’t see Two Beers in your favorite drinking establishment, ask for it.
If you enjoy Two Beers as much as I do, let me know.
Cheers!
Mark at the bar, before two beers
Mark at the bar, after more than two beers
and the winner is, 4 (Joel)
FTC Information: GoodBeerTrips is not associated with Two Beers, we just like them. All Beer and Food was purchased by GoodBeerTrips.
Naked City Brewery and Alehouse – Seattle, WA
Lush C and I ventured out last night to the Naked City Brewery and Taphouse. We met up with Dave from Urban Beer Hikes, his girlfriend Mandy, and his UBH buddy Tom. The purpose of the meeting, other than to drink some good beer and eat some good food, was to discuss plans for an event during the upcoming Seattle Beer Week (May 13th – 23rd). Nothing has been finalized, but I will let y’all know when they are.
Naked City is one of Seattle’s newest breweries. Opening as a Taproom in late 2008, in the re-vitalizing Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle. from the start they had plans to include a brewery. In September 2009 they finally brewed their first batch of beer on premise, and in December 2009 unveiled their creations.
They’ve done a nice job with the interior of the old building that they reside in. Giving it and up-scale urban vibe with tall dark ceilings, a big wood bar, and rows of tables. It is very cool and comfortable, a great place to enjoy a meal with great beer and friends.
Naked City serves up delicious food using local and organic ingredients wherever possible. The menu is full of enticing sandwiches, salads, soups, small plates and desserts. There are plenty of options for vegetarians, and a few options for the kids. On this visit I had the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, which was awesome. Lush C opted for the House Salad and cup of their Veggie Chili, which she enjoyed.
Beer at Naked City is the definite star of the show. They boast a very impressive 24 handle tap selection, featuring four of their own beers along with great guest beers from around the region, state, country and world. If you don’t find what you are looking for on tap, there is a good chance you will find it on their extensive bottle list.
Decisions, decisions, what to drink? Lush C started of with the Naked City Brother Orchid, an Abbey Style Brown Ale. She followed that up with a 7 Seas Brewing Ballz Deep Imperial IPA. (she just can’t resist saying the name) I had a sip of the Brother Orchid which was a nice dark brown, served in a schooner only. It had tastes if dark fruit and cherry and was a little sour. Not bad. For my first course, I had a Naked City Hoptrocity Rye IPA. It poured a nice amber color with a clean white head. It had a nice smooth malt taste followed by a pleasant floral hop finish. It was nicely balanced and very enjoyable. When it came time to order my second beer, I opted to try Odin’s Gift Ruby Ale from Seattle’s newest brewery, Odin. I really enjoyed this beer. It had a nice smooth malt, grain, nut flavor with a subtle hop finish. At 5.5% ABV it is slightly high to be called a session beer, but it is close enough for me. It was very quaffable. So much so I ordered a second.
This was not our first visit to Naked City nor will it be our last. It is a very welcomed addition to the list of great brewpubs that we enjoy in Seattle, and the Northwest in general. If you have not visited them yet, do so, you will not be disappointed.
Cheers!
FTC Information: GoodBeerTrips is not affiliated with Naked City Brewery and Taphouse, 7 Seas Brewing, or Odin Brewing Co. Everything on this visit was purchased by GoodBeerTrips.
Day Trip: North Kitsap County to Port Townsend
It’s been a while since we had made a trip out of Seattle, so we decided to head over to the Kitsap Peninsula to find some good beer with good friends. Lush C planned this excursion with her co-workers and Good Beer Trip readers JP and Nardo. This would be their first, and hopefully not last Good Beer Trip.
The cars view on the ferry.
Lush C and I started the day early and met up with JP downtown at 10am. We combined into one vehicle and then drove to the waterfront to catch the 10:35 ferry to Bainbridge Island. Once we made the crossing, we drove the short distance off the island to meet up with Nardo and his wife Woody in Suquamish. They live in a beautiful house, 70 something (steep) steps from the Puget Sound. They have amazing water, mountain, and island views.
We found Silver
Silver City Brewing
After a quick tour of the house all five of us jumped into Nardo’s car and headed to our first destination the Silver City Brewery in Silverdale. This Brewery, Pub and Restaurant has to be one of the most popular places in the area. Located in the corner of the parking lot of the Kitsap Mall, it is in a great location to attract the masses. Nardo and Woody love it, and only wish they build one in Poulsbo, closer to their home. They mentioned that it gets really busy so they don’t visit as often as they once did. This was Lush C and my second visit and it was as busy as I remembered it. Luckily, we got there right before the Noon rush and were able to get a table for our band of merry drinkers.
The interior has a Northwest urban industrial feel with the main room having sky high ceilings, large exposed wood beams and large windows with views of the brewery. There is a large bar with a little bit of seating, a large open area, second story loft and a lower ceiling, cozy side room, where were seated. If you are in the area or want a quick trip out of the Seattle area, this is a great place to go.
The menu is Pub-Fare with a great selection of burgers, sandwiches, salads, steaks, a little seafood and what I’m told amazing Pizza. The entire table went for the Burgers, either the special Wasabi or the Big Daddy. Oh man, was my burger delicious. It was big and juicy, on a fresh baked bun with thick slabs of savory bacon. Incredible. Being hungry, I also ate a quarter of Lush C’s Wasabi burger. It may have even been better than mine with its Wasabi sauce and pieces of pickled ginger. Needless to say, everyone at the table was satisfied.
View of the brewery
If the burger wasn’t enough, they also make excellent beer. Nardo went with the Indianola Pale Ale with which he says he is very familiar with. He likes it for its nice malt and hop flavor that “tastes like beer, with out a large alcohol flavor”. Liking the darker beers, JP went with the Panther Lake Porter, and I didn’t hear any complaints, followed by a Clear Creek Pale Ale. Lush C went with the Ridgetop Red Amber Ale, which she says at first didn’t go well with cough drops but ended up being excellent for washing out the flavor of Cherry Ludens. I took a taste and thought it was sweet, with a light hop flavor and a hint of alcohol. I went with the Clear Creek Pale Ale which was clear and golden, with a nice mild flavor of sweet malt and hops. I followed this up with a Fat Woody, yes I said Fat Woody. Of course this brought out the chuckles. This beer starts out as their award winning Fat Scotch Ale that is then aged in oak barrels for 6 months. Wow! It was brown amber in color and had a sweet vanilla aroma. You take your sip, and it is full bodied with a sweet malt flavor with hints of peat. It finishes with the sweet vanilla and woody flavor from the oak. It was very well balanced, not to sweet and not too alcoholic despite its high ABV.
JP, Nardo, and the beer
Nuts!
CB’s Nuts
I could have stayed at Silver City all day, but then it wouldn’t have been much of a trip. Next we drove back to drop Woody at home, as she was not going to partake in the rest of the adventure, and to pick up a second vehicle since JP was going to depart from the group in Port Townsend. After this we made a non-beer stop at CB’s Nuts, a micro roaster of fine nuts. There, we were greeted with a flight of nuts for our tasting (FREE). Very good and tasty they were. I didn’t know there were three kinds of Peanuts, and different roasts. Yes, the nut jokes were getting a bit stale by the time we left.
Hood Canal Brewing (#203)
A hop, skip and a jump from CB’s Nuts, in a small industrial building complex was our second brewery for the day, Hood Canal Brewing. Lush C and I have been drinking their Amber for years at Beveridge Place Pub, and have always enjoyed it. Because of this, we were excited to visit their taproom to try their other Beers. Hood Canal is primarily a production brewery with a taproom that is open 7 days a week. They have about 5 tables lined up, leading to a small bar with about 4 stools. You are right in the brewery, with only a short quarter wall between you and the equipment. For food, they provide pretzels and sell surprise, CB’s Nuts. Got to love the local flavor! We ended up getting two of their 8 Beer samplers, one for Lush C and JP and the other for Nardo and I. (Now, we do not encourage drinking and driving. Both Lush C and I did most of the tasting here. JP and Nardo both did a great job of simply tasting the beers and not over drinking) I started taking note while sipping on my share but soon realized I wasn’t really at a point where I could describe, let alone write about what I was drinking. Darn, that Fat Woody caught up to me. By far the crowd favorite was the Agate Pass Amber, followed by the Bywater Bay ESB and the Dosewalips Special Ale. I’ll need to make another visit someday to give the Big Beef Stout and SouthPoint Porter another try.
The brewery.
It was about 3:30 by now, and it was time to drive the 31 miles over the bridge and through the valley to Port Townsend. For those that don’t know, Port Townsend is a small historic Victorian town on the Northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula. It is full of little boutiques, antique shops, Victorian homes, cafes, restaurants, and bakeries. It is also home two breweries: Port Townsend and Water Street. On arrival, we first dropped off one vehicle next to the Port Townsend Brewery and then headed through town, and did a quick driving tour through the neighborhoods above town. We then went back downtown to walk around. Nardo really wanted to show us one of his favorite places to eat and drink in town, Siren’s a Pub of Distinction,, so we ventured in. To get there, you enter an old waterfront building, and immediately climb the long stairway to the third floor. You then wind around the building until you see the entrance to the pub. What a great spot! It had a very cool and relaxing vibe. They have an outdoor deck, that hovers right above the water, that I was told is an exceptional place to hang out. We only planned to take a peak, but it was so cool I had to stay for a beer. We grabbed a table in the back near the pool table, and where JP could watch the remainder of a playoff game. Nardo and I bellied up to the bar to order our brews. For Lush C and Nardo it was time for a Mirror Pond Pale Ale, and for me, I went local, with a Port Townsend IPA. A little H2O was in the cards for JP. We enjoyed our pints, Nardo beat me at a game of Pool, and then moseyed on out.
Port Townsend Brewing Company (#204)
By this point it was getting pretty late in the day. Since Monday was a work day (for me), and we still had about two hours of traveling in front of us, I had to make the call and skip a visit to the Water Street Brewery. Don’t worry, we’ll make it back soon. We made the quick trip back tot the Port Townsend Brewery, which is on the outskirts of town, right by the marina. What a charming place. From the outside it just looks like an old industrial building, with a row of windows on one end. When you peer through the ship portal window on the door, you get your first inclination that you are in for something special. Inside, I got the feeling that I was in the belly of an old wood ship, with lots of exposed timber and plaster walls. It was dimly lit, although there are plenty of windows to let in the light during the day. You only find bar height stools in the place, but don’t worry there are plenty of them. The Bar is nicely tiled to accentuate the taps of their fine brew. By this point our drivers were done drinking for the day, and we really only had time for one more. Lush C and I being the troopers that we are, made the final stop worth it. She ordered a Peeping Peater Scottish Ale while I chose the Winter Rye Ale. I didn’t even attempt to take notes at this point, but we both really enjoyed these fine samplings. We need to make an overnight trip to this little town soon so I can try more of the offerings.
It was time for JP to depart. She had reservations to take the ferry from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island to meet up with her Beau at his families’ house. Nardo drove Lush C and I back to Bainbridge Island so we could catch the Ferry back to Seattle. At 9pm we arrived home, nearly 12 hours after leaving. Though it was long, it was a great day and a Good Beer Trip! We got to meet the lovely Woody, and spend more time sharing our, OK my, passion of going to breweries to find good beer with our friends and Lush C’s co-workers Nardo and Plank. Hopefully they too were equally as satisfied.
Cheers!
FTC Information: All Beer and food on this trip was purchased by GoodBeerTrips or guests of GoodBeerTrips. Nuts, we did get a few free sample nuts at CB’s Nuts.
Trip to the Fridge – MacTarnahan’s Lipstinger Farmhouse Ale
We purchased a MacTarnhan’s Lipstinger Farmouse Ale back on Halloween when we made a visit to the Pyramid Alehouse . We opened it not long after that, I took notes, and then failed to tell you about it. It was the 22 ounce bottle logo, name and description that peaked our interest on this one. Although it really didn’t sting the lips, I have to admit I kind of liked it. It was oddly refreshing.You could taste the pepper at the end, but it wasn’t a real “wow” that’s pepper.
Brewery Description
Malts: 2 Row, Pilsen, Wheat
Hops: Mt. Hood, Saaz
Spice: Malaysian and Indian 4 pepper blend
Bitternes: 32 IBU
Alcohol By Volume: 4.8%
Availability: May through July
Lip Stinger is an effervescent and rustic farmhouse ale. This limited release ale is fermented with cracked peppercorn to introduce a spicy nose and warming mouth feel that will deliver a flavor sensation that is endlessly interesting.
Enjoy the heat….and no pouting!!
Malts: 2 Row, Pilsen, Wheat
Hops: Mt. Hood, Saaz
Spice: Malaysian and Indian 4 pepper blend
Bitternes: 32 IBU
Alcohol By Volume: 4.8%
Availability: May through July
Good Beer Trips Description:
Color: Light Orange Clarity: Cloudy Head: Thin white Aroma: Yeasty and a little spicy Body: Light Bodied, Crisp Flavor: Crisp first taste and slightly sweet Finish: , A little sour a nice subtle pepper finish.Consensus: Try it, you might like it
Have you tried a Lipstinger? If so, leave a comment and let us know what ou thought of it.
FTC Information: GoodBeerTrips.com is not affiliated with Pyramid or MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company. The beer discussed was purchased by GoodBeerTrips.com.
Pike Brewing – Seattle, WA
On Saturday we made a trip to downtown Seattle to do a little retail therapy. After working up a nice hunger and quite a thirst we went to Pike Brewery to refuel; a must stop for any beer lover when in Seattle.
We had a bit of luck on this visit. Charles Finkel, the owner and founder, made a stop at our table to drop off a flower for the table. Lush C chatted him up, asking where he got the lovely Tulip. Meanwhile I worked up the courage to introduce myself and give him my GoodBeerTrip card. He then invited us on a FREE tour of the brewery, where we learned a little bit more about the history of Pike. After the tour he introduced us to his wife, Rose Ann, who encouraged us to check out some of their upcoming events.
Established in 1989 as the Pike Place Brewery; it was originally located below the Market on Western Ave. Looking to expand they moved to their current location at 1415 1st Ave in 1996. With the move came a change of name, to Pike Brewery, and the addition of a Pub and Restaurant. What a cool location! The brewery literally goes right through the building from the top floor down to the bottom. The Mash Tun is located between the floors above the pub, the Brew Kettle sits between the pub floor, and the Fermenters and Bright Tanks sit on the floor below. Here is a schematic, but you really just have to see it for yourself. Other than getting the Beer to the serving tanks behind the bar it is a gravity flow system with out pumps to get the wort (beer) from one stage to another. With a steam plant right across the street, they utilize steam to heat the kettle, the only brewery that does so in the US. (per Charles) We also got glimpse of their Belgianfest beer (a Trippel with Cherries) aging in its oak barrels.
As you come down the stairs to the pub, you are immediately greeted by the host station. Straight ahead lays an overflow bar, for those busy times. Off to the right is the U-shaped oak bar with the stainless serving vessels behind it. The bar fills up quickly, so you may have to venture off to the Seattle Microbrew Museum, with its wall of Beer History, to find a seat (to the left if you are looking at the bar) or ask the hostess for a table in the dining area. No matter where you sit you will see their great collection of beer memorabilia.
The menu is Northwest pub fare with a focus on seasonal, local, and sustainable ingredients. It is full of recommendations for which Pike Beer will go best with the dish. We find the food to be good, but it is a little spendy. On this visit I had their Ruben and the recommended IPA pairing. I was not disappointed.
We also joined the Pike Pub Club. We are now are on a quest to see how soon we can enjoy all 37 beer the Pike serves. We both knocked off our first two. I’ll be be either updating this post as we work down their beer list, or creating new posts. Stay tuned…
Beer Sampler
IPA– Clear golden, thin white head, and peppery floral aroma. Light bodied and carbonated with a hint of malt. Mostly I noticed the tingle of the hops and a strong floral hop finish.
Kilt Lifter (Scotch) – Ruby in color, thin white head, and a sweet smoky aroma. Very well balanced, medium bodied, that has a sweet start followed by a crisp finish that diffuses the heaviness. A hint of smoky peat is there, but it is not to smoky. Lush C really enjoyed it.
Pale Ale – Amber in color, full bodied, well balanced malt and hop flavor. At 5% ABV this is a good session beer,
Tandem (Double Ale) – Dark brown, cream head, and a sweet and spicy aroma. The flavor is complex, sweet upfront and then finishes with a bready Belgian yeast and over tones of coriander. This is Lush C’s favorite pike beer, “Nice smoky sweet, from my head down to my feet, smoke me, smoke me…” (great classic rock medley)
FTC Disclaimer: GoodBeerTrips.com is not affiliated with the Pike Brewery. All food, beverages, and merchandise was purchased by GoodBeerTrips.com. We did receive a free tour.
Trip to the Fridge – Cooperstown Benchwarmer Porter
I was pretty excited on Christmas when I opened my present from my Sister and saw a bottle of Cooperstown Brewing Company Benchwarmer Porter, and a matching t-shirt. For a beer lover this was a perfect gift. She picked it up on their vacation to Cooperstown last summer, so this beer had a quite a journey… Cooperstown to NYC to Seattle to Yakima and back to Seattle. All to end up in a glass, examined, smelled, tasted, tasted and eventually drank down.
By the time it got to us, it was very well carbonated, to say the least. For me this was the only problem I had with it. It had a good roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee flavor with a nice hop finish. After warming up a bit, and letting the carbonation settle down, it got even better, and I enjoyed it, wishing I had another. Lush C thought it wasn’t bad. A little more hoppier and thin bodied than what she likes in a Porter. She thought it was more like a Brown IPA.
Brewery Information
“Benchwarmer” is a very smooth Porter brewed in accordance with the original “high gravity” porters of early London. More than 4% chocolate malt, which is the most similar to the brown malts of the early 1700’s, gives “Benchwarmer” its dry coffee-like finish. It is fermented with the Ringwood yeast which is an excellent yeast for the brewing of porters. The widely accepted theory of how porter got its name is that it was a very popular beer among the porters who hauled produce and goods around the marketplace of early industrialized London.
Original Gravity 1.062 / Final Gravity 1.014 / 6.4% abv.
Good Beer Trips Description: Color: Dark Auburn Brown Clarity: Clear Head: Cream colored, well carbonated, lingers. Aroma: Toasted malt, Chocolate, CoffeeBody: Thin Bodied, well carbonated (at first)
Flavor: Dark roasted malt, with chocolate and coffee Finish: Bitter hop
Consensus: Drink it if you are near, but don’t go out of your way.
2009 in the rear view mirror
WashingtonBeerBlog’s challenge to guess how many breweries they visited this year got me to thinking, how many did we visit? I’ve been tracking new breweries we visit for some time now, but have never actually done a list of all the breweries we visited during a year. Well, after doing so, I was a bit surprised. In 2009 we made it to a total of 65 breweries or brewpubs, 27 new ones, in five states. We had a litlte extra motivation this year, as we were trying to turn in 3 WABL passports to get a six pack of WABL Tankards… well we did it. For those of you that aren’t WABL Members, everytime you visit a Washington Brewery, Brewpub or Sponsor you get a stamp in your WABL Passport. When you get fifteen different stamps in your passport, you send it in, and get a special WABL gift, a tankard in 2009.
Outside of Washington we made trips to Maui and the Big Island, Austin, Hood River, Portland and Astoria. We also made it to our 200th Brewery… (512) in Austin. Of course, the other big development was the creation of GoodBeerTrips, where we are now documenting our trips. I look forward to 2010 as we continue on our Good Beer Trips and sharing our thoughts about them here.
Here is the 2009 list, new ones in Bold….
- (512) Brewing, Austin TX
- Amnesia, Portland OR
- Anacortes Brewpub, Anacortes WA
- Astoria Brewing Co., Astoria OR
- Baron Brewing, Seattle WA
- Big Al’s, Seattle WA
- Big Horse Ales, Hood River OR
- Big Time, Seattle WA
- Black Raven, Redmond WA
- Boundary Bay, Bellingham WA
- CB Potts, Cenntenial CO
- Chuckunut, Bellingham WA
- Deschutes, Portland OR
- Diamond Knot, Mukiteo WA
- Dick’s Brewing, Centralia WA
- Double Mountain, Hood River OR
- Draught House, Austin TX
- Elliot Bay, Seattle WA
- Elliot Bay, Burien WA
- Elliot Glacier, Parkdale OR
- Elysian, Seattle WA
- Elysian Fields, Seattle WA
- Fish Brewing, Olympia WA
- Fort George, Astoria OR
- Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg TX
- Freemont Brewing, Seattle WA
- Full Sail, Portland OR
- Full Sail, Hood River OR
- Georgetown Brewing, Seattle WA
- Gilligan’s, Seattle WA
- Gordon-Biersch, Seattle WA
- Hale’s, Seattle WA
- Harmon, Tacoma WA
- Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland OR
- Issaquah Brewhouse, Issaquah WA
- Jolly Roger Taproom, Maritime Seattle WA
- Kona Brewpub, Kailua-Kona HI
- Maritime Pacific, Seattle WA
- Maui Brewing Company, Lahaina HI
- McMenamins – Edgefield, Troutdale OR
- McMenamins – Queen Ann, Seattle WA
- McMenamins- Six Arms, Seattle WA
- McMenamins-Dad Watson’s, Freemont WA
- Mehana Brewing, Hilo HI
- Mount Hood Brewing Co, Government Camp OR
- Naked City, Seattle WA
- New Old Lompoc, Portland OR
- North Fork, Deming WA
- North By Northwest, Austin TX
- Pike Brewing, Seattle WA
- Pyramid Brewery, Seattle WA
- Ram – Northgate, Seattle WA
- Ram – U-village, Seattle WA
- Real Ale, Blanco TX
- Red Hook Brewery, Woodinville WA
- Rock Bottom, Seattle WA
- Rock Bottom , Denver CO
- Schooner Exact, Seattle WA
- Scuttlebutt, Everett WA
- Skagit River, Mount Vernon WA
- Skookum Brewery, Arlington WA
- Snoqualmie Brewery, Snoqualmie WA
- Two Beers, Seattle WA
- Uncle Billy’s Brew&Que, Austin TX
- Upright Brewing, Portland OR
Cheers!
I bought this 22 ouncer at the Wine and Beer Haus in Seaside, Oregon. This was the first time we sampled a beer made by Oakshire, a little brewery from Eugene, Oregon. I got to say, I really enjoyed the Ill Tempered Gnome Winter Ale. It reminds me of a Nut Brown, with more chocolate and hop presence. They have found a good balance between the dark malts and hops, so that is neither too sweet or bitter. Lush C was also fond of it. She thought it has a nice strong brown flavor with out a heavy finish. Full flavored without the heaviness.
Brewery Information:
Hoppy, Brown Ale
ABV: 6.8% / IBUs: 65 / OG: 15.5° Plato
Availability: Nov 1-March 1
Take a little gnome home this winter! However, don’t put him in the front yard. The neighbors might steal him & he’ll definitely lose his cool! He’s a malty, hoppy brown ale of pure winter deliciousness. Enjoy!
Good Beer Trips Description: Color: Dark Brown with a hint of Amber Clarity: Clear Head: Cream colored, smooth and lingers. Aroma: Toasted malt and light floral hoppinessBody: Medium Bodied, fairly well carbonated Flavor: very malty, with a prominent chocolate
Finish: Distinct hop, that lingers with a bit of the chocolate
Consensus: If you see it, BUY IT, but as they say don’t put him in the front yard, because I might come and steal it .
FTC Information: GoodBeerTrips.com is not affiliated with Oakshire Brewery. The beer reviewed was purchased by GoodBeerTrips.com.
Good Beer Trips 