Beer Blotter: Seattle based. World focused.

Drooling over some paella and one heck of a turkey club.

Like most of you, I head Seattle Beer News. SBN is a great blog published by Seattle’s Geoff Kaiser. Back in the day, Kaiser used to push Renton’s Red House as the place to enjoy beer and the sun. No kidding, after our visit today I’m not sure I’d want to be anywhere else.

As part of our “Were on Paternity/Maternity leave” month, we have been committed to visiting some of the great beer places of Seattle’s exterior. Renton’s Red House Beer & Wine Shoppe is one of those incredible eateries. An old two story home in Renton houses one hell of a restaurant, where you are seated among copious bottles of beer and wine.  To accompany their excellent (and I mean excellent) food, they have selected some of the very best beer on the planet.

When you arrive at Red House, its impossible to miss the courtyard – you walk right through it. Covered with fully-coned hop vines (cascade?), the courtyard is expansive and would certainly keep me intrigued throughout the sunny months. But, now that its October its time to head inside.

Inside the place, you will find the comfortable rooms of your home, each outfitted with a number of tables and racks of fine wine. In the back, you will find some high tables and  the beer den. Upstairs is another array of rooms, most popular with the dining crowd. Check out the whole place before settling for a table. Find the right fit – then head to the beer room.

I love when a place lacks a beer list. Some find it annoying, I find it adventurous. Go ahead and check out the beer room? Um, yes please. Who knows what the hell is waiting for me on the shelves? Today, it was some Central City Red Racer IPA and a bottle of the Bruery’s Hottenroth Berliner Weiss. All bottles are priced to sell at retail sticker – and opening it to go with your meal is a measly $1.50.

The menu covers all the bases. Want a myriad of small plate tapas? Try the marinated mushrooms stuffed with feta or the baked goat cheese. Want sandwiches? Get the turkey, apple and bacon or the salmon BLT. Want something fancy? GRAB THAT PAELLA! Seriously though, the paella these guys are slinging is the best on the West Coast. Filled with some of the best sausage (linguica?) I have ever had, you won’t be able to finish this meal.

On top of the excellent meal and beer, the staff was incredibly warm and welcoming. Our waitress certainly knew her beer and was extremely accommodating of our little man.

The Red House is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner. On October 19, 2011, they will be hosting a beer dinner with the wonderful folk from New Belgium Brewing. I will just guess and say that this means a good chance to meet our good friend Todd Gillman for some excellent sour beer and delicious Red House food.

Check out the Red House if you are looking for a chance to escape Seattle. Its the perfect place for a date, lunch with the kids, or a late night food frenzy.

Red Racer: Welcome to Washington.

In May, I was visiting Novare Res Bier Cafe in Portland, Maine. I had heard good things, but the expectations were floored. It has become one of my favorite places in the US to drink a beer.

Besides the incredible cellar-style taproom and the encapsulated and vine covered patio, Novare won me over with its beer selection. Over 20 beers on tap, most of which are imported from the better parts of Europe and a bottle list including one specific can of interest – Central City Red Racer IPA.

I had tasted the sweet nectar that is Red Racer during a 2009 trip to the Alibi Room in Vancouver, BC. I was in a flurry of beer trials, when I stumbled upon what the bartender called “the greatest IPA on earth.” Best? Well, beauty is in the palette of the beholder. Amazing? Absolutely. Piney, floral and incredibly smooth, it was a delightful beverage from the top to the bottom of the glass.

When I noticed that Novare had these cans for a mere $3.50 – I jumped in. And then again. And then one more time. I could not stop. It was the most satisfying mid-day drinking I had in quite awhile.

Now (thanks in part to good friend Dan Freuh and his employer, Orcas Distributing) – Central City Brewing is coming to Seattle! That’s right, if you check your local craft beer shop today, you might find 4 packs of Red Racer IPA cans and 6 packs of Red Racer Pale cans. Buy them quick – before I get to them.

Here are some notes from Dan, who has spent a good deal of time helping get this great beer down to us in Washington:

 

Central City has been known around Canada for awhile now as a brewery making some of the best beer in Canada. Recently they were imported into the United States and have seen a huge success here in the states. However, despite being in British Columbia, they are only available in places like Chicago, Maine, etc. Well we are proud to announce that for the first time, Central City’s two flag ship products will be available domestically in Washington in the greater Seattle area.

 

What are Central City’s flag ship products? two different beers in cans. Hoppy beers. Very hoppy beers. The Red Racer IPA and the Red Racer Pale Ale. The IPA is one of the highest rated regular IPAs in the world. A super hoppy beer without the attacking bitter at the end. balanced. pine, fresh cut grass, and a pacific northwest farmer’s market all come to mind. The Red Racer Pale Ale is a milder version of the IPA. Great balance, still a lot of hops, sessionable, and a great beer to bring camping, or a Phish concert, or poolside.

 

The beers will be available as early as Wednesday afternoon at your local bottleshops and independent grocers that carry craft beer. Bottleworks, Shoreline Central Market, 99 Bottles, Malt and Vine, Special Brews, QFC U-Village and Bellevue, Gravity, Full Throttle, Super Deli, Beer Junction, etc. If you’d like your local grocery store to carry these and many more craft products, just ask their wine or beer buyer to contact Orcas Distributing or visit us at orcasdistributing.com or on twitter @orcasdistribute (we couldn’t fit “distributing” in so it sounds like multiple killer whales distribute… a not so scary sequel to Orcas Attack)

 

There you go. Go get it  - and thank Dan for bringing us the goods, next time you see him.

PS:  For today, also try and read Its-Pub-Night.com and his most recent 5 or 6 articles. Bill (the blogger) has been visiting many of the same places that the Beer Blotter gang visited in Europe last year. Bill’s article are a great read, especially if you are preparing for a trip across the pond.

Bev Place Pub is about to unleash a few incredible IPAs.

International IPA Day is Thursday. How this came to be – I have no idea. Allegedly, its a concept invented by this beer blogger. Creativity deserving of recognition? whatever. Its a reason to drink. Why question it?

So, Thursday August 4, 2011 it is. I am hoping that by making a big deal about something that is not a big deal, many of our wonderful Seattle beer stops will unleash the hop fury and drown our throats in a gushing IPA orgasm. Too much? Ok, how about just “serve us the IPAs.”

Seattle brewpubs, bars and bottle shops: Please let us know if you will indulge in this made up holiday of sorts. It really doesn’t take much to participate – announce that you are pouring an IPA or 40 and you are in.

To date, we have heard that Beveridge Place Pub will offer an impressive array of new IPAs, including the Deschutes and Boulevard Collaboration, No. 2 White IPA. Others include Black Raven Wisdom Seeker, Midnight Sun Mayhem and a cask of Georgetown Lucille – so don’t miss out on that one.

In other hop news, don’t forget that Brouwers Cafe is about to unleash two amazing hop-filled events. Brouwers will host Lost Abbey and Port Brewing’s Tomme Arthur next Wednesday, August 10, 2011. Tomme will be bringing 25 of his incredible beers and the Brouwers staff will serve some special food items.

If you cannot make that event – DO NOT MISS Hopfest 2011 on September 9, 2011.  Hopfest is arguably our favorite beer day of the year. Brouwers unleashes 50 IPAs on their taps. Its amazing.

Finally, Taphouse Grill begins its completely underrated IPA Week in 10 days. I can say from experience that this event should not be missed. If you can make it to the first few days, you will see some incredibly rare IPAs from all over the country. I was astonished at what they served last year. Their 4oz taster trays make it even better. The event begins on August 12, 2011.

Hope to see you our soon, enjoying an IPA. Please let us know about any other IPA events in your neck of the woods.

PS — Just looked at what Uber Tavern has on tap today. Thought you might want to know, because its ever so enticing:

- Xbeeriment Black Force One
- Cascade Apricot
- Double Mountain Devil’s Kriek (incredible)
- Firestone Walker Double Jack
- Southern Tier Mokah
- Boneyard Black 13

Can't wait for tomorrow.

This year, the Washington Beer Commission added an event to their very popular brewers festival lineup. The Bremerton Summer Brewfest was born out of a need to recognize the wonderful collection of brewers hailing from across the pond. Kitsap and Jefferson Counties have seen a rapid increase in microbreweries over the past two years – why not let the rest of Washington know about it!?

The Bremerton festival goes down this Saturday, July 23, 2011 (that’s tomorrow!) from 12 PM – 9 PM. The event information can be found below, as provided by the Washington Beer Commission. But, the beer list was also published, which you can find by following this link. If you live in Seattle, you have to raise an eyebrow to any of the beers offered by rarely seen Battenkill Brewery, Valholl Brewery, and Slippery Pig Brewery. I have been impressed with what I have seen from Valholl, and this will be my first glimpse of Battenkill and Slippery Pig. Very exciting.

Of course, 7 Seas Brewing and Port Townsend Brewing (oh how I love these guys) will be pouring some goodies. For those of you who have yet to try Port Townsend’s Green Tea Gold, get on it. Also, thanks to Fremont Brewing for breaking out some Kentucky Dark Star – its delicious.

I have already got my ticket, scouted my ferry and mapped my exploration of the island area. I plan on a nice hearty 30 mile bike ride to kick up an appetite for beer. How are you going to get there?

Bremerton Summer BrewFest

Saturday, July 23, 2011
Noon – 9pm

BUY TICKETS NOW

Downtown Bremerton on Pacific Avenue between Burwell and 6th St.

Will Call and Event Entrance will be located at Pacific Avenue and 6th Street.MAP IT.

23 Washington Breweries pouring more than 50 Washington Summer Style Beers.SITE MAP

Click Here For Beer List

Breweries Scheduled to Attend:

American Brewing Co.

Battenkill Brewing Co.

Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen

DerBlokken Brewery

Diamond Knot Brewery

Elysian Brewing Company

Fremont Brewing Co.

Georgetown Brewing Co.

Hale’s Ales Brewery

Hood Canal Brewery

Harmon Brewing Co.

Iron Horse brewery

Mac & Jack’s Brewing Co.

Pike Brewing Company

Port Townsend Brewing

Redhook Brewery

Roslyn Brewing Co.

Silver City Brewery

Slippery Pig Brewery

Snoqualmie Falls Brewing

Sound Brewery

Valholl Brewing Co.

7 Seas Brewing

 

Live Music Stage Featuring:

New Old Stock 1:30pm

Lutes & Liars 4:00pm

Tumbledown 7:00pm

 

Parking and Transportation

Bremerton Summer BrewFest encourages you to carpool or take public transportation when possible. Free street parking is available in downtownBremerton for 2 to 3 hours. For extended parking, the following rates apply:

Lot 90	1st and Washington Ave Bremerton , WA 98337
0 -2 hrs	$3.00
2 -4 hrs	$6.00
4 – 12 hrs	$8.00
C.A. (10hrs)	$4.00
Lot 91	405 Washington Ave Bremerton , WA 98337
0 – 3 hrs	$3.25
3 – 10 hrs	$6.00
10-24 hrs	$7.00

Take the Ferry

Bremerton Summer Brewfest is just a 5 minute walk from the Bremerton Ferry Terminal. If you are coming from Seattle we encourage you to walk on the ferry and avoid the ferry lines. Ferry information and schedules can be found at theWashington State Department of Transportation Website.

Food

Popcorn Chef will be on-site selling popcorn during Bremerton Summer BrewFest. For lunch and dinner options we encourage you to visit one of the many local restaurants located within walking distance of the event.  Paid attendees may leave and re-enter the event by showing their wristband and a piece of ID.

 

 

In the long stretch from Spokane to Seattle - a stop at Iron Horse is a must.

Our great friend and mobile “correspondent,” Erin Toale, has been traveling this great nation over the past month. Her travels have been catalogued on her own blog, which has kept me entertained for the past few weeks. Erin has a great affinity for beer and has shared a few of her beer experiences. I plucked them, and am re-posting here. Take note, if you decide to travel east.

Missoula, Montana

I was amazed at the food and drink offerings in Missoula. We had a great, locally-sourced lunch at Catalyst Cafe (photo [below]: Chicken BLT and Arugula Salad with house-jellied beets [YUMM]) and (not too much) later in the day, some of Big Sky Brewing’s summer seasonals (Scapegoat was my favorite) at The Old Post Pub and Al’s and Vic’s (where, during happy hour, Big Sky pints are a mere $3 and the delicious looking wings are 25cents!).

All 3 places had porches perfect for summer drinking and dining. Oh, also, the dive bar hidden inside Old Post Pub is informally called “home of the strong pour” and Grandpa behind the bar made me an Old Fashioned that put me on my ass at 3 in the afternoon. I LOVE MISSOULA!

Catalyst Cafe serves a mean salad.

Ellensburg, Washington

The fine gentleman at Iron Horse Brewery in Ellensburg, Washington MADE MY DAY when they kindly filled my growler despite the fact that I showed up an hour before the bar opened (2pm on Fridays, for future reference).

Many thanks and props to Tyson and Jake. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! Thanks to them I got to enjoy a Biere De Garde at the end of my long journey.

Yes, it was difficult to wait to imbibe this delicious brew during the 2 hours it takes to get from Ellensburg to Seattle, but I managed. I also picked up a bottle of Quilter’s Irish Death, one of my all time favorite Washington brews/dark beers overall, which I later savored with a chocolate chip cookie. WHO NEEDS MILK?

A note about this beer – I have found it to be popular even with people who “don’t like the taste of beer!” or “prefer light beers that look like pee and taste like water!” Bring it to a dinner party and you are sure to be a hit. I can’t remember the name of the whatchmacallit Tyson used to fill my growler, pictured above, but it was neato. Also - Beer Blotter loves Iron Horse!

The thingymajig used to pour my brew.