Questionable Practices From Urban Family Public House

Last night I attended the Firestone Walker tap takeover event at Urban Family Public House in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood.  It was the first time I'd been to UFPH and, at least intially, I liked the look and feel of the place.  Unfortunately, that's not the same opinion I had when I left. 

Their doors opened just after 4:00PM but, unfortunately, K&L Distributing wasn't on the ball and the Firestone Walker kegs had not yet been delivered.  After a few frantic phone calls from Firestone Walker's local rep, we were assured the kegs were on the way and would arrive in 10-15 minutes, which they did.  I don't blame UFPH for this at all.  They have no control over K&L. 

Once I got settled at the bar, however, I started looking over the taplist and prices.  If you'll recall from a post I made earlier this week, the tap list included:

-Pivo Pils
-Double Barrel Ale
-Pale 31
-Union Jack
-Wookey Jack
-Double Jack
-Nectar IPA
-Hemp Ale
-Walker's Reserve
-Unfiltered DBA
-Double DBA
-§ucaba
-Parabola
-Reginald Brett
-Lil' Opal (on French Oak)

It's A Great Week In Seattle For Firestone Walker Fans

Are you a fan of Firestone Walker Brewing Company?  If you are, it's a great week to be in Seattle.  There are three different places/events this week where you can go to get your FW fix. 

Things started last night at The Pine Box on Capitol Hill, where they were clearing out their cellar a bit and put on a stellar lineup of Firestone Walker beers including:

-Double Barrel Ale
-Luponic Distortion
-Parabola
-Sticky Monkey (Very rare!)
-Union Jack
-Velvet Merlin
-Velvet Merlin though a randall of rum-soaked currants
-Wookey Jack

According to the online tap list at The Pine Box (which they do a great job of always keeping up to date), they will still have all of these beers available when their doors open today at 3:00PM.  Firestone Walker rep Mike Clark was also on hand to answer any questions and enjoy a few with some local FW fans. 

Mrs. Beer Monger With Firestone Rep Mike Clark at The Pine Box

Next up is a Firestone Walker tap takeover at Urban Family Public House in Ballard this Thursday, 7/19, whith over 23 Firestone Walker (and Nectar Ales) taps, including:

-Pivo Pils
-Double Barrel Ale
-Pale 31
-Union Jack
-Wookey Jack
-Double Jack
-Red Nectar
-Nectar IPA
-Hemp Ale
-Walker's Reserve
-Unfiltered DBA
-Double DBA
-§ucaba
-Parabola
-Reginald Brett
-Lil' Opal (on French Oak)

I could be mistaken, but I believe this event may be the first time Reginald Brett has made an appearance in Washigton.  I'm looking forward to trying it.  Lil' Opal is also fairly rare, so be sure to give it a try if you make it down to Urban Family.  Firestone Walker rep Mike Clark will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. 

Last but not least is a special Firestone Walker beer dinner at Deluxe Bar and Grill on Capitol Hill.  This is a BBQ-themed dinner, and it takes place this Thursday, July 19th from 6:30-9PM.  Reservations are required.  You can call 206-324-9697 to make a reservation.  Below is the full menu for the dinner:

So there you have it, three different Firestone Walker events to statisfy your craving.  I'll be back down at The Pine Box on my way home today for a few more, and then at Urban Famiy Public House on Thursday.  C'mon down, say hi and have a few great beers. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there. 

Seattle Beer Week 2012 - Days 7 & 8

I started out day 7 of Seattle Beer Week 2012 by heading up to Cooper's Alehouse for the start of their IPA Championships - the conclusion of the blind tastings they held during their 10th Annual IPA Fest in April.  

Wait - That Sign Says Thursday & It's Only Wednesday.  D'oh!

Release The Wookey!

As my regular readers know well, I'm a big fan of Firestone Walker Brewing Company.  The depth, complexity, quality and consistency of their beers is, in this writer's opnion, second to none.  Not only do they make the multi-award-winning Double IPA, Double Jack (which just happens to be my favorite Double IPA - and possibly my favorite beer - I even/still picked it as my favorite during a recent blind tasting at Cooper's Alehouse in Seattle), their pale, barrel-aged and anniversary offerings are simply amazing, with intense, complex flavors that dance wonderfully on the palate. 

Another thing you may know about me is that, thus far, I haven't been a big fan of 'black IPAs'.  I love hops and I also love dark, roasty beers, but somehow the combination of dark, roasted malt and hop bitterness doesn't agree well with my palate.  I've only found a couple of black IPA's (which I believe should be called IBA's - get it?), that I've enjoyed.  However, I have them so infrequently, I couldn't even tell you without checking my Untappd log which ones those were. 

So I'm still willing to give new black IPAs a try every now and then.  However, if anyone is going to do one right - one I might actually enjoy, I trust it to be Firestone Walker.  Their newest creation, a black IPA dubbed 'Wookey Jack' has just been released. 

According to Firestone Walker:

"Wookey Jack is our first foray into the dark outer world of black IPAs.  Rich dark malts and spicy rye careen into bold citrus laden hops creating a new dimension in IPA flavor.  This brew has been left unfiltered and unfined to retain all of its texture and character.  At 60 IBUs, Wookey Jack is gnarly on the outside yet complex and refined on the inside."

I think it's interesting that Firestone Walker decided to use rye in Wookey Jack.  I'm certain none of the black IPAs I've sampled so far have contained any rye malt.  Rye beers are another thing I don't have often; but that's not becuase I don't enjoy them.  It's simply that I don't see a large number of rye offerings on tap (or even in bottles or cans) most places. 

So be on the lookout for Firestone Walker Wookey Jack on a tap or in a bottle shop near you very soon.  In fact a little birdie, named Phil, told me yesterday that Brouwer's Cafe will be putting a keg of Wookey Jack on tap sometime today, May 3rd.  I might just have to make it down there this afternoon and see if this Wookey is too hairy for me or if I'll finally find a black IPA - excuse me - IBA that I'll truly enjoy as much as the regular and double IPAs I enjoy.  My faith in Firestone Walker is high, and my hopes are up. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there. 

'Now For Something Completely Different' With Sean Paxton & Firestone Walker

At last year's Seattle Beer Week, I attended an amazing dinner at Brouwer's Cafe, featuring the Homebrew Chef, Sean Paxton, and beers from one of my favorite breweries, Firestone Walker.  (You can read all about that amazing 10-course, 12-beer dinner HERE.) 

Cajun Prawns Brined In FW Pale 31With Pale 31 Beer Batter - 2011

My Experience At The 10th Annual Barleywine Bacchanal

Yesterday, I attended the opening day of the 10th Annual Barleywine Bacchanal at Beveridge Place Pub in West Seattle.  I had a great time hanging out with a few new friends, including Dan Swanson from Thirsty In Seattle, and Josh and Risha Sanderson from the South Sound Beer Advocate Posse.  Cheers!  

More than 40 barleywines will be pouring throughout the festival, and yesterday I took a crack at 12 of the first 24 available selections:

The Tap List For Day 1

I did my best to try offerings I haven't had before, though I did have to grab myself a Firestone Walker Abacus '11 (#17).  It's one of my favorites.  My other choices from the list above included (by number): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 18, 22 & 24

The Barleywine Menu For The Bacchanal

My First Taster Tray

The standouts for me included:

Emelisse '11:
This was the one European barleywine I sampled (From Emelisse Brouwerij & Restaurant in the Netherlands).  It had a pleasant, honeysuckle and light citrus aroma and was well balanced with an almost pilsner malt type character, notes of graham cracker and a clean finish.

Big Al Ol' No. 1 '11:
Big Al's offering also had some graham cracker notes and an aroma reminiscent of Chinese almond cookies.  With a medium-light body and notes of what seemed like candi sugar, it was very pleasant and easy drinking.  

Black Raven Old Birdbrain '10:
This one had a light citrus/piney hop aroma and a complex caramel malt character.  Well balanced with notes of Cognac.

Fish 10 Squared '11:
If you like a hoppy barleywine, this is the one to go for.  With a strong citrus/Cascade hop aroma and a pleasing grapefruit hop flavor, with enough caramel malt character to back it up, this is the barleywine at this Bacchanal for the hopheads.

Firestone Walker Abacus '11:
This is one of my favorites, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to have it again.  It has a deep ebony/ruby hue with a wonderful oak/bourbon aroma with other spicy notes.  Toffee, oak, vanilla and a faint hop bitterness are all balanced well.  This one is a joy to drink.  If you haven't tried it before, I recommend picking up a bottle.  As of 2012, Abacus is now known as §ucaba (Abacus backwards).

Fremont Snuggle Bunny '11:
I really wanted to like this one.  I'm a fan of Fremont Brewing's beers and with a name like 'Snuggle Bunny'? Well, I was expecting a pleasing experience.  I'm sorry to say, it was not.  I had to ask for confirmation from the other's at my table if I was the only one who got an aroma of Windex.  My sense of smell was confirmed.  The first sip was cloyingly sweet, with just a bit of bitter orange-peel type flavor.  I'm hoping it was just a bad keg, but this was the only one of the day I just couldn't finish.

Wingman Barleywing '11:
I'm not all that familiar with Wingman's beers, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  This one was probably my most pleasant surprise of the day and perhaps my favorite of the day behind Abacus.  It had a light, woody and almost cola-like aroma with a really complex flavor including notes of light wood, raisins and dates, some very light citrus and just the right amount of smoke.

Events Through Thursday

So those were my highlights from my selections for the kickoff of this year's Bacchanal.  I'll have to head back again, as there are still plenty of barleywines that haven't been tapped yet.  Beveridge Palce has Bacchanal events lined up through Thursday (See image above).  So pick a night and make your way out to West Seattle.  It's good 'practice' for the Hard Liver fest next Saturday, March 3rd at Brouwer's Cafe.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Got Your Year End Beers Picked Out?

2012 is almost upon us.  As 2011 comes to a close, I'm looking back over many of the various beers I've had this year and trying to decide what my selections will be for around the holidays - especially considering the fact that I'm planning on a 'dry' January. 

You may already be aware that a few different places are celebrating the year's end with things like the `12 Days of Beer' (I believe this event is over now - sorry) or the Bottle Sale & Gift Wrapping event going on this weekend at Beveride Place Pub in West Seattle (Dec. 18th - 1-7PM).

(From Beveridge Place Pub's Website):
We’ll pull up rare offerings from the cellar from great breweries like Avery, Dogfish Head, Full Sail, Hair of the Dog, Harvieston, Hitachino, North Coast, Russian River, and more! We’re selling these rarities “to go” at retail prices! The selections will make perfect gifts for the beer geek in your life, even if that beer geek is YOU!  Bottle selection will be available soon.

Firestone Walker XVth Anniversary Ale TODAY At Brouwer's Cafe - UPDATED

As my regular readers know, I'm a big fan of Firestone Walker Brewing Company out of Paso Robles, CA.  My favorite beers in the World right now all come from their 'Proprietor's Reserve' series, which consists of:

• Double Jack - Firestone Walker's Imperial IPA - and my favorite Imperial IPA, period.
• Walker's Reserve Porter - With notes of toffee, caramel and bittersweet chocolate.
• Abacus - Just one of Firestone Walker's amazing and complex barleywines (Soon to be renamed §ucaba (Abacus backwards)).
• Parabola - A rich and robust stout with bold bourbon and tobacco aromas and a rich dark chocolate, charred oak flavor.
• XIVth Anniversary Ale - A complex blend of six different FW beers, including Double Barrel Ale, Sticky Monkey, Parabola, Velvet Merkin, Goodfoot and Black Xanthus. Simply amazing. 

Well, I just got some great news about the next offering in the Proprietor's Reserve series.  I've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Firestone Walker's XVth Anniversary Ale.  And now it seems my wait will be handsomely rewarded.  XVth Anniversary Ale from Firestone Walker will be on tap at Brouwer's Cafe in Seattle Today: Monday, November 14th starting at 7:00PM. 

Brouwer's also says they have another little 'surprise' in store for us on that evening, but for now they're keeping us in suspense as to what the surprise might be.  Frankly, I'm hoping they'll put on a keg of a rare beer from Firestone Walker known as 'Sticky Monkey'.  It's a beer they usually only make for blending purposes, but I was fortunate to have some on tap at Brouwer's last year after the Firestone Walker & Homebrew Chef collaboration dinner I attended back in May of this year. 

I'll also be dropping by Bottleworks in Seattle this morning, as soon as they open, to grab a few bottles of XVth Anniversary Ale.  They should also have some rare XIIIth Anniversary Ale available, so I'll grab a few of those as well.

I still have at least one bottle each of Parabola, Walker's Reserve Porter, Abacus (Soon to be renamed §ucaba), some XIVth Anniversary Ale at home.  Once I get my hands on some XVth Anniversary Ale (and some XIIIth Anniversary Ale) bottles this year, I'll have to pick up a Double Jack, have a few good friends over and have an all Firestone Walker Reserve Series tasting.  Talk about a beer-gasm!  I'll have to see what kind of menu I can come up with to accompany this incredible lineup.  My compliments to the Firestone Walker Brewmaster and to their master blenders. 

I will definitely be at Brouwer's Cafe tonight to get some XVth Anniversary Ale on tap (and, perhaps, splurge on a bottle of XIIIth Anniversary Ale as well).  Will I see you there? 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Alaskan Brewer's Night, The Release of Firestone Walker XV & Coast & Coast Toast At Brouwer's Cafe

There are three exciting events coming up over the next week or so at Brouwer's Cafe, so mark your calendars and set some time aside. 

The first event is tomorrow night, Tuesday the 8th.  It's Alaskan Brewer's Night at Brouwer's, where Alaskan Brewing will have 8 dedicated taps available.  There will be no Alaskan Amber, but there will be their IPA, Oatmeal Stout, Smoked Porter (which was just released this year on November 1st) and their 25th Anniversary Perseverance Ale (A Russian Imperial Stout).  An Alaskan Brewing representative will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have. So if you're a fan of Alaskan Brewing, this is your night.

Another event, not fully featured in this article, will also be happening on November 10th at 6:00PM, when Brouwer's will be tapping two JW Lees Wood Barrel casks: one a port cask and the other a lagavulin cask. 

Next up is an event I've been eagerly anticipating: the release of Firestone Walker's XVth Anniversary Ale.  It arrives in WA state this year on November 14th (check with your local bottle shop), and Brouwer's will have XVth Anniversary Ale on tap starting at 7:00PM, which is quite rare. 

Also availble that night at Brouwer's in the bottle (for consumption only at Brouwer's - they don't sell bottles to go) will be Firestone Walker's Parabola stout as well as their XIIIth Anniversary Ale and their XIVth Anniversary Ale.  I've never had the XIIIth Anniversary Ale myself, so I might just have to order a bottle while I'm there, and/or see if they still have any available at Bottleworks or any of my other local bottle shops. 

As well as enjoying the release of XV at Brouwer's, I also plan to pick up a few bottles at Bottleworks as soon as they open on the 14th, as well as a few bottles of XIII if they still have any.  I'm planning on taking off work early that day just for this event.  You can learn more about the blending process for Firestone Walker's XVth Anniversary Ale HERE. 

On a frosty day sometime this winter, I'm also planning to get together with a few good friends and have a Firestone Walker Proprietor's Reserve Series tasting including: Double Jack IPA, Walker's Reserve Porter, Abacus Barleywine, Parabola Stout, XIIIth Anniversary Ale, XIVth Anniversary Ale and XVth Anniversary Ale.  With that much good beer around, I might just have to pull out my smoker in the dead of winter and make some good BBQ to accompany these fine libations. 

The day after the release of Firestone Walker's XVth Anniversary Ale at Brouwer's will be an event called the Coast to Coast Toast.  This is a celebration of the 30th anniversary of Vanberg & DeWulf importers of fine Belgian beers such as: Scaldis, Dupont, Foret, and Moinette just to name a few.

Here's a bit more info about Vanberg & DeWulf:

Vanberg & DeWulf are the original, most ardent and proselytizing importers of Belgian beers in the USA. It’s no wonder they’re called the “Belgian Experts”: ever since 1982, their mission has been to support independent, family-run breweries and indigenous beer styles that express the spirit of a place. The founders, Don Feinberg & Wendy Littlefield, were the first Americans inducted into the Belgian Brewers’ Guild. They published the first edition of “The Great Beers of Belgium” by Michael Jackson, and brought Duvel, Rodenbach, and the lambics of Frank Boon to the States. In the 1990’s they pioneered cooking with beer education at the CIA and The James Beard House. Don & Wendy conceived of and built Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY, thereby constructing the first farmstead brewery to be built in over a century… on a former hops farm, no less. Their brewery Ommegang was the first brewery to make all bottle-conditioned, cork-finished, exclusively Belgian-style beers in America. Every beer in their current portfolio is a major or a minor classic.

I honestly don't drink enough Belgian beers, even though I really do enjoy them.  Perhaps this event will be a good way for me to rediscover some Belgian classics I've been overlooking or not getting enough of.  Care to join me?  As you can see, there's quite a bit to get excited about the next week or so at Brouwer's Cafe. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

California Trip Postponed

This is heartbreaking news for me, as I was really looking forward to this trip.  However, due to unforseen personal issues that have arisen just recently, I will be unable to make my December trip.

During this trip, in addition to visiting some family and spending New Years in Las Vegas, I was planning on visiting the following California Breweries:

• Sierra Nevada Brewing - Chico, CA
• Mendocino Brewing - Ukiah, CA
• Russian River Brewing - Santa Rosa, CA
• Lagunitas Brewing - Petaluma, CA
• Marin Brewing - Larkpsur, CA
• Moylan's Brewing - Novato, CA
• Firestone Walker Brewing - Paso Robles, CA (And Buellton, CA)
• Port Brewing/Lost Abbey - San Marcos, CA
• The Bruery - Placentia, CA
• Stone Brewing - Escondido, CA

The only one of these breweries I've been to before is Marin Brewing in Larksupr, CA.  Most of the others didn't exit yet when I moved from California up to Washington state years ago.  So, I was really looking forward to finally getting to the source of some of my favorite beers.

Though the trip must be postponed for now - I definitely intend to re-organize things agian as soon as possible.  Perhaps next summer - or the same time next year.  I'll keep you posted.

If any of my readers manage to visit any of these breweries, tell them Beer Monger says hello and have a pint for me!

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there. 

Planning A December Trip To Some California Breweries - UPDATED 10/28/11

Updated 10/28/2011 - The article below has been updated with a few more breweries we'd like to try and visit during this trip.  We may not be able to hit them all, but we're sure as hell gonna give it a good try!

On the road again.  I can't wait to get on the road again!  My wife and I haven't had a decent vacation in quite a while, so this year, we're going all out.  I like to think of it as a sort of warm up for the Beer Monger World Beer Tour Project, which I hope to get off the ground in a few years. 

This December we'll be making a drive from Seattle all the way down to Tuscon, AZ to visit some family.  Along the way, we've planned several brewery stops and a few gourmet food stops and will be ending our trip (before the drive home, that is), by spending New Years in Las Vegas. 

After a quick stop at Gustav's German Restaurant in Vancouver, Washington for a great, authentic German meal, our first stop will be at Hair of the Dog Brewing in Portland, Oregon.  We've been there before, but wanted to drop by on our way South to fill a growler or two with some Adam and perhaps some Doggie Claws barleywine.  After a quick visit, we'll be back on the road, headed down towards California. 

Board Membership & The Waiting Game

This past Saturday the 22nd of October, I was officially selected as the next member of the Board of Directors for the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery.  It's been a long road since I first joined Flying Bike as member #12 earlier this year, but I'm ready to take a leadership role and do all I can to help Flying Bike move forward and become a great success. 

It seemed clear at the annual meeting, that the members desire more communication from the Board of Directors regarding what's happening with the cooperative 'behind the scenes'.  As someone who's only been a member up until now, I fully agree.  During my time on the Flying Bike Board of Directors, I intend to do all I can to make the activities of the Board as transparent to the members of the cooperative as possible. 

Fly-PA Judging Last Month at Pillager's Pub

Next up for Flying Bike is something very exciting.  Our first beer is going on tap!  For those who members who didn't get a chance to try it out at the annual meeting this past weekend, gather your friends and acquaintances and come on out this Thursday, October 27th, where Fly-PA will be on tap at the following locations:

Pillager's Pub
8551 Greenwood Ave. N
Seattle, WA  98103

Beveridge Place Pub
6413 California Ave. SW
Seattle, WA  98136
(West Seattle)

Fiddler's Inn
9219 35th Ave. NE
Seattle, WA  98115

Also, this past weekend, I took my long-anticipated BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) exam.  It was a three-hour written exam, but I was so busy writing the whole time that it felt like it was only about 15 minutes!  The test consisted of several 'essay' style questions and four beer tasting/judging challenges, done at half-hour intervals after the first hour of the exam. 

It's an extremely challenging exam, and the three-hour time limit may sound long, but it's not!  The test requires a vast amount of knowledge regarding all the various styles of beer, the 'classic' examples of what each of those styles should encompass, as well as an extremely thorough knowledge of the entire beer brewing process - all the way from grains to glass. 

Now I play the waiting game.  Unfortunately, the BJCP is so backed up in scoring exams, that I won't have my test results for approximately six months; a long time to wait.  Due to this, however, the BJCP is changing the format of the test next year.  The test will be given in two parts starting next year: The written part which, for the first time ever, will be available to take in an online format, and the tasting portion, which will have to still be scheduled and attended in-person like the current exam. 

I'm hoping I did well enough my first time taking the exam to get 'Certified' status, which requires an exam score of 70% or higher; no easy task.  Otherwise, I'll likely be 'Recognized' status, which requires an exam score of 60% or higher.  But I can always take the exam again next year in the new online format. 

My whole motivation for taking the BJCP exam has been to increase my own personal knowledge about beer and the brewing process, mainly so that I can better articulate my various beer experiences and tastings to my readers.  There is no other benefit to me or to any other BJCP judge beyond the personal satisfaction of gaining the knowledge and experience necessary to continually improve our beer tasting and evaluation skills.  And, though I have now taken the test, the journey is not over.  I'll continue to learn more and improve my tasting and evaluation skills, so that I can provide better information to my readers about all the various and wonderful beers out there to try. 

I'm looking forward to putting some of my sharpened tasting skills to the test this December, when I hope to visit as many of the following breweries during my vacation as possible.  I plan to contact each brewing I'm going to visit beforehand, to see if I can setup some interviews and get you all as much 'inside' information as I can:

Hair of the Dog Brewing Co. - Portland, OR

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. - Chico, CA

Russian River Brewing Co. - Santa Rosa, CA

Lagunitas Brewing Co. - Petaluma, CA

Moylan's Brewing Co. - Novato, CA
(Moylan's is the 'Sister' brewery to Marin Brewing below.)

Marin Brewing Co. - Larkspur, CA

Firestone Walker Brewing Co. - Paso Robles, CA

Stone Brewing Co. - Escondido, CA

Whew!  I hope I'll have time to hit 'em all. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there!

No One Can Pick Just One (Volume 1)

Welcome to the first in a series of articles, where I will search my soul to share with you some of my favorite brews.  Every few months, there will be another volume, where I'll keep adding to the list of my all-time favorite beers. 

Pick Just One?  Good luck!

It's a question I get asked a lot: What is your favorite beer? or What is your favorite brewery? 

Really?  Do I have to pick just one?  I mean, isn't one of the joys of craft beer the fact that there are so many choices? It would be a pretty boring World if you were only able to select a single beer to drink for the rest of your life.  Most people I know have an extremely difficult, if not impossible time answering this question. 

I know, I know.  Some people aspire to just that: finding the one beer they consider barley & hop Nirvana, and then never stray.  Unfortunately, most of the beer drinkers I know with this mentality are those who drink Bud, Coors, Pabst or another similarly watered-down, mass-produced American lager.  A couple of weeks ago, while at the Dog & Pony Alehouse in Renton, WA, I saw one of the 'regulars' come in.  His usual oder is Pabst Blue Ribbon on tap, but they had run out or were having a problem with the Pabst tap that day.  He sat there, looking at the menu and tap handles (which included plenty of beers from breweries such as Stone, Fremont, Firestone Walker, Deschutes, Odin, Laurelwood, etc. etc.), for nearly 5 minutes before deciding that he'd have to settle for a can of Ranier Beer. 

That's definitely not me.  While I do have a favorite beer style (IPA - though Pale Ale, Stout, Barleywine, etc. are all a close 2nd), I couldn't stand being limited to just a single beer or even just a single brewery.  I have occasional favorite beers, but the answer is always changing because I'm always on the hunt for new beers and breweries to try.  With all this in mind, however, the question has gotten me thinking about what some of my favorite beers are.  What are the ones I've had over the years that really stick in my mind as what I might call 'favorites'? Let's see what comes to mind. 

Seattle Beer Week Is Wearing Me Out

My wife, Lynn, and I had so much fun at the Firestone Walker & Homebrew Chef dinner at Brouwer's on Monday and in the few days prior, that we were wiped out on Tuesday.  We never really got home on Monday until around 1:30AM and didn't get to bed util at least 2:30/3:00AM.  So, needless to say, we slept in on Tuesday the 24th. 

Even when we did get up, we just felt too wiped out to hit any Seattle Beer Week events that day.  I wanted to hit up the IPA Fest at Big Time Brewery, but I just couldn't find the energy.  I live 22 miles from Seattle, so I have to make a conscious effort to come into the city for even a single event. 

I finally got back into the swing of things on Wesnesday.  There was no early event this day at Brouwer's, but I went there for an early lunch anyway.  I was hoping they'd still have some Firestone Walker beers on tap.  I was not disappointed.  They even had Firestone Walker's 'Sticky Monkey' on tap by itself.  This is extremely rare.  Sticky Monkey is a beer Firestone Walker brews specifically for blending purposes.  It is usually not seen available by itself (i.e. Not blended as part of another FW beer).  We have Sean Paxton (The Homebrew Chef) to thank for that one, as he brough up this beer to use as an ingredient for the beer pairing dinner I attended on Monday the 23rd. 

Firestone Walker's 'Sticky Monkey'

After kicking things off at Brouwer's, I hit up the Firkin Firkin event at Elysian Brewing on Capitol Hill.  This was a WA vs. CO event, with beers from breweries in both states available on Cask.  There were 15 casks to try and participants were urged to vote for their favorite.  Since I'd arleady been to Brouwer's for a few and was planning on heading back there later for an event at 6:00PM, I only had 3 5oz tasters - and a few other sips from some friends I ran into at the event. 

Unfortunately, I left my notes & photos from this event on my other PC, which I won't have access to until tonight, so I'll update this post then with photos, which Firkins I tried and which I cast my vote for. 

After Firkin Firkin at Elysian, it was back to Brouwer's Cafe for their Beer Cocktail event with Hopworks beers and Brewing Up Cocktails.  After the Union Jack Hurricane and the Parabola/Sticky Monkey/Mint Syrup Ber'lip I'd had at Monday's dinner, I wanted to give a few more beer cocktails a try. 

While the Hurricane & Ber'lip I'd had on Monday were pretty heavy on the beer - with just a bit of flavoring added, the offerings at Brouwer's for Brewing Up Cocktails were quite different, and generally only used beer as one ingredient among many or as a 'top off' after mixing the other ingredients.  I decided to try a 'West Coast Radler' and a 'Single Speed'. 

Since the Radler was topped off with a light lager, I barely noticed it.  It did provide a thinning of the other ingredients to mute their strength of flavor, but in a way that didn't water things down.  Very nice.  The Single Speed was a bit more unusual, but then I don't usually have any cocktails with Aquavit.  The mix of IPA and apricot/lime flavors in this one provided the bulk of the flavor and color.  Not bad. 

IF THE VIDEO ABOVE IS NOT WORKING - CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO OF A WEST COAST RADLER BEING MADE AT BROUWER'S ON YOUTUBE. 

After my two cocktails I couldn't resist, so I ordered another Firestone Walker Sticky Monkey.  I had to take advantage of it while it was still around.  Brewing Up Cocktails at Brouwer's was my last event for the evening.

Unfortunately, the next day, Thursday, I had to be back to work.  I also had a few things to take care of at home, so I only had the time to hit one event last night on my way home.  I stopped by Elliott Bay Brewing in Burien for their 'IPA Feast'.  All 5 Elliott Bay IPAs were on tap (or cask) and available in pints or as a taster tray.  I opted for the taster tray, which included: Organic Ebay IPA, Organic Demolition, Black Ops CDA, Hellmouth IPA, and Organic Hop von Boorian.  No surprise to me, my favorite was the Hellmouth.  At 7.1% ABV and 100 IBU's it was the 2nd strongest and the hoppiest/most bitter beer in the bunch.  And I'm a sucker for a good, strong IPA. 

My IPA Feast Taster Tray at Elliott Bay, Burien

I found the Organic Ebay decent, but a bit too light flavored for my palate.  Demolition was probably my 2nd favorite (7.25% ABV and 98 IBU's).  Hop von Boorian was OK, but I've just never gotted used to the mix of Belgian yeast combined with strong hops.  To me, those are conflicting styles/tastes and I can't seem to get into them.  I know the 'Belgian IPA' style is getting more popular lately, but I'm not a big fan.  The CDA was decent, but again, the over-toasted flavor of black patent or other dark malts doesn't agree with my palate when mixed with a strong hop flavor.  I guess I'm discovering that, with a few exceptions, I'm a sucker for sticking to the classic, defined beer styles. 

Today is Friday, and I plan to hit a couple of events after work today.  First, I'd like to hit up the Naked City Drink Naked Night event at Naked City Taphouse.  After that, if I can tear myself away, I may head to Night of the Living Nanos at the Fiddler's Inn.  This will be a showcase of beers from three of Washington's smallest breweries. 

See what too much beer makes a nice, consevative girl do? (Oh, who'm I kidding?  Conservative?  lol)

I haven't decied what events I might attend this Saturday or Sunday yet, but I also have to think about kegging my latest batch of IPA and transferring my Oktoberfest Lager to kegs to start it's 3-month long lagering period.  So you'll have to check back to see where I'm at.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Firestone Walker & The Homebrew Chef Collaboration Beer Dinner at Brouwer's Cafe

Last night, Monday, May 23rd was, for me, the highlight of Seattle Beer Week.  My wife and I attended the Firestone Walker & The Homebrew Chef Collaboration Beer Dinner at Brouwer's Cafe.  This was a 10-Course dinner, paired with 12 different Firestone Walker Beers and beer creations.  Brouwer's Cafe closed at 3:00PM to prepare for this special event, and the doors opened for ticket holders shortly after 6:00PM. 

As we were brought in and seated, servers came around to present us with our 'Reception Beer': Firestone Walker's Union Jack IPA on Cask.  Other than Brouwer's few booths, most of the seating for the dinner was at long tables.  So we enjoyed our Union Jack as we introduced ourselves to the other attendees at our table and marveled at the menu for the evening, which was laid out in front of us on large, beautiful menu sheets.

As we were finishing up our Union Jack, Matt Bonney (Owner of Brouwer's Cafe), Sean Paxton and David Walker (Owner of Firestone Walker Brewing Company) came out to welcome us all and to tell us a bit about the evening we were about to experience. 

Course 1:

The first course for our dinner consisted of Cajun Prawns.  These were prawns, brined in Firestone Walker's Pale 31, dusted with Creole spices, coated in a Pale 31 beer batter, coated in shaved coconut, fried crispy sweet and served with apricot DBA mustard sauce.  This was paired with a Firestone Walker Solace - a Summer Wheat beer. 

I'm sure many of you have had coconut prawns as an apetizer at one time or another.  These... were nothing like that.  The succulence of the prawns was easily apparent due to the Pale 31 brining, and the subtle yet slightly spicy Creole spices came through beautifully in contrast with the apricot DBA mustard sauce. 

Intended as a light opening course, it paired perfectly with Firestone Walker's Solace, whose citrusy/fruity notes and clean finish complimented the prawns without obscuring the flavors. 

Seattle Beer Week Rolls On

Today, Monday, May 23rd, is the 5th day of Seattle Beer Week.  The first four days have already been a whirlwind of amazing beer-related events and activities, and we still have 6 more days of fun to go.  Thankfully I have today and Tuesday off, but heading back to work Wednesday is gonna be so hard!

So far, I've been able to attend the following Seattle Beer Week events:

Day 1 - Thursday, May 19

-Seattle Beer Week Kick Off at Maritime Pacific Brewing:
You can read all about my experience at this event HERE.  It was a great night filled with good food, great beer, old and new friends alike.  Everyone was having an amazing time in the great weather, and enjoying the Official Seattle Beer Week beer: Decompression Ale. 

At the Jolly Roger Taproom at Maritime Pacific

I followed up the SBW Kick Off at Maritime with a brief stop at Uber Tavern.  I wanted to drop by because I'd heard they were having Dogfish Head World Wide Stout on tap as well as Dog Fish Head 120 Minute IPA.  Now, I've had both of these beers before, but it's rare to find them on tap.  Both were amazing. 

-Cask-O-Rama at Beveridge Place Pub:
This is an annual event at BPP.  Casks cover the bar and you can have a pint or go with a taster tray.  I chose the latter.  You can see my selections and read a bit more about what I thought HERE.  I hung out here, enjoying myself and the great lineup of Cask beers until nearly 10:00PM, my last event for the night (I had to be at work on Friday!)

My Taster Tray at Cask-O-Rama

Day 2 - Friday, May 20th

I was unable to attend any SBW events on Friday due to the monthly meeting of my homebrew club, The Impaling Alers.  I had a great time at the meeting with my fellow members, enjoying some great homebrew, and some delicious hummus and salmon dip, both provided at the meeting by my beautiful wife, Lynn.  By the time the meeting/socializing wrapped up, it was nearly 11:00PM.  Time to call it a night.