Georgetown Brewing Company

Dec. 21st, 2009

The Georgetown Brewing Company is most famous for Manny's Pale Ale which is a local staple for bars and restaurants in the greater Seattle area. They give free tours once a month and only take 12 people at a time so it took us several months of waiting to get to go. And the first available tour just so happened to fall on my birthday! An excellent birthday gift, I must say.

When we went, the tour included two locations. The first was their original location at 5840 Airport Way South where we got to taste the beers, get free pint glasses and buy items in their gift shop. The second part of the tour was over in what will be their new and permanent location less than a mile away. In a few months, this is where everything will be located, gift shop, beer tastings, and brew tanks.

The Georgetown Brewing Company don't brew a large number of beers but their tour is a must for all local beer lovers. Obviously, free samples are always lovely but the folks at Georgetown Brewing Company are a wonderful lot of friendly beer nerds. We really enjoyed meeting them and learning about all that goes into making tasty beers. Also, on the homepage of their website, they quote Homer Simpson, "Beer. Now there's a temporary solution."

How can you not love these guys?

Manny's Pale Ale - "For beer lovers: A careful selection of Northwest hops, premium barley, and our unique yeast give this ale a rich and complex malty middle with a snappy hop finish. It's truly a micro that finishes crisp, clean, and smooth. For beer geeks: Two-row Pale, Crystal, and Cara-Pilsner Malt. Magnum and Cascade hops. IBU's: 37. Original gravity 1.052 (13 Plato). Finishing gravity 1.010 (2.5 Plato). English Ale yeast. Alcohol by Volume: 5.5%."
S: Do you know many pints of this I've had in my life? It's such a familiar beer, it's hard to describe. In my mind, it's what a pale ale should taste like. They got it down.
E: Balanced light sweetness; good amount of hop but not overwhelming. Agreed, excellent every day beer.

Roger's Pilsner - "For beer lovers: Yakima grown Czechoslovakian Saaz hops give this refreshing pilsner a spicy and earthy hop aroma. Malt character is accentuated by a German Lager Yeast that ferments dry but round and complex. For beer geeks: Two-row pale malt, Magnum and Saaz hops. IBU's 26. Original gravity 1.048 (12 Plato). Finishing gravity 1.010 (2.5 Plato). German Lager Yeast. Alcohol by volume: 4.9%."
S: Very light; almost a fruit finish on the back of the tongue.
E: Little fruity with bit of bitterness. Standard pilsner, tasty pilsners go.

Chopper's Red Ale - "For beer loveres: A hoppy Northwest style red ale. Lots of late addition Crystal hops give this malty red ale a floral and spicy aroma. Finishes with a subtle malty sweetness. For beer geeks: Two-row Pale, Crystal, Cara-Pilsner, Munich, and Dark Barley Malt. Centennial and Crystal Hops. IBU's 41. Original gravity 1.064 (15.75 Plato). Finishing gravity 1.015 (3.75 Plato). English Ale Yeast. Alcohol by volume 6.5%."
S: Strong hoppy. I like this beer.
E: Strong hop, would overwhelm the malt if not for the strong maltiness.

9 Pound Porter - "Brewed for our friends at the 9 Pound Hammer here in Georgetown, this is an exceptionally flavorful medium bodied porter. We use tons of Chocolate, Munich, and Roasted Malt, then blend it with Centennial and Northern Brewer hops to create what we'd like to call Roasted Chocolaty Goodness. Mmm.. porter. Buy it by the pint at the Nine Pound Hammer or come on in to our retail shop for growlers to go!"
S: Really good; almost reminds me of semi-sweet chocolate; subtle.
E: Smells good! Rich chocolate smell, gentle chocolate taste, little bitter, decent bit of coffee. Very good.

Lisa's Chocolate Stout - Chocolate stout pushed by nitro.
S: I can really taste the coffee and the chocolate; not something for everyday but very good for its breed.
E: Rich brown head. Creamy, little bit of banana, sweet, tiny bit of bitter in the after taste. I taste the coffee more than the chocolate.

(Funny story about the sea of kegs in the picture to the right: Georgetown Brewing Company employees kept 'warm' in this walk-in refrigerator during the ridiculously cold week in early Dec. 2009.)

Elysian Brewing Company - Tangletown

Nov. 12, 2009

The Elysian Brewing Company originally opened at its Capitol Hill location (1221 E Pike St, 98122) in 1996 but later expanded to two other locations, one in Tangletown (2106 N 55th St, 98103) and one near Qwest Field (542 1st Ave S, 98104). It was the Tangletown location that we went to to sample their current beers on tap.

Zephyrus Pilsner – “A German-style pilsner, light and crisp. The gentlest of the sylvan deities, embodied in the western wind which blows across the Elysian Fields. Bittered with German Northern Brewer and finished with Czech Saaz hops. 11.8° Plato (1.050), 3.9% by weight/ 4.7% by volume. 38 IBU.”
S: Metallic bitterness, not my favorite kind of beer.
E: Reminds me of the beer my dad drank when I was a kid. Bitter, light, good if you like pilsners.

The Wise Extra Special Bitter – “A malty, hoppy, reddish-copper-colored ale. Allusive to the goddess Athena, patroness of warriors, weaving, and wisdom. Brewed with Pale, Munich, Crystal, Cara-hell and Belgian Special B malts. Bittered with Chinook, finished with Cascade and Centennial hops. 14.5° Plato (1.058), 4.9% by weight/ 5.9% by volume. 39 IBU.”
S: I like this one a lot. I could see myself drinking this often. Very balanced; no one flavor over powers the others. It’s a beer that won’t offend.
E: Good mix of hop and malt; good beer to bring to a party.

The Immortal India Pale Ale – “Refreshing, hoppy, and strong. A Northwest interpretation of a classic English style, golden copper in color and loaded with New World hop flavor and aroma. Brewed with Pale, Munich, Crystal and Cara-hell malts. Bittered with Chinook, finished with Amarillo and Centennial hops. 15.5° Plato (1.063), 5.25% by weight/ 6.3% by volume. 42 IBU”
S: Hoppy but not extremely. Decent, nothing monumental to me.
E: Bitter, perfumed, not my thing.

Perseus Porter – “Rich, dark, full bodied, creamy smooth. Named for the slayer of the Gorgon Medusa, and rescuer of Andromeda. Perseus Porter is slightly smoky with Black and Chocolate malts. Bittered with Centennial and finished with German Northern Brewer hops. 14.5° Plato (1.058), 4.5% by weight/ 5.4% by volume. 25 IBU”
S: This is already one of my favorites porters. Extremely drinkable, a beer I could have as an everyday beer.
E: Much like a stout, thick maltiness, hint of chocolate, coffee aftertaste. Good stuff.

Dragontooth Stout – “Sturdy, malty, rich, velvety & smooth. The name is referential to the founders of Thebes, warriors who sprang from the earth when the teeth of a slain dragon were sown by Cadmus. Made with 10% rolled oats, roasted barley, Crystal, Munich, and chocolate matls. Bittered with Magnum, finished with Cascade and Centennial hops. 20 Plato (1.080), 6.0% by weight/ 7.2% by volume. 36 IBU”
S: Strong, to me it tastes like chocolate with a fruit twist.
E: Very much like the porter but richer. I taste the bit of fruit on the second taste, bitterness in the after-taste.

Elysian Fields Pale Ale – “A West Coast pale ale, slightly fruity yet crisp. The first baseball games were played in Hoboken, NJ on the ‘Elysian Fields.’ Elysian Fields Pale Ale is brewed with Pale, Crystal, Cara-munich, Cara-vienne and Biscuit malts. Bittered with Simcoe and finished with Simcoe and Amarillo hops. 13.4° Plato (1.048), 4.2% by weight/ 4.8% by volume. 36 IBU.”
S: Bitter, definitely taste the hops, very hoppy.
E: Hoppy, flowered on all parts of the tongue.

Men’s Room Original Ale – “Brewed of the KISW radio program of the same name, Men’s Room is a quaffable, sessionable ale, with a light body, and dry, refreshing finish. Brewed with organic Pale and Munich, Cara-hell, and Wheat malt, bittered with German Northern Brewer and finished with Crystal and Saaz. 12° Plato (1.049) 4.3% by weight, 5.4% by volume.”
S: To me, combination of a pilsner and a pale. Hoppy but metallic.
E: Mild flavor, summer beer, maybe a very subtle metallicness to it.

Golden Boot – “A Nice Touchh… In honor of Seattle soccer—A flavorful and drinkable golden ale brewed with organic pale, Munich and cara-hell and wheat malts. Bittered and finished with Simcoe, with late additions of East Kent Goldings. 12.9° Plato (1.052), 4.2% by weight, 5% by volume.”
S: Ok; doesn’t wow me.
E: Very mild, gentle hops.

Yuzu’s Saison – “Light. Refreshing. Good. Yuzu’s is made with 100% Pale malt, Turbinado sugar and Saison yeast; bittered and finished with Surachi Ace hops. Organic dried lemon peel is added at the end of the boil, and yuzu juice is added both pre- and post-fermentation. Starting gravity 14° Plato (1.048), 4% ABW, 4.8% ABV.”
S: Hoppy and malty finish. Really malty one, interesting tang, I like it.
E: Oh, I like this! Sweet, bitter, flavorful. Light, with a little bit of rainbow.

Haleakala Hibiscus Sour – “Happy Birthday Hawaii. Wild yeast, tart flowers, and care come together in this beer named after Maui’s easterly volcano. Organic pale, crystal, munich and wheat malts make up the boy of this eruptive brew with pallasade hops for bittering, finished with glacier hops and hibiscus (Hawaii’s state flower). Starting gravity 13.4° Plato (1.054), 5.1% ABV, 4.0% ABW.”
S: Very fruity. Wow, orange juice. This beer tastes like candy. I like it. This is the kind of beer that could lure children.
E: Vinegar, tangy, interesting but not my thing.

Avatar Jasmine IPA – “A new incarnation of the Indian Pale Ale. Brewed with Pale, 45° Crystal, Munich and Cara-hell malts. Bittered with German Northern Brewer and finished with Glacier and Amarillo hops. Dried jasmine flowers added in the boil and whirlpool. Starting gravity 15.6° Plato (1.064), ABW 5.7%, ABV 6.3%.”
S: Don’t like this. Has the hoppiness of an IPA but it seems flat. It’s not biting me.
E: Whoa, I taste the jasmine! Doesn’t seem that hoppy. This would go well with a pear or vanilla flavored dessert. But, not likely to be enjoyed by someone who doesn’t enjoy the fragrance of jasmine. Very perfumed beer.

Daedalus Irish Stout – “A perfectly constructed Irish Stout. Stately, plump, nitrogen-poured. Irish-style dry stout. Brewed with Pal malt, and roasted and flaked barley. A portion of the mash is allowed to ‘go sour,’ for a hint of that bracing tartness. Yes. Starting gravity 11° Plato (1.044), ABW 3.7%, ABV 4.7%.”
S: Interesting…it’s a stout with a zip to it. Definitely no chocolate in it. Well maybe in the aftertaste. More fruity under-current.
E: Smokiness to it. If there’s chocolate in it, it unsweetened baker’s chocolate. Not hoppy-bitter but definitely a zip to it. A little too bitter for me.

Bifrost Winter Ale – “Strong, hoppy, and smooth. The rainbow bridge made of fire, air and water for the gods’ use arching from the world tree, Yggdrasil, to the heavens, Asgard. Brewed with Pale malt and small amounts of Munich and Crystal malts. Bittered with Magnum, finished with Amarillo and Styrian Golding hops. Starting gravity 19.3° Plato (1.078), ABW 6.25%, ABV 7.5%.”
S: I taste the hops but plenty of malt as well. I’m not one for winter ales, let that be known.
E: Whoa. I wouldn’t say it’s smooth, despite the Elysian’s description. Sweet and zippy. This beer has a skip in its step. Good bit of hop, good bit of malt, and it smells fruity. Not a boring beer.

Unfortunately, I didn't write down notes about the food we ordered but I do remember that we both enjoyed what we ate. Every time we've been to one of the Elysian locations, the food has been excellent.

The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival!

The 5th Annual Great Pumpkin Beer Festival

If you didn't make it to the Elysian this weekend, you missed out! They had 30 different pumpkin beers to sample and we were able to taste 22 of them between the two days of the festival. Saturday was insane! So many people! We arrived at 1pm to discover there was a 2 hour wait for a table. While we waited, we headed just down the street to Bimbos Cantina to get some food. (Not generally wise to drink on an empty stomach!)

After eating, we purchased our sampler glasses and got to work tasting beer! Here are the verdicts:

Saturday, Oct. 10th, 2009

On the first day of the Festival, we were joined by our friend Dimitria. You'll find her verdicts joining ours a bit down the way.

Ich Bin Ein Pumpkiner - (Nodding Head Brewery, Philadelphia, PA) "A classic Berliner sour wheat beer served with Elysian-made pumpkin syrup. ABV 3.75%"
S: Cloudy with visible dregs. Lemonade, tastes like a hard lemonade.
E: Vinegar, fruity. Ah, now I taste the lemon. Gotta zip to it.

Jackobite - (Elysian Brewing Co, Seattle) "Barrel-Aged Scottish Pumpkin Ale. Brewed with pale 77° Crystal, Munich and Cara-Hell malts, and bittered lightly with Glacier hops. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter; aged in Jack Daniel's and wine barrels for 6 weeks. OG 17.1° Plato (1.070), ABV 6.4%. Brewed at Tangletown."
S: Tangy, sweet; more like a traditional beer but with a tang. I like it. (Note added later: This is my favorite beer of the the festival.)
E: Sour, sweet. Medium orange caramel color.

Dark O' the Moon Pumpkin Stout - (Elysian Brewing Co, Seattle) "Spookily smooth and chocolatey with a touch of cinnamon. A perennial favorite, brewed with Great Western pale, Crisp 77° Crystal, Munich, Cara-Vienne, roasted chocolate and Special B malts with roasted pumpkin seeds in the mash. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Bittered with Magnum and finished with Saaz and crushed cinnamon. OG 19.35° Plato (1.080), ABV 6.5%. Brewed at the Elysian on Capitol Hill."
S: Very subtle pumpkin.
E: Chocolatey, sweet; don't taste the pumpkin much but it's a very tasty stout.

Mr. Yuck Sour Pumpkin Ale - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Brewed with pale, Munich, Cara-Hell and 150° Crystal malts and both malted and unmalted wheat, as well as wheat flour. Very lightly hopped with UK Fuggles and aged in fermentation for ten months with second-generation sour Belgian yeast blend (a culture we've kept alive for seven years), then in kegs for an additional four months. Pumpkin in the mash and kettle. OG 14.1° Plato (1.057), ABV 5.1%
S: I like the Mr. Yuck. Like the tanginess. (Note added later, this is my second favorite of the festival.)
E: Reminds me of the Jackobite, strong tang, citrus. Not really my thing.

Night Owl - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Brewed with over 7lbs. of pumpkin per barrel. Made with Pal, Munich and Crystal malts, green and rosted pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin in the mash, boy, and fermenter. Bittered with Magnum hops. Spiced in conditioning with nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. OG 14.9° Plato (1.060) ABV 5.9%."
S: Not really my thing, too sweet.
E: Sweet, lightly spiced, what I expect a pumpkin ale to be.

8472 Dark Sour Pumpkin Ale - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "An ungulate lifeform so badass the Borg turns and runs, oh, and a dark sour pumpkin ale, brewed with pal, Munich, wheat, oats, rye, corn, and pumpkin in the mash and kettle. Bittered with aged Hallertauser hops. The 'next genereation' of the sour Belgian blend after Mr. Yuck. OG 16.25° Plato (1.066), ABV 6.6%. Brewed at Tangletown."
S: I like this. It's like the Mr. Yuck but not as tangy.
E: Looks like apple cider. More subtle flavor than the Mr. Yuck, quieter.

Hansel & Gretel Ginger Pumpkin Pilsner - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Brewed with organic pale, Weyermann Munich and Cara-Hell malts, with pumpkin added in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with peeled and pureed fresh ginger in the boil and bright tank and hopped with lots of Czech Saaz hops (otherwise it wouldn't be traditional). OG 12° Plato (1.048), ABV 4.5%"
S: It is bitter, barely taste the pumpkin.
E: Wow, really taste the ginger. Also, reminds me of citrus with it's bitter jolt.
D: Light, good hint of ginger.

Bete N' Owl Dark Belgian Spiced Pumpkin Ale - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Brewed with pale, 120° Crystal and a tiny bit of chocolate malt. Bittered with Magnum and finished with German Northern Brewer hops. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with World Spice Merchants' Poudre Forte, comprised of cinnamon, clove, ginger, black pepper and grains of paradise. OG 15° Plato (1.060), ABV 5.4%"
S: Doesn't taste like anything else.
E: Another beer that looks like apple cider. Cinnamon, a big hoppy, flowered.
D: I like this. More bitter.

Ichabod Imperial Belgian Pumpkin Ale - (Iron Hill Brewery, Wilmington, DE) "This extra strong spicy Belgian pumpkin ale is truly a beer from the farm. It is unfiltered with a beautiful burnt orange color. Ichabod's nose is filled with flavors of the harvest including clove, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The palate is sweet with hints of roated pumpkin and caramel. There is a warming finish that is both fruity and aromatic. Over 6 pounds of pumpkin per barrel were added right to the mash. Drink enough and you'll lose your head too! OG 22.4° Plato (1.094), ABV 9.5%"
S: Very pumpkin-y, not my thing.
E: Oh! Very good! Very sweet, spiced, cloves, nutmeg. Wow. And you don't taste the alcohol so be careful with this one! Note added later: This is my favorite beer of the festival! I am very sad that this beer is not normally distributed in this area. I'm likely going to have to wait a year to enjoy it again! :(
D: Hint of nutmeg flavor. I like this better.

The Great Pumpkin Ale {Imperial Pumpkin Ale} - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Silver medalist at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival in the Fruit and Vegeatable category, the world's first Imperial pumpkin ale. Brewed with pale, Munich, Cara-Hell, Cara-Vienne, Cara-Munich and Crisp 45° L Crystal malts. Roasted pumpkin seeds in the mash, and extra pumkin added in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. OG 19° Plato (1.078), ABV 8.1%. Brewed at our original Capitol Hill location in Seattle."
S: Not as sweet as the Ichabod but very pumpkin, not my thing.
E: Nutty, sweet, spiced, inviting. I already knew I really enjoyed this beer from a recent visit to the Elysian in Tangletown.
D: OMG! This is good!

Olde Pumpkin Porter {O.P.P.} -(Cambridge Brewing, Cambridge, MA) "Olde Pumpkin Porter is our attempt at recreating the pumpkin-infused beers of colonial days. Brewed with pale and roasted malts and fresh organic sugar pumpkins, it has whiled away the past year in old bourbon barrels with cinnamon sticks and candied ginger, where it was inoculated by Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus naturally occurring in the CBC dungeon, er, Barrel Cellar. Finished in new oak, its tart and roasty palate may just transport you back to 17th Century Boston. OG 14.7° Plato (1.060), ABV 6.8%."
S: I like it. A lot tangier than most porters. It's like a what a dark hefewiezen would be, if there were dark hefewiezens.
E: Pickle/vinegar, sour, sweeter after taste.
D: Tangy, instant bite.

Kaiser Kurbis Pumpkin Hefeweizen - (Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle) "Brewed with Maris Otter pale, Weyermann wheat, Cara-Munich and Cara-Vienne malts, with pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Bittered with German Northern Brewer and finished with Czech Saaz hops. Unspiced but for the Weihenstephan Bavarian wheat beer yeast. OG 12° Plato (1.048), ABV 5.1%. Brewed in our small (3 bbl) Tangletown brewery."
S: Boring.
E: Light, summery, simple.
D: Mostly dry. If it was gonna make me like it, it had to wow me and it didn't.

Snoqualmie E.S.B. Extra Special Butternut - (Snoqualmie Brewing, Snoqualmie, WA) "A malty beer brewed with 300 pounds of butternut puree added to the mash of pale, aromatic and Crystal malts. Lightly hopped with Glacier and Spalt hops, this unspiced autumn ale has the subtle aroma and flavor of butternut. ABV 5.5%."
S: Strange, doesn't taste like anything I've ever had before.
E: Summery, mellow.
D: Tart but in a good way, not tangy.

Hopgoblin - (Big Time Brewery, Seattle) "A full-boded reddish-orange ale with pumpkin added to the mash, and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves. Starting gravity 15.2° Plato (1.061), ABV 5.75%, 25 IBU."
S: Full. Don't like it much, not hoppy.
E: Cloudy like apple cider, malty, good for drinking in a cabin in the woods. Oaky.
D: Feels thick, dense beer texture, syrup and the opposite of bland. Full bodied beer, spiced evenly.

Punkin - (Dogfishhead Brewing, Milton, DE) "A full-boddied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. ABV 7%."
S: Tasts similar to the ESB but I taste more of the pumpkin, more of a pumpkin mouth feel.
E: Sweet, smooth with a tang, spiced.

Great Pumpkin Ale - (Cambridge Brewing, Cambridge, MA) "Brewed with over 150 pounds of fresh, locally grown, organic sugar pumpkins, hand-carved and added to each batch. Our Great Pumpkin Ale has an appropriately orange hue, and the subtle pumpkin flavor is enhanced by a touch of traditional autumn spices. Come raise a glass in honor of the Great Pumpkin! OG 11° Plato (1.044) ABV 4.2%."
S: I like this better than the other Great Pumpkin Ale, not very pumpkin-y.
E: Vinegar, hoppy flowers, little bitter. I like the Elysian's Great Pumpkin Ale much better.
D: Sweet under tones are subtle, don't notice right away, subtle pumpkin as well.

Sunday, Oct. 11th, 2009

Pumpking - (Southern Tier, Lakewood, NY) "Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it's alluring spirits to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let its deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. ABV 9%."
S: Very pumpkin-y, not full bodied, not dense.
E: I like this. Tart, sweet, my king of tangy. And there's a flavor I can't quite place. What Rainbow Brite would drink if she wanted a pumpkin beer. A little bit of bitterness in the after taste. (Note added later, this is my third favorite beer of the festival!)

Punktoberfest - (Iron Hill Brewery, Willington, DE) "Uber Oktoberfest. Strong version of the famous fall lager brewed with pumpkin. Punktoverfest is amber in color and malty on the palate with strong notes of vanilla and cinnamon. The subtle use of seasonal spices accentuates the spicy noble hop aroma. Ein Pumpkin Prosit! OG 16.6° Plato (1.068), ABV 7%, 24 IBU."
S: Like it, not over powered with sweet.
E: Mellow, not sweet, gently spiced. This is a good every day beer.

Sasquash - (Big Time Brewery, Seattle) "Sasquash - a special blend of the Hopgoblin and an 'only brewed once a year beer' with some wood-aged stout added for complexity, and respiced with additional cloves and allspice. ABV 8%."
S: I like the stout part of it but not the pumpkin part.
E: Very tasty; sweet chocolate, subtle pumpkin. Whoa, and I feel the alcohol. Very nice.

Biere de Gourde - (Cambridge Brewing, Cambridge, MA) "This 'farmhouse-style' ale utilizes French pale and caramel malts plus fresh organic sugar pumpkins in the mash, aided and abetted by Styrian Goldings hops and a touch of some earthy spice-star anise, mace, allspice, clove, and cinnamon. OG 13.8° Plato (1.056) ABV 5.5%"
S: I like it, extremely mild pumpkin. Could almost be a pale ale, can barely taste the pumpkin. I could see myself buying a six pack of this.
E: I second that, summery, though orange. Tastes refreshing.

La Parcela No. 1 (2008) - (Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter, MI) "A smooth and malty ale, orangish in color, with hints of pumpkin and spice. Brewed with Pilsner, Munich, Vienna, Wheat and Crystal malts. Hopped with Aurora and Mt. Rainier and gently spiced with cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger. Keg-conditioned and aged in oak. Starting gravity 12.5° (1.050) ABV 6.1%. 22 IBU"
S: I like the tang to it, almost lemony or lime.
E: Light, fresh, gentle pumpkin, citrus, acidic.

Cerveza Calabaza - (Rock Bottom Brewery, Seattle) "Brwed with 2-Row, Munich and C-20 malts. Hopped with Bravo and Mt. Hood and fermented with Chimay Belgian yeast strains. Six lbs. per bbl canned pumpkin added in the mash, boil, and fermenter. Spiced with cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and fresh-grated ginger root - all steeped in the whirlpool post-boil. Starting gravity 16.7° Plato (1.069) AVB 7.1%, 25 IBU."
S: First thing I taste is the bitter and then the pumpkin behind it but not too much pumpkin. Mostly bitter. More like a lager with very slight pumpkin.
E: Cloudy, bitter, with a tang a moment later.

The Food:
Pumpkin Ravioli (Ericka) - WOW! So good! I ate this slowly to savor all of the tastes within it. The chicken was perfectly charbroiled, the sauce was creamy, sweet, spicy hot and spicy with nutmeg and cinnamon. Everything I'd ever hope a pumpkin ravioli would be plus more!

Elysian Burger with bacon (Si) - Good half pound with fries. Very filling, very good.

Preview! The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival!

We'll be visiting the Elysian Brewery on Capitol Hill for The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival this next weekend! I'm ridiculously excited. I love pumpkin ales and I just discovered that Elysian's Great Pumpkin Ale is a spiced wonder. I expect I'll be more than a little buzzed by the end of the night, they have so many tasty sounding brews! :)

Elysian Brewery
1221 E. Pike St.
Sat. Oct. 10th, 12p-10p
Sun. Oct. 11th, 12p-6p
$15 includes souvenir glass and 6 beer tokens.

Big Time Brewery

Sept. 16th, 2009

Located on the Ave in the U-District, The Big Time Brewery is a favorite among the UW's students. We'd both been there before but this was our first sampling visit.

Be forewarned, the service can be a bit slow and distracted but the food is damn tasty. I ordered a mini pizza with feta, sausage, red bell peppers, and red onions. So good! Si got a naked hot dog and a baked potato with cheese and bacon. Gotta love potato peel.

The Big Time Brewery has a nice sample policy in that they'll give you a 4oz. glass of any of their beers for a couple of bucks or any four beer samples for $5. We sampled all ten that they had on tap.

Barking Dog - "Scottish Ale." Description unavailable from Big Time online.
Si: Mild, flat, bland.
Ericka: Flat, mild, blah.

Dragonfly Pale Ale - "American Pale Ale. A sessionable, well-balanced Pale Ale brewed using Northwestern 2-row malt, Briess Cara-pils and 60L Crystal; bittered with Magnum and finished with Cascade hops. Fermented with (Elysian) American Ale yeast. This recipe, from AHA Member Ryan Hilliard of Seattle, was selected from a tasting of winning homebrews in the 2009 Puget Sound Pro-Am Competition, and scaled up to 14 barrels for entry into the Great American Beer Festival. O.G. 11.8 Plato, 30 BU, 4.7% ABV"
Si: Very malty for a pale ale. Better on second tasting after some food.
Ericka: Pretty bitter, perfumed, not my thing.

The Maine Thing - "East Coast Pale Ale. A collaborative brew with Kevin Watson from Allagash Brewing Co. in Portland, ME. A crisp, delicately balanced golden-straw colored pale ale that begins with a hit of Simcoe hops and ends with the smoothness of Liberty and Northern Brewer. O.G. 14.5 Plato, 5.5% ABV"
Si: Very malty.
Ericka: Simple, ok, good with food.

Prime Time Pale Ale - "A three time gold medal winner in previous Great American Beer Festivals, Prime Time's delicate malt flavor and gently balanced hoppiness make it approachable to those unfamiliar with microbrewed beers, yet still has a sophistication that pleases seasoned drinkers of real ales. Prime Time Pale is brewed with Northwestern 2-row pale malt and just a touch each of English crystal and light dextrin malts. It is hopped with Yakima Chinook and Cascade in addition to German Hersbruckers. OG12 Plato (1.048)"
Si: Really really malty too.
Ericka: Yes, really malty, not too hoppy.

Scarlet Fire IPA - "It's come to be known as our fifth regular beer. A little bit bolder than the Bhagwan, with a greater depth of hop character through extensive first wort hopping. It's got all the C hops stuff that we love, just more. O.G. 16.5, 6.4% ABV."
Si: Really malty as well.
Ericka: Very hoppy, bold flavor.

Bhagwan's Best IPA - "Building on a classic English style and adding some uniquely Northwest touches, Bhagwan's Best has developed fiercely loyal following wherever it is served. Bursting with local hop flavor, bitterness, and aroma, it is a particular treat when served dry-hopped and cask-conditioned on Big Time's beer engine. O.G. 16 Plato (1.064), alcohol is approximately 5% by weight.
Si: More bitter but still a lot of malt.
Ericka: More bitter, too hoppy for me.

Kolsh 45 - "German Pale Ale. A German syle pale ale brewed with Pilsner malt and a touch of wheat. Light and golden with a rich malt presence and the delicate flavor of Hallertau hops. Works every time. O.G. 1.045 4.2% ABV"
Si: After-taste is spicy, like it though.
Ericka: Fruity, goes very well with potato peal. Much better than Hale's Kolsh.

Atlas Amber Ale - "Atlas is Big Time's most popular beer. Its mixture of pale, crystal, Munich, and light dextrin malts, with just a few pounds of roasted barley, give it a rich, robust malt flavor, and three distinctive Northwestern hop varieties (Chinook, Cascade, and Centennial) impart an aggressive hop character. O.G. 14 Plato (1.056)"
Si: Pretty malty; it's good though.
Ericka: Sweet, mellow, tasty, hint of honey

Old RIP - "Oatmeal Stout. Old Rip is one of our most requested specialty beers. Generous portions of dark malts, a heavy hand with the hops and a secret ingredient combine to make this beer one that stout lovers shouldn't miss. Original gravity 14 plato, alcohol by weight 3.75%. "
Si: Very sweet. I like it but I don't know how much I could drink.
Ericka: Rich flavor! Chocolaty and smooth. Opaque with a hint of raisin. Like dessert with a dark foam head. This is a new favorite!

Coal Creek Porter - "Also a multiple medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival, Coal Creek Porter has a solid and loyal following among Big Time's customers. Impenetrably dark at first glance, Coal Creek shows rich red highlights when held to the light. Its blend of dark roasted malts combines with three other specialty malts and unmalted flaked barley to give Coal Creek a satisfying roasted flavor and smooth texture. It is heavily hopped in the finish with Yakima Centennial. Original gravity is approximately 15 degrees Plato (1.060 Specific Gravity), and alcohol content is 4.5% by weight. "
Si: I like this one; extremely milk chocolate. Could drink a lot of this.
Ericka: Good every day beer. Tasty good flavor but not overpowering.

Si: "For the record, I found the beers to be far too malty for my taste. And many not carbonated enough. But, the second time around, when I retried them, after eating a bit, they all tasted better."

Oh, and randomly, there were guys dressed in green body suits who wanted in for a bit. Si informed me that they're based off of character "Green Man" from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia which was premiering that night.

*Additional note. The Old RIP was so good that I talked Si into going back the next day for lunch so I could get a pint of it with a couple of slices of pizza. He got a pint of the Coal Creek Porter and another hotdog. :)

Hale's Brewery

Aug. 28th, 2009

Hale’s is known for their beer as well as for the Moisture Festival held at the Hale’s Palladium in March. This was a first time visit for both of us and they had 12 different beers to welcome us! I ordered their Troll Porter Meatloaf and Si went with the BBQ Bacon Cheddar Burger. We finished off with a Chocolate Pot de Crème.

The Verdicts:
Hale’s Pale American Ale - “Our flagship – a model of balance. Firm malt body, pleasing hop character. Hops: Clusters & Centennial. OG 1.052, ABV 5.0%”
Si: This was my standard first beer whenever I’d go to the Blue Moon in the U-District. Already a favorite.
Ericka: Good, simple.

Hale’s Cream Ale - “Very smooth, golden ale. ‘Nitro’ conditioned, creating it’s creamy head. Hops: Nugget. OG 1.049, ABV 4.5%”
Si: Flat, uninteresting to me.
Ericka: Banana, metal, smooth.

Hale’s Cream HSB - “Like a trip to England. Classic ‘special bitter’ style, sturdy yet smooth. Hops: Nuggest & Mount Hood. OG 1.047, ABV 4.5%
Si: Very smooth, subtle malt, not my style.
Ericka: Soapy, very hoppy.

Troll Porter - “Brewed big enough to keep the Fremont Troll happy. We sure hope he is… Hops: Chinook, Mt. Hood, Cascade. OG 1.070, ABV 6.9%”
Si: Not my thing. (Said with a very sour, funny face.) I like my chocolate in bar form.
Ericka: Chocolate, smooth, yum. Favorite of the night! And it went well with the meatloaf that was named after it.

Mongoose IPA - “Hopped at four separate points in the brewing process. Very distinctive flavor. Hops: Amarillo & Chinooks. OG 1.060, ABV 5.9%”
Si: Light IPA, familiar standby. But, it’s a meerkat on the label, not a mongoose.
Ericka: Subtle flavor.

Red Menace Big Amber - “Redefining the’amber’ ale category. This one is big, in both malt & hops. Hops: 100% Centennial. OG 1.053, ABV 5.3%”
Si: Malty. I do like this beer.
Ericka: Good basic beer, not fancy.

Hale’s Cream Stout - “As close to a latte that an ale can get. Silky smooth, tremendous with food. Hops: Mount Hood. OG 1.054, ABV 5.2%”
Si: Boring and flat.
Ericka: OK. Smooth, simple. After the Troll Porter, it seems like a Plain Jane.


O’Brien’s Harvest Ale - “A celebration of ale ingredients. Lots of malt & the ‘freshest of the fresh’ hops. Hops: Cascade & Nugget. OG 1.049, ABV 4.5%”
Si: Very malty, incredibly sweet.
Ericka: Good, tasty, strong flavor.

El Jefe - “A true ‘Bavarian Style’ hefeweizen with a fruity, spicy complex character. Hops: US Saaz & Mount Hood. OG 1.052, ABV 5.2%”
Si: Lemons, summer, very light.
Ericka: Reminds me of summer cookies and bananas.

Kolsch - “A ‘lagered’ ale. Straw colored, delicately flavored, a nice welcome to Spring. Hops: Saaz & Mount Hood. OG 1.045, ABV 4.5%”
Si: Like El Jefe but less sweet.
Ericka: Eww. Not my thing. Reminds me of the beer my dad used to drink.

Nut Brown Ale - “A ‘lighter’ entry into the dark ale genre. Medium bodied, roasty character, semi-sweet. Hops: Mount Hood. OG 1.048, ABV 4.5%”
Si: The finish is better and hoppy.
Ericka: Hoppy but good, little sweety.

Rudyard’s Rare Barleywine - “Rich, malty, and strong. Flavors of plum and raisins permeate this very special brew. Hops: Caseade & Nugget. OG 1.094, ABV 9.2%
Si: Malty, but I like it. It’s got a bitterness to it.
Ericka: Good, strong, on the edge of my hop limit. *Extra note: Does not go well with chocolate! Tried it with the Chocolate Pot de Crème and it was not a happy mixing. Much better with the Troll Porter.


Wow, that was a lot of beer. Thankfully, they were sampler-sized, but still. Truth be told, we didn’t quite finish *all* of the beer but we came close.

The service was also a bit disappointing. Distracted and slow more than rude. But, the beer and food were great. The Chocolate Pot de Crème was particularly amazing.

I expect we’ll have to revisit Hale’s in the future. They have a number of very tasting sounding seasonal beers. Their Aftermath Imperial IPA and Pikop Andropov’s Rushin’ Imperial Stout sound very interesting and tasty.

Our first brewery: The Pike Brewing Co.

Aug. 6th, 2009

Although we'd both been there before, this was the first time we'd been to the Pike Place Pub and Brewery with a focus on their beers. We wanted to taste as many as our stomachs would allow while saving room for dinner.

Here's what we ordered:
The Sampler (six 4oz. pre-selected samples ranging from dark to light)
Monk's Uncle (8oz.)
Weisse (8oz.)
Si's dinner: Cheddar Bacon Burger
Ericka's dinner: Bavarian Style Bratwurst Jumbo Dog

The Verdicts:
Pike Naughty Nellie - "Golden Organic Artisan Ale. Named for the madam at LaSalle where Pike was founded. Light and curvey with plenty of sex appeal." ABV 4.7%; IBU 34; OG 1.048
Si: Light, chemical flavor
Ericka: Don't like, tastes chemically, great name though

Pike Pale Ale - "Heirloom Amber. Classic full-bodied ale with copernicus and nutty malt flavor. The first Pike beer brewed in 1989." ABV 5.0%; IBU 32; OG 1.052
Si: Great stuff
Ericka: Boring, not my thing

Pike IPA - "India Pale Ale. Deep golden amber color with an assertive hop character and a delicate floral bouquet. One of '300 Beers to Try Before You Die,' by Roger Protz." ABV 6.3%; IBU 62; OG 1.062
Si: Good, hoppy
Ericka: Very perfumed, not my thing

Pike Kilt Lifter - "Scotch Ale. Ruby-amber color; medium hops; sweet malt character. Brewed with a small amount of peated Scotch whisky malt." ABV 6.5%; IBU 32; OG 1.064
Si: Very sweet, tolerable
Ericka: This is already a favorite of mine. This is a great beer to take to a party or drink with a hot dog.

Pike Tandem - "Double Ale. Dark brown ale brewed with barley, 10% wheat, hops, plus coriander and candy sugar for a complex rich flavor and a finish of tobacco and molasses." ABV 7.0%; IBU 25; OG 1.070
Si: Sweet, good stuff
Ericka: New favorite, with a hint of honey flavor; also good to bring to a party or BBQ or just any random day of the week with dinner.

Pike XXXXX - "Extra Stout. Sensuous and X rated with a gorgeous reddish-black color, great head, a deep dark-roasted flavor with tones of chocolate and coffee with a satisfying aftertaste." ABV 7.0% IBU 65; OG 1.073
Si: Chocolate, coffee
Ericka: Not at all sweet, more coffee than chocolate. Tasty.

Pike Monk's Uncle - "Belgian Ale. Big, full bodied and complex with yeasty nose, fruity esters and malty dryness." ABV 9.0%; IBU 34; OG 1.075
Si: Good, intense flavor
Ericka: Wow, that's good. Do notice the high alcohol content, though. Could get you in trouble.

Pike Weisse
Si: Ok, but bland
Ericka: Boring

We both really liked the food. In particular, the Pike Place Pub happily leaves the peals on their fries and has excellent in-house made mustard. It was so good, I went back later to get some to go ($5). Also, it's a very wheelchair accessible place. Lots of gentle wide ramps.