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.