The Beer Traveller

It was now a mad dash for Spokane so I could hit up one more brewery before finding a  place to crash for the night (7/7).  I was a little skeptical of Northern Lights not having a website as we are now in a world where that’s more the norm than not.  Turns out I had nothing to worry about.

Northern Lights is located in a strip mall/plaza w/ an exterior of CA colored stucco.  A Bangkok Thai restaurant sign steals the show regarding the exterior & the brewery sign was a bitch to make out in the sun.  Upon entry, one was greeted w/ a hallway of vote for some judge signs.  After winding my way through an area that looked as though it belonged to some nightclub w/o any patrons, I came upon my destination.  Inside was sparsely decorated w/ nothing to look at, but I didn’t come to look.

I was graciously greeted w/ a plethora of choices & the bar to myself.  Top dogs were the IPA that proved hops exist & a Stellar Stout that was (guess).  Pulling last place was a Blueberry Creme that sucked.  It may work for a non-beer drinker (maybe the wife?), but not for this lad.  The biggest surprise was the Bulldog Creme Ale that was described as a flavorful version of an original American beer style; I was thinking skunk piss (i.e. Budweiser), but genuinely impressed.  A mild but ‘full’ flavored beer.

Compliments to Lily & Christy who met my every need (not that I had any competition.  If you’re in Spokane on a hot day, their outside patio may be the place to be.

As I mentioned in my last post, Rocky Coulee Brewery was closed & Tom said Rolling Thunder Saloon was one of the local bars that served his beer.  I found both bars mentioned in all of about 3 minutes; this was the time that it took me to drive from 1 end of town to the other.  Rolling Thunder sports the typical biker bar look, but the patrons today were a completely different crowd.  I’m assuming the biker thing must be seasonal or festival related.

It was like one of these scenes in a movie where I walked in & the music stopped.  It wasn’t so much threatening as it was curiosity; guessing they don’t get many visitors in these parts (pop. 1,000).  Turns out this bar has an amazing amount of history (opened in 1907) as Jerry so graciously helped me try & point out.

A few particularly interesting facts are:

• In 1938 there was a 2 man gun dual out back (over a woman) where the town marshall lost his life.  The shooter went across the street for a steak dinner & to wait to be arrested.
• 1979, the owner died of a heart attack behind the bar.  His sister than sold the place.
• The green 2-tone steel original ceiling is actually caused from 90 years of tobacco smoke

This was not exactly a microbrew fan club as Jerry was drinking Budweiser Chelanda straight from the can.  The other patrons seemed to be partial to the macros; bud, coors, etc.  They did however have Rocky Coulee’s Cooper on tap, served in a mason glass.  When the bartender asked what I thought, I was careful in my comments as I was unsure how many of the patrons may be relatives of the brewer.

After a “I don’t like it, it tastes like vinegar” from the bartender…I concurred.  Rolling Thunder is an intrigueing establishment with flat panels & 100 yr old history.  The floor is covered w/ people’s ink handiwork & quotes thought to be witty.  All in all it was a great establishment with even greater people.  You just can beat a farming community for down to earth good naturedness.

Rocky Coulee Brewery was to be my 2nd stop on my travels.  It was, but it was closed.

This was quite disheartening as I just got off the freeway & drove 1/2 hr with nothing to look at but wheat fields.  Don’t get me wrong they can be quite beautiful, but they also get old.  Out of absolutely nowhere pops a little town called Odessa.  From the looks of things I was worried the whole town might be closed.  I saw a total of 3 cars in route & 1 pedestrian.

The good news is Brent pulled up & was delivering Venue magazine.  He mentioned that I should really try to get a hold of Tom (owner/brewer of RCBC) as he’s a great guy to talk with.  In typical small town fashion, he recommended I start asking around & somewhere might know where he is.  I glanced around, but like I said there wasn’t anyone.  I noticed one of Rocky Coulee’s delivery vehicles w/ a phone number & decided to try a call.

Tom picked up & mentioned he lives 30 miles out of town.  They’re only open on Fridays due to the wheat harvest.  He seemed geniuely disappointed that he had missed me & said he would have made accommodations had he know I was coming.  He recommedned a couple of local bars that serve his beer.

So originally I was going to focus this blog/website on brew pubs & micro-brews.  Well w/ my current track record of 1/3 I decided to hit up local bars in the event the brew pub/microbrewery were closed.  Roslyn isn’t exactly a big city so when I found the brewery closed I simply had to turn around to scour town for a bar.  Luckily for me I happened across a little place called The Brick. 

According to a sign on the inside, this is the oldest operating salon in WA, built in 1889.  The brick was made in Roslyn & the back bar was shipped from England, around Cape Horn; it’s over 100 yrs old.  The chairs/tables are from Sears & Roebuck, dated from around the turn of the century.  Let’s see Ikea hold up that long!

An example of this longitivity is the working spittoon (think running trough of H2O) below your feet.  Although no longer used for it’s intended purpose, tobacco spitting & yep #1, it still adds quite a bit of character. 

In regards to beer, it’s obvious that this is WA small town bar.  They have everything from Schmidt in a can to Linderman’s Framboise Lambic.  Suffice to say I’m willing to bet you won’t find Framboise in many other towns of 1,000 people.  In regards to draft they have 12; 3 locals, 6 micros, & 3 domestic/imports (i.e. bud, bud lt, & Stella).

I was being tagged team by both Nicole & Sara at the bar.  Being Sara’s 1st day on the job, Nicole was helping field my questions about bar history & beers on tap.  I decided to go with a pint of Roslyn Beer (a dark mild lager) & a sample of Brookside Pale (a pale lager).  See my reviews.  Nicole throw me a curve ball when she asked if I have had a mix.  She poured me a sample of 50/50 (dark/pale).  Seemed a little weird at first, but she said “they’re both lagers…why not?”.  More I think about it, it’s like a Black & Tan.  It actually worked out quite well as the Pale removed some of the sweetness of the Dark & the Dark removed the tartness of the Pale.

If you’re ever in (or passing through) Roslyn, I would definitely recommend stopping in for a cold one.

Pulling off exit 80, my senses were soon filled w/ the fresh smell of pine.  This was going to be the first stop of my trip & I knew things were going to be good.  Than I pulled up to the Roslyn Brewery only to find it was closed. I could have sworn I looked up the hours earlier this morning.  So I decided to take a look around & than find a local bar that served some of their brews.

This is probably long over due considering the amount of time (& money) I’ve spent here.  Okay, so the Pumphouse is not a brewery, not a brew pub, & not a micro-brewery.  But they are a quality establishment that serves excellent beers, (most of ‘em native to the PNW).  They have also been in business since 1978…which makes them just a hair younger than myself.

You may be asking yourself “what exactly does the Beer Traveller consider a good beer selection”.  Well when you only have 12 taps (give or take), I would say beers such as Stella Artois, Diamond Knot IPA, Elysian Immortal IPA, Mac & Jack’s African Amber, Redhook ESB, Guinness, Manny’s Pale Ale, Alaskan Amber, as well as several rotating taps would make up a better than average selection.  So what do I drink when I’m there?  A pint of Guinness!  I have to specify pint b/c they pride themselves on being home of the largest beer on the east side (~32oz).

Now I know what you must be thinking…this kid who is traveling the US stopping @ brew pubs & microbrews is drinking a mass produced Irish beer.  Well we all have a default brew of choice; Norm had his & I have mine.  Needless to say Guinness is far & above the southern defaults (i.e. Bud, Bud Light, Miller, & Busch).

So what exactly is it about this place that draws me in.  Simplicity & quality!  It’s your basic bar that’s dimly lit w/ few windows (who needs them in Seattle).  It’s got several flat screen TVs broadcasting in HD & it’s ‘usually’ got good tunes coming across the satellite radio.  Their food is basic bar food (burgers, chx, fries, etc.) but it’s well done & it’s consistent.  Their non-bar like salads are fresh, filling, & diverse.  Other things I like are it’s not a chain & the service rocks!

Tonight I had the privilege of keeping both Brandi & Petra company as it was a slow night.  Service from these two (as well as Trisha, Erin, Andrea (1 & 2), Lindsey, & Amber) has never let me down.  I will also say that I’ve had a couple of email exchanges w/ the owner & his attention to my concern was up & above that of the typical GMs @ chain restaurants.

I will be leaving a little later today, but already look forward to my next Guinness @ the Pumphouse.

Elysian is one of those breweries that I love to visit; they’ve always got a large variety of beers on tap (16 today) & they’re not of the bread & butter variety.  I’ve been to the Elysian Field location several times, but this was the 1st time @ Tangletown.  Kevin & I decided to stop by this past Thursday, for one more beer before I leave town.  This location is much less cosmopolitan than Elysian Fields & has the typical laid back character of Greenlake.

Although there were tables outside, we landed inside; probably better due to the heat.  Pub height tables by the open windows w/ a cool breeze & dogs lounging outside meant another perfect day to try some new brews.  This was Kevin’s 1st experience w/ Elysian, but by the time I arrived he had already realized that this was not the standard brewpub; believe his comment was something to the effect that these guys are serious brewers!

So after sampling all the 16 house brewed beers they ahd on tap, I’m no quite sure where to begin.  Their range was amazing; everything from a basic Pilsner (Zephyrus) to a Barley Wine, everything in-between & even some things out in left field.  Probably the most unique was the Avatar Jasmine IPA.  I give it an A+ for uniqueness, but it wasn’t my cup of tea (literally).  I’d recommend a sample for discussion sake, but ordering a full one might be a stretch.  The other left fielder was the Saison Poivre, brewed w/ 3 different kinds of peppercorns.  Usually when tasting a beer, you instinctively note the strongest flavor & whether it leans more towards the hoppy, malty, or barley side.  This one had me stumped as it was extremely complex.  As I savored every ounce, I couldn’t place my finger tongue on what the flavor was…thank goodness for the knowledgeable waitstaff.  Who woulda guessed red, green, & white peppercorns.

Those that know me can probably already tell that I’ll be diving into the stouts & porters.  Yes, my favorites & I can say that Elysian has mastered these (incl. the Persus Porter, Dragonstooth Stout, & the Daedalus Irish Stout).  All of which I gace an exceptional.  On the opposite side of the rating spectrum was the Golden Fleece, Wise ESB, Yuzu’s Belgiam Golden Ale, & Zephyrus Pilsner; all of which were given a drinkable.  Honorable mentions that fell in between include the Elysian Fields Pale Ale, which is one of the better pale ales I’ve had & the Titania which was a great wheat beer.

Elysian is a brewery that will always throw a curve ball…but it’s gonna taste damn good.  And if you don’t like it, there’s bound to be another choice that will do it for ya.

Pike Brewing is one of the first breweries that come to mind when people think Seattle brewery.  The tourists know this b/c of it’s prime location in World Famous Pike Place Market.  The locals know this because of the company’s history (brewing since 1989) & their great beers.

Stephanie & myself decided to stop by this past Wednesday for a HH & a lil’ catching up.  She’s a wine drinker, but I take every chance to convert these individuals.  Much like Redhook, this was a brewery that I avoided due to some experiences w/ so-so beers.  The establishment itself is filled w/ history…& a 2 story brew kettle. There is plenty of room (for eating) & a full restaurant.  The atmosphere is not one of the commonly found chains found throughout the country (i.e sterile & cookie cutterish).

Although there was no longer any room at the bar, our needs were quickly realized & met by Nancy (bartender).  Some may think of it as a minor point to commend the service, but getting great service from a bartender when your not seated at the bar is no longer the norm.

I was quickly reminded of why I steered clear of this place; Naughty Nellie & Pale Ale.  Redemption soon came in the form of IPA, Tandem, & Weisse.  The real surprise was the Kilt Lifter, whose peated scotch whiskey malt gave a very unique flavor.  Needless to say I rated it Exceptional, the same rating I gave both the Extra Stout & Old Bawdy.  Old Bawdy was an easy drinking 10% that would have gotten me in trouble had I stayed any longer.

We didn’t get a chance to try the food, but if it’s anything like the beer you won’t be disappointed.  Again I want to thank Nancy for amazing service w/ a smile.

Pulling in I thought we were @ Snoqualmie in the off season, the buildings were the same high sloped metal roofs that are seen on the slopes. In fact we were at Forecasters Pub, one of the brewpubs of Redhook Ale Brewery.  They also have one in Portsmouth, NH.  The good news is that there are also many wineries (incl. Chateau Ste. Michelle & Columbia) right down the street.  This is perfect for those wives that have yet to appreciate the finer flavors of barley & hops. 

Considering Redhook is one of the grandeur & well known local breweries, it’s surprising that I had never been here before.  I guess this stems from me never being a fan of their flagship ale, ESB.  I couldn’t say exatly what % of their total volume this represents, but it’s the only one I see about 95% of the time.  As my library states, I defined this brew as “forgettable” & drinkable (i.e. 2 stars).  In all honesty I’ve never really been a fan of their other popular brew, Blonde Ale, or their seasonal Sunrye.

Needless to say I was glad Plump Mort, his woman Jessica, & myself stopped by; turns out they actually had some Likables & one Exceptional (think 3 & 4 star).  Both their Longhammer IPA & Porter were likable, w/ the a cask version of the Porter turning out their only Exceptional.  Both the ESB & IPA were served garden variety style & in nitro.  The nitros were a little sweeter for both beers but not enough to increase their ratings (unlike the Porter).

The pub also included an English Mount & Triplett Belgium Triple, which are bluelines (served only @ the pub).  These two were also rated as likable & were probably towards the top of the list.  As I’ve stated before, my favorite tasting brews never line up w/ the main stream brews (i.e. money makers).  It’s nice getting a special treat when visiting these breweries though.  Guess this is what makes me luckier than the supermarket shelf shoppers.

Interesting story behind the Triplett Triple…it was actually brewed in honor of Al Triplett who had just retired after 26 yrs w/ the brewery.  What better way to be remembered than have a beer brewed in your honor.  In my opinion, they should take this one mainstream as it would help diverse their standard selection of ESB, IPA, Porter, etc.  Morty & Jessica, who are both Belgium connoisseurs, agreed that this was one of their better beers.

The pub interior had a nice & clean atmosphere w/ good (a-typical) pub food.  Instead of a typical fried chx sandwich, I got a blond ale marinated chicken w/ havarti cheese, bacon, chipotle ranch on grilled foccacia w/ guacamole & field greens.  Ms. Andrea, our waitress, was totally on top of the service.

The standard beer sampler didn’t include all their beers & I requested samples of the remaining brews.  Andrea did what she could but the response she received back from Mngt was that they would have to charge me for another sampler b/c the remaining beers (English Mount, nitros, Porter Cask, & Belgium) were more expensive.  Now I’m not cheap (not yet) & it’s not my business to run but…is my 3oz sampling of a few beers really gonna break Redhook?  In all honesty I would have been perfectly happy w/ a shot of each.

All in all I will say it was a quality establishment with some quality beers.  My brief conversation w/ pub manager Nathan was enjoyable & I was glad he took the time to speak with me.  Stick w/ their bluelines and your experience will be an enjoyable one.

Cheers to two guys that know how to keep things simple!  These two are the polar opposite of selling the sizzle & not the steak; they are the essence of letting the product speak for itself.

Mac & Jack’s Brewery is tucked away in an office/industrial park; there is no sign out front & you will take a few wrong turns getting there.  Part of me wants to blame this on their lack of a true tasting room, but realistically it’s just the way these guys roll.  They focus on the product & a great product at that.  Honestly I wouldn’t recommend the trip to their tasting room, but definitely give their beer a whirl if you get the chance.  Their tasting room is nothing more than 4 taps, a counter (no seats), & some T-shirts.  Tasting is limited to 4 samples (compliments of WA liquor laws); luckily they only have 4 beers.  The upside is for all your trouble pleasure, you’ll receive a free pint glass.

Mac & Jacks has been around for 15 yrs & has a strong local following.  My understanding is that Jack (business side) & Mac (homebrewer) were 2 friends that decided to pursue everybody’s dream…starting a brewery.  They originally started w/ an amber & pale, which neither are served anymore.  A ‘unnamed’ bar in Seattle requested a house beer & African Amber was born.  The name stemmed from a ‘name our beer’ contest by the bar; a patron chose African Amber due to an African exhibit at the local Woodland Park Zoo.  The bar later requested a wheat & Serengeti Wheat was born.  The name as you can tell was chosen to keep the African theme going.

Well that bar is no longer serving Mac & Jack’s & the guys have since launched Black Cat Porter (formerly Black Jack) & IPA.  Both the African Amber & IPA are dry hopped w/ approx 1oz of hops.  They have a unique way of dry hopping that involves filling a nylon sack w/ the hops & stapling it to the inner side of a bung that is than used to seal the side of the kegs (yes, side).  The IPA recipe was changed about 2 weeks ago; the ibu was changed from ~30 to ~60, to be more representative of a true IPA.

Mac & Jack’s production is completely maxed out & they are currently brewing 24/7.  I was informed that they currently have more taps handles in Western WA than Budweiser.  That says a lot about the beer…& a lot about WA beer drinkers.