Great Microbrews of the Pacific Northwest

21st Amendment IPAs

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Pearly pop

Tired from our travels, we arrived in San Francisco on a Saturday evening and after acquiring entrance to our home for the week we set out for a nearby brewpub. This time we chose the 21st Amendment Brewery at 563 2nd Street. The place was very busy and very loud so we sat upstairs and ordered pizza and sandwiches to go with the Back in Black IPA and Gigantes IPA.

The Back in Black IPA had a nice foamy top that dissipated quickly, medium-body & mouth feel and was dry with a long hop finish. It has an ABV of 6.8% and IBU is 65. We also tried the Gigantes IPA, what an excellent beer! It has an ABV of 5.5% and IBU is surprisingly only 52 with a heavy body, low clarity and amber color. It sports a long, heavy hop finish with a grapefruit overtone. It proved to be a fine finish for the day as well. We returned six days later to purchase a filled growler.

Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Pearly pop

Elysian Brewing Company is a brewery with several Seattle locations, one is near Safeco field where the Mariners play. We have friends who enjoyed watching a game there and brought back a couple bottles of their Avatar Jasmine IPA, a jasmine-infused hoppy treat with ABV 6.3% and IBU of 45.

The color is beautifully golden with a misty quality and a medium head. The aroma is fabulous! A trip to the flower garden in a glass and I must say that it goes very well with tacos, which surprised me. It has a nice tangy flavor and a moderate finish, all in all it is very well balanced. I have been told it isn’t always available because jasmine is in high demand and this ale is brewed with these delectable blossoms. I haven’t been to their brewery yet, but it’s on my list . . .

Deschutes Gluten-Free IPA & Jedi IPA

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Pearly pop

I know several people who need to maintain a gluten-free diet and have asked about gluten-free beer. A quick internet search showed me only a handful of breweries have one available and one was in Portland, Oregon. This is the first time I’ve tried a gluten-free beer and what better place than Deschutes Brewery in the Pearl District at 210 NW 11th Ave.

We recently took to the road to visit San Francisco and our first dinner en route was Deschutes on a busy Friday night. The pub was packed and folks were waiting outside as others dined at sidewalk tables. They have an extensive gluten-free menu and one gluten-free beer so I ordered a pint. This light-bodied, sweet and somewhat fruity microbrew was amber in color with very little head. The zippy, clean and yet bitter aftertaste was a nice finish. It has an ABV of 6.2% and IBU is 75. Because it lacks gluten, it doesn’t cover the glass with lace but this beer has plenty of hoppy punch so I really enjoyed it with my fish-n-chips but it didn’t pair well with the pickled vegetables side.

You may have noticed I am a fan of the IPA beer style and being a Star Wars fan besides, how could I pass up the JedIPA? Long story short, I didn’t. This Imperial IPA has an ABV of 8% and IBU is 85, nice and bitter! It was sweet with a pineapple aroma, golden in color and left lace all over the glass with a clean, long, zippy ‘hop-attack’ finish. Yummy!

Laht Neppur Oatmeal Porter

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Pearly pop

Laht Neppur makes an Oatmeal Porter as well and we had a chance to try it this week. When first poured into a cold pint glass it left a wonderfully foamy head which dissipated all too quickly.

This Oatmeal Porter has a comforting, sweet, roasted coffee flavor with a chocolate finish that really lasts. Its classic porter color covers the glass with lace writing as it is consumed. Don’t be afraid of the dark!

American Brewing Co. Breakaway IPA

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Pearly pop

American Brewing Co. in Edmonds, WA bottles its Breakaway IPA and a friend brought me one to try recently. Here is what they say about it:

This American Style India Pale Ale is a true Northwest IPA; a big, bold hop aroma with floral and citrus notes greets you. Its dark honey color is a bit hazy due to dry hopping. There is a medium intense hop bitterness that doesn’t linger and is well balanced with a citrusy (grapefruit), malty sweetness. Your senses score big time with this ale! ABV: 7.2% IBU: 90

I agree except I feel it has a nice long hoppy finish, which is what I’m looking for.

21st Amendment Back in Black IPA

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Pearly pop

Fresh from a tasting room near Waitsburg, WA, the 21st Amendment Brewery (located in San Francisco) Back in Black is a seasonal black IPA that arrived in a growler via friends whom I strong-armed into retrieving brew samples for me.

Dark, thick, slightly floral, smooth & creamy with sweet malty character derived from black patent and chocolate malt, though not overly sweet it has a bold malt punch. The finish is short and crisp.

Diamond Knot X IPA

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Pearly pop

The first time I heard of Diamond Knot was when I spied an empty growler for sale at a local thrift store. I managed to gain ownership and I have since filled it with a variety of tasteful offerings.

Recently I met a friend for lunch at the Porterhouse (21+ only) in Mt. Vernon, WA where a multitude of NW brews are available on tap. In perusing their regularly changing chalkboard list I noticed Diamond Knot X IPA. How could I pass that up? Or why? I really enjoyed this Industrial IPA, which is created with the same recipe as their standard IPA, but with approximately 25% more grain & twice the hops resulting in 7.9% ABV and 80 IBUs. Not as floral as some but quite smooth and sporting a very frothy top above its amber bubbles.

Our sidewalk table was the perfect setting for a tête-à-tête over salads on a gorgeous July afternoon. My friend had a Wyder’s pear cider and we vowed to ‘do this again more often’. I certainly hope so.

Skagit River Brewery’s 404 IPA

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Pearly pop

Crisp. Cold. Refreshing. Golden. This is the latest IPA from Skagit River Brewery. Family-friendly Skagit River Brewery rests against the railroad tracks in Mt. Vernon, WA and makes my long-time favorite IPA: Sculler’s. That is a bitter beer! But that is another story, today I’m confining myself to their most recent IPA: 404. Their street adress is 404 S. 3rd St. hence the name.

The 404 is brewed with Pilsner malt, has an ABV of 6% and is finished with Zeus, Bravo & Ahtanum hops. I love the hoppy finish as well as the floral overtones and the glass is covered in lace as consumption occurs. I had the pleasure of enjoying a pint on a beautiful sunny Friday afternoon on their patio, one of my favorite places; if I lived closer my visits would be much more frequent.

Boundary Bay IPAs

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Pearly pop

Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro is on Railroad Ave. in Bellingham, WA. I visited on July 6th and enjoyed both their regular IPA (Inside Passage Ale) as well as the seasonal Imperial IPA. Many agree the Imperial IPA is one of the best IPAs in the Pacific Northwest, it is the only beer (so far) I favor over Skagit River Brewery’s Sculler’s IPA.

To accompany my bitter beverages I ordered a B.L.A.T. sandwich and the smoky locally produced Hempler bacon and Great Harvest whole grain bread made for a lovely combination. The Imperial IPA has a honey-like mouthfeel, it is slightly sweet with a smoky back flavor and quite zippy with my sandwich and salad with the house dressing (whipped italian). The more floral Inside Passage Ale was smoky and sharp and a filled growler followed me home.