Seattle International Beerfest 2014

Seattle International Beerfest 2014 Seattle Center August 23, 2014 For the ease of rating a lot of beers Sam, Patrick (Sam's father), and I decided to go with a different rating system for today… after tasting each beer we decided on an average rating of "great," "ok," or "bad."

The Reviews

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Harvest Single Hop IPA #291 – Great
ABV: 6.5 IBUs: 55
Sierra Nevada Brewery, CA 

Farm Out Saison (Saison-Belgium) - OK
ABV: 7.3 IBUs: 22
Worthy Brewing Co., OR 

Zymaster #8 - Saaremaa Island Pale Ale - OK
ABV: 6 IBUs: 40
Anchor Brewing Co., CA 

Ginger Hibiscus Ale (Saison-Belgium) - Great        
ABV: 7.8 IBUs: 28
Gambrinus, OR   

A Little Sumpin‘ Wild Ale  (Strong Ale) – Great
ABV: 8.8 IBUs: 73
Lagunitas, CA  

Imperial White   Ale (Strong Ale) – OK
ABV: 10.3 IBUs: 15
Samuel Adams Brewery, MA 

Roggen Wolf (Ale) - OK
ABV: 7 IBUs: 60
Samuel Adams Brewery, MA 

The Brother Imperial IPA (Imperial IPA) - Great
ABV: 8.5 IBUs: 95
Fremont Brewery, WA    

Puck, the Beer (Saison / Farmhouse Ale) - Great
ABV: 4%
North Coast Brewing Co, CA  

Ommegang Hop House (Pale Ale-Belgium) – Great
ABV: 6.7 IBUs: 20
Duvel, NY  

Double Mountain Pilsner – Great
ABV: 5.5 IBUs: 35
Double Mountain Brewery, OR  

The Perfessor (Sour/Wild Ale) – Great
ABV: 6.4 IBUs: 15
Elysian Brewery, WA  

G'Indescretion (Strong Ale-Belgium) - OK           
ABV: 11 IBUs: 20
Sound Brewery, WA 

Pamplemouse IPA - Bad
ABV: 5.8 IBUs: 70
Lompoc Brewing Co., OR 

Showdown Rye IPA - Bad
ABV: 8.3 IBUs: 70
Great Divide Brewery, CO 

The Optimist (India Pale Ale) - OK
ABV: 6.2 IBUs: 0
Fort George Brewery, OR 

Quick Wit - Great            
ABV: 5.1 IBUs: 0
Fort George Brewery, OR  

Vortex - Great  
ABV: 7.7 IBUs: -
Fort George Brewery, OR  

Devil's Kriek (Red-Belgium) - Bad
ABV: 8.3 ABV: -
Double Mountain Brewery, OR 

Orlison India Pale Lager (Malt Liquor) - Bad
ABV: 7.0 IBUs: 31
Orlison Brewery, WA

The Urban Family Public House

The Urban Family Public House, Ballard, Washington

Stars: 3
Date visited: March 16, 2014
Address: 5329 Ballard Ave NW Seattle, WA 98107

Very cute and quaint and located in the heart of Ballard. Brick walls with modern touches (stainless steel bar). 50ish capacity but it feels like it would be miserable if it was crowded. When we were in there, there were only 20 or so people and it was already getting too loud. Pleasant staff and good tunes ala Rolling Stones, Neil Young, The Band, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison.

Low Hanging Fruit
Paint It Black

Urban Family Low Hanging Fruit

Urban Family Brewing, Ballard, WA – Low Hanging Fruit (IPA) 

Stars: 2
Date sampled: March 16, 2014
Format: Pint on tap
Where we found it: Urban Family Brewing, Ballard, WA (review)

Grassy and fruity (grapefruit, passion fruit, and mango notes). Boring IPA – not really sure what to call it. Belgian funk in the nose with rounded Belgian yeastiness in the finish.

- Megan

Stats: 6.9% “Dry Bodied IPA”

Fiddler’s Inn

Fiddler’s Inn, Wedgwood – Seattle, WA   

Stars: 4 
Date visited: Feb 16, 2014
Address: 9219 35th Avenue Northeast, Seattle, WA 98115

The Fiddler’s is one of the best pubs in Seattle! It is a tiny little place with a big personality.  Great location, an interesting selection of rotating taps, and excellent food!! After doing a little research I was surprised to find the Fiddlers was built in 1933, and was actually one of the first bars in Seattle to get a liquor license after Prohibition ended! How cool is that?

The bar itself feels like you are walking into someone’s house. After arriving you will quickly notice everyone seems to know one another. You might feel a little left out at first, but it’s so cozy you’ll quickly feel right at home. The Fiddler’s staff is pleasant, extremely knowledgeable, and there to get you what you want (sometimes with a smile). If you are looking for a cheery bartender to put on a show for you, you are in the wrong bar.

On busy nights (and during any Mariners, Seahawks, or Sounders game) the pub can get a little rowdy and extremely loud. I would suggest grabbing an early beer on a Sunday evening if you are looking for a fun date night! Also, I should note, during the summer you can sit outside under a canopy of hop vines. But be prepared to get there early or wait your turn… if memory serves, there are only 4 or 5 tables located on the patio!

The owners of this pub also run the Hopvine Pub (Capitol Hill) and the Latona Pub (Green Lake)… both establishments are equally funky and fun.

Pike Brewing Company

Pike Brewing Company, Seattle, Washington

Stars: 3
Date visited: Feb 09, 2014
Address: 415 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

I have a love-hate relationship with this brewery… The Pike Pub can be a bit overwhelming. At first glance this pub looks like a total tourist trap and is a little reminiscent of a busy Red Robin. With that said, it is a pretty cool place especially if you go at the right time, with the right people, and manage to finagle a good spot.

The brewery and pub spans 5 levels. I recommend grabbing a booth in the Museum Room. Although it may seem to be one of the most cluttered rooms, the beer memorabilia within covers over 9,000 years of beer history. Pretty interesting.

As far as the beer is concerned, most of their beers are not remarkable. Not bad… just not great. There are, however, two exceptions: the Space Needle Golden Anniversary IPA and Monk's Uncle Tripel. Both of these are must-try beers.

Concerning the food, over the years we have had a few appetizer plates here and there – everything seems to be good… again, not great.

For anyone visiting Seattle this brewery is a must see. There are currently over 60 brewers in the greater Seattle area yet this is the only brewery downtown (Gordon-Biersch and Rock Bottom do not count)! Reasonable prices, pretty good brew, and decent food -  if you are downtown with some friends and have an hour or two to kill, Pike is a great place to drop in.