Belgianfest 2012 - Get on it!!!

New venue this year. Waffles. New breweries be a pourin' and old faves still representin'. Waffles. Get your tickets now (advanced tickets are almost sold out) or roll the dice and try buying tix at the door. Did I mention waffles?

You can find all the info you need for Belgianfest 2012 on the Washington Beer Commission website and if you need even more convincing you can read about the amazing good time we had at last year's Belgianfest.

Waffles, general event happiness and the light shineth upon my little blonde head upon realizing that sour beers are included in the Belgian beer family.

Oh how far I've come in a year...

Here's the brewery lineup for this year, lovingly copy & pasted from the Washington Beer Blog event 'FYI'. Cue happy dance at seeing Tacoma represented by Wingman Brewers and Engine House No. 9!!!!

Hope to see you there!!!

The Complete List of Breweries and Beers

 

7 Seas Brewing
1) Le Havre Belgian Winter Ale
This seasonal offering is fashioned with reverence towards the long-standing tradition of Trappist Abbey-style beers of Belgium. Brewed with Pale Ale malt, oats, and dark crystal malts, hopped with Fuggles, and fermented with authentic Belgian Abbey yeast, the ale reveals intricate layers of spice, fig, bitter chocolate.  ABV: 8.0%

American Brewing Company
1) Big Pucker
Wood Barrel aged Sour Beer. Double Flanders Sour Ale aged in a used, oak Cabernet Franc Barrel.

Anacortes Brewery
1) Peppercorn Saison
A lighter 4.5% ABV Belgian farmhouse style made with several varieties of fresh cracked peppercorn.
2) Dubbel
A strong dark ale made with demerara sugar, honey and chocolate wheat.
3) Trippel
A strong 8.5% ABV light colored ale hopped for balance with saaz and styrian golding varieties.
4) Sour Red
Red ale soured with lactobacillis and brettanomyces aged in a bourbon barrel passed between multiple breweries.

Big Time
1) Jack Candy Grand Cru
Jack Candy is a pale Belgian style strong ale fermented with both Westmalle and Achouffe yeast strains. Saaz hops lend bitterness and spiciness. The name was inspired by a Walkabouts Song. 9.3% ABV
2) Black Jack Candy
Black Jack Candy is our Belgian style Grand Cru with aseptic Blackberry puree added.
9.3% ABV
3) Trombipulator Belgian Tripel
A nearly 1-year-old 1/4 bbl keg of our Trombipulator Belgian style Tripel features Fuggle hops, and Westmalle yeast. This was original brew #666 1st brewed in 1994 – named after the Parliament Album Trombipulation.
9.0% ABV

Black Raven Brewing
1) Belgian Style IPA
Northwest IPA that has been through a secondary fermentation with brettanomyces. Dry hopped with calypso, nugget, citra and Chinook. 7.3% ABV
2) Bourbon Barrel Aged La Petite Mort
Belgian style strong abbey brown aged in bourbon barrels. 8.8% ABV
3) Cask Saison
Four grain saison with brettanomyces. 6.6% ABV

Boundary Bay Brewery
1) Belgian Style Tripel
Strong in alcohol, our Belgian Style Tripel is golden in color, medium bodied and moderately hopped. The flavor and aroma are both dominated by alcohol and Belgian yeast. It has a nice malt backbone, is spicy, slightly earthy and finishes dry. Hops: Tettnang, Saaz. Malts: Pilsner, Belgian Aromatic, Caravienne, Munich, Special B, Vienna Original Gravity: 1.082 ABV: 8.9%

Diamond Knot Brewing Co.
1) Strong Belgian IPA
Crisp golden in color with a complex yet delicate flavor with a big hop-forward aroma, that gives away to citrus and floral tones. This will leave you begging for another. IBU: 40 ABV: 7.3%

Elliott Bay Brewing Co.
1) Batch 1000 Sour Blend
Exclusively for Belgianfest: a one-off blend of our 1000th brew fermented and aged in four different red wine barrels.
2) Long Black Veil
Black Ale based on the Dry Stout style and fermented with our house Belgian yeast strain.
3) Nitwit Imperial Wheat (cask)
Cask-conditioned strong Wit-style ale = 8% ABV.
4) Brandy-barrel-aged Fuerte Strong Ale
Rich 9% ABV amber ale aged for three months in Kentucky brandy barrels.
5) Saison de la Chance Redux
Our 13th Anniversary Saison re-created for the patrons of Belgianfest. 8.5% ABV

Elysian Brewing Co.
1) Yuzu’s Belgian-style Golden Ale
Yuzu’s is made with 100% pale malt, Turbinado sugar and Belgian Golden ale yeast. Bittered with Magnum and finished with Styrian Goldings hops. Organic dried lemon peel is added at the end of the boil, and yuzu juice is added both pre- and post-fermentation. 4.5% ABV
2) Bete Noel Belgian-style Ale
Brewed with Pale, Munich, Castle Aromatic and roasted barley and black malts, with amber Turbinado sugar added to the kettle. Bittered with German Northern Brewer, finished with Hallertauer hops and fermented with Belgian Golden Ale yeast. 8.5% ABV
3) Krokus Saffron Sour Wheat Ale
Brewed with pale, malted wheat, flaked wheat and wheat flour and hopped with Hallertauer and U.K. Fuggles. Infused with American saffron and fermented with the 4th generation sour tank collection of yeasts and bacteria. 6% ABV
4) Ferme noire Cascadian Dark Sasion
Our dark and hoppy ale fermented with a Saison yeast. The resulting beer adds a bone-dry, barnyard twang to an already slightly roasty and moderately hoppy beverage. Malts: pale, dark Munich, aromatic, and Carafa III Sugar: 50 lbs of Demerara Hops: Chinook, Amarillo, Cascade 8.2% ABV
5) Backhanded Compliment Belgian IPA CASK
Backhanded Compliment Cask version dry-hopped with Citra. Brewed with organic pale, Munich, Cara-Hell and Cara-Vienne malts and bittered with Chinook and finished with Amarillo and Citra hops. Fermented with Westmalle yeast. 6.2% ABV
6) Bete Blanche Belgian-style Tripel
A twist on the French expression “Bête Noire.” Brewed entirely from Pale malt and augmented in the boil with clear Belgian candy sugar. Bittered with German Northern Brewer and finished with Styrian Goldings hops. Fermented with Belgian ale yeast. 41 IBU. 6.9% ABV
7) Nibiru Belgian-style Tripel
Infused with Yerba Mate. Combining the tasty esters of Belgian yeast and the compelling tea-like flavors of the South American herb mixture. A mixture of German Northern Brewer, Czech Saaz and American Amarillo hops round out the uniqueness of this first beer of the Apocalypse. 7.65% ABV
8 ) The Prefessor
With plums and brettanomyces, Marris-Otter pale, Munich and wheat, and East Kent Goldings to bitter and finish, at the Tangletown brewery.  4.65% ABV


Engine House No 9 Brewery

1) Love child Kriek
5.9% ABV Ruby in color with a pink head. Aromas of cherries and oak. With a cherry and slight sour flavor finishes bright and clean.
2) Bourbon Saison
7.8% ABV Traditionally brewed saison, aged in bourbon barrel. With aromas of oak, bourbon, vanilla, clove and hints of sour. Giving way to flavors of banana, cloves bourbon and hints of sour finishing clean and dry.
3) Belgian White
5.0% ABV Grainy spicy wheat aromatics with hints of coriander and orange. Pleasant malt sweetness with zesty citrus, coriander and subtle spicy hop flavors. Finishes with a slight wheat tartness

Fish Brewing Company
1) Monkfish Belgian Style Tripel Ale
A cracking fine example of the classic style, Monkfish Belgian Style Tripel Ale is the color of nectar, with a sweet malty flavor and subtle hop aroma. Mingling in its character, fruity and spicy esters impart a heavenly complexity to this medium-bodied delight. Brewed using Pale malt, Honey malt, aromatic malt, Belgian candy sugar, Styrian Golding hops and, of course, Belgian Abbey yeast, Monkfish stands firmly in the Belgian triple tradition. 32 IBUs 9.0% ABV

Fremont Brewing Co.
1) The Lamb
Saison aged in French Oak wine barrels with brettanomyces lambicus.
2) Return of Blood Funnel

Gallaghers Where U Brew
1) The Monk
A delicious Belgium Triple with a smooth 8.5% fruity bite. Coriander and orange peel add to the decadence of this ale. The use of Orange peel during the dry hop adds to the amazing aromatics of this popular brew.
2) Black Imperial Belgium
The use of our Belgium yeast allows the fruity character of this beer to stand out. Its dark color compliments the full body mouth feel and is enjoyed by all.

Georgetown Brewing Co.
1) Frosty “The Waldman”
In the Winter Warmer tradition, this dark ale is brewed strong with Pale, Pilsner, Special B, Crystal, and Chocolate malts, and 10 lbs/bbl of rich molasses boost the holiday cheer. Northern Brewer hops contribute the bulk of the bitterness, while Sterling hops, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg add a spicy nose. Fermented with a Belgian ale yeast strain to lend a smooth and complex character. ABV 7.6%, IBUs 40
2) Waldman
Modeled after an English Ordinary Bitter with a few decidedly Belgian stylings, Waldman is brewed with Northern Brewer hops and 36 lbs of Belgian Candi Sugar then fermented with a Belgian ale yeast. We finish with Brettanomyces “Wild” yeast strain and a heavy does of dry hops. The Brett is carried over to the bottles where Waldman continues to develop complex flavors throughout the bottle conditioning.  ABV 6.1%, IBUs 35

Hale’s Ales
1) Hale’s “25″ Belgian Dubbel
The first edition of this beer was brewed to celebrate Hale’s Ales 25th anniversary in 2008. True to style, Hale’s “25″ Belgin Dubbel is moderately strong, very malty and possesses the unique flavor characteristics imparted by Belgian yeast.  7.3% ABV, 20 IBU’s
2) Hale’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Belgian Gold
Hale’s Belgian Gold is made with Pilsner, C-40 and Carapils Malts with a blend of various sugars. The beer is hopped with Goldings. This delicious beer has been aged in bourbon oak barrels for most of 2011. The combination of the wood and whiskey overtones combined with the belgian beer flavors makes this beer a true delight.  9% ABV, 15 IBU’s
3) Hale’s Belgian Wit
A classic, unadulterated Belgian Wit brewed with no spices. Crisp, refreshing and slightly tart.  4.8% ABV, 5 IBU’s

Hilliard’s Beer
1) Hilliard’s Saison
Simple beer, complex taste and aroma.  A special yeast and unique fermentation profile give this beer hints of coriander, orange peel, and maybe a bit of pepper. Castle Malting Pilsner Malt and Golding Hops, no spices added.  7.4% AVB


Issaquah Brewery
1) White Frog Ale
Belgian Style Ale: Summer Wit Beer. Aromas of coriander and orange spice dominate the nose. A very light mouthfeel is countered with sweet orange peel, coriander and subtle notes of chamomile. It finishes with delicate banana and clove spices. Surprisingly light and immediately quaffable. ABV: 5.2%
2) Menage A Frog Belgian Trippel
Menage A Frog has a brilliant golden amber color. Inviting aromas of toasty baguette, orange blossom honey, and delicate bubblegum spice follow through on a round entry to a fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body with caramel pear and peach custard tart notes. Finishes in a bold peppery spice, delicate grassy herbal and citrusy hops, and toffee fade with lingering warming alcohol.
ABV: 9%

Lazy Boy Brewing Co.
1)Belgian Golden Ale
2)Belgian Dubbel

McMenamins Pubs & Breweries
1) Reinhold’s Flying Armadillo Dark Belgian Strong
A nice, full bodied Dark Belgian with a mild hop presence and a flavorful malty character.  Made with Wyeast Belgian Abbey II yeast. 7.75% ABV
2) Girl Next Door Belgian Blonde
This is a light bodied, smooth tasting and highly carbonated Belgian Blonde Ale. It is made with Pilsner, Wheat and Aromatic malts and hopped with US Golding hops. Brewed using Wyeast Belgian Abbey II yeast. 6.0% ABV.

Naked City Brewery
1) La Touche De Mal
Belgian Strong Golden Ale

New Belgium
1) Belgo
Belgian style IPA made with an authentic Trappist yeast strain and 4 varieties of hops.  7.0% ABV and 60 IBU’s
2) Trip 11 Farmhouse Ale
Farmhouse ale brewed with Rosemary and Sage.  8.5% ABV

Odin Brewing Co.
1) Thor’s Equinox
this Belgian Dark Strong Ale is a brew that is big in flavor without the chewy body holding you back from finishing the whole glass. We have showcased malt and a unique woody note from Angelica spice, creating a beer that is still Belgian, yet can satisfy stout and strong porter lovers as well. Aroma– dark fruits and portlike notes, Top note– strong maltiness, some molasses, Middle note- malt sweetness,  banana, End note– light tartness, woody, Color– dark nut brown. 9% ABV, 20 IBUs

Paradise Creek Brewery
1) Paradise Hoe
A refreshing and traditional Belgian Wit with a nose that offers you wonderful orange, subtle banana, clove and other sweet fruit. One taste of this cloudy straw colored ale confirms what you smell and opens up notes of coriander and just a dash of pepper. The white wheat and a little oats give this beer a nice medium bodied mouth feel. ABV 5.8%

Pike Brewing Company
1) Saison
2) Pike Monk’s Uncle
Big, full-bodied and complex with a yeasty nose, fruity esters and malty dryness. Hints of honey, spice and exotic fruit play with the senses. Powerful, yet gentle. ABV 9%

Ram Restaurant & Brewery
1) Barrel #1
Light, tart and refreshing – a blonde ale fermented in a barrel by many a mysterious critter – 4.5% ABV
2) Barrel #2
An intensely flavored dark ale, fermented in an old wine barrel with a couple of Brett strains and hints of lactobacilius. 6.5% ABV
3) BBlage-a-trois
A blend of 3 wildly fermented bbls made exclusively for this year’s Belgian Fest.


Redhook Brewery
1) Allocation
Allocation is a super drinkable Belgian Session Ale. Medium in body and amber hued with ample handfuls of wheat malt to keep the beer’s finish light and dry. Mild phenolic notes from the Trappist yeast offer up mild hints of spiciness and banana. It is tradition for the Monastic brewers in Belgium to get a daily allocation of the lightest (session) beer they produce after their work is done.

Schooner EXACT Brewing Co.
1) Schoon White
Belgian-style wheat ale brewed with Pilsner malt, wheat malt, unmalted wheat and oats. Fermented with a traditional Belgian Wit beer strain. Hallertauer hops and a subtle addition of spices including citrus zest and hibiscus make this a thirst quenching and refreshing beverage. 5.2 % ABV
22 IBU’s
2) Biere de SODO
A hoppy Belgian-style pale ale brewed with Pilsner malt, sugar and a generous helping of Styrian Golding hops. Fermented with a blend of a unique Belgian yeast and a special strain of brettanomyces, this beer is easy drinking with an ever so slight funkiness.
6.4% ABV, 38 IBU’s
3) Abbaye de Schooner Dubbel
A Belgian-style ale brewed with a complex and distinctive blend of German and Belgian malts. Hallertauer hops, Belgian candi sugar and organic flame raisins complement the rich, toasted, caramel malt and yeast finish.
6.9% ABV, 20 IBU’s
4) Saison Goélette
A traditional Belgian farmhouse ale brewed with Pilsner malt, rye malt, turbinado sugar and Hallertauer hops.
5.8% ABV, 24 IBU’s

Silver City Brewery
1) The Giant Made Of Shadows
This Dark Strong Ale is rich in big malt character, candy like sweetness, and warming alcohol.  Suggestions of chocolate and dried fruits pair well with oak and vinous notes from extended aging in Tempranillo wine barrels. 9.5% ABV
2) Nutcracker 2005 Special Brown Ale
A festive beer (8.6 % ABV), Nutcracker rings in the Holiday Season with a medley of dark roasted malt, fruit and spice. Some hints of fruit (plum, cherry, peach) come from a wonderful and distinctive Belgian yeast strain. Additionally, ginger, orange and tangerine peel was added to spice things up.
3) La Fat 2007
La Fat is Silver City Fat Scotch Ale fermented with a Belgian yeast noted for creating big, spicy phenol character. La Fat goes through a secondary fermentation on French Oak.  La Fat combines classic Belgian characteristics with Scotch like toffee and caramel notes with hints of oak and peat. ABV 9.2%
4) Whitecap Wit
A Belgian witbeir (white beer) brewed by award winning Seattle homebrewer Nick Ladd in collaboration with Silver City Brewmaster Don Spencer for entry in the 2011 Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am competition. Wheat and oats are mixed with malted barley to make a light and hazy (white) beer. Coriander, Fresh Tangelo and Valencia orange peel are added for a vibrant citrusy appeal. 5.5% ABV


Snipes Mountain Brewing
1) Golden Ale
Belgian-style Golden Strong made with Belgian pilsner malt, clear candi syrup and NW beet sugar. Fermented with an authentic Belgian golden strain. 9.5% ABV, 27 IBU’s
2) Darkstrong
Belgian-style Dark Strong made with three types of rye malt, dark candi syrup and aged for a year with Lactobacillus. 8.5% ABV, 28 IBU’s

Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Company
1) Triskaidekaphobia
Reminiscent of the Millennial Madness we created 12 years ago, Triskaidekaphobia is a great balance of crisp clean malt, lemony hops and spice. Unfiltered but clear to the eye, Trisky is made from 100% German pilsner malt, Belgian candi sugar, 100% Czech Saaz hops and Belgian ale yeast.8.6% ABV
2) Spring Fever
Orange hues, rich malt flavors, spicy coriander overtones and fruity, tropical aromas make this one beautiful beer for fans of Belgian styles. Spring Fever is crafted from the finest Two-Row, Munich, Carastan and Belgian Aromatic malts, Columbus and Czech. Saaz hops, spiced with coriander and fermented with Belgian ale yeast. 7.0% ABV

Sound Brewery
1) Dubbel Entendre
Comforting aromas of chocolate malt and dark toffee, with a hint of banana and stone fruits. A dark abbey style ale with a subtle rich maltiness and a dry, spicy finish. 8.0% ABV
2) Tripel Entendre
Complexity and balance from a simple recipe of the finest ingredients obtainable. Clear and light in color, this strong Belgian ale drinks smooth and easy but has the complexity to complement the finest meals or to savor alone at the end of the evening. 9.9% ABV
3) Koperen Ketel
Biscuity Belgian malt balanced with the finest Slovenian Styrian Goldings hops, Koperen Ketel has a delicate herbal, fruity aroma and a clean dry finish making for a refreshing, easy drinking copper color ale. 5.0% ABV

Wingman Brewers
1) Black Widow
A dark Belgian strong ale aged in a Pont21 Cabernet Sauvignon barrel from 21 Cellars. A Cab Sav nose is followed by the familiar Belgian flavors of ripe fruit and figs. 11.4% ABV
2) Cerise Noire
A light lambic influenced sour ale.  Featuring pediococcus, lactobasillus, brettanomyces, and black cherry tea. 6% ABV
1) Le Havre Belgian Winter Ale
This seasonal offering is fashioned with reverence towards the long-standing tradition of Trappist Abbey-style beers of Belgium. Brewed with Pale Ale malt, oats, and dark crystal malts, hopped with Fuggles, and fermented with authentic Belgian Abbey yeast, the ale reveals intricate layers of spice, fig, bitter chocolate.  ABV: 8.0%

the pissed liBEERian

To my heart's dismay, there will be no repeat of this situation at Belgianfest this year. Big Al Brewing won't be there. Sadness.

WABL Brewers Festival 2011

It's timeline time!!! Yay. Clap.

21 days since I've been in a bar (Jubelpalooza @ Parkway Tavern).
Approx. 90 days since my last 'real' blog post (& by real I mean not some random event FYI that I posted to make myself feel better about not writing a real blog).
Approx. 4 months since I attended Brewers Festival in Kenmore, just now sitting down to write about it.

Hmmm, well that last part is fairly typical while the two facts before it are not. Been an interesting/rough/random couple of months in the life of zee pissed liBEERian so I'm attempting to get back to business and jump back on my horsey horse. I looked at this blank page forever, thinking I actually forgot how to do this. Let's find out, shall we?

WABL's Brewers Festival was something I was so very excited about. Happy dance excited. I think for 2 reasons: It is the event that got me started in beer blogging (SIB of 2010 also played its part) and I'm fairly certain that summer was invented just to make outdoor festivals of beery goodness even more amazing than they already are.

This is my unamused fake smile which clearly says 'Let me the hell in already, I'm dying of thirst!'

In preparation for the event, I gathered all of the information on which breweries would be pouring which beer on which days. Then I used that information to create a color-coded, date-prioritized spreadsheet that was our plan of attack. This thing was effing sick. I was approached many a time during the festival with questions as to where I got my oh so amazing beer guide. I was in love with this thing. Festival goers were in love with this thing. MGD and I wrote all of our beer notes (by 'our' I mean his notes, I make the medium for our ease of festival going but I have higher social obligations that are a priority over taking notes plus I end up writing all over myself) and other info onto these lovingly created sheets of paper.

So guess what the one thing was that we went home without, late Saturday night? Good thing we have photographic evidence as to the reason why...

I guess MGD's fancy camera finally caught me at a not so cute time. Had to happen eventually. Camera awareness skills: -3

Certain things happen when I've been drinking all day and those things include putting on my stupid clothes (fuzzy ball ski cap), going to the house of  a complete stranger we met at the festival in order to try his home brew, playing Mario Kart for hours while sitting next to a cat the size of a small bear cub (MGD's editing notes would like it stated for the record that it was actually the size of a BIG bear cub) and losing possessions that are of the utmost importance to me and my blog. Oh and making random weird faces (READ: lack of any camera awareness resulting in my usual pretty poses) while going off on some drunken tangent. You know, the usual.

But that was at the very tail end of our night, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start where it all started, at the Schooner Exact booth!!!

Schooner Exact Seamstress Union Epiphany Beer Reunion, two fisting with Heather McClung. In a platonic way of course.

Schooner Exact was one of our highly prioritized stops as they created the Seamstress Union beer that I first had at the 2010 Brewers Fest. And they are Schooner Exact of course. Lovely picture of Hutch (SE Brewer) and myself sporting his new aprons from Germany. After a quick costume change, we got Kim Sharpe Jones (of Washington Beer Blog) in on the action. I totally love/hate that pic of us but it's too damn funny not to post. Kendall and Kim of the Washington Beer Blog had a whole tent at this festival complete with WBB swag and a prize drawing, which was way awesome. If they & their blog have reached 'Tent Masters' level then I just MIGHT be able to get away with running around wearing a sandwich board that says 'the pissed liBEERian' on it. Might.

Snipes Mountain Brewery was pouring a Bourbon Barrel Aged Sour Pumpkin Stout (I know, right?!), so we made sure that was one of our first stops on Saturday morning. The beer drips (blasphemy!) all over the sign are courtesy of me. You're welcome Snipes. I tried to convince them that it gave their sign an authentic, rustic feel and I offered to lick it off the sign as well. I have a 'gesturing' problem more than a drinking problem. I had only had 3 or 4 beers by that point. I have to set stuff down when I need to talk because I need my hands free to tell a story. I'm sure a lot of you have heard me say "OMG, hold this 'cause I have to tell you something!!".  The Sour Pumpkin Stout was quite delicious, hence the licking offer.

One of the best parts of Brewers Festival is the keg toss. MGD weaseled his way up on to the stage (EDITING NOTE BY MGD: He said he didn't 'weasel' and never has. He simply walked up to the stage.) to snap some great shots of the event on Saturday. We are quite a magical team with my big breasticles and his big camera, people rarely stop us from doing anything or ask questions. It's probably why we found ourselves chillin' at the post festival Brewers after party, drinkin' some super secret beer. Where I 'accidentally' stole a Trivial Pursuit card. I call it an accident because I have no idea why I took the card, I'm not the type of person who steals stuff. I'm pretty sure it made complete sense to me at the time in my world of having drunk all day.

So the keg toss... pictures are worth a thousand words. Here's a bunch so you can stop reading for awhile. Plus, the facial expressions of these guys kills me. It looks like most of them have to poop.

As I mentioned before, I sadly lost my uber collection of notes on the beers we drank. I still have the beer lineup from the event and in looking through it I can pretty much guess what we drank and what we liked. See below.

7 Seas - Cascadian Dark Ale & Rude Parrot IPA (both MGD & I found the Rude Parrot to be phenomenal!)
Baron Brewing/Three Skulls Ale - Imperial Red
Big Al - Sourlicious & Five Star Chile IPA
Big Time - Cherry Trombipulator (Cherry Style Belgian Triple)
Black Raven - Possum Claus Bourbon Pecan Ale
Boundary Bay - Ginger Peach
Elysian - Rhubarbarella
Fish Brewing - Swordfish Double CDA
Foggy Noggin - Bit O Beaver (English Bitter)
Harmon - Vanilla Porter & Rajah's Royal IPA
Howe Sound - Pothole Filler (Imperial Stout)
Kona - Longboard Lager & Wailua Wheat (Nothing I haven't had multiple times but I had to keep going back to get swag. One lei, 3 gecko keychains & and bomb ass Kona beach towel that required some serious eyelash fluttering and annoying persistence that I have trademarked.)
Mac & Jack's - C U Lator Barleywine Ale
Northern Lights - Blueberry Creme Ale
Odin - Thor's Equinox & Odin's Gift (I distinctly recall sloshing my Equinox all over my hand due to some heavy gesturing while talking about the sour stout called Thor's Intrigue to the pourer. Real smooth on my part.)
Port Townsend - Green Tea Gold
Ram - CoConut Porter & Berry White (Raspberry Belgian White Ale)
Schooner Exact - Seamstress Union (yay!) & Bravehorse Pale Ale
Scuttlebutt - The Dirty Blonde (that's what he said)
Skookum - Cabernet Barrel Molasses Stout
Snipes - Sour Pumpkin Stout
Three Skulls - Cutthroat Imperial Red
Two Beers - Ginger/Lime Panorama Wheat & Infused Evo IPA (plus we got free koozies for stopping by!)
Wingman - Pomegranate P-51 Porter, Bourbon Barrel Porter, Blackberry Sour Ale (EFFING BOMB DIGGITY)

Dang, that's a lot of beer. I'm sure there are more that our collective group tasted and loved but this is what I can list with much certainty due to our usual preferences and I know how we be rollin' at festivals, yo. 

In between beer tasting I divided my time evenly between the following delights:

Ignoring Micah's muscles...












...but reaping the benefits of his tattoo placement prowess along with one of my very best gal pals.












Grabbing a quick Kenny (Port Townsend) hug before I talked him out of his Parkway Tavern sweatshirt. Add that to the swag list.












Harassing the mini golf guy during my 300th attempt to sink a putt. Maybe my time wasn't so evenly divided... He felt sorry for me and finally gave me a WABL Golf Ball. Swag list, add it.



















Somehow Brian and Mike (7 Seas) manage to mutually serve me and ignore me at the same time, great skills guys! Only to be matched later when I almost talked Mike out of that great shirt by telling him I'd switch with him at the end of the day. It was a plan until one of us didn't show, pretty sure it wasn't me...

Entertaining the locals with what I'm sure was scintillating conversational skills on my part.












Lending a hand at the last minute Friday rush in the Big Al tent. Where I quickly realized that I am designed to drink beer and socialize, not pour beer for others. These people all ran up and scared the crap outta me!
 











 Chased bubbles.












And wrestled fellow beer blogger Mike Besser (Brewdad) over a beer/token trade. I forget who won but that probably means it was him.












I'm sure many of you know, I heart Tacoma. It is with so much pride that I got the chance to see how awesome the Wingman Brewing guys did at the festival. They had a giant line of people wanting a taste and then who kept coming back for more, each day until they sold out. They were the darlings of Brewers Fest, great job guys!!

Kenny Thoburn of Wingman Brewers & their ridiculously long line

As you can tell from below I actually DO love hanging out with my brother (on the left),

just not in combination with my good friend who is like a brother to me (on the right)...

they bust out the 'time to harass our little sister' act a little too effectively as a team.

the pissed liBEERian

Real brother, me, fake brother

get casked

2 WA Beer Cask Festival early session tickets... Free (yay for blog related media passes!)
2 WA Beer Cask Festival late session tickets... $74.44
Tooling around downtown Seattle during the 2hr break between sessions and after the event with one of my all time favorite people... sure to be as PRICELESS as ever.

Aleventures of magical proportions... activate!

Per standard operating procedure, WABL tends to deliver a doozy (the good kind) of an event. After reading the lineup for Cask Festival, I barely contained my tears of joy. So instead I just did a bit of fist pumping Jersey Shore style, had a spaz attack and put myself to bed. Tickets are already sold out for the 12-4p session so get your tickets now for the evening one (6-10p) by clicking here.

Borrowed the following cask lineup from the loverly folks who run the Washington Beer Blog. I even asked permission first because I don't always do what I want when I want. Shocking, I know... I won't bother highlighting which beers I'm most interested in trying because it's like 80% of the list. Just know that I'm beyond crazy excited!

Airways Brewing  Kent	1) Nonstop to Maui-Dry Stout  Easy drinking, roasty stout with chocolate, coconut and oak chips soaked in Maui Rum. 2) Ol’ Winey Hag-Imperial IPA Our Sky Hag (Imperial IPA) with oak chips soaked in Syrah Port. 3) Fuel Stop Dublin-Strong Ale A bigger version of an Irish Session Ale. Full body with a dry and slightly biscuity finish.
American Brewing Co.  Edmonds	1) Breakaway IPA   (ABV: 7%)Full bodied IPA with citrus notes 2) Ed’s Red (ABV: 5%) Red ale dry-hopped with Falconer Flight hops.
Anacortes Brewery  Anacortes	1) Ten IPA   (ABV: 10%)“Ten” was brewed to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Rockfish Grill, the companion restaurant to the Anacortes Brewery. Made with a significant amount of malted rye in the grist and fresh hop additions of Centennial and Columbus to the mash, boil and fermenter. 2) India Pale Ale (ABV: 6.1% IBU: 118) Our award winning IPA emphasized Northwest hop varieties and features significant hop flavor, bitterness and aroma from Columbus, Cascade and Simcoe.
Big Al Brewing  Seattle	1) Hop Villain Black IPA  Hop Villain combines the solid hop character of an IPA with the rich malt flavor of a porter. Call it a black IPA, Cascadian Dark Ale or an India Dark Ale. You bring the labels, Hop Villain brings the flavor! 2) Sourlicious Inspired by the wild beer of Belgium, Sourlicious is a blend of barrel-aged beer and tank-aged wheat beer. Sourlicious shows warm vanilla flavors from the wood and firm tangy fruit throughout the finish. 3) Brewer’s Choice
Big Time Brewery  Seattle	1)2010 Trombipulator (ABV: 9%)  Belgian-style Triple, primed with agave nectar. 2) Perspective IPA (ABV: 6.5%) Yet another of Big Time’s signature big, bold and assertive IPAs. Simcoe and Amarillo hops dominate this one.
Black Raven Brewing  Redmond	1) Robust Porter (ABV: 9.9%)  A big robust porter with dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla, rum soaked oak chips, Perle and Sterling whole leaf hops. 2) Saison (ABV: 7.1%) Farmhouse ale with orange peel, lemon peel, mango, black pepper and native Washington wild yeast. 3) Belgian IPA (ABV: 6.0%) American IPA meets Belgian yeast with lemongrass, lemon thyme, black lemon and whole leaf Citra hops.
Boundary Bay Brewery  Bellingham	1) Cabin Fever Winter Warmer  Dark red and brown color, rich malty flavor. 2) Dry Hop ESB English style pale, subtle blend of malts with a hop background.
Diamond Knot Brewing  Mukilteo	1) Apple Cinnamon ESB  Conditioned with fresh apple cider, cinnamon sticks and fresh apple. 2) Slane’s Irish Style Red Ale Caramelly aroma gives way to a malty flavor and smooth finish. 3) Chocolate Raspberry Vanilla Brown Ale Brown Ale conditioned with raspberries, chocolate and vanilla.
Elliott Bay Brewing  Burien & West Seattle	1) Hellmouth Imperial IPA (ABV: 7%)  As a portal between Earth and Hell, a Hellmouth attracts demons and other supernatural creatures. Sounds like just the place to find fans of our dry-hopped Strong Pale Ale, weighing in at 7% ABV and 100+ IBUs. 2) Black Ops IPA An example of the emerging “Black IPA” style, our rendition is fermented with a Belgian-style yeast strain and dry-hopped with three different hop varieties. 3) Organic Vanilla-n-Nibs Stout Our certified organic house-brewed stout infused with organic vanilla beans and organic cocoa nibs from Theo Chocolates. 4) Mystery Cask We’ll pull something special from the cellar to round out our selection of cask-conditioned beers for the festival.
Elysian Brewing Company  Seattle	1) Rosemary’s Baby IPA (ABV: 6.5%)  An IPA augmented with fresh rosemary branches in the mash and more fresh rosemary sprigs in the bright tank. 2) Loser Strong Pale Ale (ABV: 7%) Pale ale brewed first for Sub Pop Records’ 20th anniversary. Bittered with Sorachi Ace, finished with Styrian Goldings. 3) Promethues / Stolen Fire IPA (ABV: 6.5%) An IPA with stylistic elements variously crafted and stolen from Big Time’s Scarlet Fire. Chinook, Cascade and Centennial hops. 4) Dragonstooth Imperial Oatmeal Stout (ABV: 7.8%) An Elysian classic. Smooth, yet burly and hoppy.
Fish Brewing Company  Olympia	1) Mudshark Porter (ABV: 5%, OG: 1.061, IBU: 24)  Seven malt varieties. Medium body and robust flavor, rich notes of chocolate. 2) Organic IPA (ABV: 6.7%, OG: 1.065, IBU: 42) Medium body with rich golden color. Organic Pale and Crystal malts, New Zealand hops. 3) Swordfish CDA (ABV: 7.5%, OG: 1.075, IBU: 65) Black in color with white head. Aroma: citrus fruit (hops) up front with hints of coffee, nuts in the background. Flavor: big rich resinous citrus hops up front followed by complex malt that balances nicely with bitterness.
Fremont Brewing  Seattle	1) Totonac BBomb Bourbon Barrel-aged Dark Ale  Bourbon Abominable Ale (BBomb) with organic vanilla beans. 2) The Brother Double IPA Double IPA hopped with Chinook, Columbus, Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo hops. 3) Kentucky Dark Star Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout Dark Star Imperial Oatmeal Stout aged in bourbon barrels with coffee.
Georgetown Brewing  Seattle	1) Lucille IPA (ABV: 6.8%)  Columbus, Centennial, Amarillo and Cascade hops. Floral, citrusy and awesome. Anything so innocent and built like that just gotta be named Lucille. 2) Donkey Deux (ABV: 7.5%) Belgian-style Dubbel brewed with Pilsner, Munich, special B Malts and 110 lbs of Belgian candi sugar. Fermented with traditional Belgian yeast, conditioned over three months, then bottle-conditioned. Dubbel Donkey is big on classic Belgian flavor! 3) Lisa’s “The Sun is Trying to Kill Me” Chocolate Stout (ABV: 8.5%) Everyone loves Lisa, our Retail Manager, so we named a beer after her. She hates the sun and loves chocolate. Theo Chocolate is her favorite, so that’s what we put in there.  It’s rich but very limited.
Hale’s Ales  Seattle	1) SuperGoose IPA  Very “big” IPA, full malt backbone with a distinct and complex hop profile. Amarillos, Centennials and Simcoe hops featured. 2) Red Menace ESB Nicely balanced amber ale with equal influences of caramel malt sweetness and Centennial hop flavor and aroma. 3) Troll Porter About as dark as a porter dare gets. Six different malts create a complex, mouth-filling dark ale with coffee or chocolate nuance.
Harmon Brewing Company  Tacoma	1) Point Defiance IPA (ABV: 6.5% IBU: 70)  An American style IPA dry hopped with Amarillo hops. 2) Black Tartan IPA (ABV: 7.5% IBU: 70) Brewed with black malts and black wheat. Looks like a stout, tastes like and IPA. 3)Floridian IPA IPA conditioned with grapefruit, pineapple and oranges.
Ice Harbor Brewing Company  Kennewick	1) Ice Harbor IPA  A medium malty IPA with an assertive but smooth bitterness. Cascade, Amarillo and Citra hops give the beer a complex character and aroma. 2) Ice Harbor Runaway Red Ale A rich full bodied amber ale with a delicate fruity flavor. Crystal and Carastan malts give the beer a sweetness that is balanced with hop flavors from Simcoe and Cascade.
Iron Horse Brewery  Ellensburg	1) Oaked IPA  Oak aged cask IPA. 2) Irish Death Dark Strong Ale Cask of our most popular. Might have a surprise for everyone.
Issaquah Brewhouse, Rogue  Isssaquah	1) 11th Anniversary American Strong Ale (ABV: 9.4%)  Oak Aged and Dry-hopped with Simcoe. 11 malts and 11 hops for 11 years. 2) Contraband American IPA (ABV: 6.9%) Dry-hopped with Citra. Brewed exclusively for Bob Brenlin’s 3PUBS.
Mac and Jack’s Brewery  Redmond	1) Dry Hopped IPA Cask  2) Oak Aged Porter 3) Bavarian Wheat Ale
Maritime Pacific Brewing Company  Seattle	1) Jolly-Gator  This is our take on an English Old Ale. We blended a well-aged cask of our Jolly Roger with a cask of our Navigator Dark Weizen Bock. The result is subtle hints of the Bavarian Hefeweizen yeast with notes of chocolate and dried fruits finishing with a pleasing bitterness. 2) Tropicale Not only did we dry-hop this cask Imperial IPA, we also infused it with the zest of orange, tangelo, and grapefruit resulting in a refreshing citrus character. All you need now is a hammock on the beach!
McMenamins  Seattle/ Portland	1) Workingman’s Red Irish Red Ale (ABV: 4.77%)  McMenamins Spring Seasonal has a reddish hue that strikes a perfect balance between the darker beers of winter and the lighter beers of summer. Its flavor is also perfectly balanced between the sweetness derived from malted barley and the bitterness derived from whole hope cones. It has a deep mahogany color and a slightly malty sweetness up front. This rich foundation and flavor is surprisingly smooth due to the perfect balance of noble hop flavors. It finishes with a toasty mouth feel and a bold, aromatic hop character that compliments the upfront sweetness exquisitely. 2) Monkeywrench Imperial Amber Ale (ABV: 7.74%) Monkeywrench is a full-bodied Imperial Amber ale with a hint of roast chocolate and loaded with so many Chinook hops that we lost count!
Naked City Brewery  Seattle	1) Spark in the Dark Smoked Porter (ABV: 6.2%)  A very sessionable Brown Porter made with 60% Weyermann Rauch Malt, Munich, Crystal and Chocolate malts, Northern Brewer and Styrian Golding hops. 2) Hoptrocity Rye IPA (ABV: 7.4%) 18% rye malt lends a spiciness that accentuates the intense Centennial, Simcoe and Amarillo hop profile while additional malts provide the perfect balance of sweetness. 3) Apricot Infused Pastime Red Ale (ABV: 6%) Our Pastime Red brewed with Sorachi Ace and Citra Hops, then casked with a pound of apricots. 4) Cadillac Coat (ABV 6.5%) IPA brewed with 4 additions of Falconer’s Flight hops. Dry hopped in the cask with additional Falconer’s Flight.
New Belgium Brewing  Renton	1) Abbey (ABV: 7%)  This fine Belgian-style Dubbel is crafted in the tradition of classic dubbels. Fermented with a traditional Belgian ale yeast strain, which gives it the characteristic clove and banana aromas that made it famous.  Rich caramel and chocolate malts round out the nose of this Abbey, while hints of sweet baking spice, crème Brule, coffee, and chocolate-covered bananas add depth to the flavor. This 7.0% ABV ale finishes predictably warm and dry, yet remains smooth and soft on the palate to the end, with just a trace of a bittersweet, peppery aftertaste. 2) Trip 9 North Western Imperial IPA (ABV: 9.5%) A true NW Imperial IPA brewed with the Falconer’s Flight hop. A portion of proceeds will go to Glen Hay Falconer Foundation. 3) Trip 8 Black IPA (ABV: 8.5%) Brewed with Argentinean Cascade hops, coffee-roasted malt from Chile, and Brazilian Black Rapadura sugar. Dry-hopped with El Dorado hops from Yakima and features a Belgium yeast strain.
Pike Brewing  Seattle	1) Pike 5X Chocolate Stout (ABV: 7.0%, IBU: 65, OG: 1.073)  Pike 5X Stout with Theo Chocolate Nibs. Great chocolate nuance. Full-bodied velvety malt texture; hints of chocolate, licorice and espresso. 2) Pike Double IPA(ABV: 8.0%, IBU: 80, OG: 1.076) A bouquet of herbal flowers is followed by the dry, crisp, evergreen and citrus character of humulus lupulus (hops) on the palate. This hop bomb is balanced with smooth, biscuity, earthy malt flavors.
Port Townsend Brewing Company  Port Townsend	1) Citra Pale Ale (ABV: 6.5%)  A single hop pale, hopped throughout the brew with, you guessed it, Citra hops. This cask version has been dry hopped four separate times for your pleasure! 2) Glasskisser Imperial IPA (ABV: 8.5%) Triple-dry hopped for your pleasure.
Ram Brewery  Seattle	1) CoCo Nut Porter  Rich, chocolaty porter infused with freshly toasted organic coconut. 2) Hopburst NW Bitter A single hop, single malt beer using Pilsner malt and Falconer’s Flight hops. Light bodied with a refreshing, citrusy hop flavor and aroma. 3) Biere de Mars
Rock Bottom   Bellevue	1) Hop Bomb IPA  The ever-popular house IPA cask conditioned with a fruit juice primer. 2) Black Diamond Oatmeal Stout Our most popular stout cask conditioned with a yet to be determined twist. 3) Coconut Big Black Wheat A NW style wheat beer infused with toasted coconut.
RedHook Brewery  Woodinville	1) Bourbon Barrel Eisbock 28 (ABV: 13% IBU: 38)  Eisbock 28 is an ice processed winter warmer. This rich lager is aged for months at temperatures well below freezing then transferred to bourbon barrels. Bourbon Barrel Eisbock 28 displays the bourbon flavors aligned with Eisbock’s original smooth maltyness and bittersweet complexity achieved by the sub freezing processing. 2) Cask Conditioned Big Ballard Imperial IPA (ABV: 8.6%) We have cask conditioned our Big Ballard IPA which is an imperial IPA with assertive hop flavor and aromatics and a rich, deep golden color. The hop flavor and aroma are balanced by complex, malty undertones; an IPA brewed for diehard IPA drinkers. Malts: 2 Row Pale, Munich, Caramel 60, malted Wheat and Carapils Hops: Alchemy, Willamette, Chinook
Schooner EXACT  Seattle	1) Coconut Porter  Our roasty Profanity Hill Porter is infused with organic, unsweetened coconut to result in a pleasing, but not overly sweet coconut porter. 2) Bravehorse IPA Made for our friends at the new Bravehorse Tavern, this IPA was bittered with Columbus and flavor and aroma contributed by the new hop blend Falconer’s Flight: a mix of Simcoe, Citra, and Sirachi Ace. 3) Foxy Mocha Brown First created for the Beveridge Place’s Iron Brewer Contest, this version 2.0 uses Schooner EXACT roasted espresso beans and chocolate nibs from local chocolate purveyors.
Scuttlebutt Brewing  Everett	1) Belgian Winter Ale-Belgian Strong Ale (ABV: 9.0%)  This cask-conditioned version will fool you with its drinkability. Chocolate, raisin, and fresh pear flavors mask the 9% ABV. 2) Tell-Tale Red Cask-American Red Ale This medium bodied beer resonates Amarillo and Columbus hops. Balanced and drinkable, this beer is an easy choice to make.
Silver City Brewery  Bremerton	1) Fat Woody Bourbon Oak Aged Scotch Ale (ABV: 9.2%)  Silver City Fat Woody Scotch Ale; cask conditioned and aged on Kentucky Bourbon soaked American White Oak. 2) Whoop Pass Double I.P.A. (ABV: 9%) Cask Conditioned & Double Dry Hopped. Without a doubt, the boldest and hoppiest mother of a brew Silver City has ever created, with over 50lbs of Washington State Cascade and Columbus hops in each batch. Dry hopped in the tank and in the cask. Welcome to hop country!
Snipes Mt. Brewery  Sunnyside	1) Trainwreck CDA (ABV: 7.5% IBU: 65)  A robustly hopped, dark brown IPA without any hint of dark malt, and no confusion whether or not it is an IPA. Hopped with Simcoe and Citra, with Falconer’s Flight in the dry hop. 2) The Letter C (ABV:6.8% IBU: 45) An “old fashioned” IPA styled after a turn of the century NW IPA. With C hops leading the charge, namely Chinook and Centennial, Amarillo, Summit and Warrior round out the subtly bitter beer.
Snoqualmie Falls Brewing  Snoqualmie	1) Plant 1 Powerhouse IPA  Wilder Wildcat. 20% more malt and twice as much hops. We’ve also added Cascades to ride along-side the Wildcat’s normal Columbus hops. For Cask Fest, we’ve dry-hopped the Powerhouse with even more Cascades!
Sound Brewery  Poulsbo	1) Sound Brewery Porter (ABV: 5.5% IBU: 32)  Smooth creamy tan head covers a beautiful dark ruby brown beer. Aroma of chocolate, coffee and plums with toasted grains. Totally balanced with bitterness from noble hops and roasted grains. 2) Monk’s Indiscretion: (ABV: 9.9% IBU: 47) Monk’s indiscretion is a very complex and unique Belgian style specialty ale. Triple dry hopped with fruity, aromatic northwest hops, Monk’s tastes balanced and smooth, but with an insanely hoppy aroma profile that we believe makes this beer totally unique. 3) Bevrijder Double IPA: (ABV: 8%  IBU:47) Bevrijder is crafted from English malt, American hops and Belgian yeast to create a wonderfully complex, dry and balanced Belgian style double IPA.
Three Skulls-Baron Brewing  Seattle	1)Belgian Golden Ale  Belgian spiced with Candi Sugar, coriander and orange peel. 2) TBA
Two Beers Brewing  Seattle	1) Infused Evo IPA  Mango and peach infused Evo IPA. 2) Infused 20:20 Blonde Lavender, rose, dried elderberry and dried currant infused 20:20 Blonde. 3) Infused Panorama Wheat Lime and ginger infused Panorama Wheat.
Valholl Brewing  Poulsbo	1) Belgian IPA (ABV: 7.2%)  Northwest IPA finished with Trappist yeast. Amarillo, Simcoe and Cascade hops in abundance. 2) Stouty Stouterson Imperial Oatmeal Stout (ABV: 12.8%) Infused with sweet potatoes, brown sugar, raisins and cinnamon. 3) Belgian Golden Strong Ale (ABV: 9.2%) Single malt, traditional strong ale. Golden with candi sugar.

Rubbing my hands together in preparatory festival excitement, the pissed liBEERian