Woot! Day One of the 10th Anniversary Washington Brewers Festival is in the history books; a glorious affair nestled between a grassy field and beautiful skies. The state’s granddaddy of beer festivals has returned to Marymoor Park in Redmond, with 105 breweries pouring 400 different beers, plus a lot of free bags of Tim’s Cascade Chips.
Day Two of the Washington Brewers Festival kicks off at 11 a.m. at Marymoor Park. Last night’s adult-only opening of the three-day festival was a blast, and the next two days promises more fun with more breweries and more kids. Yup, the next two days are a family affair. Before the gates open today, the Washington Beer Awards will be doled out, followed by live music, including the Staxx Brothers and Nearly Dan. The BevMo! Brewers Keg Toss is at 3:00 p.m., 16 food trucks will slide open their windows and the kids playground and Rootbeer Garden are open all day. Oh, did I mention 400 different beers would be on tap.
Tacoman Bryan Johnson and I hit as many Friday-only beer pours as we could. The Backwoods Brewing Double Cutt Imperial IPA was a delicious hop bomb. Diamond Knot Abe Lincoln Lemon Ale was four score lemon with Lemondrop hops. Dru Bru Alt German Copper Ale was a light nutty caramel treat. Skookum Brewery Pecan Pie (Rye) Porter was exactly that with vanilla beans. Lengthy lines led to Friday-only big beers Strong Arm Brewing Denunciation Triple IPA, Fremont Brewing BBA Dark Star Coffee and their Bourbon Abominable, Black Raven Brewing Great Grandfather Raven Imperial Stout, Top Rung Brewing Lacey Dark Lager with Coconut through the Randall, and, just similar to last year, everything Iron Goat Brewing.
Pouring only today at the Washington Brewers Festival will be Wander Brewing Raspberry Millie Raspberry Sour and Uno Bretto Brett Pale Ale, Postdoc Brewing Hogus Maximus Barriclus Barrel Aged Triple IPA, Brickyard Brewing SW Hatch Green Chili Blond Ale, Foggy Noggin Bit O’Beaver, Geaux Brewing Au Lait Imperial Oatmeal Milk Stout with Coffee & Chicory, and a bunch of brews from Triplehorn Brewing.
If you get a chance, be sure to sip the Pike Brewing Pike Locale Skagit Valley Alba, Blue Lightning Brew Papa Gay Gay IPA, Der Blokken Brewery Russian Overcoat Imperial Stout, Naked City Brewery Yankee Drifter Summer Ale, No-Li Brewhouse Spokane-Style Irish Coffee, North Sound Brewing Coconut/Hazelnut Goosetown Brown, Old Schoolhouse Brewing Ruud Awakening IPA, Skookum Brewery Cont(r)act High Double IPA, Diamond Knot Imperial Chocolate Vanilla Oatmeal Stout on nitro, and Triplehorn Landwink IPA.
While I dropped by to say hi to all the South Sound breweries, I skipped their beers as I enjoy them daily. That said, several South Sound breweries are pouring unique beers, such as Dick’s Brewing Raspberry Tripel-Belgian Style Tripel, Engine House No. 9 Wild Tacoma #2, Odd Otter Brewing Ottcho Borracho Lager with Cilantro and Lime, Wingman Brewers Blood Orange Brett IPA and Top Rung Raspberry Wheat. Oh, and Pacific Brewing and Three Magnets Brewing received props from many brewers onsite, which isn’t a surprise.
Here are a few photos I snapped during Friday night’s version of the 2015 Washington Brewers Festival.
