In 2002, after eight batches, Manny Chao and Roger Bialous high-fived in their Seattle backyard after nailing their Manny’s recipe — a pale ale that went on the be Seattle’s beer. Chao was the first employee at Mac & Jack’s Brewing where he learned the craft beer business from washing kegs to selling beer. Chao and Bialous relocated their Georgetown Brewing Company from their garage to the historic Seattle Brewing and Malting Plant, where Rainier Beer was once produced. In 2008, the duo relocated the business to a larger Georgetown neighborhood space keep up with Manny’s demand. Today, Peaks and Pints presents an in-house beer flight of Georgetown beer — a flight we’re calling Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Georgetown Brewing. Listen to Chao and Bialous discuss their Georgetown Brewing on the Grit & Grain Podcast Episode 9 and Episode 10.
Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Georgetown Brewing
Georgetown The Niño
4.9% ABV, draft
Chris Farley was a larger-than-life personality. El Nino was just one of many Saturday Night Live skits that he absolutely ruled and managed to get a wide array of laughs. An updated version of our El Niño lager, Georgetown’s The Niño uses Zappa hops, a neomexicanus aroma hop that is a genetically distinct sub species from the dry mountain regions of New Mexico. An easy drinking, very light, crisp lager with a slightly sweet and grainy backbone.
Georgetown Roger’s Pilsner
4.9% ABV, can
Manny Chao and Roger Bialous were two friends who loved ultimate frisbee and hated working for “the man.” Oh yeah, and they also loved beer. Roger was working in insurance and Manny left Mac & Jack’s Brewing when they finally decided to make the leap — start brewing beer and make it their livelihood. In 2002, Georgetown Brewing was launched behind Manny’s homebrewed pale ale, Manny’s. Roger’s Pilsner, the second beer introduced by Georgetown Brewing, is a reliable rendition of the style. Oregon grown Sterling hops give this refreshing pilsner a spicy and earthy hop aroma. Malt character is accentuated by a Bavarian Lager Yeast that ferments dry but round and complex.
Georgetown Johnny Utah Pale Ale
5.6% ABV, can
Georgetown Brewing is obsessed with Point Break. Can you blame them? This 1991 cinematic masterpiece has it all — skydiving, surfing, Buddhism, and bank robbing. The craft beer equivalent of jumping out of an airplane without a parachute, Georgetown’s Johnny Utah single hop pale ale surfs Citra hops. Dude, expect pronounced grapefruit and pine flavors with a faint grass note, obvs. Fun fact: Johnny Utah lost to E9 Brewing’s Don of Time in the Final Four of the Peaks and Pints Tournament of Beer: Northwest Pale Ales. Don of Time beat Boneyard Bone-A-Fide in the Championship Game.
Georgetown Bob’s Brown Ale
6.2% ABV, can
Manny Chao, co-founder of Georgetown and namesake of their flagship beer, Manny’s Pale Ale, began brewing Bob’s Brown Ale in honor of his friend, Bob Hirsch. Hirsch died of cancer just after celebrating his 21st birthday (1884-2005); May 14 was his birthday. One hundred percent of the proceeds from this big, chocolaty, hoppy brown ale are donated in honor of Hirsch to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Bob’s mom, Sue, chose RMHC as the recipient charity for their donation, saying, “They put us up for treatment every time we came in from Alaska.”
Georgetown Draft Only
7.2% ABV, draft
Tony Lawrence, founder of Boneyard Beer, drove up from Bend, Oregon, to brew Draft Only West Coast IPA at Georgetown. Brewed with public domain hops that have been available for over 30 years — Columbus, Cascade, Centennial, Comet, and Chinook — along with a supporting malt bill, this IPA has flavors and aromas of spruce tip, hibiscus, lime zest and a dash of the Pacific Northwest. Listen to Lawrence discuss the collaboration on the Grit & Grain Podcast Episode 45.
LINK: Peaks & Pints cooler inventory
