Long-time environmentalist, community organizer and homebrewer Matt Lincecum brought his bank statement to a well-known real estate developer to lease space to his startup craft brewery in the middle of a recession in the “center of the universe” aka Seattle’s funky Fremont neighborhood. Apparently $10,000 and awesome homebrewed beers CAN get you somewhere. In August 2009, Lincecum kegged his first Fremont Brewing craft beer. Today, Fremont is regarded as one of the best craft breweries in Seattle with distribution throughout the state, as well as Oregon and Idaho. In addition to its reputation for consistent quality and innovation, Fremont Brewing is a recognized leader in sustainable brewing operations and community engagement. Peaks and Pints is thrilled to host Fremont Brewing at our next Lodge Meeting tonight, but for who can’t wait until 6 p.m. can get their Fremont on with our Craft Beer Crosscut 6.28.18: A Flight of Fremont IPAs.
Fremont Interurban IPA
6.2% ABV, 80 IBU
Peaks and Pints has sipped hundreds of Fremont Brewing Co.’s Interurban IPA. Not so much that it’s been around for close to seven years but rather it’s the craft beer we drank almost everyday at 5 p.m. while building our little lodge in Tacoma’s Proctor District, thanks to gentleman/handyman Bob Hill who not only helped us construct Peaks and Pints but would buy a half-case of Interurban IPA from neighboring Safeway every time he worked, which was ample. Named after Fremont’s most famous outdoor sculpture, “Waiting for the Interurban”, Interurban IPA offers the adventurous beer lover a warm embrace of roasted pale malt swirled with a hand-selected blend of flavor malts and filled with the rich spice of Chinook, Centennial and Amarillo hops. It’s perfect after a long day swinging a hammer and paintbrush.
Fremont Head Full of Dynomite v4
6.8% ABV
Fremont Brewing excels at hazy IPAs, especially commanding the actual opaque, dense colored quality of the hazy to bloom, making for an incredible visual treat. Lots of fruit flavor, especially in its Head Full of Dynomite series, which version four is on tap at Peaks and Pints. Head Full of Dynomite v.4 has a malt bill of 2-Row Pale, Rolled Oats, Flaked Wheat and White Wheat with Mosaic lupulin cryo powder, Centennial, Sorachi Ace and El Dorado hops for citrus and floral aroma and flavors of lemon, spice and fresh hops.
Fremont Lush IPA
7% ABV, 80 IBU
Early on in craft brewing, brewers tried to outdo each other in creating the most resinous, dank and intensely bitter beers imaginable. These days, however, brewers embrace the full potential of the humble hop, using new varietals and nuanced techniques to create hop-forward beers that don’t wreck your palate. Enter Lush IPA. Brew with Citra, Mosaic and Citra lupulin powder, Lush offers flavors of pine, grapefruit, mango with a finish of herbal notes. It’s creamy, light bodied, lively and, well, lush.
Fremont The Sister Imperial IPA
8.5% ABV, 80 IBU
As part of its Imperial Series, Fremont Brewing’s The Sister hides its heavy hop presence — Mosaic, Ekuanot, Amarillo and Columbus — with a nose that links together apricot, tangerine and star fruit into something wholly engrossing. We are hit with a strong hop element with our initial sip that quickly dissipates due to a considerable amount of malt in The Sister, which it balances the hop side. The Sister gradually ends on the sweet side with the aforementioned flavors dancing on the tongue. This imperial IPA packs a bevy of tastes.
Fremont The Brother
8.5% ABV, 1 Billion IBU
The Brother was the first beer Fremont Brewing developed in its Imperial Series. It’s inspired by the Seattle brewery’s desire to thank brothers everywhere. “Without our Brothers, we would have taken the blame for everything as children, wouldn’t have known the inside of an ambulance and never understood the true fear a good ghost story can cause a young child,” according to The Brother hype. Without Fremont’s The Brother with Centennial, Chinook and Citra hops with Amarillo extract we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the aroma of mango dipped in citrus juice, lying amongst spring grasses or the taste of medium sweet malt, and hints of dried dark fruit. In fact, a blast of mature sweetness instantly flows into a solid malt base before grapefruit explodes in your mouth.
