In the early ’90s, Dusty Trail converted the historic Engine House No. 9 bar into a brewpub at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Pine Street, officially becoming the first microbrewery in Tacoma. Dick Dickens grabbed the Engine House reins in 2002, bringing in head brewer Doug Tiede. Heads turned and medals were hung. In 2011, The X Group added the Engine House to their local restaurant empire, with Shane Johns and Donovan Stewart running the kettles and hanging even more medals, mostly for their sours and saisons. Last year, they separated the brewery from the restaurant and opened E9 Brewing in Tacoma’s Historic Brewery District. This year, they have cranked out an endless supply of delicious IPAs, five of which are in our to-go beer flight today, Peaks and Pints Pilot Program: E9 IPAs On The Fly.
Peaks and Pints Pilot Program: E9 IPAs On The Fly
E9 Flim-Flam West Coast IPA
6% ABV
Flim-flam is an expression of being scammed, swindled, or cheated on, which isn’t the case with this West Coast style IPA brewed with almost completely 2-row malted barley, then dry hopped with Mandarina Bavaria, Citra, and Amarillo hops. It deals big notes of mandarin orange and bright lemon citrus aromatics.
E9 Realize Real Lies IPA
6% ABV
With the new 15-barrel brewhouse now up and running, E9 Brewing’s new location in Tacoma’s Historic Brewery District has been brewing more award-winning farmhouse and wild ales, hop forward pales and IPAs, led by Head Brewer Shane Johns. E9 Realize Real Lies is a slightly hazy IPA that starts on the “hot” side of the brew with late additions of Columbus and Citra, and finished with double dry hopping of Amarillo and Simcoe imparting fruity yet dank aromatics, followed by a fruity splash on the tongue.
E9 So What West Coast IPA
6% ABV
This West Coast style IPA is brewed with predominantly 2-row and a small amount of Carahell malt. It’s fermented with a highly flocculating British ale yeast to create a fairly clear ale, which lets the classic Citra and Mosaic aromatics of citrus, peach, melon and tropical fruits shine through from a massive double dry hop regimen.
E9 One Hundred Ways IPA
6.4% ABV
A double dry hopped slightly hazy IPA brewed with 2-row malt and a small percentage of malted wheat. It’s fermented with British ale yeast, which adds to an already pungent orange, grapefruit and all around citrus aromatic. Expect pine and earthly floral notes as well from the hop combination of Simcoe, Amarillo, and Centennial.
E9 Paradiddle IPA
7.3% ABV
A paradiddle is one of the basic patterns (rudiments) of drumming, consisting of four even strokes played in the order left-right-left-left or right-left-right-right. It’s not shocking E9 named a beer after a musical instrument, especially the drums, since E9 brewer, sales executive, and guitarist Donovan Stewart and E9 bartender and drummer Fuzz play in the band, Gold Sweats. Paradiddle, the beer, is double dry hopped, slightly hazy IPA brewed with primarily 2-row malted barley with some flaked and golden naked oats. Dry hopped with Azacca, Idaho 7, Strata, and El Dorado hops, it rocks notes of bright tropical fruit, grapefruit citrus, and stone fruit.
