Washington Brewers Festival

Washington Brewers Festival

Due to the sheer amounts of beer that were consumed and the relatively small size of the glasses, I have decided that none of the tasting yesterday will be official… but due to the enormous amount of fun and cool-factor, this has to go on the blog.  So here you go… the first official festival/festivus/fest of the blog. 

Drumroll please….

If you are not new to this event, forgive me.  I was yesterday and my giddiness is still quite fresh.  You see, yesterday started a new annual event… one that celebrates beer in a way that not many other events can (I know, I know there are others… just go with me).  The Washington Brewers Festival happened to fall on a great day and it was shared with great people, all around.

What sealed the deal was the kids area so that the whole family could go (DD wife, included).  We parked the kids by the blow-up-play-things, bought some food (mmmm sausage), and bought some play-thing bracelets ($15 each) and then I was off with the guys to hit our first group of tents.

As you can see below, the crowds weren’t small… this was about noon-ish when things were still relatively calm. 

One of the first memorable brews was from a Seattle based joint called Maritime Pacific Brewing Co.  I am not sure if it was their Bosun’s Black Porter or not that they had at the festival, but man was it tasty.  Just like a porter should be… dark, slightly smoky, and very malty.  This was a favorite of the group, actually.

You know things are “flowing”… literally… when they have to bring in a full semi truck and trailer full of porta-potties at noon on the last day.  They barely missed a downhill river of piss from the overflowing johns… schwew.

After a bit of wandering, we landed on probably one of the best beers at the festival.  Ok… maybe not best for the traditional styles, but as far as outstanding and unique… this was the one.  Anderson Valley Brewing Company Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema was out of this world good.  I have to figure out how to get my hands on some.

Dogfish Head was in the house!  I picked myself a glass of their Aprihop beer, poured through a bong-looking thing.  It was mighty tasty.

One of my favorite breweries, New Belgium, also showed up although they didn’t have anything really special for us on Sunday.  I was hoping for some Old Cherry… I will just have to drink what is in my Folly Pack.

One of the longer lines at the festival belonged to Northern Lights Brewing Company out of Spokane.  I have to say their Blueberry was good… way better than the Wild Blue.  Their Dunkel was a fine drink, as well.  They had a good showing.

Another favorite out of Colorado… Oskar Blues and their wonderful craft brew cans were there to share their stuff.  I had the Old Chub and liked it… I think… it was kind of getting late…

And finally… it was so very unfortunate that this was my last beer of the festival.  A couple of guys that looked trustworthy told us we *had* to try the Chipotle Ale from Diamond Knot Brewing out of Mukilteo… we all agreed, after tasting this stuff, that if we saw them again we would take them down and beat them silly.  By far and away the worst beer there, not a person in our group could finish it.   

And the aftermath.  Thankfully, Rachael was kind enough to drive home so I could sleep.  I had dreams of flowing beer gardens and all you could drink beer… no little people on toy horses, though, Happy.