Whenever the topic of Seattle vs. Portland comes up — yeah, we know, it’s not like there’s even a debate about this — people from the PDX constantly claim their city’s better ’cause they’ve got most breweries in the county. But now, thanks to a semi-recent study, we can finally put an end to that nonsense.
At 174, Seattle has the most beer-makers of any city in America. What’s up now, Portland?! But this fact creates some issues: how can you keep track of ‘em all? Let alone decide which are the best? Well, why don’t you just kick back and let us do that for you?
BallardScientifically crafting some of Seattle’s best beer Stoup’s beautifully balanced beers have made it a local favorite, and a standout (even in a neighborhood bursting with breweries) since it was founded five years ago by a chemist and a former biology teacher — with a lil’ help from a certified Cicerone — whose science background can be seen throughout their no-frills taproom, including the beaker-style measurement systems on their glasses. You should probably fill said glasses with their Baltic Porter — it’s the 1,000th beer they’ve made and won a silver medal at this year’s North American Beer Awards — or really any of the dozen beers they’ve got on tap. Except the Citra IPA. It tastes like sunshine in a glass and we don’t want to share it with anyone else.
BallardFamily run brewery just named one of the 10 best in the US… For the 3rd time. Opened in a converted warehouse by a 2012 National Homebrew Competition/2013 US Open Beer Championship winner, this Kickstarter-funded taproom is serving some seriously delicious small-batch suds, all of which are posted on a stat board listing things like price, ABV, IBU, and OG, which is the likely culprit if IBU ends up in the ICU. OMG! If all of that sounds too complicated just take our advice and go for one of their awarding winning year-round offerings, like the American-style Crikey IPA, or the Robust Porter that harkens back to Reuben’s homebrew roots.
BallardWashington’s best small brewery of 2018 The word “populuxe” is a portmanteau of the words “popular” and “deluxe”, which are exactly what the homebrewers behind Populuxe Brewing want their nano-suds to be when they first opened in a tiny blue house over five years ago. Well, they certainly got their wish, moving into a 4000-sqft space next to the original one, and increasing production to the point they’ve gone from “nano” to just “small” — a category for which they won 1st place at this year’s Washington Beer Awards. Their beers rotate regularly, but look out for refreshing American Blonde, or the Beer Snob Brow, which they playfully named after one of the regulars at their taproom.
InterbayOffbeat beers from an off-the-beaten path brewery I swear this relatively unheralded brewery didn’t make this list because it’s like, a half-mile from my house. It made it ’cause they’re serving interesting, often distinctly European-style beers with Northwest ingredients — try The Lady, a juicy and floral sour, or if you’re feeling really bold, the 11% abv Time Crises, a triple with notes of papaya and lemon — all from a utilitarian taproom in an industrial park just South of the Ballard Locks.
SoDoOutdoorsy beers in a South Seattle industrial park Opened after an argument settled over guess how many beers (hint: name of brewery), this SoDo brewer makes a selection of year-round beers and close to a dozen other seasonals on shelves/in bars throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Vancouver, BC, and Michigan (sure ok cool), as well as from its rough-hewn taproom, The Woods. A room presumably named after a place you probably go wandering around after one… or two… beers — starting with, if it’s the right time of year, their Fresh Hop IPA, or their Ascension Triple IPA, which is pretty much the definition of a Northwest IPA.
FremontPossibly the Northwest’s most popular brewery Ahhhhh, Fremont. Center of the universe. And arguably the center of Seattle’s brewing universe, thanks to its series of small-batch artisan beers made with local ingredients by a long-time environmentalist/community organizer in a very sustainable way. Highlights include the Universale Pale Ale, a distinct Northwest twist on the classic pale ale, and the Interurban Pale, which is named after Fremont’s most famous outdoor sculpture. They also brew a slew of seasonal beers and make the occasional “wonderbeer” that they only sell at its Urban Beer Garden, or UBG.
InterbayCult favorite with a constantly changing selection of craft beers Located in a garage that backs up to a railbed, this pristinely white/comfortably modern brewery and taproom is one of the city’s most beloved brewers, despite doing things a bit differently than most of their Northwest counterparts. They have a special focus on yeast-driven beers including saisons and farmhouse ales, and most of their brews undergo secondary fermentation, which means they’re aged until the brewers think their ready, so you’ll just have to show up and take what you can get. Happily, of course.
Queen AnneOne of Seattle’s best rooftop bars with some of its best beers Opened in 2015, this rooftop patio-equipped space down the street from their tiny, rooftop patio-lacking original features 10 taps pouring a rotating selection seriously good brews, including a pair of IPAs, a coffee-infused porter on nitro, and an impressive variety of other styles, all of which taste just a little better each time you catch a glimpse of Salmon Bay and the Fremont Cut between the buildings, across the way from the 49-seat deck in the shadow of the Ballard Bridge.
South Lake UnionA totally approachable place with wildly eclectic beers Brewer Cody Morris moved on up to this sprawling space, now called Mollusk Brewing at Dexter Brewhouse. This more polished project allows you to stuff yourself with inventive versions of pub food like vodka battered fish ‘n chips, or baked macaroni and cheese with a creamy three-cheese béchamel. Wash it all down with Mollusk’s whimsically named beers like the Partytime!!! sour blonde ale, or the “dank” and herbal Hop Frog IPA.
BelltownBuzz-worthy beers from an experimental brewer This zero-frills operation in a former bike shop is helmed by a former Elysian brewer who cares way more about beer than anything else (like comfortable chairs), but it’s totally cool, since the result is a collection of impressively inventive small-batch beers often inspired by seasonal ingredients sourced from Pike Place Market down the street. Current highlights include a “bastardized” German pilsner called Happy Little Clouds or the EEE! IPA made with four different kinds of hops that all start with guess what letter of the alphabet…
Central DistrictA burgeoning beer operation with a full bar The standard brewery has the capacity to brew hundreds of barrels, a large marketing budget, and, to be honest, a pretty generic product. Luckily for you, Standard Brewing’s never had any of those things, but it does have some excellent beer. So good, that in just a few years, it’s gone from a tasting room just barely big enough to a hold half-dozen customers, and making suds the same way you beat Donkey Kong (hint: one barrel at a time), to taking over the entire building and serving both cocktails and selection of sandwiches, to go with it’s constantly rotating list of beers that may or may not include a summer saison fermented in oak and aged for three months, or the fruity Soft Power pale ales.
GeorgetownAn old school brewery turning out one of Seattle’s most popular beers What would we do without our beloved Manny’s? This incredibly popular pale made for “normal people”, and all Georgetown’s other beers, are crafted in an industrial ‘hood south of town, where they haven’t opened a brewpub quite yet (or maybe ever?), but where you can drop by the brewery six afternoon’s a week for all the samples you need to decide which one you’d like to take home in a growler. Now listen here, this is a pretty good move since you won’t find bottles/cans of this stuff anywhere.
GeorgetownTraditional English ales in the original Rainier Brewery Machine House may have just opened a 2nd location in the CD, but it’s named after a specific portion of an industrial space in Georgetown that housed Rainier way back in the day. Now they’re using it to turn out cask-conditioned ales in the traditional English-style, including a surprising light Dark Mild, a Best Bitter brewed with British Crystal malts and First Gold hops, and several seasonal brews, all crafted on site by a guy who learned his trade in the Norfolk that’s definitely not in Virginia. What makes these beers different is that a secondary fermentation happens in the barrels/kegs, which are stored in a cold room… like the one anyone making Norfolk jokes invariably has to face.
South ParkQuite possibly the next big thing in Seattle beer Until a few years ago, who knew that a relatively unknown dive in this working class ‘hood was turning out one of America’s best burgers? Well, we did, obviously. And who knew a relatively unknown brewery in the same ‘hood was turning out some of the city’s best beers? Clearly, that question is rhetorical, so we’ll just skip to telling you about their boundary pushing brews, like the barrel-aged Melange Deux, which just won a gold medal at the Washington Brewers Choice Awards, or their flagship farmhouse style Saison. Just don’t count on finding ’em at your favorite bar — their taproom is basically the only place to get their beers.
AlkiSeattle’s perfect summer beer destination WSB started just three years ago, and almost immediately opened a second location — the Tapshack — in the shingled beachside space that used to be Slices. It only has a half-dozen or so seats inside, but boasts a sprawling patio overlooking the Sound outside, featuring a deck and even its own “beach” with a row of red lounge chairs. Oh, and the best part? It still serves pizza, only this time you can pair it with the solid lineup of craft cold ones, like the smooth Avalon Way Amber with just a hint of hop, or the full-bodied Sounders Stout, though if you’re watching the Sounders this season you might want to go with the Triangle Tripel (clocking in at a relaxing 8.2% ABV).Sign up here for our daily Seattle email and be the first to get all the food/drink/fun in town.
Bradley Foster is a former Thrillist editor who really needs to get this done so he can head over to Urban Family for a few beers. Or six.
If you’re a fan of the royal family (because “fan” is the more socially acceptable way of saying obsessive internet stalker), this is your year. Netflix’s The Crown has returned for its second season, the Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant with her third child, Prince George and Princess Charlotte continue to be the cutest heirs to ever walk the face of the earth, and Prince Harry has finally been wrangled from his former wild ways to marry Meghan Markle this spring. All of this royal family news has us in a tizzy, and we need a stiff drink to calm our excitement back down to inside voices. Thankfully, the royal family are drinking icons. Here are the favorite drinks of all the main figures of the new Elizabethan era, so you can properly drink along with all the upcoming royal festivities.
Much has been written about the Queen’s legendary drinking habits , with many articles claiming she drinks as many as six glasses of booze a day. Insiders have disputed this rumor, saying that she “would be pickled” if she drank that much, but we all know that the queen is a creature of habit, and probably does enjoy these drinks fairly regularly. Her all-time favorite cocktail is the Dubonnet Cocktail with a lemon twist, which is gin mixed with the sweet French fortified wine the drink is named for. Her staff always carries the two bottles and lemons wherever the queen goes in case she gets thirsty. Additionally, Queen Elizabeth II is said to drink wine with lunch, the occasional Dry Martini in the afternoon, a glass or two of Champagne with dinner, and some port wine after dinner. For someone that looks 91 years young, this monarch seems to know a thing or two about the secret to a long life .
While his wife loves her gin tipples and wine, the Duke of Edinburgh just fancies beer-and none of that fancy craft stuff. His lifelong favorite brand was Boddington, a regional brewery in Manchester. Unfortunately, the brewery ceased operations in 2005, forcing Prince Philip to drink other, still unassuming, beers. He is even said to have muttered, “Get me a beer. I don’t care what kind it is. Just get me a beer!” when he was offered fine wine by former Italian Prime Minister Giuliano Amato while dining in Rome.
The long awaiting king-to-be enjoys a wide variety of stiff drinks. His favorite whisky is a peaty Islay single malt, Laphroaig 15-year. Prince Charles also helped produce his own whisky, Barrogill ; HRH personally selected the single malts for the blend, which was distilled by Inver House Distillers and North Highland Products. The bottle features a watercolor of Barrogill Castle that was painted by Prince Charles himself. Additionally, Prince Charles is said to enjoy plenty of wine with his wife Camilla, along with his go-to cocktail, a 50/50 Martini made with equal parts gin and dry vermouth .
Prince William seems to take after his grandfather when it comes to drink preferences, opting for straightforward beers over cocktails or rare wines; His two favorite beer brands are said to be Stella Artois and Guinness, but he occasionally also enjoys shots of Sambuca. He didn’t always have such simple tastes, though. In his youth, the Duke of Cambridge was said to have ordered (on more than one occasion) the “Treasure Chest” from Piccadilly club Mahiki, which is a $180 cocktail consisting of brandy , peach liqueur and a bottle of Champagne, served in a smoking treasure chest with tons of extra-long straws, flowers and ignited sparklers.
Nowadays, you’ll find the Duchess of Cambridge publically drinking whatever is served at the many events she attends with her husband (when she’s not pregnant, of course), from Guinness at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in London to wine at a vineyard in New Zealand-where she exclaimed she was “really enjoying being able to drink again” after the birth of Prince George. But in her pre-duchess days, according to sources, Kate enjoyed fruity cocktails like Piña Coladas and the “Crack Baby,” which was served at Prince Harry’s favorite (now-defunct) nightclub, Boujis, and consisted of vodka , raspberry liqueur, passion fruit and Champagne. Rumor has it the future queen also still enjoys her go-to whiskey, Jack Daniel’s, from time to time.
The once infamous party boy may be settling into married life soon, but we reckon he’ll still enjoy his favorite drink, Cîroc Ultra-Premium Vodka , from time to time. Hopefully his bride-to-be Meghan will curb his questionable cocktail of choice, a Red Bull Vodka , and encourage him to try her far more interesting drinks of choice.
The name on the tip of everyone’s tongue this year is Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s beautiful betrothed and an American former-actress to boot. Because Markle was famous prior to her engagement, she gave decidedly down-to-earth interviews, including one with The New Potato where she said, “God, do I love wine-a beautiful full red or a crisp white. But if it’s cocktails, I love a spicy tequila cocktail, Negroni or good scotch (neat).” Markle also named her former lifestyle website, The Tig , after Tignanello red wine. If that wasn’t enough to make her your new drinking hero, Markle also once told Delish , “French fries and vino are my vices,” going on to say that she’d “forgo a gooey, chocolate dessert for a ‘big, beautiful red’ just about any day. … In the summer, though, when I’m out with my friends, it’s rosé all day.” A future duchess after our own hearts.
The Duchess of Cornwall is said to be a big fan of wine, having once said she was “brought up as a child drinking wine like the French.” But Camilla was also rumored to have exasperatedly said, “I really need a Gin & Tonic ” after exiting a conversation with Prince William over the nature of her relationship with his father, Prince Charles, back in 1998.
Queen Elizabeth II gets her proclivity for Dubonnet from her mum. The late Queen Mother was much heavier a drinker than her husband King George VI, who didn’t imbibe much during wartime due to nationwide rations and his unfortunate love for cigarettes instead. Elizabeth would allegedly start at noon with a cocktail that was one part gin and two parts Dubonnet, garnished with a lemon or orange twist (some people actually refer to the Dubonnet Cocktail as the Queen Mother Cocktail). Then at lunch, she would drink red wine and a glass of port after the meal. A biographer wrote that if people asked for water, Elizabeth would ask, “How can you not have wine with your meal?” At around 6 p.m., the Queen Mother would enjoy a Martini , and at dinner she would have some Veuve Clicquot. Other drinking-related quotes attributed to her include: “I couldn’t get through all my engagements without a little something,” and, after being told by a host that they heard she liked gin, “I hadn’t realized I enjoyed that reputation. But as I do, perhaps you could make it a large one.”
Princess Margaret is enjoying a posthumous fan obsession, thanks to her fiery, scene-stealing portrayal in The Crown. The show never depicts Margaret without a cigarette in hand, but the princess loved scotch almost as dearly. Her favorite drinks were neat scotch with a drop of water and a Scotch & Soda , both made with The Famous Grouse and Highland Spring mineral water. Her staff instructed those within her circles to always keep bottles of both on hand, in case she stopped by for an informal visit. A staff member claimed that “if you didn’t serve Famous Grouse, she could identify exactly what was in its place.” Allegedly Princess Margaret even asked for the scotch while visiting The Macallan distillery in the 1980s. A decanter of The Famous Grouse was always present at Margaret’s apartment, and though she was “always a delight,” according to a friend , “there could be unpleasantness with staff if her glass wasn’t kept full or if the ice melted. That was one of her tiny weaknesses.” Today, the royal family continues to support the whisky brand; the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge opened The Famous Grouse Experience at the Glenturret distillery in 2014.
The late, beloved Princess of Wales wasn’t much for imbibing; she opted to skip the booze in favor of maintaining her iconic radiant skin. But when she did drink, she preferred something light, like chilled white wine, Champagne or a peachy Bellini. She is said to have ordered a Bellini on her infamous night out on the town with Freddie Mercury when she disguised herself as a man.