Friday Five: 5 Local Beer Spots Where I’m Likely To Be Found
1. Brouwer’s – Simple reason to go here often: they have the best overall beer selection in Seattle. They care about beer and you know you’re never gonna get an off taste from a dirty line (a fresh line is used every time a new beer is tapped). Also, the food is (arguably) better than any other beer place in town. Plenty of good veggie options and don’t forget to check the fresh sheet. There’s always something tasty on there.
2. Stumbling Monk – Tiny place with 10 or so taps of Belgians and American-made, Belgian-style beers and nothing above $6.50 a glass. They also have a good and reasonably-priced bottle list. Close to where I live and almost always a good place to spend some time and have a few. My only complaint is that it sometimes gets a little Capitol Hill-douchebaggy in there. My favorite time to go is right after they open at 6. You can have a few beers in peace and be on your way.
3. The Dray – I’ve already gone on and on about why I love this place. If I lived closer, it would be my local.
4. Elysian Capitol Hill – Not a huge fan of hanging out here…it’s probably the only place I go regularly where I have very little interaction with anyone at the bar. But it’s on my way home and every couple weeks there’s something new and interesting to try. The Arboreal Chestnut Brown Ale, Artemis IPA, Saison Poivre, Foster Child Australian Lager and Hubris Imperial IPA are just a few of the beers I’ve had there this year.
5. Hopvine – I have a love/hate relationship with this place. It’s literally right behind my apt. building, so I end up here at least once a week. They usually have at least a few good beers on and they have $3 pints from 5-7 pm. They also have great soup and the other food (pizza, sandwiches, etc.) is decent. The main things that rub me the wrong way about this place are the shitty music the staff always plays (think weak-ass indie crap) and my hatred for the people that frequent the place. Almost every time I’m in here, I feel a strong urge to punch someone in the face. Also, on the beer-douche side, I don’t think they give a shit about beer. The bartenders don’t know much about the beers and, more often than you’d think, you’ll get beers that don’t taste the way they should.
A couple more places: one that used to be in the Top 5 and one that might crack the list in 2009:
Big Time – It used to be in my Top 5 earlier in the year, but I don’t find myself going as often since the end of the summer. It has nothing to do with the beer. Along with Elysian, the Big Time is the best place to find new, interesting local beers. But since a few of my favorite bartenders left, I don’t find myself wanting to spend as much time here.
Collins Pub – Only a short walk from my work, but I don’t get here that often. Big reason for that is the crazy happy hour crowd, but I need to make it here more frequently. I went in a few days ago and they finally have a chalkboard draft list on the wall. A lot of good stuff on tap including: Pliny the Elder, Doggie Claws ’07, Ninkasi Sleigh’r and the newest in New Belgium’s Lips of Faith line, a Dunkel Weiss.
