It seems like only yesterday, but Mac and Jack’s Brewery is about to turn 30. Big party planned this summer. It was the 90s. Life was as simple as a pair of 501 jeans and a flannel shirt. For me, it’s a marker in time. I remember exactly where I was and who I was with when I drank my first pint of Mac and Jack’s beer. I was at a patio party at Grazie Ristorante, the long-since-closed location in Bellevue. It wasn’t a fancy affair, which is good because my hair was impossibly long and I was probably wearing the aforementioned 501 jeans and flannel shirt. Mac himself poured that first pint for m ..read more

Russian River Brewing released its uber-popular Pliny the Younger triple IPA in late March (March 22nd-April 4th), with an ongoing event at its two locations in Sonoma County, California. The Sonoma County Economic Development Board just announced that Pliny the Younger’s release and surrounding events generated $8.6 million for the local economy. The number represents a significant increase (36.5 percent) over last year and a continuation of the upward trajectory. The economic impact of Pliny the Younger’s release event on Sonoma County. Note that there was no event in 2021. The Sonoma County ..read more

The Spokane Lilac Festival dates back to 1938, but the beer festival was added to the program more recently. The larger Lilac Festival includes all sorts of events and culminates with the Armed Forces Torchlight Parade through the streets of downtown Spokane on Saturday night. The 3rd Annual Spokane Lilac Festival Brewfest takes place on May 18th in the afternoon from 1:00 until 5:00. (Noon entry for VIPs.) The location is Spokane’s beautiful Riverfront Park. Here are the Brewfest details. On Saturday, May 18, 2023, the Spokane Lilac Festival Association (SLFA) brings together over 30 local br ..read more

There are plenty of reasons to visit Whistler, British Columbia and beer may not be at the top of your mind when you think about a place so commonly associated with outdoor adventure. But few things pair so well with activities like skiing, mountain biking, and hiking as beer. When dining and drinking in Whistler Village and the surrounding area, you will discover many restaurants and bars from which to choose. There is good beer to be had, but not much variety once you’ve found it. You’ll need some assistance. So, if you’re headed to Whistler and like beer, I have some advice. The Lay of the ..read more

Ol’ Crimson Legendary Lager represents a partnership between Pike Brewing Company and WSU’s Ol’ Crimson Booster Club. Pike Brewing officially releases the beer on May 10th. Ol’ Crimson Lager will be available on draft and in 12-ounce cans at retailers across the Pacific Northwest. You’ll also find it at Pike Brewing’s three locations in Seattle–Pike Pub, Pike Fish Bar, and Pike Taproom Summit.   Proceeds from the beer will benefit the Cougar Collective, a non-profit alumni group that supports academic and athletic programs at Washington State University. The Cougar Collective works to enh ..read more

A celebration of spring, beer, and German culture, May 11th and 12th at Burke-Gilman Brewing In Germany, Frühlingsfest is sort of like Oktoberfest in the spring. A celebration of beer and all things German held in the spring. This Saturday and Sunday, May 11th and 12th Seattle’s Burke-Gilman Brewing hosts its own Frühlingsfest. Here’s what they’ve planned for the weekend. “Frühlingsfest, meaning “Spring Festival” in German, marks the transition from the chill of winter to the warmth of spring. At Burke-Gilman Brewing, we’re bringing the spirit of this beloved festival to the Pacific Northwest ..read more

A transatlantic collaboration beer decades in the making and a dream come true for Icicle Brewing. It’s not every day that a brewery in Leavenworth, Washington gets to collaborate with an esteemed, 400-year-old brewery like Hofbräu München. For the unaware, Leavenworth is a Bavarian-themed town nestled beneath tower peaks, on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains. It is a popular destination for family vacations, weekend getaways, outdoor adventuring, and beercationing. Although Icicle Brewing does not focus entirely on old-world beer styles, it does call Leavenworth home, so the Bavaria ..read more

Aslan Brewing of Bellingham, Washington is preparing to commemorate a significant milestone. The company celebrates its 10th anniversary on May 18th. Located at a prominent corner in downtown Bellingham, Aslan Brewing reimagined and reconfigured a building at the corner of Forest Street and Magnolia Street. When the brewery and pub opened ten years ago, the community did not take long to embrace it. The beer, made with organic ingredients, was brewed to the local’s tastes and the food menu also hit the mark. (Image above courtesy Aslan Brewing.) In the ensuing years, Aslan Brewing opened a sec ..read more

Big news for Washington’s beer lovers. pFriem Family Brewers is now shipping direct, making its exclusive beer clubs accessible to a wider audience. In Washington, it’s not uncommon to see pFriem Family Brewers beers on shelves at better beer retailers. Beers like pFriem Pilsner and pFriem IPA, but fewer people are familiar with the Oregon brewery’s really creative and innovative stuff: barrel-aged beers, mixed fermentation beers, fruited sours, and so on. Those beers are stunning and really showcase the brewery’s prowess. And those are the kinds of beers that club members get to enjoy. Folks ..read more

On Saturday, April 27th, Ilk Beer opened its new taproom in downtown Olympia. The plan is to start regular service on Thursday, May 2nd (according to a post on Instagram). The location of Ilk Lodge will seem familiar to many local beer fans. It’s at the corner of Legion and Jefferson in downtown Olympia, the former home of the Fish Tail Brewpub, which shut down some years ago. Just like Fish Brewing, Ilk Beer is creating its product in the building across the street. (Photos from Instagram.) There hasn’t been a lot of noise about this one away from a couple of posts on Instagram, which is wher ..read more