Best breweries in Seattle

My husband and another couple are planning 4 days of sightseeing in Seattle. The guys are microbrew snobs, so we need to plan visits to the best breweries into our touring schedule. We would like to visit many of the top attractions. Which breweries should be on our "must visit for great beers" list?

Are they near any of the top attractions, and are they accessible by the HoHo trolley or easy public transportation?

would you recommend buying a City Pass (we are making reservations for lunch at the Space Needle)?

Pyramid ale house...apricot ale...heaven.

and decent food too....

down by the stadiums so i guess easy..i had a car...or walked/cabbed from the train station..

As for the other stuff...sorry...

Sent from my Galaxy S3, somewhere in the galaxy

Pyramid ale house...apricot ale...heaven.

and decent food too....

 

down by the stadiums so i guess easy..i had a car...or walked/cabbed from the train station..

 

As for the other stuff...sorry...

 

Thanks- Pyramid is at the top of our must do list.

Elysian - several locations, pick the one most convenient to you.

Pike Brewing - inside the epnoymous market, so can't beat the convenience, but it also gets hella busy. NB: if you sit in the bar it's British style service (go up, order, pay, collect beer) rather than using waitrons. Always have at least one beer on Cask (hand-pulled, natural secondary fermentation only no added fizz, slightly warmer than other beers but still served too dang cold IMO!)

Don't drink the stuff so I can't offer any help .... but maybe this section from the seattle visitor web site can:

http://www.visitseattle.org/Visitors/Discover/Beer-Culture.aspx

My husband and another couple are planning 4 days of sightseeing in Seattle. The guys are microbrew snobs, so we need to plan visits to the best breweries into our touring schedule. We would like to visit many of the top attractions. Which breweries should be on our "must visit for great beers" list?

Are they near any of the top attractions, and are they accessible by the HoHo trolley or easy public transportation?

would you recommend buying a City Pass (we are making reservations for lunch at the Space Needle)?

Since your guys are beer snobs, you know that this is a VERY loaded question!! You'll find a whole lot of fervent opinions about that because Seattle is passionate about its beer. I'm not so very into it myself, but some of the names I've heard from people who are include:

Elysian Brewing Company (several locations, Elysian Fiends in SoDo is probably the easiest to reach from downtown)

Georgetown Brewing Company (A little more tricky to get to--you might want a cab, which won't be exorbitant--but said to be worth it. They're in an industrial area, don't serve food, but it's not a long walk to a stretch of Airport Way that has some great, funky restaurants and a world-class beer shop called Full Throttle Bottles. It's a very old Seattle neighborhood that most Seattle tourists never see--so if you're up for an adventure...)

Pike Brewing (Super easy to get to, right next to Pike Place Market)

Maritime Pacific Brewing Company (Out in Ballard--you might want to combine it with a visit to the Ballard Locks)

Black Raven Brewing Company (They're right at the top of a lot of beer fan lists. They're out in the outer 'burbs, in Redmond. You could get a rental car and make a day of it--there are other breweries out that way, also many wineries and tasting rooms and some great restaurants in nearby Woodinville. Then maybe go for a drive--WA Hwy 522 to 203 to 202--through some beautiful country and come back by way of Snoqualmie Falls.)

Here are some lists from some food critics and serious beer fans...

Beer Advocate's Beer Guide for Seattle

Seattle Magazne's Buzzworthy Microbreweries

Seattle PI's Washington's Top Twenty Breweries

Seattle Beer Map (this will help you figure out where the heck some of these places are)

Or, if you're okay with letting someone else set the agenda, we have all kinds of brewery tours that will make it easy to get to several far-flung breweries and pubs.

Road Dogs Seattle Brewery Tours

Seattle Craft Brewery Tours

Puget Sound Brewery Tours

Enjoy!

I haven't done any brewery tours, but if you are willing to get out of downtown Seattle...

- Mac & Jack's is one of my favorite local beers and their brewery is in Redmond.

- Redhook in Woodinville has a nice patio restaurant in addition to tours. We like to ride our bikes there from Marymoor park. The exercise reduces the guilt of the delicious lunch. ;)

- The Issaquah Brewhouse (in my own town of Issaquah) is a Rogue Brewery, and they brew some of their own specialties. Food is decent, but I don't know if they do tours. Lots of beers on tap.

I checked with my husband, another beer snob, and he said that you couldn't go wrong with any of the breweries in the Seattle area and there are a lot of them. He did mention that the Ballard area (just a few miles from down town and easily accessible by the "D" bus), there are about 12 or more micro and nano breweries that are all within walking distance. If the goal is to try several, this might work well. Ballard also had a great variety of restaurants and small shops along Ballard Ave. and nearby you would find the Ballard Locks, which is worth the visit for many people - nice garden, watching boats navigate the locks and a salmon viewing area/fish ladder.

The highest concentration of new breweries is definitely in the Ballard/Fremont area. As stated before, the metro "D" line will get you out to Ballard very quickly from downtown. Some of our favorites are:

• Hilliard's
  
• Stoup
  
• Populuxe
  

Here is a map of the breweries that you may find helpful:

http://www.myballard.com/breweries/

Stoup and Hilliard's often have food trucks in their parking lots too... check Twitter for the current details.

So many great responses! Love to hear your favorites. If you all ever come our way- Delaware- we have been going to Dogfish Head since Sam Calagione opened the brewery in Rehoboth Beach. Come see us!!

I have to second Maritime Pacific in Ballard, and there are several other great microbreweries in it's surrounding vicinity.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

pike and elysian are both good.

pike and elysian are both good.

Has anyone done the breweries in Ballard? We were thinking of taking one of our 4 days in Seattle precruise to go to Ballard ( Locks, Sunday Market, and 12+ breweries. Can anyone tell me how many are within walking distance of the Locks and market? Any recommendations? We are staying near SeaTac. On public transportation I think it will take an hour?

My husband brews his own beer and makes wine. The only way I get him to travel is to plan brewery stops.

Has anyone done the breweries in Ballard? We were thinking of taking one of our 4 days in Seattle precruise to go to Ballard ( Locks, Sunday Market, and 12+ breweries. Can anyone tell me how many are within walking distance of the Locks and market? Any recommendations? We are staying near SeaTac. On public transportation I think it will take an hour?

My husband brews his own beer and makes wine. The only way I get him to travel is to plan brewery stops.

This is where Pox's Ballard/Fremont brewery map comes in handy. Click on the icon in the upper-left to expand the map to full-page side, and drag the map so the box with the names of the breweries won't obscure the locks (officially, the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks) on the map. You can see for yourself how far it is to the breweries and brewpubs marked. Drag the map and and look east, along the Ship Canal, and you can see the location of the Fremont Sunday Market, near the corner of N. 34th Street and Evanston Avenue N. It's mostly flat, and walkable, but it's going to be a pretty good hike--2.8 miles from the Locks to the Sunday Market, with no detours.

Here's another idea: are you up for a bike ride? Dutch Bike Company in Ballard rents bikes. Take the bus or a cab there, rent a bike, do your touring around Ballard and Fremont, return it, and take the bus or a cab back to downtown, where you'll catch the light rail back to SeaTac. You'd get to make a lot more stops that way--plus Seattle is very bike-friendly, so you'll get to see a little of it like locals!

This is where Pox's Ballard/Fremont brewery map comes in handy. Click on the icon in the upper-left to expand the map to full-page side, and drag the map so the box with the names of the breweries won't obscure the locks (officially, the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks) on the map. You can see for yourself how far it is to the breweries and brewpubs marked. Drag the map and and look east, along the Ship Canal, and you can see the location of the Fremont Sunday Market, near the corner of N. 34th Street and Evanston Avenue N. It's mostly flat, and walkable, but it's going to be a pretty good hike--2.8 miles from the Locks to the Sunday Market, with no detours.

 

Here's another idea: are you up for a bike ride? Dutch Bike Company in Ballard rents bikes. Take the bus or a cab there, rent a bike, do your touring around Ballard and Fremont, return it, and take the bus or a cab back to downtown, where you'll catch the light rail back to SeaTac. You'd get to make a lot more stops that way--plus Seattle is very bike-friendly, so you'll get to see a little of it like locals!

Great information!! Our Sunday is now planned. My husband can't ride a bike because of past injuries (mountain biking) so we will have to take a cab. Do buses run between the market and Locks? Or by the breweries?

Which Ballard breweries are the best (if we have to limit) and which are most easily accessible by public transit?

Is Ballard market the same location as Fremont Market or are they 2 different markets?

Breweries in Fremont are also on our Liszt. Any recommendations there?

Great information!! Our Sunday is now planned. My husband can't ride a bike because of past injuries (mountain biking) so we will have to take a cab. Do buses run between the market and Locks? Or by the breweries?

Which Ballard breweries are the best (if we have to limit) and which are most easily accessible by public transit?

Is Ballard market the same location as Fremont Market or are they 2 different markets?

Breweries in Fremont are also on our Liszt. Any recommendations there?

I don't know a whole lot about bus routes in that area, and I find the Metro trip planning site a little challenging--but you might want to give it a try http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/hiwire?.a=iTripPlanning . I'm guessing you can get close to a few breweries via a bus that runs down one of the main arterial streets, but you'll have to walk a bit in between them. Ballard and Fremont (the business districts of them, anyway) are flatter than a lot of Seattle neighborhoods, so at least you won't have to climb any major hills!

And I'm not a huge beer fan--I can tell you more about the food at a few of these brewpubs! A lot of people seem to like Maritime Pacific beers, and I like their food, but I thought it was a little overpriced. Hale's Ales has okay food, but their pub is a really nice, comfy space. And thus ends my knowledge of the breweries on that map! I do suspect that some of them don't have full-on pubs, just a small tasting room or retail store, so you might want to check on that before you hike over there and find it's closed Sundays.

The Ballard Farmers Market and the Fremont Sunday Market are different things. Ballard is mostly produce, with some prepared foods and some crafts sprinkled in, plus a few musicians and other performers. It's my favorite farmers market in the city--worth a visit if you're into tasty snacks and pretty food, even if you won't be able to buy a crate of Yakima tomatoes to take on the ship. It runs 10 am - 3 pm Sundays, on Ballard Avenue (a great street of old buildings full of nice shops and restaurants and at least one of the pubs on that map). Fremont's market is more of a flea market, with lots of random stuff (crafts, antiques and collectibles, just plain weirdness) as well as produce.

I used to work in Fremont, but it's been years, and I haven't kept up with the neighborhood bars and brewpubs. I just know there are a bunch of them! I also didn't find a handy list of Fremont breweries comparable to the Ballard one. I guess you'll have to refer back to one of those Seattle-wide beer sites and sleuth out the good Fremont ones yourself. I do know that the Red Door is a very nice pub in Fremont with great food and a pretty good beer selection (though they don't brew their own). It's right next to the Fremont Sunday Market.

I don't know a whole lot about bus routes in that area, and I find the Metro trip planning site a little challenging--but you might want to give it a try http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/hiwire?.a=iTripPlanning . I'm guessing you can get close to a few breweries via a bus that runs down one of the main arterial streets, but you'll have to walk a bit in between them. Ballard and Fremont (the business districts of them, anyway) are flatter than a lot of Seattle neighborhoods, so at least you won't have to climb any major hills!

 

And I'm not a huge beer fan--I can tell you more about the food at a few of these brewpubs! A lot of people seem to like Maritime Pacific beers, and I like their food, but I thought it was a little overpriced. Hale's Ales has okay food, but their pub is a really nice, comfy space. And thus ends my knowledge of the breweries on that map! I do suspect that some of them don't have full-on pubs, just a small tasting room or retail store, so you might want to check on that before you hike over there and find it's closed Sundays.

 

The Ballard Farmers Market and the Fremont Sunday Market are different things. Ballard is mostly produce, with some prepared foods and some crafts sprinkled in, plus a few musicians and other performers. It's my favorite farmers market in the city--worth a visit if you're into tasty snacks and pretty food, even if you won't be able to buy a crate of Yakima tomatoes to take on the ship. It runs 10 am - 3 pm Sundays, on Ballard Avenue (a great street of old buildings full of nice shops and restaurants and at least one of the pubs on that map). Fremont's market is more of a flea market, with lots of random stuff (crafts, antiques and collectibles, just plain weirdness) as well as produce.

 

I used to work in Fremont, but it's been years, and I haven't kept up with the neighborhood bars and brewpubs. I just know there are a bunch of them! I also didn't find a handy list of Fremont breweries comparable to the Ballard one. I guess you'll have to refer back to one of those Seattle-wide beer sites and sleuth out the good Fremont ones yourself. I do know that the Red Door is a very nice pub in Fremont with great food and a pretty good beer selection (though they don't brew their own). It's right next to the Fremont Sunday Market.

Again you have come through with the needed info!! We will plan on Sunday 8/24 in Ballard for the brew pubs and market. Brew pubs generally have great food, and we usually plan our meals there.

We can pick up fodd at the market for our land excursions (8/25- Mt Ranier and 8/26-28 in Olympic Park. We wante to get a styrofoam cooler and bring food so we can cook out in the parks. We won't be buying a bag of tomatoes, but the local food will work perfectly. Any "must haves" from the market to go with the beers we bring along? And of course my husband will be looking for Plinny the Elder- his favorite.

Any other brew pubs- downtown, stadium area, that we have to try? We are headed for Pike's Market and the brewery there as soon as we can drop off luggage!!

Again you have come through with the needed info!! We will plan on Sunday 8/24 in Ballard for the brew pubs and market. Brew pubs generally have great food, and we usually plan our meals there.

We can pick up fodd at the market for our land excursions (8/25- Mt Ranier and 8/26-28 in Olympic Park. We wante to get a styrofoam cooler and bring food so we can cook out in the parks. We won't be buying a bag of tomatoes, but the local food will work perfectly. Any "must haves" from the market to go with the beers we bring along? And of course my husband will be looking for Plinny the Elder- his favorite.

Where to start? There are a couple of bakeries at the Ballard market that do great breads. Samish Bay Cheese and Sea Breeze Farm have some wonderful cheeses. There are a few vendors who sell meats and fresh fish--not cheap, but super high-quality (look for Olsen Farms if you love good pork or Loki Fish for salmon fillets) And the produce...just walk around and see what looks good. July and August are the very best months for most local fruits and veggies, and the warmer weather stuff that comes in from the other side of the Cascades. And if you have a real sweet tooth, there's a guy who sells toffee--it's to die for!

I've made myself hungry!

Good luck on that Pliny the Elder--it's so scarce, one beer shop I know keeps a waiting list for when they get a shipment. But hey, you could get lucky! While you have a car, you might want to stop in a couple of the really good local beer stores and see what they have. My favorite is Full Throttle Bottles in Georgetown, south of downtown--nice folks, very knowledgeable, and they have a great selection of hard ciders, which is more my style. I hear a lot about Chuck's Hop Shop (two locations, one north of downtown, one east) and 99 Bottles (in Federal Way, a south-end suburb--it would be easy to stop on your way to Mount Rainier).

Thanks. 99 Botles sounds like a great place to stop. with all this planning, I realize we will be using publc transportation to get to Ballard, so we may not be buying very much. And we have to pick up coolers going out of town, after we rent our car Monday. Are beer and wine sold in grocery stores in Washington?

Thanks. 99 Botles sounds like a great place to stop. with all this planning, I realize we will be using publc transportation to get to Ballard, so we may not be buying very much. And we have to pick up coolers going out of town, after we rent our car Monday. Are beer and wine sold in grocery stores in Washington?

Yup. Also hard liquor now, as of a couple of years ago. Of course, some supermarkets have a lot better beer and wine selection than others.

Yup. Also hard liquor now, as of a couple of years ago. Of course, some supermarkets have a lot better beer and wine selection than others.

Neede to know this! We are also hoping to somehow catch Chuck's Hop Shop- a roaming beer truck. What a great idea!

What is the best way toi get to Fremont? Is it an easy walk between Ballard and Fremont?

Neede to know this! We are also hoping to somehow catch Chuck's Hop Shop- a roaming beer truck. What a great idea!

What is the best way toi get to Fremont? Is it an easy walk between Ballard and Fremont?

I'm not sure there's an actual Chuck's Hop Shop truck, unless I've missed it. I know that they have food trucks that visit their shop.

If you want to start in Fremont and head to Ballard, you can catch the bus fairly easily from downtown (route 28 or 40). If all you are interested in are the breweries then these buses will take you directly to Hale's which is one of the longest running in Fremont. From there, you can walk to the other newer breweries spread throughout the Fremont-Ballard area. The streets aren't very pretty as it is a light industrial area. Of course, as mentioned earlier, you could also start from the Ballard side and catch the "D" line.

My wife and I walked our dog around the whole area yesterday in about a four mile loop between Fremont and Ballard. If we had actually been stopping at the breweries, we could have easily hit the following:

• Hale's
  
• Bad Jimmy's
  
• Populuxe
  
• Stoup
  
• Reuben's
  
• Maritime/Jolly Roger
  
• Hilliard's
  

It was a warm day and we were walking without stopping, so it was definitely a little urban hike. The breweries aren't right next door to each other. There's always going to be at bit of a walk between them.

Also, I don't believe it has been mentioned before, but perhaps you would be interested in The Cycle Saloon. I haven't done this myself since we live right here, but we always see it roaming the streets.

I'm not sure there's an actual Chuck's Hop Shop truck, unless I've missed it. I know that they have food trucks that visit their shop.

 

If you want to start in Fremont and head to Ballard, you can catch the bus fairly easily from downtown (route 28 or 40). If all you are interested in are the breweries then these buses will take you directly to Hale's which is one of the longest running in Fremont. From there, you can walk to the other newer breweries spread throughout the Fremont-Ballard area. The streets aren't very pretty as it is a light industrial area. Of course, as mentioned earlier, you could also start from the Ballard side and catch the "D" line.

 

My wife and I walked our dog around the whole area yesterday in about a four mile loop between Fremont and Ballard. If we had actually been stopping at the breweries, we could have easily hit the following:

• Hale's
  
• Bad Jimmy's
  
• Populuxe
  
• Stoup
  
• Reuben's
  
• Maritime/Jolly Roger
  
• Hilliard's
  

 

It was a warm day and we were walking without stopping, so it was definitely a little urban hike. The breweries aren't right next door to each other. There's always going to be at bit of a walk between them.

 

Also, I don't believe it has been mentioned before, but perhaps you would be interested in The Cycle Saloon. I haven't done this myself since we live right here, but we always see it roaming the streets.

Thanks for all the great info. I just checked out the Beer Cycle. - what a hoot!! I think it would be a once in a life time event- my DH says walk- but I go for the fun. We may try this!!

Did you know there's a Beerfeast in town the weekend of the 22nd. It goes until the 24th. Look for it under seattlebeerfest.com. It looks huge so they can be as snobby as they want.

Did you know there's a Beerfeast in town the weekend of the 22nd. It goes until the 24th. Look for it under seattlebeerfest.com. It looks huge so they can be as snobby as they want.

Ooooh, good catch!! That's a big event--lots and lots and lots of exotic beers! It's at Seattle Center, so if you don't want to hang with the guys and drink beer all day, you can always do other stuff nearby--the Space Needle, the Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Experience Music Project, etc. And besides all the food vendors there for this event, there's a really good food court with some great local favorites in the Armory building.

cardamon, can you convince your husband and his friend that you planned this whole trip, cruise and all, around this very event, just to make them happy? That should get you brownie points to last the rest of the year!!