Home to lush evergreen forests, a diverse culinary scene and a thriving coffee culture, ‘Emerald City’ also has some of the best breweries in the Northwest region. From family-owned breweries serving craft beer to warehouse sized taprooms, more breweries are opening up each year. Head over to Fremont, Bellevue or SoDo (South of Downtown) to enjoy a pint of locally brewed beer in Seattle!
The Culture of Beer in Seattle
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When you think of Seattle, you think of Coffee, however, the Beer Culture in Seattle has really picked up pace over the last few years. So much so that Seattle now has the most number of independent breweries in the country! Seattle’s beer culture is as varied as its residents, from German lagers, Belgian Ales, Scottish Pale Ales, New England IPA, fruity Stouts and murky, strong Porters!
You can even try the ‘Northwest’ style Ales, first experimented and brewed in Seattle in the mid-1980s. You can go pub crawling in the Ballard and Pike Place Market neighbourhoods or get all your beer in one place by visiting taprooms in the Capitol Hill and SoDo neighbourhoods. Dive in for a curated list of the best breweries and taprooms to visit for an unforgettable pint of Beer in Seattle!
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One of the largest producers of craft beers and barrel aged beers in Seattle, Fremont Brewing is a popular brewery that brews small-batch artisan beers. All of their ingredients are sourced locally- hops from the Yakima Valley, water form the Cedar River in the Cascade Mountains. Their focus on sustainability and buying organic and local is what sets them apart. Try their flagship, award winning beers- Universale Pale Ale, Interurban IPA, and Bourbon Abominable Winter Ale.
Address: Offices & Production: 3409 Woodland Park Ave N, Seattle, EARTH 98103 Tasting Room: 1050 N 34th St, Seattle, EARTH 98103 Timings: Monday to Sunday: 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM
2. Old Stove Brewing Co.
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Located off Western Avenue at Pike Place Market, Old Stove Brewing Co. brews some of the best beer in Seattle and also has a resto-bar with indoor and outdoor seating. Their brews include Hell Hawk Stout, American Lager, Old Stove Pilsner and Piston Hondo Double IPA. To pair with beer, they have a seasonally rotating menu ranging from Hummus, Salads, Burgers, Fish and Chips and Wood Fired Pizza.
Find a spot by the huge 80 feet windows at the restaurant and enjoy your beer with beautiful views of Elliot Bay, the Olympic Mountains, and marine fleets especially around sunset!
Address: 1901 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98101, United States Timings: Sunday–Thursday: 12: 00 PM - 7:00 PM Fridays & Saturdays: 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
3. Reuben’s Brews
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Reuben’s Brews is a family-owned craft brewery in Seattle and is the most decorated brewery with over 200 medals for their beers! Try their Crikey IPA, Mind the Gap IPA, Robust Porter, Gose, Wolfsburg Helles and Gobsmacked IPA. Check out their taproom for weekly tasting tours and Brewtap to enjoy food with your beer. Food trucks such as QT Tacos, Burger Planet, Friday Tamale Lunch, and Frelard Tamales frequent the brewery.
Address: 5010 14th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107, United States Timings: Monday to Sunday: 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM
4. Stoup Brewing
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Stoup Brewing is a local favourite and is located in the Ballard neighbourhood in Seattle. Their Mosaic Pale Ale, Citra IPA, Helles Lager and Other Side of the Pillow IPA are hits among locals and beer lovers from beyond Puget Sound. Apart from a sit-down taproom, Stoup Brewing also has an upstairs lounge for private events with floor to ceiling windows and a deck over the beer garden.
Address: 1108 NW 52nd St, Seattle, WA 98107, United States Timings: Monday to Sunday: 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM
5. Pike Brewing Company
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The Pike Brewing Company is an independent craft brewery in the historic Pike Place Market. The brewery hosts tours of their entire facility along with a tasting session of their speciality drinks every Saturday. They also have a one of a kind microbrewery museum containing authentic pieces and a renowned collection of beer memorabilia. Check out the Pike Pub- a truly American gastropub and enjoy some of the best beer in Seattle along with freshly baked pizza and burgers.
Address: 1415 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101, United States Timings: Thursday to Monday 12: 00 PM - 8:00 PM
6. Ghostfish Brewing
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Ghostfish Brewing is one of the few pubs in the state that make small batch gluten-free beer in Seattle and ship globally. Try their flagship Vanishing Point Pale Ale, Shrouded Summit Belgian White Ale and Peak Buster Double IPA or seasonal blends such as Gosefish Hibiscus-Cranberry Gose and Fresh Hop Release. The taproom has both indoor and open-air sweating along with comfort dishes like fish & chips and 3-cheese mac, wings and chilli cheese fries that complement their beers!
Address: 2942 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98134, United States Timings: Monday to Sunday: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
7. Machine House Brewery
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A throwback to VIctorian era cafes, the Machine House Brewery makes some of the best English style ales and small-batch craft beer in Seattle. Their signature ales include Dark Mild, Golden Ale and Best Bitter while Nut Brown Ale, India Pale Ale w/ Citra/Mosaic/Simcoe and Oatmeal Stout are seasonal ales available on tap. Catch the latest games of the English Premier League or a Seahawks home game along with a cold brew at their taproom with friends and family!
Address: 5840 Airport Way S #121, Seattle, WA 98108, United States Timings: Wednesday to Friday 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM
8. Bad Jimmy’s Brewing Co.
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This warehouse turned brewery is one of few dog- friendly pubs that serve beer in Seattle! With an outside deck and beer garden, pinball tables and tasting events, Bad Jimmy’s is a fun place to hang out with friends and unwind. With creative beers, football games on a big screen TV on the deck and friendly staff, this place is a must-visit if you are in the Fremont neighbourhood!
Address: 4358 Leary Way NW B, Seattle, WA 98107, United States Timings: Tuesday to Friday 3:00 PM- 11:00 PM
9. Cloudburst Brewing
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Cloudburst Brewing is an industrial-style brewery and pub located in a 120 year-old building just north of the Pike market. Their beer menu includes Crushin’ Sandos IPA ,If When Now Not Ale and Happy Little Clouds Pilsner and food from the food truck Shilshole is welcome inside the brewery! Cloudburst Brewing has a cozy atmosphere and is perfect for a relaxed evening sipping on beer in Seattle!
Address: 2116 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98121, United States Timings: Monday to Sunday 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
10. Elysian Brewing Company
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Elysian Brewing Company operates from three locations and has a production brewery in Seattle. Three-time winner of the Large Brewpub of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival, they have brewed over 350 craft beers since it opened on Capitol Hill in 1996. Located next to major sporting arenas, they are usually packed with sports enthusiasts and beer aficionados. Check out their pumpkin beers and IPAs for a different take on beer in Seattle.
Address: 5410 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98108, United States Timings: Wednesday to Sunday 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Monday, Tuesday
11. The Good Society Brewery & Public House
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A small local brewery, The Good Society Brewery & Public House is a service-driven gastropub in Seattle. With every pint sold, they donate a portion to a local cause. Try their Hausbier Kölsch, Love Is Love Lager, The Night Nurse IPA and Wit & Wisdom Wheat Beer along with Pretzels and Pizzas. Support a local cause while enjoying a pint of beer in Seattle!
Address: 2701 California Ave SW Seattle, WA 98116 Timings: Monday to Thursday 4:00 PM- 8:00 PM Friday: 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM; Saturday: 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM; Sunday: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
12. Urban Family Brewing Co.
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Urban Family Brewing Co. is a contemporary brewery with a heated patio for onsite beers and a taproom featuring beers like Singularity: Honey Blaze Nectarines, Sacred Arrow and Moonstone. They are family and dog friendly, and have a regular selection of food trucks serving mexican, italian and classic American food. Check out their signature sour ales- oak ages in an exposed-brick watering hole!
Address: 1103 NW 52nd St, Seattle, WA 98107, United States Timings: Monday to Sunday 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM
13. Rooftop Brewing Company
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Rooftop Brewing is a new microbrewery & tasting room in Seattle serving excellent craft beers with a roster of rotating food trucks outside. They have a variety of Ales and IPAs on the menu and a beautiful outdoor seating patio!
Address: 1220 W Nickerson St, Seattle, WA 98119, United States Timings: Monday to Friday: 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday: 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM
14. Holy Mountain Brewing Company
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Holy Mountain Brewing Company is known for its vibrant craft beer scene in Seattle. Opened in 2014, it focuses on the barrel aging program, mixed fermentation and classic Belgian beers, hoppy pale ales and Stouts. Their beers are old across taprooms in the city, available in six packs and twelve packs in department stores or can be enjoyed on site at the pub on Elliott Ave
Address: 1421 Elliott Ave W Seattle, WA 98119 Timings: Monday to Sunday 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
15. Standard Brewing
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Standard Brewing is a brewpub serving Sandwiches/Deli, cocktails, noodle bowls,char siu burritos and a wide array of craft beers. With a spacious patio, relaxed vibe and out of the world beer, this low-key gastropub is Seattle’s most popular destination for beer drinkers young and old! Check out the Wolfgang, west coast IPA, and Czech Pilsner along with their famous tacos for some of the best food and beer in Seattle!
Address: 2504 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98144, United States Timings: Monday to Sunday 11:00 aM to 11:00 PM
16. Fair Isle Brewing
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This rustic urban brewpub is famous for its farmhouse ales and an outdoor heated patio. Their small batch beer specials include Heinrich, Tove, Rankin and Bobbi. They use locally sourced hops from the Yakima Valley and peaches from the Cascade mountains to make their beers, Wines and Ciders.
Address: 936 NW 49th St Seattle, WA 98107 Timings: Monday to Friday 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM ; Saturday and Sunday 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
17. Lucky Envelope Brewing
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One of the few breweries offering asian infused beer in Seattle, Lucky Envelope Brewing has barrel aged lager and IPAs. Check out their Raspberry Sour Ale, ENIAC Mosaic IPA, Peanut Butter Cream Stout, and Metal Ox Juicy IPA and have a pint at their outdoor beer garden or get a bottle to go.
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Aslan Brewing is a brewpub in Seattle making organic beers using locally sourced goods and sustainable practices. With classic bar food such as BBQs, Sandwiches and Burgers and Beers ranging from lagers, ales and ciders, Aslan Brewing also has a taproom at the heart of the Fremont neighborhood with more than ten beers on tap. The place is kid-friendly and can be the perfect family weekend lunch/dinner spot!
Address: 401 N 36th St STE. 102 Seattle, WA 98103 Timings: Monday- Thursday: 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM; Friday- Sunday: 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM
B. 7 Best Craft Beers in Seattle
Beer Jargon:
Before you dive in to experience the beer scene in Seattle, here is some beer vernacular that will help you find your drink of choice!
ABV (Alcohol by volume) is the standard measurement to estimate the strength of a particular beer. It ranges from 4% (light) to 20% (strong), but generally doesn’t cross 10%. IBU (International Bitterness Unit) measures the bitterness level of the beer on a scale of 1 to 100.
19. Polaris Pilsner by Chainline Brewing
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The Polaris Pilsner is an award-winning craft beer brewed by Chainline Brewing. It has a minty citrus flavour with a hoppy aftertaste. This amber drink looks cloudy and is light enough that it’s recommended for beer novices! Polaris Pilsner is the perfect balance of Belgian biscuity malts and European style bitter hops with a floral aroma. Find this beer at Chainline Brewing or any local bar in the Seattle- Kirkland area.
ABV: 4.9% IBU: 30 Price: Mug USD 6.50
20. Robust Porter by Stoup Brewing
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Winner of the 2017 Double Gold Medal-Sip NW award, Robust Porter is a beer that tastes of chocolate dipped in coffee- the best of all three worlds! This dark brown drink has hints of the bitterness of roasted coffee and dark chocolate but is balanced out by the sweetness of English malt. Enjoy the beer with Roasted or Grilled Meats.
ABV: 6.2% IBU: 45 Price: USD 9.50 for a bottle
21. Dirtyface Amber by Icicle Brewing
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Dirtyface Amber is a light lager beer with a bready malt taste and the aroma of roasted caramels. Icicle Brewing’s trademark brew, the dirtyface amber is a tribute to the trail crews and farmers, the lumberjacks and firefighters of the valley! Beer in Seattle doesn't get more authentic and malty than this! If you are still new to the beer scene, this lager is the perfect choice to accompany some seafood or pasta!
ABV: 5% IBU: 21 Price: Mug for USD 6
22. Saint Florian IPA by Silver City Brewery
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Saint Florian IPA was initially brewed as a fundraiser for the firefighters in Seattle. A strong, dark amber, opaque drink, it has a piney floral hop smell. With the bitterness of hops balanced out by the sweetness of malts, the Saint Florian is a by the book India Pale Ale. Definitely, for the more seasoned drinkers, this beer in Seattle is as Northwest as it gets!
ABV: 7.3% IBU: 55
23. Wild Warehouse Farmhouse Ale by Wander Brewing
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The flagship beer of Wander Brewing, Wild Warehouse Farmhouse Ale is a translucent orange, carbonated, fruity beer. The aroma is that of green apples and wood and it tastes like a medley of flavours- the sweetness of melon, deep earthy flavours of wood and oak, topped with a modestly bitter Belgian yeast flavour. Definitely worth a try!
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The Extra Special Bitter beer by Bellevue Brewing company is a murky copper brew that tastes heavenly when paired with some stone fired pizza or smoked wings. It has a caramel aroma and tastes earthy and nutty. You can ask for a pint at the brewery from the taproom or get a 22oz bottle to go.
ABV: 5.6% IBU: 33 Price: USD 80 for 1/6 bbl keg.
25. Mosaic Pale Ale by Seapine Brewing
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Mosaic Pale Ale is a unique northwest style inspired beer in Seattle that is best paired with barbeque or Mexican food. The pale has a golden hue with thick foam and tastes fruity and sweet with undertones of bitterness from the hops. It is the perfect beer for first-time drinkers or for those who want to enjoy a simple English ale.
ABV: 5.4% IBU: 35 Price: USD 4 for 16oz or a mug
Beer Festivals in Seattle
By now it is no secret that Seattle locals take their beer seriously. Seattle hosts a variety of beer festivals and tasting sessions throughout the year. If you are in the mood to meet some like-minded beer aficionados and sip beer from Puget Sound to beyond, check out these festivals for a world class mug of beer in Seattle! Source
The Spring and Summer season is famous for the Washington Cask Festival, presented by the Washington Beer Commission, Hops & Props at the Museum of Flight, Hop Scotch Beer & Scotch Festival, Washington Brewer's Festival, presented by the Washington Beer Commission and the Seattle International Beer Fest. The Winter season has a lot of indoor beer tasting festivals such as Oktoberfest, presented by the Washington Beer Commission, Fremont, Northwest at the Puyallup Fairgrounds and Leavenworth and the Winter Beer Festival, presented by the Washington Beer Commission.
Planning a trip to Washington State or the Northwest area? Make sure to stop at these microbreweries, gastropubs and taprooms and chug a pint of beer in Seattle with your friends for an unforgettable night out!
