April 25, 2022
The roots of American craft beer extend throughout the nation, but the bines of the movement are clearly embedded in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). It’s there that hop farmers have cultivated not only a wealth of varietals but a thriving agricultural industry that provides brewers with 75 percent of the nation’s piney, citrusy, tropical-tinged botanical gems. Hundreds of breweries—from decades-old trailblazers to recently minted upstarts—blanket the Washington and Oregon landscape like densely packed bubbles comprising the aromatic head atop one of the region’s trademark IPAs. Here we present a quintet of standout operations to visit the next time you find yourself thirsting for authentic, local flavor in the Pacific Northwest.
1801 Birchfield Rd., Yakima (Brewery Taproom)
826 NW 49th St., Seattle (Bale Breaker & Yonder Cider Taproom)
The best way to get to know a brewing interest’s beers is by venturing to the source. Perhaps no brewery offers such comprehensive insight into its liquid wares as Bale Breaker, a brewery situated smack dab in the middle of a fully operational, fourth-generation hop farm. It’s from this fertile acreage that 100 percent of the hops for the company’s beers are grown.
Hops are in this nine-year-old operation’s DNA, and its portfolio reflects that. In addition to a septet of flagship beers highlighted by the Simcoe-, Citra-, Loral- and Mosaic-laced Topcutter IPA, Bale Breaker offers a Clarity Rarity series of experimental hazy IPAs and Homegrown Beers made with 100 percent estate hops and barley. Increased stylistic variety comes in the form of a year-round Pilsner and breakfast stout, plus collaboration beers released as part of Bale Breaker’s Frenz Series.
Any time of year is ideal for enjoying a Field 41 Pale Ale in the middle of the hop-saturated plot it’s named for, but Bale Breaker recommends visiting during the September hop harvest. That’s when guests can learn the most about the company’s unique farm-to-glass methodology from the comfort of a kid- and dog-friendly tasting room adjacent to a grassy outdoor area. Al fresco imbibing is also encouraged at Bale Breaker’s fire pit-equipped Seattle taproom, which it shares with Yonder Cider. That partnership is another first-of-its-kind setup from a truly one-of-a-kind business.
Pro Tip: Ask your bartender for the freshest beer from Bale Breaker’s Imagination Station five-barrel pilot brewhouse. These beers are unique and often unavailable anywhere else.
Hours of Operation
Yakima: Tu.-Th., 3-9PM; F-Sa., 12-9PM; Su., 12-6PM
Seattle: Tu.-Th., 12-9PM; F-Sa., 12-10PM; Su., 12-9PM
5010 14th Ave NW, Seattle
Variety is the spice of life at Reuben’s Brews. Located in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, this family-owned brewery fashioned 150 different beers in 2021 alone, 87 of which were available in cans or bottles. That awe-inspiring quantity was marked by verifiable quality, with 30 of those beers—ranging from English to Belgian to German styles—medaling at numerous brewing…
