Keg Beer Source in Seattle

[Schielke]

Does anybody know a good source of high quality Keg Beer in Seattle? I still have a ton of tasting to do (poor me ), but I think I will need 1 whole or 2 pony kegs of top quality beer for my reception. Where should I start with this? I am thinking bottleworks might be a good start, or perhaps checking with The Taphouse in Bellevue (supposedly upwards of 140 beers on tap).

Also, any recs for a easy to drink, yet flavorful beer? I am thinking of doing one heavier Amber style such as Blue Heron and then one Lighter easier drinking beer that is not piss water.

Ben

Edited September 2, 2003 by Schielke (log)

[MsRamsey]

and then one Lighter easier drinking beer that is not piss water.

A pilsner might be nice. Off the top of my head, there's (of course) Pilsner Urquell. Elysian's Zephyrus Pilsner is great too. Also, Bottleworks sounds like an excellent place to start looking.

[Schielke]

I was thinking a cider even might be nice. Klink introduced me to the Woodchuck granny apple cider...which does indeed rock.

Ben

[rooberu]

If I may be so bold, I would suggest you check out Maritime Pacific Brewing in Ballard. http://maritimebrewery.citysearch.com/

If you are looking for a pils, their Portage Bay Pilsner is excellent. They sell kegs directly and I haven't had an MPB beer that I haven't liked.

[chuck]

Go to any of the local breweries. This is the most exciting place in the country to (have to?) look for beer, and you'll find a ton of options. Big Time in the U. District, Hale's in Fremont, Elysian on Capitol Hill, Maritime in Ballard, Dick's in Centralia, La Conner in La Conner, Boundary Bay in Bellingham, Diamond Knot in Mukilteo, Scuttlebutt in Everett, Fish Tail in Olympia, Winthrop in Winthrop. Good god man, you've got weeks and months of research to do. Get to know the beers, the brewers, and get more than you think you'll need. Once you find great beer, it'll disappear very quickly. If you can't leave the city head for one of the pubs and talk with the buyers about what will be a crowd pleaser. The Latona, Cooper's, the 74th Street Ale House. They'll know what to do. Don't forget to drink some when the time comes...

[Schielke]

Heh heh heh, yeah I am looking forward to all the beer tasting I get to do for 'research'. I have already started my wine 'research'.

The style of beer I am looking for should be one that introduces really great beer to people who don't drink really great beer. I am thinking of a flavorful yet smooth drinking light beer as a choice. Pilsner does fit the bill and I love the LaConner pilsner, but I think it might be a shade too hoppy for the average bear. Heffeweisen pops to mind, but I think it will be out of season for most brewers. What else am I forgetting?

Another thought was Caffrey's Irish Ale, which is a light smooth drinking beer on Nirto, which only makes it smoother. I could drink it all day. Does anybody know what it takes to get a Nitro beer such as Caffrey's or Guinness hooked up to a normal tap? Is it even possible?

[Batgrrrl]

As a recent decider on these sorts of issues I would say first, go local. There are amazing local beers; yes, Caffrey's is really good, but you're getting married *here*!!! I second the recommendation to Maritime, and to Hale's--I think those two breweries are making the most well-rounded and still complex beers in the Seattle area. Big Time and Elysian both tend to be a bit hoppier than most, which means they do great IPAs, but as you say, lots of people aren't into seriously hoppy beers. It's been a while since I tried Elysian, though, so that may have changed.

One near-local recommendation is Deschutes, out of Bend, Oregon. They make fabulous, amazing beers. See if you can find out when Cindercone Red is available--it's a seasonal, I think spring, so it should be around for a March (right?) wedding. We were lucky enough to score one of the last 5 kegs in Seattle for our wedding--so you probably sampled it there! It's an eminently drinkable beer, complex but not overpowering, rich but not heavy. All of Deschutes' stuff is excellent.

Good luck! I envy you the tastings.

Batgrrrl

[Schielke]

The cinder cone is good and will be high on the list to taste again. I think that the Diamond Knot brewery also falls into the hops-lover category, which is too bad since I do like their beer. I will be sure to sample it though...just to make sure.

[theakston]

Pretty sure you can get New Belgium beer in Seattle.

Fat Tire, Loft or Porch Swing fit into the category of easy drinking but not piss water that you are looking for.

[col klink]

I second the nomination for a keg of Cinder Cone from Deschutes, it's what Batgrrrl and I had at our wedding. Not only did the serious beer snobs love it but so did the relatives from the Midwest. You simply cannot go wrong with it by anyone. Make sure to talk to your keg distributer and reserve one. Of course, since it's a seasonal, I don't know if they're going to repeat it.

Hale's is a great brewery and they're pale ale is great as one of your "lighter" beers. Some day take a day trip to both Hales brewpub (8th and Leary in Ballard) and Maritime Pacific's brewpub (the Jolly Roger, Leary and 15th in Ballard, right under the 15th Ave bridge). I'm a huge fan of Maritime's Nightwatch dark amber -- it's like Deschute's Black Butte Porter but lighter. A fascinating beer. While you're at the Jolly Roger, order a fried pickle and their onion rings. They smoke their onions before frying them with panko! Easily the best onion rings (and fries) in the city.

[Schielke]

Will do. All in the name of science.