Portugal 3 v 3 España, a good start to the day. Thereafter it was across the footbridge and down the hill to Qazis Indian Curry House which we passed last night en route to Outlander. Sadly, it was yet another tale of bland Curry. Hector is in despair. Surely there are real Indian Chefs in USA?
Bus 40 took us Downtown. As we waited I deduced the fare would be $1.00 or $2.50 depending on the number of zones we were crossing. The lady driver was out of a classic Hollywood movie. She enquired as to Dr. Stan’s age, as an – Honored Citizen – he was charged $1.00. As his buddy, Hector the Younger was charged the same.
The ORCA ticket office is just around from King St. station where we arrived yesterday. Once again, Dr. Stan was given a very advantageous rate for the next three days travel. Hector didn’t do too badly. Tip, come to Seattle after your 65th birthday.
Elysian Fields Brewpub was only a couple of blocks from the ORCA office. You would think we actually planned our days.
There is brewing on site at Elysian Fields, part of Elysian Brewing who have fallen to Anheuser-Busch’s ongoing campaign to associate themselves with Craft Beer. The place was near empty when we arrived mid afternoon, but busy when we departed over an hour later. Given the outstanding Bier that has been experienced on this trip, there was nothing here to excite.
The Immortal IPA at 6.3% with 62 IBU is gold, not copper as claimed. Chinook, Amarillo, and Centennial hops were present, the Bier was little more than – OK.
Avatar at 6.3%, a Jasmine IPA was ordered in an attempt to try something different. Not so great – was noted, indeed, – a bit flowery. Glacier and Amarillo hops.
The barman, on receiving his tip, presented a decent sample in the plastic glass. Testing One Two, an IPA at 6.7% was the best of the three. Summit, Azacca, Jarrylo, and Pekko Hops gave the taste of citrus, herbs and spice with no surprise aftertaste, which the Avatar had done.
Having amassed a decent quantity of Bier, this was certainly a good warm up to the day. Dr. Stan was calling the shots as to where we were headed next. Where we ended up was certainly not part of any plan.
We went to the Transit Station on the east side of King St. train station – International District / Chinatown Station. From there, the light railway / tram should have taken us to Beacon Hill Station outside Perihelion Brewery, a seventeen minute journey, simples.
On arriving at the Transit Station I knew I had to tap my ORCA card. Dr. Stan’s special card worked fine, mine did nothing. The third machine finally – pinged. Down we went into the bowels of Seattle. The platform was stowed, the information board was quite confusing. Time to consult Google for more precise information. The LG was having none of it. No trams came, instead a bus came out of the darkness into the station, everyone else got on. In a move that would have made Marg proud, I adopted her logic, we got on too. We sat at the back of the bus, Hector getting the battery out of the frozen LG. We were heading south, in the right direction. With Google Maps restored I assured Dr. Stan that if we turn left – here – then we were OK.
The bus turned left, then right, on to the freeway, Interstate 5 – to be precise. I now know this to be Bus 101, but where were we headed, how soon could we alight?
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport lay ahead of us as did ten Brewpubs scattered across many kilometres. Our next Bier would be truly random.
Renton, not the one beside Alexandria in the Vale of Leven, but home to the Boeing aircraft factory was the first settlement we could alight at. That we passed St. Anthony School must prove we were never – lost.
Walking in from the western edge of the town, actually Renton is a city, we passed two Curry Houses, neither open. Google shows a cluster of six within walking distance of each other. Renton has two downtown Brewpubs, Four Generals Brewing was reportedly open, Dubtown Brewing Company around the corner was in reserve.
We walked in to the premises to the strain of the loudest music we have heard in our fifteen days here in USA, but still at a level to permit conversation, British bars please note. Black Sabbath was followed by more Black Sabbath, then even more. The barman loves Black Sabbath. As we settled down to the first of our two excellent Biers, I had to tell him I saw the classic line-up back in 1974 at the time of Vol 4. With two support acts, Necromandus and Byzantium, it was a ridiculously short main set from Black Sabbath. This afternoon I would hear more Black Sabbath than I did the night of the Glasgow concert. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, I sold the original vinyl decades ago, I must buy the CD, great stuff.
Renton River Haze at 6.3%, a New England IPA, bring it on! Gold and milky, the Usual Suspects were here, this Bier was very pleasantly hopped with Citra, Cryo, Amarillo and Magnum.
Black Sabbath gave way briefly to Led Zeppelin, one silly US “wrack-music” song had to be suffered before normality was restored, more Bier, more Black Sabbath.
The West Coast IPA at 7.4% with a very interesting 82 IBU was more amber than gold and with a haze. The Zeus and Cascade hops were full on, another Bier – in the style – and far too easy to drink for this abv.
During my short tour of the building, I had to record the old gaol cell, a bit of Renton history inside Four Generals Brewing.
Google came up with Bus 148 which would take us to Perihelion Brewery just south of the intersection of Interstates 5 and 90. Who knows, one day I might come back chauffeur driven. A one hour nine minutes journey? They’re having a laugh.
The main bus stops were a couple of blocks away. Renton most certainly has its attractions and is very close to the airport such that a taxi could be considered. Arriving/Departing by ‘plane, this could be an ideal place to spend a night before/after. I also now see four Brewpubs, two downtown and two a kilometre to the north near the lakeside Boeing factory, and quite a few more a short hop by taxi. Six Curry Houses, I wonder what the Curry is like here? Hector Curry-Heute should have stayed to find out!
Perihelion Brewery was busy inside and out, it was dinner time. We were hungry too. Unfortunately, I had ordered the Stout Adobo Chicken Wings before I established what the mysterious Bone Marrow Dish was all about. Dr. Stan had a very strange looking Chilli Con Carne.
Galactic Drift IPA at 6.6% and an impressive 81 IBU was the first Bier. Amber, with a slight haze, there was nothing not to like, another Bier – in the style. Mosaic hops featured.
Food sorted, and a limited photographic coverage achieved due to trying to respect privacy, Mein Host proved to be very happy to pose. It was good to meet him and tell our tale. Fifteen days in, we have covered a lot of Brewbpubs.
*
Roasted Pepper IPA at 6.7% and the same 81 IBU was Bier #2. Dark gold, with a slight haze, the dry flavours gave a punch rather than a kick. Poblano Chilli Peppers, new to Hector.
Beacon Hill Transit Station was deserted. We sped north on the light railway to 3rd Ave & Union St. where Bus 62 could have been our connection. We checked out Dexter Brewing but were too late, so many Brewpubs shut early. Bus 40 arrived within the scheduled three minutes and took us back to Fremont, we knew Outlander would be open late, that was good enough.
Dr. Stan insisted on alighting at North 36th Street before the blue dot on the LG said so. He then led me in the wrong direction back towards Quazis. Outlander is this way!
Marmalade IPA at 5.5% seemed a bit thin after the delights had at Perihelion. I was expecting citrus flavours but did note that – tangerine – came across. For the next and final Bier of the day, there was no holding back, time for a DIPA.
Mr Pekko Double IPA at 8.2% certainly had the body, but not the full on sense of hops that was expected. You can’t win them all.
Today we have managed our quota of four Brewpubs, but only three new ones. We lost a good ninety minutes due to the unplanned trip to Renton, however, having been, it is something songs will be sung about for years. Renton, I’ll be back.
France v Australia at 02.00? Maybe not.
The Brewpubs and restaurant visited today:
Elysian Fields – 542 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
Four Generals Brewing – 229 Wells Ave S, Renton, WA 98057
Perihelion Brewery – 2800 16th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144
Outlander Brewery and Pub – 225 N 36th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Qazis Indian Curry House – 473 N 36th St, Fremont, Seattle, WA 98103