The Plan for today included Curry, of course, followed by two north east Seattle Brewpubs. Thereafter we would head downtown on the very speedy Transit light rail.
Bus 44 from the top of Aurora Avenue took Hector on a twenty five minute ride due east along NE 45th St. to the University District. Here lies Chili’s South Indian Cuisine.
The South Indian Smokey flavour that features in Chettinad-style Curry is a particular favourite. I had hoped for Fish but was happy to settle for Goat Chettinad. Finally, at the thirteenth attempt, and this goes back to 2013 and New York’s East 6th Street, Hector was served a Curry in USA that he can say was – truly wonderful!
Dr. Stan didn’t know it yet, but he is accompanying Hector here tomorrow. He will take my word about the quality of the Curry, and Big Time Brewery is almost directly across the street. University Way could well become Hector’s favourite street in Seattle. I wonder what the accommodation is like around here … thousands of students, no chance.
The first westbound bus took me back along NE 45th St. to Floating Bridge Brewing where Dr. Stan was found drinking alone. It has come to this. Thereafter, it was just us and the charming lady serving until some sort of office group came in and had a Bier or two among the tanks. Fortunately, I had already made my photographic coverage of this decidedly bijou Brewpub.
Weyermann Malt, not from Newcastle, is becoming a common sight on this trip. Bamberg Malt, New World hops, what a combination.
In keeping with my most recent direction of travel, the first Bier of the day was Westbound IPA at 7.2% with 72 IBU. Perhaps a higher abv than normal to start the day, however, the Bier was definitely in the style we seek. With Mosaic, Simcoe, and Centennial Hops, this Bier was very light on the palate, a gentle start to the day.
With a long day ahead, I decided to eschew the hop and go Sour. The Oaked Apricot Sour at 6.2% and only 7 IBU is gold with a slight haze. This Sour lived up to its description: Kettle soured ale fermented with apricot and conditioned on American oak. Indeed.
Ravenna Brewing Co. is located in the heart of university land. We looked at the bus options, it was just as quick to walk, and so we did. Once we headed north from NE 45th St., we meandered though a residential area with lots of university buildings, fraternity and sorority houses even. There were no wild parties on the lawns, so much for Hollywood.
It was quite a hike, as we walked up the hill for the final steps, a thirst had been worked up, dangerous. There was seating in the shade outside Ravenna, what I took to be an ice-cream van on site was selling a more diverse range of snacks. The interior revealed a plant even smaller than Floating Bridge.
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I grabbed stools at a high table and let the Good Doctor go to the bar, or rather, join the queue. Our first choice of Bier was in keeping with our established norm. Triumph Mosaic Pale, an American Pale Ale at 5.8% is dark gold with a slight haze. I appear to write this a few times every day. Cool and refreshing, it was just what we needed.
That’s going down particularly well – I remarked to Dr. Stan.
Chatting with the staff was difficult. We were not sat at t’bar, and until near enough our departure, there was always a queue. The staff here stood out from every one of the near fifty Brewpubs we have visited on this trip, not one had a visible tattoo. It has been an unwritten rule that bar-staff in Brewpubs must be covered in ink. One day this current phase of having one’s body painted will end, then we’ll see how naph it is.
There was a schism for our next drink. Dr. Stan went crazy and ordered an 8.4% beautiful milkshake. The Secret Double Hazy IPA looked wonderful, no doubt it was, very much what we now seek. However, Limoncello, how could Hector resist?
Limoncello Cider (Elemental Cider Company, Arlington WA) at 6.0% delivered everything I sought at that moment. The – lemon – was radically different from anything else I have recently tasted. With that wolfed down Hector too could have got very silly and ordered the DIPA. We were headed downtown, our Brewpub tally in Seattle is below what it should be thanks to our Renton diversion yesterday.
On leaving, the main chap behind the bar asked – How did you guys hear about us? We’re only open two years and not in the main area.
Google Maps and the Washington Beer Guide – was the reply. Maybe in the years to come, Bier-Traveller may be added to this list.
Google provided us with a very efficient route downtown. Bus 372 would take us from outside Ravenna to the grounds of the University. From there there is a short walk down to the Link light rail. It’s a pity the Transit line does not cover more of the city.
Also waiting at the 372 bus stop was a Doris with a huge speaker in her backpack playing the sort of shite we have avoided throughout this trip. … female rapping …with nasal tones a la Rosie Perez. Why did the entire north of Seattle have to hear this?
Fortunately, it was only a couple of stops on the bus then the walk to the metro for the Transit Link station at Huskey Stadium, part of Washington University.
We emerged into Seattle’s central business district, a city centre full of people, busy streets, traffic. We hadn’t seen anything like this since leaving San Francisco. There are no vagrants here.
The Pike Brewing Company is where we were headed, just a couple of blocks away. Dr. Stan was a bit premature and entered the first premises displaying the name – Pike. Don’t tell him! With the Pike Place Market only metres away, not to mention Saffron Spice, the name – Pike – was plentiful around here.
Still in shorts, Hector knew that this establishment was way too posh for the likes of us. Despite this, we were shown to the bar in what was a truly grand restaurant. This was not a Brewpub, we know what they look like, but the mainstream Bier was surveyed before we made our excuses and left.
The Pike Brewing Company is a well established Craft Beer bar and restaurant. The entrance was arcade-like, we walked down the stairs into the beginnings of the Bier house. The walls are adorned with Bier trays and posters aplenty. The segregated seating areas were mostly empty as we entered, presumably one can book one’s favourite area within the house.
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There were no available seats at the bar initially. We declared our spot to be on stools at a ledge adjacent to the bar. In time, we were able to take up what we considered to be our rightful place. Dr. Stan took the opperchancity to buy food. This is what he ordered, I know not either.
Pike IPA at 6.0% with 45 IBU was a safe choice to start, indeed, the Bier was decidedly – safe. Once more this IPA is dark gold, with a slight haze. We have come to accept this as the – standard. One always hopes for something outrageously new.
Sitting on my left was Scott, a USAAF veteran. Our tale was told, he appreciated our mission to – chase the hop. The conversation developed, the barman was engaged at times. We spent another memorable hour here, there was of course another Bier.
Space Needle, well someone had to claim the name, is a 5.5% American IPA with 58 IBU. Scott assured us that this is Pike’s – signature Bier. With four hops from the nearby Yakima Valley, this is a tastier Bier by far, but still not at the – Wow! – level.
Scott understood what we are looking for. I don’t know where Dr. Stan intended us to go next, we never made it. Instead, Scott declared that we had to go to Cloudburst Brewing which was on the other side of Pike Place Market, and was not open late. Scott was due home, a quick phone call and his return was agreeably delayed. Scott would accompany us to Cloudburst, the big build up.
Scott led us out the rear entrance down to the market. He showed us – The Gum Wall – which was suitably disgusting.
The sun was setting, the skyline was spectacular. The Olympic Mountains lay to the west.
We stood at a vantage point to see – The Seattle Great Wheel – as featured in many a TV programme.
Finally, Scott pointed out the mother shop of a famous coffee chain.
Tourists? Us? Scott came out with a great line:
There’s a cross between a tourist and a moron, it’s called a – touron.
Clouburst is housed in an industrial unit, no posh bar and restaurant as in nearby Elysian Fields or Pike Brewing. It was time to get down and dirty again, some real ale drinking. Scott told us that Cloudburst was established by a former Elysian brewer who set this up after the Anheuser-Busch buy out.
Being a Saturday night, the place was busy, some of the board was showing what we could have had. It’s keg Bier, so why not change the barrels? The remaining choices proved to be more than adequate.
Refracted Light IPA at 7.0% with 58 IBU has Citra, Simcoe, Galaxy and Ella Hops. The flavour was full on, an instant winner.
I did my usual tour, camera in hand. In addition to the oft spotted Weyermann Malt (Bamberg), Simpson and William Crisp were also stacked up.
Gentle Coast Pale at 6.2% with 29 IBU had another blend of four hops. This time it was Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe and Hop 438. The given description mentioned – stone fruit. Indeed, a fruity tasting Bier. Whilst hazy, neither Bier has the – milkshake – appearance that we have encountered. Damn good Bier though, one day perhaps I’ll get back here and try more of their impressive range.
Scott bade farewell, he was a couple of hours overdue, and left us in the care of the barman. Hector was – last man out – of course.
Bus 62 took us back to Fremont and Outlander. The 62 Bus, no Saturday night singing on this one, no stopping off at the police station to deal with rowdy passengers. Dr. Stan was behaving himself this evening. I must text somebody.
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Outlander Bier was not going to compete with what we had just sampled at Clouburst. It was time to tick another box. We had passed the Schilling Cider House – The Source – in Portland four nights ago. It was time to try their – Hard Cider – and excellent it was too. The few Ciders I have tried have all been excellent. Dry, and with more body and flavour than the keg served at home, also livelier than traditional flat Cider from SW England, the Americans have something good going on here. And what better way to rinse the palate in readiness for the next hop attack, unless some Polish Hazelnut Wodka is to hand?
Three nights in Seattle, three visits to Outlander, they’re open late and it’s the closest Brewpub to Marco Polo Motel. Our faces have become familiar, we chatted with the owner who is Serbian and his Latvian friend. Hector was in Latvia last year, and so the bars in Riga were discussed. It’s a pity I have never found the time to write that trip up. Croatia won their first match in the World Cup, I don’t know how that makes a Serbian feel.
Marg and Hector head off to Hellas/Greece, Italia then Hrvatska/Croatia in a couple of weeks. We are due to be in Croatia for the final, that could potentially be a night to remember. Nothing is certain in football, unless the likes of Bernard Tapie has been involved.
Dr. Stan appears not to like the walk up the hill to the Marco Polo. Tomorrow is our last day and night in Seattle. There is a cluster of Brewpubs immediately to the west of our accommodation stiill to be explored, and Dr. Stan now accepts that he is having Sunday lunch at a Curry House.
The Brewpubs and restaurant visited today:
Floating Bridge Brewing – 722 NE 45th St, Seattle, WA 98105
Ravenna Brewing Co. – 5408 26th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105
The Pike Brewing Company – 1415 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Cloudburst Brewing – 2116 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
Outlander Brewery and Pub – 225 N 36th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Chili’s South Indian Cuisine – 4220 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105