A couple months ago we reported that Jeff Smiley, the owner of Seattle’s Baron Brewing, intended to move his operation about 100 mile south to a new location in Chehalis, WA. (Read that story.) While many of our regular readers were interested to hear that Baron was moving to a new location, a broader audience was excited to hear that a turn-key brewery was for sale in Seattle.  Today we have more details about that aspect of the story.

Baron Brewing has been located in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood since 2003.  Jeff says that he is not interested in “piecing out” the brewery. He’s taking his 30 bbl equipment with him and leaving the complete 7 bbl system behind. Understandably, he is only interested in hearing from serious buyers.

Here is the deal in Jeff words:

I’m going to be moving my brewery from Seattle to Chehalis.  As part of the move I’m selling our operating 7bbl brewery in Southpark.  I’m going to be taking our 30bbl equipment and moving it to the Chehalis brewery and leaving all the 7bbl equipment in place to allow a brewer to walk in the door and start brewing immediately.  The price is $275,00 to $475,000 depending on what equipment is wanted. Pictures available at flickr.com. Search on Flickr Member  “baron brewing”. I’m not looking to sell individual pieces of equipment. Please don’t have anyone contact me unless they have funding. Contact: jeff@baronbrewing.com

Thanks!

Jeff Smiley

Baron Brewing

Just east of the Columbia River, somewhere between Interstate 90 and Highway 28, you will find a small chain of lakes known as the Ancient Lakes. Not far away in the town of Quincy you’ll find a brewery bearing the name of these remote and unfamiliar lakes. The brewery is anything but ancient: Ancient Lakes Brewing Company was born in 2010, the brainchild of longtime Quincy resident John Cedergreen.

Some years ago Cedergreen was visiting his daughter in California, touring the Napa Valley and tasting wine. At some point he asked someone where the winemakers went to relax and enjoy a libation after work. “The guy explained that he and the other winemakers go to the local brew pub in Calistoga and drink beer,” Cedergreen told me. “Apparently winemakers like good beer. I’ve also noticed, first hand, that when people are out wine tasting they often seek out beer, too.”

Returning home to Washington, Cedergreen let his Napa experience ferment for a while. He eventually began to recognize that Washington’s wine country is dotted with breweries. He also recognized that more and more wineries were opening around the Quincy area. In fact the process of establishing the Ancient Lakes AVA (American Viticultural Area) is currently under way.

At some point, it became clear that he should consider opening a brewery in Quincy. He discussed the idea with friends and eventually decided to pull the trigger. It was a change of direction for Cedergreen, who recently sold his family’s Quincy-based food processing business and was looking for a new challenge. There was one major obstacle: he didn’t know how to brew beer. Enter Mike Silk, a local school teacher who also happened to be an expert home brewer.

Ancient Lakes Brewing is a nanobrewery. However you define that term, Ancient Lakes Brewing fits the bill. The brewer still works a day job. The brewery is located at a residential location. They brew the beer in small batches. Mike Silk brews the beer on a beautiful, two-third barrel Sabco system.

The brewery’s offerings include all the standards: Amber, Porter, IPA, Hefeweizen and so on. I was particularly fond of the Antler Dance Amber.

The brewery is located in a garage at Silk’s house a few miles out of town amongst the farms.  They generally don’t consider the brewery open to the public, but that doesn’t mean you cannot sample the beer. You can get the beer at The Grape, a wine bar in downtown Quincy that regularly features a full complement of Ancient Lakes’ beers. While it isn’t the official tasting room, The Grape certainly feels like it. When I visited on a Saturday afternoon many of my fellow patrons were drinking beer. Some of them had spent the first part of the afternoon tasting wine at local wineries and were now seeking (and finding) good beer.

Ancient Lakes on tap at The Grape.

You can also find Ancient Lakes’ beers at a few accounts around Grant County, especially in Quincy. Check the Ancient Lakes Brewing website for a current list of clients.

Cedergreen told me he recognizes that brewing on such a small scale isn’t economically viable. There is no question that he has a head for business and everything about Ancient Lakes Brewing seems very deliberate and thought-out. He explains that they do indeed have a plan and this is a first step. He recognizes the value of moving slow and managing growth. What’s more, he understands that it all starts with good beer.

Assuming that Ancient Lakes enjoys the same kind of success that other breweries are currently experiencing, I suspect that the plan will move forward, the brewery will grow, and eventually the beer will be more widely available. When wine geeks do indeed establish the Ancient Lakes AVA, there will already be a brewery bearing the name.

A couple months ago we paid a visit to Odin Brewing Company in South Seattle’s South Park neighborhood (read that story). Today we’ve gotten word that they are ready to open their tasting room.

Odin Brewing Company Invites Public to Tap in and Taste

SEATTLE- March 17, 2010- Odin Brewing Company announces the grand opening of their tasting room located in the Seattle area of South Park. The tasting room will be open to the public March 19, 2010 from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at 9130 15th Pl. S. Suite F Seattle, WA 98108. (Map)

Come taste Odin’s portfolio of Odin’s Gift and Freya’s Gold. Odin’s Gift is a bold yet balanced filtered ruby colored ale. It is brewed in small hand-crafted batches with just the right amount of hops and juniper berries to deliver a unique and fresh aroma, flavor and finish. Freya’s Gold is a finely balanced kolsch style ale with a delicate fruity aroma and clean, dry finish.

Back by popular demand, Black Raven Brewing‘s Wisdom Seeker Double IPA. The brewery will re-release the beer tomorrow at the brewery’s taproom (the Raven’s Nest) and it is sure to go fast. Quantities are limited: they only brewed 5 barrels. It will be available at the brewery’s taproom (Raven’s Nest) in pints and growlers. Other than that, a very few select accounts might get one of the four or five 1/6 barrel kegs they’ll distribute. Depending on how well the particular publican decides to publicize the event, you can expect a “pliny-like” frenzy whenever they tap into one of those.

NEW BEER RELEASE

Wisdom Seeker Double IPA

Release date: Tuesday 2/23

Back by popular demand (and because the brewers have drank all their secret stash), the Wisdom Seeker Double IPA is the latest seasonal release from Black Raven Brewing. This big and bold IPA is brewed in the American Double IPA style.

Featuring a large cast of hop varieties stitched together to create a big hop flavor and finish … over 37 pounds!

ABV: 9.0%
IBU: 85+

Malt: 100% base ESB malt

Hops: Nugget, Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe, Amarillo, Citra, Summit

WARNING: Based on previous history, this beer will go fast. We will be filling growlers but no kegs to go.

Chambers Bay Grill is hosting a 7 Seas beer-pairing dinner. (Details below.) Such dinners used to be a rarity. Lately, these kinds events have become more common and this makes us happy. More chefs are finally acknowledging publicly that food and beer can be artfully paired. Cheers to that.

We don’t do full reports to tell you about each one of these dinners, but we do include them on our events calendar. This one, however, sounds particularly lovely – not only the food and beer, but the location as well. Chambers Bay Grill, at the Chambers Bay golf course, will host a 7 Seas beer-pairing dinner on Saturday, February 27th.

Being a golfer of vastly limited skills, I have only seen the golf course at Chambers Bay when passing by on the train. It is beautiful. The views from the course must be amazing. It is no wonder that that USGA decided to hold the 2010 U.S. Amateur Championship and the 2015 U.S. Open Championship at Chambers Bay. On top of that, we’ve hear great things about the restaurant.  Anyway, here are the details about the upcoming beer-pairing dinner.

7 Seas Brewing Co. and Chambers Bay Grill are joining forces to create what should be an amazing evening of great beer and thoughtfully, well executed, delicious food prepared by Executive Chef Dustin Joseph.  On Saturday, February 27th from 7-9 PM, guests will sit down to a four course meal.  Each dish has been designed and strategized around a pairing with a certain 7 Seas beer.

You can enjoy the harmony found between a pint of Cutt’s NW style Amber Ale and sourdough bruschetta with citrus grilled asparagus along with caramelized chanterelle mushrooms and cilantro hollandaise.  Or, enjoy the bold flavors of Ballz Deep Double IPA matched up against hearty beef tenderloin along side blue cheese potato croquettes.  The event is $45 per person, plus gratuity and to make reservations call (253) 460-4653 EXT. 112.

We are very excited about this 7 Seas and Chambers Bay grill beer dinner.  We are looking forward to not only an amazing meal and beer, but also great company and conversation with all of you. We hope some of you can join us! Cheers!

-The 7 Seas Crew

It was quite a year on the Washington beer scene. We said hello to an amazing number of new breweries. We said our sad goodbyes to some dear old friends – two of them in the same week. Seattle enjoyed an entire week dedicated to beer, as officially proclaimed by the mayor, and somehow our livers survived. The mayor did not. One of our youngest breweries was the talk of the town in Denver at the GABF, when Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen brought home four medals.

What do you remember most fondly, or most sadly, about 2009?

We’ve compiled some 2009 highlights.

• Cut palms and shake hands. In January we told you about Elysian’s plans to brew collaboratively with New Belgium (read it). The result of this collabeeration is a beer called the Trip. This is old news by now. In a few weeks (Jan. 26^th) the Beveridge Place Pub will host a vertical tasting party where you can sample all five Trips (read it).
• Would not a rose by any other name smell as sweet? In February we learned that Laughing Buddha Brewing would be changing their name to Trade Route Brewing (read it). Later, in September we announced that Trade Route had moved its operation from South Park to Pacific, giving south King County beer lovers a much needed shot in the arm (read it).
• Ten versions of one beer. In March the Washington beer community celebrated the life of Bert Grant, and the 10^th anniversary of the legendary cask ale bearing his name, by releasing ten different versions of Herbert’s Legendary Cask Fest Ale. There were a number of events around Seattle that showcased the different versions, including the Washington Cask Beer Festival. (read it)
  

  In 2009, WA brewers made ten versions of one beer to honor the man and the beer.

• Gird thy liver! May was all about Seattle Beer Week, which actually ran from May 7^th thru May 17^th. There were so many events that it challenged both our time and our livers. We look forward to seeing what they come up with for Seattle Beer Week 2010. If you want a reminder of all the wonderful things that happened during SBW 2009, check our archives for May 2009.
• A Si of relief. In June we announced that publican Silas Reynolds was bringing the Porterhouse Pub to Seattle. Many Washington beer lovers were familiar with Mount Vernon’s Porterhouse Pub, but in June we learned that the Porterhouse team would be opening a new pub in West Seattle, giving Seattle yet one more truly great beer bar. They opened in August.
• Sixteen beautiful beers and two ugly ones. Also in June, we hosted the first annual Washington Beer Burcham – a celebration of Washington-made beers. At the Beveridge Place Pub, they had 18 different Washington beers on tap from near and far, representing the broad range of styles available from our local producers. At the official event, we pontificated on the virtues of drinking local beer.
• He’s kind of a big deal around here. In July, Skip Madsen (formerly of Waterstreet, Boundary Bay, Big Time, etc) introduced us to Breakaway IPA, an “instant classic” hopilicious creation. (read it) If you know nothing else about the man nicknamed “The Wookie,” you should know that he is a genius with hops. Though he does not officially have a brewery yet, he is currently getting by with a little help from his friends. (That is, making his beer at a friend’s brewery.) We recently drank his Breakaway Winter Ale and it did not disappoint. We look forward to seeing what Skip can put together in 2010.
• The new kids rock the block! Not surprisingly, September’s big news involved the Great American Beer Festival. Of course several Washington breweries won medals, but it was Chuckanut Brewing that really grabbed the spotlight when they walked away with four medals – an impressive feat for a brewery that was just barely a year old. (read it)
• Picking ‘em up and putting ‘em down in T-town. In October, we enjoyed the first-ever Tacoma Craft Beer Festival. (read it) This event took place in a very cool old building on the waterfront and featured a lot of great beer. It was an excellent event — very well-run, a pleasure to attend, and we look forward to doing it again next year. Great job guys!
• The new Washington Beer Commissioner. In November we told you that Eric Radovich had been named the new Executive Director of the Washington Beer Commission. (read it) The Commission made the official announcement at the WABL Anniversary Party where Eric introduced himself to the crowd. We look forward to seeing how they are able to advance the cause of Washington beer with his leadership.

Dick Young, the man behind the Danger.

New Breweries - A big story from 2009 involves the sheer number of breweries that opened, are poised to open, or are now in the works. It has been hard to keep track of them all, but we list them below in no particular order.

• Fremont Brewing (Open in Seattle)
• Pillagers (Open in Seattle)
• Black Raven (Open in Redmond)
• Odin Brewing (Seattle, unclear, but we’ve seen their beer out there)
• 7 Seas (Open in Gig Harbor)
• MT Head Brewing (Open in Graham)
• Foggy Noggin (Very near opening in Bothell)
• Airways (Very near opening in Kent)
• Palouse Falls (Open in Pullman)
• Icicle Brewing Company (Planned in Leavenworth)
• Grove Street (Open in Shelton)
• Riverport (Opened in Clarkston in 2008, but took a while for the news to reach the coast)
• Golden Hills Brewing Company (Open in Airway Heights)
• Just last week we told you about four other brewing companies that were issued liquor licenses, though we have few details about any of those. (read it)

Some breweries closed as well:

• Gilligan’s, a Seattle nano brewery closed in September.
• Cashmere Brewing Closed in September.

Brian Sollenberger, an infectious smile.

Lost Friends:

Gayl Bertagni - Co-owner and chef at the Swiss Pub in Tacoma. Gayle left us in May.

Jim Quilter – Brewer at the Ram, Iron Horse Brewing, Winthrop Brewing, and others. Jim left us in June.

Dick Young – Founder, brewer at Dick’s Brewing. Dick left us in October.

Brian Sollenberger – Co- founder and brewer at Diamond Knot Brewing. Brian left us in October.

Jay Fairchild – A friend to the industry who managed the Parkway Tavern, and also worked at Snoqualmie Falls Brewing and Aviator Brewing. Jay left us in November.

This Saturday, Dec 12th
Lazy Boy Brewers Night at Druid’s Glen

Title: Lazy Boy Brewers Night
Location: Druid’s Glen Golf Course – Fire Creek Grill
Link out: Click here
Description: Join Lazy Boy Brewing at Druid’s Glen Golf Course (Fire Creek Grill) for a brewers night celebration. There aren’t too often cool beer events taking place out in this neck of the woods (Covington) so we want to give this one a little extra push. If the weather is right, maybe get in 9 or 18 before hand.
Start Time: 5:00 p.m.
Date: 2009-12-12

Time flies when your having good beer so it is hard to believe that it has already been nearly a year and a half since Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen opened in Bellingham.  Today, Chuckanut announced the departure of one brewer and the arrival of another. Josh Pfriem is moving on to a position with Full Sail and is relocating the family to Oregon. He will be replaced by Kevin Davey – a Seattle-area homebrewer who has studied brewing at Chicago’s Siebel Institute and at Germany’s Doemen’s Institute, where he specialized in German styles.

Farewell to Josh and welcome to Kevin. Here’s the official word from Chuckanut:

Chuckanut Brewery will be saying goodbye to Josh and Annie as they move on to Oregon where Josh will be taking a position brewing with Full Sail Beer after Nov. 20. It’s an opportunity they can’t miss. He will be groomed for a management position in a great Oregon brewery. Josh and Annie have been a huge part of Chuckanut and we’ll sorely miss their never ending source of energy and positive attitude!! Not to mention their sense of humor, adventure, and creativity. We wish them and their entire family the best of everything and hope to visit with them as we all move into the future. We’ll also miss little Miss Sahale as she too brought much joy to our little brewery & kitchen.

As Josh moves on we will have Kevin Davey move in. He will be moving up from the Seattle area where he is a full time home brewer, plumber, and beer lover. He has studied brewing science at Chicago’s Siebel Institute and at Germany’s Doemen’s Institute (specializing in German style beers) in Munich. We are excited to have him join us in our brewing world especially knowing he’ll be able to help Will with our plumbing as we grow and in his scientific knowledge of the art of brewing. He’s brewed in Seattle with Big Al and was asked to join that brewery.  He’s very excited to become part of the brew team at Chuckanut and we’re happy to have him.

Have you heard about Groupons? Not coupons, but Groupons. Each day Groupon offers something cool at an unbeatable price. You only get the deal if enough people jump on it. That’s the “Group” part of it. Tell your like-minded friends about today’s deal and you will all enjoy the savings. It’s an interesting concept: one that I’ve taken advantage of personally. In short, if it’s something you need or something you are into, the Groupon is a screaming deal. Usually it is some form of a two for one.

Why am I talking about this?

Today’s deal is with Two Beers Brewing and I thought it was worth talking about here on the Washington Beer Blog. The short version is that you get a beer tasting and a T-shirt for $15.  It’s a $30 value for 15 bucks! What’s more, you get to go check out Two Beers’ brewery down in SoDo. (Or is it Georgetown?)

Check it out at http://www.groupon.com/seattle/

This is the kind of new, creative marketing enabled by the fact that we are all so tightly linked together by the Internet. Groupon fits right in line with things like Twitter and Facebook in a hip, young brewery’s marketing arsenal. Who needs billboards or television ads when you’ve got social media. Hundreds of people -more likely thousands of people- are being introduced to Two Beers Brewing today because of Groupon. Cheers to that!

Looks like a lot of people are jumping on this deal. Joel better get some more T-shirts printed.

Awhile back, we reported on a new brewery opening in Graham, WA – MT Head Brewing. We’ve just learned that MT Head Pale Ale is now on tap at the Red Hot in Tacoma. It’s called MT Head No Brainer Pale Ale. Love that.

When we interviewed Tim Rocky, the man behind MT Head Brewing, back in August, he was working out the bugs and getting things dialed in. We learned that he was brewing on a 2-barrel system and he hoped to distribute his beer as soon as (and as much as) reasonably possible.

We are not certain that this is the first time the beer has been “out there,” probably not, but it certainly is the first time we’ve heard about it.  (We’re working on details.) If you are around Tacoma any time in the next few days, you should stop by the Red Hot and sample some of Washington’s newest craft beer.