I just received the list of breweries and beers for this year’s Washington Winter Beer Fest. Once again the event showcases some amazing beers: Winter Beer Fest always features some wonderfully interesting beers as well as some seasonal classics. I share the list below. Don’t delay, tickets will go fast.

One of my favorite things about the Washington beer scene is the creativity our brewers express through their beer. Nowhere is this artistic zeal better displayed than the Washington Winter Beer Fest. Whether you fancy a traditional Winter Warmer or long for something more adventurous like a Bourbon-barrel chocolate Porter or a Peanut Butter Dark Ale, the Washington Winter Beer Fest is the event for you. This year’s fest features 30 different Washington Breweries pouring more than 70 different beers. I am guessing the number will end up being closer to 90 different beers.

Washington Winter Beer Fest takes place at the Hale’s Palladium on Friday, December 2nd and Saturday, December 3rd. Visit the official website for tickets and details.

Here is the list as it stands right now. I am sure there will be some changes and additions.

7 Seas Brewing

1) 2011 Wheelchair Barleywine
Brewed in the tradition of British-style Barley Wines, our 2011 offering displays burgundy/brown hues, a thick off-white head of lacey foam, toasted malt, a strong presence of raisiny, vinous fruit aroma and warming alcohol.  Crafted with British Marris Otter, dark crystal and aromatic malts, liberally hopped with Glacier and East Kent Goldings, we also added 60 LBS of locally sourced Washington State Clover honey to the boil kettle.  With its’ coating, silky rich mouth-feel, and complex interplay of deep caramel malt, ripe fruit aroma and sturdy alcohol, 7 Seas 2011 Wheelchair Barleywine is a colossal, yet refined brew. 10.6% ABV

2) Ballz Deep Double IPA
A mash tun packed mostly with Pale Ale Malt and several different varieties of Crystal malt provide a firm, slightly sweet malt flavor while copious amounts of resiny Yakima Valley hops go berserk on bitterness, flavor and aroma. 8.4% ABV

3) Port Royal Export Style Stout
Port Royal Stout (Foreign Export Style), combines seven different malt varieties to create intriguing flavors of dark chocolate, espresso, and roasted barley. Nugget and Mt. Hood hops offer a soft floral nose and just enough bitterness to balance the creamy, smooth finish. Dark and ominous in appearance, Port Royal Stout is a great sipping companion for any drizzly Northwest afternoon. 6.8% ABV

4) le Havre (the Harbor) Belgian Winter Ale
This seasonal offering is fashioned with reverence towards the long-standing tradition of Trappist Abbey-style beers of Belgium.  Brewed with Pale Ale malt, oats, and dark crystal malts, hopped with Fuggles, and fermented with authentic Belgian Abbey yeast, the ale reveals intricate layers of spice, fig, bitter chocolate and delicate alcohol.  An inviting, yet complex brew that implores us to relax, silence ourselves, and take a moment to appreciate what’s genuine, simple, and beautiful in life.  8% ABV

American Brewing Company

1) Winter Classic
A strong dark ale at 8.5% abv.

2) Special sour version of our brown ale

Anacortes Brewery

1) Cask Noel Winter Ale
Noel Winter Ale – Brewed to celebrate the holiday season, this winter warmer uses various aromatic specialty malts and has a prominent hop character from mild American Noble varieties. 7.0% ABV  45 IBU

2) Klosterbier
Klosterbier – Originally brewed at the Anacortes Brewery under the guidance of the visiting Brewmaster of Kalt Loch Brewery in Bavaria, this beer is modeled after a dark lager brewed by Kalt Loch for the Engelberg monastery. Our version uses Perle hops and a portion of apple wood smoked malt. 5.3% ABV  35 IBU

3) Broadsword
Broadsword Scottish Ale – This strong Scottish ale has robust malty flavors with subtle smokiness and a balanced bittereness from Perle, Cascade and Mt Hood hops. Broadsword is made with Black Patent, Caramel, Chocolate, Munich and Peat smoked malts for a dark color and rich flavor. 8.3% ABV  35 IBU

Big Al Brewing

1) Winter Warmer 2011
A dark Strong Ale with deep toffee and milk chocolate malt flavors, firm bitterness and a kick that will put the Happy in your Holidays. 7.5% ABV

2) Winter Warmer 2010
The 2010 Vintage of our popular winter seasonal. 7.5% ABV

3) Nut Warmer
Our take on the classic & traditional PBDA (that would be a Peanut Butter Dark Ale  for the non-beer geeks out there) 7.5% ABV

Big Time Brewery

1) Yule Fest
A dark Christmas Ale not fk’ed up with spices.  Complex malt character from multiple crystal malts. 7.3% ABV

2) Perspective IPA
Simcoe and Amarillo make this IPA a hop bomb that every hop head loves to detonate in their mouth. 6.1% ABV

Black Raven Brewing

1) Gunpowder Plot Bourbon Nitro Porter
Porter aged in a bourbon barrel with chocolate and coffee. 6.2% ABV

2) Festivus Seeker
Double IPA with cranberries, ginger and herbs. 9.1% ABV

Boundary Bay Brewery

1) Vintage 2008 Cabin Fever
A strong ale or “Winter Warmer” with dark red-brown color and a very rich malty flavor. Dry-hopped lightly with Cascades for a pleasant aroma and slightly spicy hop finish. This big beer is deceptively strong. yet tastes very smooth thanks to extra long cold conditioning. Three years of aging have transformed this brew in a rich. old-style ale. Original Gravity: 1.072

2) Barrel Aged Scotch Ale
Traditionally strong, this ale is a unique beer with a similar malt profile to its more famous cousin Scotch whiskey. Roasted, unmalted barley provides a distinctive flavor. A thick creamy head and a beautiful red hue are two of the trademark results of its brewing process. Hopped just long enough to achieve balance with the malt, the end product is incredibly smooth with a finish that lingers. This brew was aged in a Dry Fly Distillery Whiskey Barrel. We are thrilled to be collaborating with this new distillery located in Spokane, WA. Original Gravity: 1.064

3) Imperial Oak Aged Oatmeal Stout
Lightly hopped, it is aged for one month to allow the medley of dark malts and oats to celebrate their union. This brew was aged with toasted French oak adding hints of oak & vanilla. Vintage 2010. Original Gravity: 1.090

Diamond Knot Brewery

1) Front Street Bitter
Originally a batch of IPA that went sideways, this one is straw– to light-copper-colored, medium-bodied ale with some grassy, herbal goodness imparted by a generous Willamette dry-hop.  40 IBUs; 6.6% ABV

2) Industrial Ho!Ho!
A robust ‘winter warmer’ ale, ruby brown in color with a slightly sweet, fruity nose. Very hoppy, yet balanced with a sturdy malt foundation. 60 IBUs; 8.5% ABV

Elliott Bay Brewing

1)Organic Noale Holiday Ale
Brewed with a Dunkel Weizenbock recipe in mind, our winter seasonal ale uses 40% wheat malt to achieve its hearty texture and blend of caramel and roasted malts for color. 8.9% ABV

2)Three Threads Barrel-aged Blend
We dug deep in the cellar to fashion this one-of-a-kind blend of three different beers which were aged in oak barrels.

Elysian Brewing

1) Bifröst Winter Ale
Named for the mythical bridge connecting the mortal world to the heavens. Brewed with pale malt and small amounts of Munich and Crystal malts. Bittered with Simcoe and finished with Amarillo, East Kent Goldings and Styrian Goldings hops. Starting gravity 18.4° Plato (1.074), alcohol 6.35% by weight. 58 IBU 7.6% ABV.

2) Bye-Bye Fröst
An extremely strong pale ale made with huge amounts of two row pale and small amounts of Munich and Cara-hell. Bittered with Magnum, Amarillo and Styrian Goldings; finished with Amarillo and Styrian Goldings hops. Additionally dry-hopped with  Amarillo. Starting gravity 23.6° Plato (1.099), alcohol  8.3% by weight, 10.6% ABV.

3) Dragonstooth Stout
The name is referential to the founders of Thebes, warriors who sprang from the earth when the teeth of a slain dragon were sown by Cadmus. Made with 10% rolled oats, roasted barley, Crystal, Munich and chocolate malts. Bittered with Magnum, finished with Cascade and Centennial hops. Starting gravity 20° Plato (1.080), alcohol 6.2% by weight, 60 IBU. 7.45% ABV.

Flyers Restaurant and Brewery

1)Daybreak Breakfast Stout
A rich black oatmeal stout infused with coffee from Fidalgo Bay Roasting Co.. Smooth and very easy to drink, beer for breakfast you bet! English Barley Malts, and a generous portion of oats are used along with English Challenger Hops for balance. 7% ABV

2) Hop Duster IPA
We went with Crisp pale ale malt and lots of Columbus and Cascade hops on this one! When some is good and more is better is concerned this hits the mark, 7% ABV and tons of hops all the way through.

Foggy Noggin Brewing

1) Christmas Duck
A mouthful of sweetened roasty flavors that linger long as a roasty dryness. Satisfying in every respect and a pint of the holiday spirit each time. Everyone deserves to celebrate Christmas year-round. Jingle Beers! Jingle Beers. 6.6% ABV

2) Powder Keg
A Coffee Stout. 7.2% ABV

Fremont Brewing

1) Abominable Ale
A tasty winter ale to snuggle up to, released for the winter months when snow blankets the terrain of the mind and the body craves warmth and…Dark and roasty, chocolatey, malt flavors balanced by Noble hop aroma and subtle hoppy spice. Warm up to it. Don’t be Scared to be Abominable. IBU: 50 8.0% ABV

2) Bourbon Abominable Ale “Bbomb”
The 2011 Kentucky bourbon barrel-aged edition of our winter warmer.  Bourbon, wood and vanilla add to the dark and roasty, chocolatey, malt flavors and subtle hoppy spice.  Aged in 20 year-old bourbon barrels until just right. Warm up to it. Don’t be Scared to be Bbominable. IBU: 50 ABV: 9.5%

3) The Sister Imperial IPA
The Sister is a beast. Are You? Brewed with both extract and pellet hops, the Sister will sit on your palette and beat you down. And you’ll like it. Washington Imperial IPA, All Hail The Hops…and Great Head….from the Malted Wheat.  Down and Dirty: Pale Malt, White Wheat, Vienna Malt with Amarillo, Bravo, Calypso and Columbus hops. IBU: Billions and Billions 9.0% ABV

Icicle Brewing

1) SnowBockalypse (Doppelbock)
Deep brown lager with ruby highlights. Heavy, rich, and sweet malt notes carry this beer, with a slight warming sensation at the finish. Bocks were originally brewed in Germany, with the Doppelbock variation being attributed to the Paulaner Monks of Munich, who brewed this beer for their fasts when they were not allowed solid food. Doppelbocks served as “liquid bread”.  21 IBU. 7% ABV

2) Priebe Porter
A dark, rich and full bodied ale with a sweet aroma.  Strong malt flavors and character with a dry roasted finish. This Robust American Porter is full of dark chocolate flavor, complemented by the firm presence of Yakima grown hops.  Named for Head Brewer, Dean Priebe, this beer won many home brewing awards for Dean before he started brewing professionally.  Served in an American crafted traditional 16oz. pint glass. 34 IBU. 6.5% ABV

Iron Horse Brewery

1) Cozy Sweater
Vanilla Milk Stout 4.5% ABV

2) Brewer’s Choice TBA

Naked City Brewery & Taphouse

1)Big Lebrewski
The Big Lebrewski is made with copious amounts of 2 row Pale Malt, Chocolate Malts and Roasted Barley along with Magnum and Cascade Hops. Lactose is added for a rich creamy mouth feel. After primary fermentation, the beer is transferred onto 2 lbs of Kahlua soaked medium toast French oak cubes and allowed to condition for an additional month. The resulting beer is bold and rich with roasted coffee and chocolate notes and pleasant alcohol warmth. 9% ABV

2) Bing
English Style Old Ale aged on a combination of Bing and Tart Montmorency Cherries. 8% ABV

Northern Lights Brewing

1) Winter Ale
This hearty seasonal offering is crafted in the likeness of Northwest style winter warmers. We utilize 2-row pale, Munich, and Crystal malts plus 5 kettle additions of hops and dry hopping to create this deliciously hoppy winter ale. Rich maltiness and citrusy hop profiles mingle with fruity esters and alcohol to create a beer with classic northwest characteristics and a great drink for the holidays. 7.5% ABV

2) Frankin Stout
Imperial Stout. 9.5% ABV

Pike Brewing Company

1) Pike Auld Acquaintance
A Winter treat, infused with Curacao and sweet orange peel, cassia bark, nutmeg and coriander. 32 IBU. 5.00% ABV

2) Pike 5X Stout
Malt: Pale, Crystal and Roasted. Hops: Chinook, Willamette, East Kent Goldings. Color: Black IBU 65 7.00% ABV

3) Pike Imperial Stout
Hops: Chinook, Willamette, Columbus, Goldings. Malts: Pale, Crystal and Roasted. IBU 80 9.00% ABV

Port Townsend Brewing

1)Winter Ale
A rusty colored ale created by a multi faceted malt bill with enough cascade hops throughout to let you know it’s winter on the Peninsula. 7% alc/vol

2) Brewer’s Choice, TBA

Ram Restaurant & Brewery

1) Ol’ Mallwalker
“The beer formerly known as Seligher” – A festive strong ale deep copper hued with a sturdy malt backbone and assertive hop character – pouring 2009, 2010 and 2011. 9.5% ABV

2) S’no Angel
Our Winter Wizenbock features a rich and complex malt profile with hints of fruit, spice and chocolate and a smooth, warming finish. 6.8% ABV

Redhook Brewery

1)Winterhook
Cask Conditioned Spiced Winterhook. We put a twist on our winter seasonal by spicing it up with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and a bit of vanilla, then cask conditioning it! The base liquid is RedhookÂ’s 27th brew of Winterhook which has roasted chocolate notes that smooth out the quick, spicy hop finish. The rich body and nutty, malty backbone make this winter ale slightly naughty and very nice. ABV 6.0% / IBU 45

2) Down Under Stout
A“Dark, Smooth and Goes Down Easy.” A smooth and creamy brew that is loosely modeled after Australian and sweeter styled stouts. Brewed with plenty of specialty malts, this stout is dark in color with a rich and decadent taste. ABV 7.0% / IBU 55

Rock Bottom Brewery (Seattle)

1) Saison
2 row, Munich malt and Flaked Rye. Hopped with Nugget and Mt. Hood. Brewed with Lachouffe yeast strain. Crisp, fruity and spicy in the tradition of of French/Belgian Farmhouse Ale. 5.4% ABV, 26 BU.

2)IPA
Pilsner malt. Hopped with Citra, Ahtanum, and Amarillo. Dry-hopped with Amarillo. Dry and aromatic IPA with notes of citrus and tropical fruit. 7.0 % ABV, 65 BU.

Schooner EXACT

1) Hoppy Holidays
A rich, malty beer with an assertive but balanced hop character. This beer greets you with hints of chocolate and dark fruits on the nose. Flavors of rich dark malts with chocolate undertones play over your tongue and finish with a prevalent earthy hop finish.

2) Hoppy the Woodsman
This bourbon barrel- aged beer gives off an aroma of malty sweet chocolate with vanilla and oak undertones. Flavors of dark pit fruit will conjure up memories of fruitcake are intertwined with vanilla and oak flavors imparted from the barrels. This medium bodied ale finishes smooth and boozy with a good hop bite.

3) Barrel-Aged Imperial Porter
After brewing batch 100 on our 10bbl system, the brewers at Schooner EXACT squirreled away some of the beer to age in bourbon barrels. This very limited-release beer is the happy result.

4) Foxy Mocha Brown
Back by popular demand, this version of our classic brown ale is perfect for those dark Seattle evenings. Malty, rich nutty brown mingles with the energizing flavors of Schooner EXACT’s own hand-roasted espresso.

Scuttlebutt Brewing

1) Oaked 10 Below
This Imperial Dunkle is like drinking a chocolate brownie.  Rich chocolate flavors with a hint of vanilla are balanced with molasses.  Very drinkable without being too decadent. The fresh American Oak creates another layer of complexity without compromising the strengths of the beer. 7.4% ABV

2) Sea Hag Scotch Ale
A complex malty brew with a hint of smoke. 7.44% ABV

Silver City Brewery

1) Silver City Winter Bock
Just as old world brewers aged their beer in snow-covered cellars, Silver City stores Winter Bock for five weeks at near freezing temperatures. Cold conditioning makes Winter Bock the smoothest, most flavorful way we know to celebrate the winter season.  7% ABV

2) Silver City Old Scrooge Christmas Ale
Silver City Restaurant and Brewery is proud to present this limited batch of our very own British style barley wine ale. Old Scrooge is a rich and malty ale with all the character of a fine wine. Its character will fully develop over time. Intriguing notes of apple, cherry and apricot occur naturally as a result of its unique fermentation and extended aging. To fully appreciate this special Christmas Ale, we recommend serving it in a brandy glass near 55 F and slowly savored. 8.5% ABV

Slippery Pig Brewery

1)Black Boar
Black Hefeweizen. Made with locally roasted wheat, and a touch of lemon verbena.  6.5% ABV

2) Emasculator
Dark and malty Doppelbock. Brewed with local blackberries.  10% ABV

Snipes Mountain Brewery

1) Miller Reserve: Pumpkin Death ’10
A massively drinkable, cherrywood smoked pumpkin imperial stout.  Last year’s vintage is tasting good. 8.0% ABV

2) Julekalender
Imperial Oatmeal Chocolate Stout 8.5%

3) Ye Olde Roza
Barleywine 13% ABV

Snoqualmie Falls Brewery

1) Avalanche Winter Ale
Designed to take the chill off of our stormy Northwest winters, Avalanche is the prefect combination of complex malt flavors and distinct hoppy goodness. 6.8% ABV and 48 IBUs

2) Black Frog Irish Oatmeal Stout
Creamy and smooth, a classic nitro stout with chocolaty flavors and a satisfyingly dry finish. 4.8% ABV

Two Beers Brewing

1) Infused 20:20 Blonde
20:20 Blonde infused with lavender, rose, currants and elderberries

2) Infused Evo. IPA
Evo. IPA infused with mango pieces, apple bits, calendula and orange peel

3) Infused Jive Espresso Stout
Jive Espresso Stout infused with coconut shreds, cacao nibs, cinnamon, star anise

Valholl Brewing Company

1) Stouty Stouterson
Imperial Oatmeal Stout brewed with sweet potatoes, raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar. 11% ABV

2) Brewer’s Choice TBA

Wingman Brewers

1) Stratofortress Belgian Strong Ale
Aged on black rum soaked cedar.  The familiar smell of cedar fills your nose as you breathe in the toasted wood aroma of this ale.  Then strong flavors of fig and fruit give way to a sweet rum and spice finish. 11.4% ABV

2) Cerise Noire Lambic
Brewed with black cherry tea and fermented with cherries.  The tea adds a delicious herbal bite that pairs well with the wild brett flavors. 7% ABV

3) Ace IPA
A Belgian meets American style IPA. Distinctly Belgian malts complement a healthy portioning of Citra, Centennial and Cascade hops. Light malty flavors up front give way to a distinctive hop kick. 7.4% ABV

Chuckanut Brewery

1)Brewer’s Choice TBA

2)Brewer’s Choice TBA

Hale’s Ales Brewery

1)Brewer’s Choice TBA

2)Brewer’s Choice TBA

The local mainstream media pays woefully little attention to the local beer scene. It is mystifying, really. Can you imagine England’s media not paying attention to soccer? On Monday, for an hour at least, that all changes when Washington beer will be the topic of discussion on one of the region’s most powerful radio outlets—KUOW 94.9 FM.

Monday, December 6th – 10:00 a.m.

I am happy to announce that this Monday KUOW (94.9 FM) is dedicating an entire hour to the local artisan beer scene. KUOW Weekday is a Seattle-based daily talk show featuring topics ranging from local politics and international relations to fashion and gardening. This Monday the subject du jour will be local beer. Specifically, the discussion will be about the current status of the local beer industry, with a focus on winter beer. After all, ’tis the season.

I will be in studio along with Drew Cluely (Pike Brewing) and Alejandro Brown (Big Al Brewing). This is not our show, we are merely the guests, so we will not be directing the conversation. Instead, we will be there to lend insight and hopefully represent the local artisan beer and brewing scene in a befitting manner.

We are bringing samples of local winter beers to share with our hosts. No doubt, we will talk about the upcoming Washington Winter Beerfest. (Might be a good idea for you to get tickets before the show airs).

When Opportunity Knocks

This is a great opportunity for us to educate and inform a massive audience. As an added bonus, it is an audience that should be very receptive to our message—people who appreciate artisanal products and recognize the intrinsic value of locally produced goods. We are honored that KUOW is affording us this opportunity. Quite literally, this kind of airtime on a massive NPR affiliate like KUOW cannot be bought.

The show airs live on Monday at 10 a.m. Once the broadcast has concluded, the show will be available online by going to www.kuow.org/weekday. Thereafter, it can be found in the KUOW archives at http://www.kuow.org/search.php.

More About KUOW

In case you didn’t know…

KUOW’s 94.9 FM analog and HD Radio signals broadcast from Seattle’s Capitol Hill with a power of 100,000 watts. KUOW 94.9 FM also broadcasts from an FM translator in Bellingham, Wash. and can be heard on 90.3 FM. KUOW FM is simulcast on KUOW 1340 AM and serves Olympia and other communities in Thurston and Pierce Counties from our AM transmitter in Tumwater, Wash.

KUOW is a founding member of NPR; an affiliate of Public Radio International (PRI), American Public Media (APM), Public Radio Exchange (PRX), and the Northwest News Network (N3); and a member of the Associated Press (AP).

KUOW serves communities in the Puget Sound region, Western Washington and Southern British Columbia. The station is operated by KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio (PSPR) under an agreement with the University of Washington, KUOW’s licensee. PSPR was established in 1999 and is a private, non–profit corporation governed by a community board.

Below is the official list of breweries and beers for the 2010 Washington Winter Beerfest.  In all, 35 breweries will pour nearly 100 different beers. For complete details and ticket information visit the official event website.

The event takes place on Friday, December 10th and Saturday, December 11th at the Hale’s Palladium in Ballard. There are three sessions this year−a Friday evening session, a Saturday afternoon session and a Saturday evening session. Washington Winter Beerfest regularly sells out. Get your tickets early.

7 Seas Brewing-Gig Harbor
1) Port Royal Export Style Stout
2) Saison
3) Ballz Deep Double IPA

Airways Brewing-Kent
1) Hot Chocolate Ale
2) Sky Hag IPA
3) Jet City ESB

Anacortes Brewery-Anacortes
1) Noel Winter Ale
2) Broadswood Scottish Ale
3) Klosterbier

Baron & Three Skulls-Seattle
1) Three Skulls Poison Winter Warmer
2) Three Skulls Blackbeard Dark Lager-Schwarzbier

Big Al Brewing-Seattle
1)Winter Warmer
2) Belgian Tripel
3) Peanut Butter Imperial Stout

Big Time Brewery-Seattle
1) Yulefest Winter Ale
2) Random Thought Generator Imperial Rye IPA
3) Holy Molé Chocolate-Chile Ale

Black Raven Brewing-Redmond
1) 2010 Old Birdbrain Barley Wine
2) 2010 Bourbon Barrel la Petite Mort Barrel Aged Belgian Dark Ale
3) Festivus IPA Herb and Spice Beer

Boundary Bay Brewery-Bellingham
1) 2010 Cabin Fever Winter Ale
2) 2009 Cabin Fever Winter Ale
3) 2008 Cabin Fever Winter Ale

Chuckanut Brewery-Bellingham
1) Kolsch
2) Dunkel

Diamond Knot Brewing-Mukilteo
1) Industrial HO HO HO
2) TBA

Elliott Bay Brewing – Burien & Seattle
1) IMPERIAL RED ALE (2010)
2) NOALE HOLIDAY ALE (ORGANIC)

Elysian Brewing-Seattle
1) Bifröst Winter Ale
2) Oak Frost
3) Brett Fröst
4) Valhalla Christmas Ale

Fish Brewing-Olympia
1) Winter Fish
2) Boulder Bend Dunkelweizen

Flyers Brewery-Oak Harbor
1) Daybreak Breakfast Stout-Oatmeal Coffee Stout
2) Dry Hop Afterburner IPA-American Strong Pale Ale

Fremont Brewing-Seattle
1) Bourbon Abominable Ale “BBomb”
2) Le Mystère de l’hiver – Bourbon barrell Oatmeal Stout

Gorden Biersch Brew-Seattle
1) Dopplebock Lager

Hale’s Ales Brewery-Seattle
1) Supergoose
2) Wee Heavy Scotch Ale
3) Quadruppel Belgian Style Strong Dark

Harmon Brewing-Tacoma
1) Olde Bog Breath Scotch Ale
2) Oak Aged Point Defiance IPA

Hood Canal Brewery-Kingston
1) Southpoint Porter
2) Bywater Bay ESB

Iron Horse Brewery-Ellensburg
1) Cozy Sweater
2) Mocha Death

Issaquah Brewhouse/Rogue Ales-Issaquah
1) Jolly Frog
2) Brown Frog Belgian Wit

Naked City Brewery-Seattle
1) French Dude Barrel Aged Beer
2) Bing Spiked Cherry Ale

Northern Lights Brewing-Spokane
1) Winter Ale
2) Stellar Stout
3) Imperial IPA

Paradise Creek Brewery-Pullman
1) Hopocolypse Black IPA
2) Dirty Blonde
3) Over the Hop American IPA

Pike Brewing-Seattle
1) Auld Acquaintance Holiday Ale
2) Kilt Lifter Ruby Ale

Port Townsend Brewing-Port Townsend
1) Winter Ale Old Ale
2) Hop Diggidy IPA

Ram Restaurant & Brewery-Seattle
1) Ol’ Mallwalker – Strong old ale
2) Uber Dunkle Weizenbock
3) Dawgsled Winter warmer

Redhook Ale Brewery-Woodinville
1) Winterhook Winter Ale
2) Eisbock 28 Iced Winter Lager
3) Copperhook Copper Ale

Rock Bottom Brewery-Bellevue
1) Frostbite Imperial Red
2) Hollydaze Imperial IPA
3) Black Diamond Oatmeal Stout

Schooner Exact Brewing-Seattle
1) Hoppy the Woodsman
2) Puget Soundian Dark Ale – Black IPA
3) Profanity Hill Porter
4) Black Raspberry Wheat Ale

Scuttlebutt Brewing-Everett
1) 10 Below Winter Ale
2) Oaked 10 Below Winter Ale

Silver City Brewery-Silverdale
1) Imperial Stout
2) Old Scrooge Christmas Ale English Strong Ale

Snipes Mountain Brewery-Sunnyside
1) Pumpkin Death
2) 2 Fresh IPA

Trade Route Brewing-Pacific
1) Sumatra Coffee Stout
2) Trade Route IPA

Two Beers Brewing-Seattle
1) Cask Conditioned Jive Espresso Stout
2) Double Dry-Hopped Infused Evo
3) 20:20 Blonde

Tickets are now on sale for the Washington Winter Beer Fest, which takes place at Hale’s Palladium on December 10th and 11th. Advance tickets are $23 ($25 at the door, if available). This year there will be three sessions: Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening. It will be interesting to see which session sells out first.

Sessions:
Friday, December 10th, 5:30 – 9:30
Saturday, December 11th, 12:00 – 4:00
Saturday, December 11th, 5:30 – 9:30

Click here to purchase tickets.

Click here to go to the official event website.

The Breweries

The lineup includes 35 Washington breweries pouring more than 70 dfferent beers. The lineup of beers will be available after Thanksgiving. Looking at the list of breweries, a couple of things jump off the page. Paradise Creek Brewery, from Pullman, is on the list, providing an opportunity to sample their beer without a cross-state roadtrip. Gordon Biersch Brewing will be at Winter Beer Fest this year. I can’t remember the last time I saw them at a beer festival and I’m curious to see what they’ll be pouring.

Here is the complete list of breweries:

• 7 Seas Brewing
• Airways Brewing
• Anacortes Brewery
• Baron Brewing
• Big Al Brewing
• Big Time Brewery
• Black Raven Brewing
• Boundary Bay Brewery
• Chuckanut Brewery
• Diamond Knot Brewing
• Elliott Bay Brewing
• Elysian Brewing
• Fish Brewing
• Flyers Brewery
• Fremont Brewing
• Gordon Biersch Brewing
• Hale’s Ales Brewery
• Harmon Brewing
• Hood Canal Brewery
• Iron Horse Brewery
• Issaquah Brewhouse/Rogue Ales
• Northern Lights Brewing
• Paradise Creek Brewery
• Pike Brewing
• Port Townsend Brewing
• Redhook Ale Brewery
• Rock Bottom Brewery
• Schooner Exact Brewing
• Scuttlebutt Brewing
• Silver City Brewery
• Snipes Mountain Brewery
• The Ram Brewery
• Trade Route Brewing
• Two Beers Brewing

The old logo.

The new logo.

Mark the date. Winter Beer Fest is just around the corner. Preliminary information is now available regarding the Washington Beer Commission‘s 2010 Winter Beer Festival.

The event will take place at Hale’s Palladium on Friday December 10th and Saturday December 11th. In addition to a Friday evening session, there will be two sessions on Saturday — afternoon and evening.  That’s a new twist.

Admission will be $23 advance, $25 at the door, and includes six beer tastes. No word yet on how to score advance tickets.

We’ll keep you posted as details become available. For now, get more information…

On the website

On Facebook

The annual Winter Beer Festival is coming up on December 4 and 5th at Hale’s Palladium in Frelard. The Washington Beer Commission has just released the initial beer list  and it’s looking like a good mix of traditional winter beers and specialty beers, with some hoppy brews thrown in for good measure.

Be sure to read all the way to the bottom of the list to see what’s caught Mrs.  Beer Blog’s eye. Mmmmm beer and chocolate. (Time to join WABL, if you haven’t already)? If you’re a WABL you also get in early to beat the crowds, and you get extra tasting tokens. Seriously, this WABL thing usually pays for itself by the end of the year.

The Chocolate Box is back this year as a sponsor, which means beer and chocolate pairings including a beer/chocolate cupcake this year. Brings tears  of joy to Mrs. BB’s eyes. 

The festival runs Friday December 4th from 5 to 10 p.m. (WABLs get in at 4 p.m.); and Saturday, December 5th from 1 to 10 p.m. (WABLs get in at noon). Tickets include six tasting tokens, or eight if you’re a WABL, and cost $23 advance, $25 at the door if any tickets are left. Advance tickets are available online, or at one of the authorized ticket outlets.

7 Seas Brewing Co.- Gig Harbor
7 Seas Export Style Stout
British Pale Ale
Ballz Deep Double IPA

Anacortes Brewery- Anacortes
Klosterbier
Noel Winter Ale
Cask Noel Winter Ale

Big Al Brewing- Seattle
Winter Warmer
Irish Red or Smoked Porter

Big Time Brewery- Seattle
Yulefest
Malaprop 8 Abbey-style Bier
Decade 2.1

Black Raven Brewing Co.- Redmond
Second Sight Scotch Ale
Citrus & Spice Trickster IPA

Boundary Bay Brewery- Bellingham
Cabin Fever 08 & 09
IPA

Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen- Bellingham
Dunkel Lager
Strong Ale

Diamond Knot Brewing Co.- Mukilteo
Industrial Ho!Ho! 07 & 09
Pumpkin Ale

Elliott Bay Brewing Co.- Seattle & Burien
Organic Noale Holiday Ale
Organic Demolition Ale

Elysian Brewing Co.- Seattle
Bifrost
Bye-Bye Frost

Fish Brewing Co.- Olympia
Fish Tale Winterfish
Leavenworth Biers Boulder Bend
Spire Mountain Dark & Dry

Fremont Brewing Co.- Seattle
Snow Fall
Universale
Mystere d’Hiver

Georgetown Brewing Co.- Seattle
Lisa’s Chocolate Stout

Hale’s Ales Brewery- Seattle
Wee Heavy
TBA

Iron Horse Brewery- Ellensburg
Mocha Death
Iron Horse IPA

Issaquah Brewhouse/Rogue Ales- Issaquah
Yellow Snow IPA
Mogu Madness
Menage A Frog
White Frog

Lazy Boy Brewing Co.- Everett
Mistletoe Bliss
TBA

Naked City Brewery- Seattle
The Big Lebowski
Bing

Northern Lights Brewing Co.- Spokane
Winter Ale
Chocolate Dunkel

Pike Brewing Co.- Seattle
Pike Entire
Pike Auld Acquaintance

Port Townsend Brewing Co.- Port Townsend
Winter Ale
TBA

Pyramid Breweries- Seattle
Snow Cap
Humburg’R
TBA

Ram Restaurant & Brewery- Seattle
Ol’ Mall Walker 08 & 09
Dawg Sled 08 & 09
Bi Clops

Redhook Ale Brewery- Woodinville
Winterhook Winter Ale
Redhook ESB
Longhammer IPA

Rock Bottom Brewery- Bellevue
Black Diamond Oatmeal Stout
Frostbite Strong Ale

Schooner Exact Brewing Co.- Seattle
Hoppy Holidays Winter Ale
Hoppy the Woodsman
Mystery beer

Scuttlebutt Brewing Co.- Everett
10 Below
Mystery Cask

Silver City Brewery- Silverdale
Beautimus
Fat Woody

Snipes Mountain Brewery- Sunnyside
Pumpkin Death 08 (Cask Bourbon) & 09
Fresh Hop IPA

Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Co.- Snoqualmie
Avalanche Winter Ale
Steam Train Porter

Three Skulls Ales- Seattle
Wreckage Barleywine
Hop the Plank IPA

Trade Route Brewing Co.- Pacific
Ginger Pale Ale
Pandan Brown
Chieftain Amber Ale

Two Beers Brewing Co.- Seattle
Jive Espresso Stout
Immersion Amber
Echo IPA

Water Street Brewing Co.- Port Townsend
Burr’s Frosty Winter
Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

WABL Beer*- Mocha Stout by Northgate Ram
Mocha Stout featuring Café Vita’s Theo blend and Theo’s Cocoa nibs
*Available exclusively to WABL members at the Merchandise/WABL Booth

We gave you a lot of choices. Maybe that turned some people off. Whatever the case, this poll didn’t get nearly as much attention as previous polls. In the end, 508 people voted. We rolled the “Other” votes into the results where appropriate and ignored votes for non-Washington beers.  The results do not include any beer that ended up with only one vote.

The stand outs: Boundary Bay Cabin Fever (22%), Maritime Pacific Jolly Roger (15%), and Big Time Old Wooly (13%). Those are the only beers that ended up with more than 10%. Beyond those three, the field was pretty evenly split. Complete results below.

With the Winter Beer Festival just a month away, we figured this poll would be a good way to get you thinking about your favorite Washington winter beers. The low voter turnout might indicate that you aren’t ready to think about the long, dark winter which will soon be upon us. Today, temperatures are supposed to be in the 60s – which is unreal for November. Old Man Winter is going to make us pay for it, I promise.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Winter Beer Festival, where there will surely be some surprises to delight all of our palates.

We’ve had the poll up for 10 days now. Voting has been slower than we expected, but we’ve had a few hundred votes now and some clear leaders have emerged. Boundary Bay Cabin Fever is currently in the lead, followed closely by Maritime Pacific Jolly Roger, Big Time Old Wooly, and Elysian BiFrost.

We will run the poll for a few more days, announce the final results, and then move on. If you have not yet, you should vote for your favorite Winter beer.

Someone questioned why we consider Old Wooly a winter beer when it is a barley wine. Big time releases Old Wooly every year on December 1st and many beer lovers around here associate it with winter, so we decided to include it.

Boundary Bay Cabin Fever – 18%
Maritime Pacific Jolly Roger – 16%
Big Time Old Wooly – 14%
Elysian BiFrost – 10%
Fish Brewing Winterfish 6%
The remaining contestants all have less than 5%

“Other” votes – They’ve been included in the results above. Well, except for the ones that are not Washington beers and the ones that are not winter beers.

Our new poll is up. This time we are asking you to select your favorite Washington winter beer. It’s over there on the right waiting for your input.

I know you guys are going to slap me around for this one. Go ahead, I can take it. Just know that I really did try to select the 14 winter beers that I thought were most likely to get the most votes and also provide some interesting choices. Yes, I know, I failed to include your favorite winter beer and having to write in your answer is totally unfair. I know that I fail you, but I really do try.

I know that some people will freak out when they see that I put Winterhook on the  list. I know that some people will question whether Pyramid actually is a Washington brewery anymore. Who doesn’t? However, I am absolutely certain that if I did not put Snow Cap on the list, I would catch hell from someone about it. Start swinging, I’m ready for it.