What we eat and drink this time of year evokes memories more easily than what we consume in other seasons. This is the time of year we dust off crock pots and Dutch ovens for soups and stews, filled — at least right now — with the remaining harvests of our local farms. This is when we flock to orchards for fresh-picked apples, and when we scoop out globs of pumpkin seeds for roasting. We drop cinnamon sticks in hot cider, and warm up chocolate with piquant spices. We’re heartened that in these divided times, it seems like we can
Stillwater is the brainchild of Baltimore native Brian Strumke, whose past life as an internationally renowned electronica DJ and producer led him down a path to crafting some of the world’s most unique and highest rated beers slapped with haute couture can and bottle labels. A homebrewer turned pro in 2010, nomadic brewer Strumke slapped his Stillwater sticker on many a brewery’s cooler around the world before the pandemic nudged him to place roots at the Talking Cedar Brewery in Thurston County, Washington. Today, Peaks & Pints presents an in-house flight of Stillwater beers — a flight we’re calling Peaks
The party began in October 1810, when a great horse race was organized to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Everyone had so much fun that it was held again, and eventually became an annual event, dubbed “Oktoberfest” in 1872. It has since evolved into a 16-day Munich blowout, which begins today. Oh, to be in that great mass of humanity, dancing to the throbbing polka beats, scarfing down sausage, kraut, and strudel, and most of all, imbibing from the holy grail, er, stein, or today at Peaks and Pints — a taster glass.
Peaks and Pints New Beer in Stock 9.15.23 Happy Friday! Peaks and Pints New Beer in Stock 9.15.23 has some new gems in the fridge and plenty of delicious options on the board to enjoy! ALTAIR FRESH HOP IPA, Ecliptic Brewing: Named after the brightest star in the constellation Aquila, this fresh hop IPA shines bright with fresh Strata and Centennial. 6.5%, 16oz FRESH HOP BUMPER CROP AMARILLO SAISON, Dwinell Country Ales: Blended oak-aged saison brewed with freshly picked whole cone Amarillo hops from Virgil Gamache farms. 3.5%, 16oz FRESH HOP FIELDS OF GREEN, Fort George Brewing: Their hazy double
The unusually named Pizza Port Brewing traces its origins back to 1987, when Gina and Vince Marsaglia, a pair of siblings in their 20s, purchased a pizza place in the sleepy coastal town Solana Beach, California. Vince used their surplus space to experiment with making beer, releasing their first “official” beers in 1992. Over the years, the seven-barrel system at Pizza Port Solana Beach has served as the launching pad for numerous brewers who’ve gone on to become big names both within and beyond the pie-in-the-sky empire. Expanding to five locations in the San Diego area since then, Pizza Pub
For the seventh consecutive September, Peaks & Pints is throwing a month-long autumn beer party marrying two popular seasonal beer styles on draft — fresh hop beers and Oktoberfest lagers — this year naming it, “Fresh Hoptoberfest VII Days A Week.” In September 2017, in keeping with our multi-rooted sensibilities, Peaks & Pints hosted The Hunt For Fresh Hoptoberfest, tapping fresh hop and Oktoberfest beers daily. Crowds discovered bright, fresh-hop beers, just hours from field to kettle and mere days from the fermenter to their glass AND drank to their health with clean, hearty Oktoberfest-style lagers from Germany and nearby.
We received a bunch of Fort George Brewery beer; let’s pour another in-house flight of the Astoria, Oregon, brewery’s beer. Founded by brewers Jack Harris and Chris Nemlowill, the two combined their brewing expertise from previous Oregon coast gigs at Bill’s Tavern and Astoria Brewing Company to open Fort George Brewery in March 2007. Harris and Nemlowill drove their first 8.5-barrel brewhouse — nicknamed “Sweet Virginia” —from the East Coast and through a tornado to open a small pub in the Fort George Building on Duane Street in Astoria. In 2009, they bought almost the entire city block, including the
Peaks and Pints New Beer in Stock 9.12.23 New Brews Tues offers several new fresh hops, a pumpkin ale, some IPAs and a cool collab between The Ale Apothecary and Twist Wine Company. Cheers! CRYO FRESH HOP 2023, Black Raven Brewing: Brewed with fresh Azacca hops, this IPA is hoppy and weedy. 6%, 16oz EL VIENNA ESPECIAL, Holy Mountain Brewing: Brewed with Vienna, Munich and Oaxacan green corn, this Mexican-style amber lager hopped lightly with Tettnanger and Saaz and fermented with a special yeast strain offers a perfect balance of dry drinkability, and malty sweetness. 4.8%, 16oz ELECTRIC SURFBOARD, Fort George
In the early ’90s, Dusty Trail converted the historic Engine House No. 9 bar into a brewpub at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Pine Street, officially becoming the first microbrewery in Tacoma. Dick Dickens grabbed the Engine House reins in 2002, bringing in head brewer Doug Tiede. Heads turned and medals were hung. In 2011, The X Group added the Engine House to their local restaurant empire, with Shane Johns and Donovan Stewart running the kettles and hanging even more medals, mostly for their sours and saisons. Four years ago, they separated the brewery from the restaurant and opened
New beer, including fresh hops and Oktoberfest beers, in the Peaks & Pints cooler. Peaks and Pints New Beer in Stock 9.9.23 Some fresh delicious beverages in the Peaks & Pints cooler to snag while you enjoy a pint or two at our craft beer bar in Tacoma’s Proctor District! We’re here until midnight. Cheers! CELESTIAL VARNISH, Fast Fashion Brewing: Double dry hopped hazy IPA with Citra, Cashmere, and Idaho 7 for juicy notes of pineapple, lemon zest, and stone fruit. 7%, 16oz CHARIVARI FESTBIER, E9 Brewing: Traditional Bavarian-style festbier brewed with German Weyermann Barke Pilsner
Pacific Northwest hops are harvested each year from late August through September, which means beers brewed with the freshest hops available, known also as wet-hopped beers, arrive this month. What are fresh hop beers? Simply put, they’re brews made with hops that are pulled off the bine and go straight into the kettle. The vast majority of the hops used by U.S. breweries are cultivated in Oregon and Washington. For the most part, these hops are dried and processed before being sold to professional and amateur brewers, which affects the flavor punch. With fresh hops, drinkers can expect more hoppiness,
Every year on Sept. 7 — aka National Beer Lovers Day — a certain segment of society raises a glass to commemorate 10,000 years ago when man learned to ferment grain into beer, which tasted much better than unfermented grain. Nomadic hunter-gatherers collected wild grains for food. Because they didn’t have gazebos, a pool of warm water formed where the grain was stored. In a short time, the grain fermented, turning the water into a thick dark liquid. Some adventurous soul, probably Homo Erectus Johnny Knoxville, sampled the liquid, and found that it tasted good. Man fell in love with beer and,
In September 2017, Peaks & Pints presented our first Fresh Hoptoberfest — a month-long autumn beer party marrying up two popular seasonal beers — fresh hops and Oktoberfest. Women dressed in lederhosen. Men got fresh … hop beers. Hop farmers and malters began living together — mass hysteria! This year, our seventh year, we’re calling the celebration “Fresh Hoptoberfest VII Days A Week” at our craft beer and cider bar, bottle shop and restaurant in Tacoma’s Proctor District. We’re six days into the autumn mash-up, so let’s hit another in-house beer flight. Enjoy bright, fresh-hop beers, just hours from field
Grab these new beers and your paddles and enjoy the water! Peaks and Pints Labor Day Six-Pack: 9.4.23 Labor Day is upon us. It was first celebrated unofficially by labor activists and individual states in the late 1800s, according to the US Department of Labor. New York was the first state to introduce a bill recognizing Labor Day, but Oregon was the first to codify it into law in 1887. The Monday holiday developed as unions were beginning to strengthen again after the 1870s recession. For most Americans, it’s an American holiday where we don’t have
Labor Day is a respectful way of thanking and serving tribute to a history of hard work and positive contribution toward a stronger, more prosperous nation. It’s also a day most people are just happy to be off work. With seasonal creep already bringing pumpkin beers to the shelves, Peaks & Pints aims today’s in-house beer flight toward five beers that would make ideal companions for the last days o’ sun. Our criteria? The beers come in cans (portable to beach, pool, barbecue, and paddling), they’re in the Peaks & Pints cooler, and they taste delicious. Head to our craft
Peaks and Pints Fresh Hop Six-Pack 9.1.23 The brewhouse fermenter sits empty waiting for the phone call. It’s an eternity if there’s only three fermenters. After the hop farm gives the green thumbs up, a few brewers hit the road while the others begin the brewing process back. At the farm, the brewers fill huge bags full of the wonderful smelling fresh hop cones knowing that they need to arrive back at the brewery before the boil. The first round of fresh hop beers has arrived at Peaks & Pints for your long weekend enjoyment. Cheers! FRESH HOP, Two Beers
For the seventh consecutive September, Peaks & Pints is throwing a month-long autumn beer party marrying up two popular seasonal beers — fresh hops and Oktoberfest bier. Launching Friday, Sept. 1, Peaks & Pints will tap fresh hop and Oktoberfest beers daily through Saturday, Sept. 30. Expect, at least, two bright, hop-hazy fresh-hop beers on tap AND two clean, hearty Oktoberfest-style lagers on tap. This year, we’re calling our annual celebration, “Peaks and Pints Fresh Hoptoberfest VII Days A Week,” as we’re including other regional fresh hop and Oktoberfest celebration in a monthlong calendar. We’re kicking off Fresh Hoptoberfest with
Peaks & Pints hosts Fresh Hoptoberfest, a fresh hops and Oktoberfest festival through Sept. 30, 2023. Peaks and Pints Fresh Hoptoberfest VII Days A Week For the seventh consecutive September, Peaks & Pints is throwing a month-long autumn beer party marrying up two popular seasonal beers — fresh hops and Oktoberfest bier. Launching Friday, Sept. 1, Peaks & Pints will tap fresh hop and Oktoberfest beers daily through Saturday, Sept. 30. Expect, at least, two bright, fresh-hop beers on tap AND two clean, hearty Oktoberfest-style lagers on tap. This year, we’re calling our annual celebration Peaks
Aloha new beer! Peaks and Pints Prefunk Six-Pack 8.29.23: Shakespeare in the Park … in the Armory If you’re familiar with Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, you’ll enjoy seeing the unexpected ways Tacoma Arts Live and Director Deanna Martinez reinvents this whimsical romantic comedy by rooting it in a celebration of Boricua-Hawaiiana culture; however, you don’t need to know the play to follow along and dig this spirited and inspired show. Magic, potions, and mystery are met with hula, ipu heke, and true aloha spirit in this fantastical escape. Hawaii will fully surround the audience and
Seattle native Josh Pfriem began homebrewing while at Western Washington University in his early 20s then moved to Utah to be a ski bum. He worked at Utah Brewers Cooperative for a few years before moving back to his old college town of Bellingham to brew at Chuckanut Brewery where he helped win the Great American Beer Festival Small Brewpub of the Year in 2009. He moved to Hood River, Oregon. to work at Full Sail but left in December 2011 to open pFriem Family Brewers — across the highway from Full Sail along the banks of the Columbia River
Kim Hamblin is the artistic side and formally known as “artistic director” and “head apple picker.” Dan Rinke is the science and oversees the magical fermentation processes and the growing of the orchards. In 2011, they launched Art+Science, a natural cider, perry, and wine company using foraged, organic, or biodynamic fruit and fermenting with indigenous yeast in rural Yamhill County, Oregon. After pouring wine while working as a bartender, Rinke now makes farmy, pinkish sparkling and glorious, cloudy, complex dry ciders. Based in Sheridan, Oregon, Art+Science is our in-house cider flight today — a flight we call Peaks and Pints
Take these six craft beers from the Peaks & Pints cooler on a trip. Peaks and Pints Getaway Six-Pack 8.27.23: Mosaic Crush, Tropic Like It’s Hot and more The kids are weeping, the nights are getting cooler, and there are moments here and there when it just plain feels like autumn. That’s right: Summer is almost over, and aside from a lot of binge-watching various Netflix series in front of the A/C unit, you just don’t have much to show for it. But it’s not too late: Grab the Peaks and Pints Getaway Six-Pack 8.27.23 from
Welcome to Tacoma. Nice, isn’t it? We here at Peaks & Pints understand that the first day at the University of Puget Sound can be a little overwhelming for first timers — watch out, here comes another cyclist — but at least Mount Rainier is lovely to look at while you try to figure out what in the world your kid has been doing with all that tuition money you forked over. Yes, there is plenty they’re not telling you. No, it’s not nearly as bad as you think it is. Why not take a break from that silent enigma
Peaks & Pints hosts the Tacoma release party for pFriem West Coast IPA Tuesday, Aug. 29. Join Peaks and Pints’ pFriem West Coast IPA party If you’re an India Pale Ale statistician, you’ve followed the trend from New England–influenced hazy IPAs back toward the West Coast style. Your data shows brewers across the country are back on the West Coast IPA bandwagon and the new-school elements that they’re applying to them. In Hood River, Oregon, pFriem Family Brewers seized the chance to take another deep dive into the world of West Coast IPA, this time with
Oktoberfest in August? Weird, right? Oktoberfest beer is arguably the one that has the strongest ties to the calendar. After all, there’s a month in its name! September would be completely legitimate for Oktoberfest beer sales since the Munich Oktoberfest carnival takes place in the two weeks before the first Sunday in October, so it’s mostly in September. Then there’s the historical fact that Oktoberfest beer was traditionally called Märzen (“MARE-t’zen”) because it was brewed in März, or as they say, March, due to the lack of mechanical refrigeration. Cold air was the only temperature control brewers had, and the
In September 2014, after seven years of homebrewing, writing business plans, watching Viking movies, and dialing in their branding, scientist Mark Bjornstad, builder Darin Montplaisir, businessperson Jesse Feigum, and engineer Mason Montplaisir opened Drekker Brewing in downtown Fargo, North Dakota. The brewery name is a nod to the region’s Nordic heritage comprised of the words “drekka,” which means “to drink,” and “drykkr” which means “draft drink,” and “drakkar,” the name for the feared dragon-headed longships that ruled the rivers and seas of Europe during the Viking Age. Their epic adventure began with a 10-barrel system in a 5,200 sq. ft.
Even if you’re not an Allman Brothers fan, this is the time to be eating peaches — out of hand, in cobblers and pies, over ice cream, in beers, while spinning 51-year-old records. Not only is it National Peach Month but also National Peach Pie Day. Did you know that peaches originated in China, where they have been cultivated since the early days of Chinese culture? The peach was brought to America by Spanish explorers in the 16th century and eventually made it to England and France sometime during the 17th century. Peaches are said to have been a regular
Three years ago, John I. Haas, Inc., a hops supplier and innovator based in the Yakima Valley, introduced its latest breakthrough in hop-forward brewing innovation, LupoMax. Backed by the John I. Haas Sensory Plus process, which combines sensory-based hop selection with advanced technical analysis and proprietary manufacturing process, LupoMax adds an invaluable solution to optimize hop flavors while reducing beer loss. The reduced vegetative matter of LupoMax pellets means less beer loss, less solid waste, and more beer to enjoy. The process offers a clean hop flavor and can be added at any stage in the brewing process, but it
Peaks and Pints New Beer in Stock 8.22.23 With so many varieties and styles available, there is sure to be a beer you’ll enjoy! The Peaks & Pints staff is knowledgeable about our products and love to help customers find something you’ll enjoy. Stop in and ask one of our store associates for recommendations or choose from these new arrivals to our massive cooler. Cheers! 21st Amendment Brewery Pumpkin Haze IPA: Hazy IPA with pumpkin and natural spice flavors, 6.8% 21st Amendment Tall Hat: Overlooking a landscape of zesty grapefruit and tangerine flavors while stone fruit aromas tickle your nose,
Peaks and Pints likes to think of craft breweries as liquid philanthropists as they donate a piece of their pie to charity. They believe true fulfillment never comes from financial or material success. Happiness and deep sense of connection is their goal. The five craft breweries we highlight in our sample, in-house beer flight sit on the same mountaintop. Money comprises the base, but idealism, balance, and good vibes more than tops the peak. This is not a compendium of the only or even the most generous breweries, just a handful that not only serve their community by proffering fresh
Call us a Winesap, but Peaks & Pints is ready for the Bittersharp. We’re down with the Pink Lady. And, we have our eye on the Northern Spy. Yes, indeed, you guessed it. Peaks & Pints has brought back our Cider Invitational to anchor the 2023 Tacoma Beer Week. Peaks and Pints 2023 Pacific Northwest Cider Invitational will consume our Western red cedar tap today with 20 craft ciders whose flavor profiles extend from barnyard funk to pleasantly fruity. Representing Washington and Oregon, the Pacific Northwest Cider Invitational showcases regional variations and plucky endeavors. We chose to highlight five South
In April 2016, Matt Tarpey, Dustin Durrance, and Dave Michelow opened their The Veil Brewing doors in Richmond, Virginia’s Scott’s Addition Historic District. They opened with a 450-gallon coolship in their building, previously a church, complete with raised ceilings, imposing stone, black leather, white taxidermy, and a 40-foot-long cement bar. This past spring, The Veil moved several blocks down the road to open an 8,262 square foot taproom, three times the size of their founding space, bring their Richmond footprint to four locations. The Veil Brewing focuses on super hoppy beers, heavily fruited sours, dense stouts and barleywines, spontaneous wild
There are two reasons why a person might wear a top hat in the middle of summer. The first reason, perhaps he or she is partying with Bombastic Brewing at Peaks & Pints during Tacoma Beer Week 2023! That ought to do for now. The Peaks and Pints Bombastic Top Hat Party with the South Sound Strings will be held at 5 p.m. tonight. In 2016, Phil Hottenstein, a railroad engineer, and Russell Mann, former owner of the Enoteca wine and beer shop in Post Falls, Idaho, and Matt Skillicorn, a mechanical engineer and homebrewer opened Bombastic Brewing after Mann
Peaks & Pints hosts the Plant Pop-up with Fernseed and Bale Breaker Brewing from 5-7 p.m. inside our Proctor District’s craft beer and cider bar, bottle shop and restaurant. A part of Tacoma Beer Week 2023, plant and beer enthusiasts will stroll through Fernseed’s pop-up shop inside Peaks while sipping on Bale Breaker’s latest beers. Bale Breaker’s owners brew handcrafted ales surrounded by their great-grandparents hop fields, just down the road from where they were born and raised. They opened the estate brewery in April 2013, which now includes barley fields. Their 27,000 square foot facility, 30-barrel brewhouse features an
New craft beer at Peaks & Pints in Tacoma Peaks and Pints New Beer in Stock 8.15.23 Grab a pint and shop these new arrivals to the Peaks & Pints cooler. … 450 North Brewing Blurriest Slushy XXL: Collaboration with Imprint Beer Co., this smoothie sour is conditioned on banana, coconut, mango, raspberry, blackberry, and marshmallow, 5.3% 450 North Forbidden Juice Slushy XL: Collaboration with Electric Brewing, this fruited Berliner weisse is conditioned on peach and blackberry, 5.53% 450 North Lollipop Forest Slushy XXL: Fruited sour conditioned on guava, pineapple, pineapple ice cream, and vanilla cream,
Scientist Brad Benson and foodie Lara Zahaba opened Stoup Brewing in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood in 2013. Washington state’s first female advanced Cicerone, Robyn Schumacher, became Stoup’s third partner, assisting Benson in the brewing room. Benson graduated from Gonzaga University with a B.S. in Chemistry and has been crafting beer for more than 25 years. In the summer of 2017, the brewery opened “Upstairs at Stoup,” which was an 800-square-foot expansion of the 3,000-square-foot taproom and brewery to include event space upstairs. The space holds up to 40 people seated and 60 to 70 standing. This year, Stoup expanded into a 6,000-square-foot space
Our beer mugs runneth over here in Tacoma and Pierce County. Tacoma Beer Week 2023, the 10-day showcase of craft breweries and their beers, is an excellent way to experience Tacoma’s bubbling beer culture. The eighth annual edition of Tacoma Beer Week official starts today and continues through Sunday, Aug. 20. Whether you’re making your first visit to a local brewery tasting room, heading out on a craft beer special event, or exploring how beer and food interact, Tacoma Beer Week is the perfect time to dive into the craft beer scene. For a complete listing of Tacoma Beer Week
After farmers David and Brenda Simmons switched from selling their slow-moving culinary grapes to making wine, they eventually added a brewery, taproom, and restaurant to their Columbus, Indiana, farm. Then, in April 2016, their 450 North Brewing released a hazy IPA. Things blew up, in a good way. They rebranded and grew exponentially. Just as they were a pioneer of hazy IPAs, 450 North was also ahead of the smoothie fruited sour game. Their smoothie sours are often brewed with so much fruit puree that they look less like beer than a thick smoothie. These beers can clobber you with
Peaks & Pints celebrates Tacoma Beer Week 2023 with four fun events. Peaks and Pints celebrates Tacoma Beer Week 2023 The eight annual Tacoma Beer Week 2023 runs Aug. 11-20, and this year’s festivities will tantalize the local beer lover. From large-scale events such as Tacoma Arts Live’s Brew Five Three Beer & Music Festival to the Parkway Tavern’s Hoppywood Squares — craft breweries, taprooms, beer bars and restaurants are celebrating grain, hops, water, and yeast in the form of tap takeovers, educational programs, beer and food tastings, films, and unique beer launches. Peaks & Pints
You’ve probably squeezed a cherry into the mouth of a stout bottle, or at least seen others do it. That little twist of cherry turns your chocolate stout into a Black Forest cake. Luckily many brewers these days are infusing cherries into their beers in a produce-aisle range of offerings. Cherries can balance otherwise heavy beers or add extra freshness and flavor to the lighter styles. Cherries have been added to beer for centuries, especially with Belgian lambic styles, which are called krieks. Cherry beer is no longer a throwback to centuries past. North American brewers are adding cherries to their craft,
Peaks and Pints New Beer in Stock 8.8.23 Sidle up to bar for a sip on draft then shop for home. … 54-40 Brewing Fluffy Kittens: Hazy IPA brewed with Simcoe and Calypso hops for tropical fruit, 7.1%\ Away Days Brewing Juicy Jack: Super juicy, dry hopped Pilsner brewed with Ocho and HBC 586 hops for tropical fruit notes, 5.2% Away Days Underground IPA: West Coast IPA brewed with Mosaic, Simcoe, and Citra hops, 6.8% Bale Breaker Brewing Clarity Rarity #11: Hazy IPA brewed with El Dorado, Simcoe, Citra, and Mosaic hop additions for aromas of pineapple, melon, nectarine, pine
In 2008, Nick and Kristen Arzner opened Block 15 Brewing in the 1926 Gazette-Times newspaper building, just blocks away from Oregon State University and its prestigious Fermentation Science program. The Arzners took full advantage of Willamette Valley’s agricultural abundance, which, of course, includes hops. Block 15 built a reputation for first-rate IPAs and other hop-forward ales, rock-solid renditions of classic recipes from around the world and a dazzling variety of Belgian-style brews, including cask-conditioned specialties featuring wild yeasts and exotic flavors. Today, Peaks & Pints presents an in-house flight of Block 15 craft beer that we call Peaks and Pints
The word pineapple in English was first recorded in 1398, when it was originally used to describe the reproductive organs of conifer trees (now termed pinecones). When European explorers discovered this tropical fruit, they called them pineapples (term first recorded in that sense in 1664) because of their resemblance to what is now known as the pinecone. The term pinecone was first recorded in 1694 and was used to replace the original meaning of pineapple. Historians believe that the pineapple originated in Brazil. It was imported to Europe later. It is also believed that Christopher Columbus and his crewmembers were
Peaks and Pints New Beer in Stock 8.6.23 Keep the weekend drive alive with these recent arrivals to the Peaks & Pints cooler. … AleSmith Brewing Party Tricks: West Coast IPA brewed with Strata, El Dorado, and Citra hops for notes of grapefruit, strawberry, and passionfruit, 6.8% Double Mountain Brewery Escape From Indiana: West Coast IPA that showcases the fusion of flavors from both sides of the Columbia River with Thiolized yeast and New Zealand hops for aromas of ripe mango and cantaloupe, strawberry and rhubarb fighting for the right to party, finishing clean and dry with a backhand of
