Dawson City: Frozen Time screens at The Grand Cinema twice today. TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY AUG. 22 2017: Anderson Valley Pinchy Jeek Barl and Dawson City PREFUNK: Today’s prefunk beer is not only a prefunk option for the events listed below but also a prefunk for the holidays. Anderson Valley’s Pinchy Jeek Barl Bourbon Barrel Pumpkin Ale is basically Thanksgiving in a bottle, provided you usually burn the turkey and just switch to bourbon. It’s got all those sweet/spicy pumpkin notes, but kicked in the gobble by six months in a Turkey barrel. Even more alarming is
If you’re anything like Peaks and Pints and are into Caribbean voodoo then you’re a fan of Azacca, the Haitian god of agriculture. He’s a simple, gentle, hard working farmer and thus respected by the peasants. But, he’s also a hillbilly who likes to eat, drink, gossip and chase girls, which makes him an ideal character for a hop and a beer. In the world of American agriculture, Azacca — formerly known as #483 (a way lamer name) by developer American Dwarf Hop Association in Washington state — is a hop with big citrus and tropical fruit tones and excellent
An once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is happening this morning when a total solar eclipse cuts a path across North America after a 99-year hiatus. For a few minutes from Oregon through South Carolina, the sky will go dark, the stars will come out and temperatures will drop in the middle of the day for people in the path of totality. The moon won’t be seen completely covering the sun in the South Sound, but the area will get 94 percent totality during this celestial phenomenon. At Peaks and Pints, the eclipse will peak at 10:20 a.m. To celebrate this cosmic wonder, we
TACOMA PREFUNK SUNDAY, AUG. 20 2017: Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout and Wonder Woman PREFUNK: Consider nitrogen. Oxygen and carbon dioxide get all the press, but nitrogen is the most abundant gas in our planet’s atmosphere. It’s an important element in draft beer — Peaks and Pints’ draft systems utilize a blend of carbon dioxide and nitrogen to push the beer along our lines, with the percentage of each gas varying based on factors such as distance, temperature and resistance. Our nitro taps deliver beer pressurized with a higher ratio of nitrogen to CO2. Because our atmosphere is composed mostly
See how local breweries work together at the Washington Beer Collaboration Festival, featuring 27 beers created by 50 of our state’s beloved breweries. TACOMA PREFUNK SATURDAY, AUG. 19 2017: Oskar Blues Old Chub and beer festivals PREFUNK: When en Rama opened in downtown Tacoma we knew we had no intention of wearing swimsuits this summer. Yummmm, pasta. So we can drink plenty of canned Oskar Blues’ Old Chub Scottish Style Ale. It’s brewed with copious amounts of crystal and chocolate malts, and a dash of beechwood-smoked malts. The cola-colored beer features a dense, tawny head; a
Hop Breeding Company of Yakima, Washington released Citra in 2007. It wasn’t until Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. dry-hopped its Torpedo IPA two years later that the hop turned heads. Citra Brand HBC 394, as its officially known, is comprised of Hallertau Mittelfrüh, US Tettnang, Brewer’s Gold and East Kent Golding with a fairly high alpha acid and total oil contents, plus a low percentage of co-humulone for bittering. Bittering is cool and all, but Citra’s organoleptic profile and chemical composition lend themselves overwhelmingly to aromatic and flavor additions of citrus and tropical fruits such as grapefruit, mango, gooseberry, lychee, melon,
Phasers On Kill will rock The Valley tonight. Photo courtesy of Facebook TACOMA PREFUNK FRIDAY, AUG. 18 2017: Walking Man Yoga Pants and Phasers On Kill PREFUNK: Hooray for yoga pants, man. We mean, for dudes it’s the obvious thrill of lowbrow ogling, but for the ladies, too, they rock — best-case scenario they show off your ass, worst case they’re comfortable. They’re basically sweatpants, except tighter and socially acceptable, right? “Going out” sweatpants, if you will. Walking Man Brewing rocks the Yoga Pants, too. (Hold on.) wait, Walking Man’s Yoga Pants isn’t clothing. Yes, the
India Pale Ale. This extra hoppy style of beer was created by way of an historical accident. During Great Britain’s occupation of India, many an ale was shipped from the motherland down to all the British sailors, soldiers, merchants and governors who grew thirsty doing the work of the empire. Sadly, many of these ales spoiled during the long sea voyage. The solution was to add more hops, which contain oils and resins that function as pretty decent preservatives. More hops meant the beer could make the trip, but not without a little extra bitterness. The best IPAs have fresh,
TACOMA PREFUNK THURSDAY, AUG. 17 2017: Cascade Elderberry and John Wolf PREFUNK: Being the pioneer of the Pacific Northwest-style sour movement since 2006, Cascade Brewing Barrel House produces some of the world’s best sour beers. Almost every batch enjoys at least a year in one of the brewery’s many French oak, wine or bourbon casks alongside an abundance of spices and fruits that might include, but are not limited to, apricots, cherries, elderberries, strawberries, cassis … the list goes on. Cascade’s Elderberry NW Sour Ale awaits in Peaks and Pints’ cooler. Aged six months in French oak wine barrels, then
Stepping into the craft beer world can be intimidating (not really), and it may require a period of adjustment for your desperate and corn-fatigued palate. For those of you who are ready and willing to immerse yourself immediately into the world of craft beer, Peaks and Pints presents Craft Beer Crosscut 8.17.17: A Flight for Everyone. Indeed, today’s beer flight present five craft beers everyone should enjoy. These craft beers don’t require that you wait in line for hours to buy them, or that you travel to some distant locale, or that you trade away your car for a taste.
Checking into the Washington Beer Mobile App is more fun with photos. Photo credit: Pappi Swarner Thankfully for lovers of Washington state craft beers, the Washington Beer Commission brain trust has put its glasses down long enough to create an app that helps the state’s craft beer industry and Washington Beer Lovers, or WABL, connect, engage and learn about their favorite pastime. For Washington state brewers and bottle shop proprietors, getting and keeping their passionately made and served products in front of Washingtonians has become easier and quicker than ever. For WABL members, the ability to
Have your palm read at The Mule Tavern tonight. TACOMA PREFUNK WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16 2017: Bale Breaker Frenz IPA and palm readings PREFUNK: Bale Breaker Brewing Co. has launched its Harvest Collaboration Series — a chance for the Yakima Valley craft brewery to spend quality time with its fellow craft breweries. According to Bale Breaker hype, “For the Harvest Collaboration Series, we will be releasing four different beers brewed in collaboration with four different breweries, with release dates from late-August through early-October.” First up … Georgetown Brewery. The Seattle brewery entered the recently expanded Bale Breaker
The breeders of the Warrior hop keep its origins shrouded in mystery. Some reports claim Yakima Chief Ranches first harvested Warrior in 2001, but the hop developers in Yakima Valley, Washington, keep the pedigree of this hop under wraps. Warrior imparts a great deal of bitterness thanks to its high alpha acid content, which makes it a vital part of many IPAs and other hop-dependent styles. The other flavors that come out tend to be along the lines of grapefruit and lemon with some underlying pine notes. Warrior is a relatively high yield hop with good storability, which makes is
The Fourth Annual Destiny City Film Festival will be held Aug. 25-27 at the Blue Mouse Theatre in Tacoma’s Proctor neighborhood. Festival Director Emily Alm will presents 32 dynamic films from around the world, filmmaker Q&As, a free screenwriting panel and recognition of this year’s short screenplay competition winner. “In its fourth year, the Destiny City Film Festival” is proud to bring award-winning films to Tacoma, and to connect our community with the power of storytelling,” says Alm. For more information, visit destinycityfilmfestival.com. Peaks and Pints is honored to host a 6 p.m. DCFF prefunk with festival information, giveaways and
TACOMA PREFUNK MONDAY, AUG. 14 2017: Stillwater On Fleek and This Is Spinal Tap PREFUNK: Stillwater Artisanal On Fleek imperial stout can looks like it’s from the ’90s, and its playful design makes the beer can a signature artist Mike Van Hall piece. The packaging has florescent yellow, green and pink leopard spots, plus blue and black tiger stripes lining the can. It’s the kind of beer that Picasso might pour. The beer is dark, boozy and brewed with dark sugars and molasses, but also deceivingly drinkable for 13 percent ABV. Stillwater collaborated with Greensboro Bend, Vermont-based brewery Casita Cerveceria,
Some people are just not “people” people. Some people are dog people, some are cat people and some are just plain animal people. If you are an animal person, may we suggest today’s beer flight — Craft Beer Crosscut 8.14.17: A Flight of Brew Zoo. You need to know a few things first. You don’t have to say “fuzzy duck” to the person on your left, drink like a T-Rex or chase Ping-Pong balls. And you won’t be sweating your ass off at the zoo; although it’s no coincidence that one of the only words you can form from the
Tie dye, LSD, free love, peace protests, music and meditation. Five decades ago, San Francisco became the center of counterculture, and Peaks and Pints celebrates the Summer of Love with a special beer flight today. Breweries brewed special craft beers inspired by their favorite songs from the late 60s and we’re pouring them from our Western red cedar tap log while our jukebox pumps out what was heard squealing out windows from Hashbury lofts and bouncing out of radios in Carnaby Street clothing shops back during that special bohemian summer. So enjoy of Craft Beer Crosscut 8.13.17: A Flight of Summer
Tie dye, LSD, free love, peace protests, music and meditation. Five decades ago, San Francisco became the center of counterculture, and Peaks and Pints will celebrate the Summer of Love with Tacoma breweries from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. today. Tacoma breweries brewed special craft beers inspired by their favorite hippie songs of 1967 and we’re pouring them from our Western red cedar tap log while our jukebox pumps out what was heard squealing out windows from Hashbury lofts and bouncing out of radios in Carnaby Street clothing shops back during that special bohemian summer. Narrows Brewing Company offers their hazy
TACOMA PREFUNK FRIDAY, AUG. 11 2017: Cans For A Cause Party and Tacoma Beer Week events PREFUNK: Tacoma Beer Week continues, and what better way to celebrate than by helping others. With cans. It may be warm and sunny outside, but people are still starving right in our neighborhoods. For the past week, Peaks and Pints, 7 Seas Brewing, Silver City Brewery, No-Li Brewhouse, Bale Breaker Brewing Co., Fish Tale Ales and Iron Horse Brewery host Tacoma Beer Week 2017 Cans For A Cause hosted a canned food drive in support of the Tacoma Rescue Mission. At 5 p.m. Peaks
So what makes a dark beer dark? It all comes down to the malts. Though all beer relies on malts (cereal grains that have been allowed to germinate, then dried to halt the germination process), dark beers are unique in their use of black and dark malts. These grains are heavily roasted to achieve the characteristic color as well as the caramelized, toasty flavors we love. The blanket term “dark beer” encompasses everything from classic styles like schwarzbier (a dark German lager) to the relatively new and trendy black IPAs. The most familiar dark beers, however, are generally billed as
TACOMA PREFUNK THURSDAY, AUG. 10 2017: Firestone Walker S’mores Day and Tacoma Beer Week events PREFUNK: Peaks and Pints would be hard-pressed to think of a more deservedly decorated outfit to host during Tacoma Beer Week … on National S’mores Day! In addition to our house s’mores dessert jars from Tacoma baker Auntie B’s, we’ll sip decadent Firestone Walker Brewing Co. treats such as Nitro Merlin Milk Stout, 100 percent bourbon barrel aged Velvet Merkin imperial oatmeal stout, Sucaba barleywine, Stickee Monkey strong ale, Bravo barrel aged imperial brown ale, plus Leo v. Ursus: Adversus imperial IPA and other craft
Welcome back to another edition of Craft Beer Crosscut. Peaks and Pints’ carefully calibrated algorithms constantly collect data to produce the best daily craft beer flights. Today, we don’t need no stickin’ algorithms. It’s National S’mores Day. Today’s beer flight writes itself, as they say. How much do you love the marshmallow, chocolate, graham combo? Bet if we throw in beer, it’ll make it more dear. Indeed, s’mores are a simple backyard pleasure (unless you live in the core of the sun like our summer with burn bans galore) so we’re pleased to have another excuse to get our marshmallow
Do you enjoy craft beer and craziness? Peaks and Pints hosts both when the craft breweries and cidery of Thurston County invade at 6 p.m. tonight. TACOMA PREFUNK WEDNESDAY, AUG. 9 2017: Thurston County Craft Beer Tap Takeover and Tacoma Beer Week events PREFUNK: Thurston County’s beer roots run as deep as its famous artesian wells. In 1896 successful Montana brewer Leopold Schmidt opened the Capital Brewery after discovering the famous artesian water was ideal for brewing beer. Originally housed in a stackhouse in Tumwater, and eventually renamed Olympia Brewery, it was a significant player in
University of Washington-Tacoma will launch a new series of certificate programs that reflect the growth of the craft beer industry in the South Puget Sound region, including Tacoma’s burgeoning Brewery District. MORNING FOAM FOR WEDNESDAY, AUG. 9 2017: A seven-taster flight of craft beer news, from the fluffy head all the way to the bottom suspicious vehicle. … The University of Washington — Tacoma launches a Craft Beer Certificate Programs starting this fall. UW Tacoma, which just happens to be located in downtown Tacoma’s historic and recently reborn Brewery District, will offer a practical, hands-on approach to
The popularity of craft beer is rising more swiftly than ever, with more than 5,000 breweries across the United States. Thurston County, the original home of the Olympia Brewery, has embraced the trend wholeheartedly. Thurston County’s beer roots run as deep as its famous artesian wells. In 1896 successful Montana brewer Leopold Schmidt opened the Capital Brewery after discovering the famous artesian water was ideal for brewing beer. Originally housed in a stackhouse in Tumwater, and eventually renamed Olympia Brewery, it was a significant player in the region’s sudsy brew movement. The brewery slogged through Prohibition during the early 20th
TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, AUG. 8 2017: Everybody’s Brewing’s Cot Damn and Tacoma Beer Week PREFUNK: Kettled versus aged. The former is a trendy way to make sour-tasting beer. It is much quicker, doesn’t require any special equipment and is less expensive to make. The latter is an age-old tradition that involves careful production, long periods of fermentation and use of bacteria or wild yeast that if left unchecked can contaminate other beers. With kettle souring, bacteria is added to the raw wort, or unfermented beer. Brewers boil the wort to kill off the bacteria after it has reached the desired
Tettnang, a noble hop, is known for its all-purpose hop versatility, great for its aromatic and bittering properties. Grown in the Tettnanger region in Bavaria, near Bodensee, near the southern border of Germany, as a land-race hop, it is prized in the German-style lager and pilsner tradition. It is also grown in the US, and Swiss where controversy brews about the legitimacy of their Tettnang hops. Many believe they are spawned from Fuggle hops since “Tettnanger” cultivation is traditional in Switzerland, it is most likely that the Swiss Tettnangers were never Tettnang Tettnanger’s to start with. US growers, in recent
Craft beer has a number. TACOMA PREFUNK MONDAY, AUG. 7 2017: Peaks and Pints Hopnificent 7 and Tacoma Beer Week PREFUNK: The Hopnificent Seven, a remake of the classic 1960 Western (itself a remake of the 1954 Japanese film The Seven Samurai ) comes with an all-star cast, a wide-ranging arsenal of hops and some funny lines. Directed by Mike Bosold, an award-wining shorts storyteller, it’s a tale of primary hop additions and dry-hopping during Tacoma Beer Week. When roughians invade the mountain-themed Peaks and Pints bottle shop, taproom and restaurant of Basecamp Proctor, leaving just
Enjoy craft beer and cider from the Columbia River Gorge area before catching Dunkirk at The Grand Cinema. TACOMA PREFUNK SUNDAY, AUG. 6 2017: Tacoma Beer Week Launch Party and Dunkirk PREFUNK: Tacoma Beer Week officially launches today and continues through Aug. 12. In all, more than 40 events are happening at 15 venues. Peaks and Pints hosts a Tacoma Beer Week launch party with the craft breweries and cideries of the Columbia River Gorge. Brewers and representatives from Walking Man Brewing, Backwoods Brewing, Everybody’s Brewing, pFriem Family Brewers, Jester & Judge Hard Cider, Double Mountain
Sometimes it’s hard to think of Tacoma as an urban environment. Deer graze on North End flowerbeds at night. Rabbits hop across the pavement. Point Defiance Park is a large urban park in the United States. It’s nice existing so close to Mama Nature, but living in this city — surrounded by concrete, neon, strip malls and construction — you still want a little more Great Outdoors. If you’re looking for a little dirt, bug and tree action, but still want to dine and shop well, the Columbia River Gorge/Hood River is three hours away. Beginning approximately 15,000 years ago,
Drop by Peaks and Pints this afternoon, tie dye a shirt with The Grand Cinema, then enjoy a craft beer and cider. Cheers! TACOMA POSTFUNK SATURDAY, AUG. 5 2017: Proctor Arts Fest and Brew Five Three After Party POSTFUNK: Peaks and Pints sets aside our Daily Prefunk entertainment suggestions for a special Postfunk today. Two Beers Brewing Co., Seattle Cider Company and Peaks and Pints are throwing an “After Party” immediately following the Proctor Arts Festival and Brew Five Three: Tacoma’s Beer & Blues Festival at 7 p.m. Doesn’t a Two Beers Wonderland Trail IPA with
Peaks and Pints will celebrate Tacoma Beer Week with the craft breweries and cidery from the Columbia River Gorge at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6. MORNING FOAM FOR SATURDAY, AUG. 5 2017: A seven-taster flight of craft beer news, from the fluffy head all the way to the computer craft beer program. … Brew Five Three, the annual beer and blues festival, starts at 1 p.m. today, and it’ll have seven hours of live music, 39 breweries and cideries offering small tastes, and seven food trucks at a block party that sets up on Broadway between
You know the story. In 2005, Joel VandenBrink found himself in a disagreement with a friend, so they headed to a local pub to talk it through. After the second pint disappeared, the two friends had an honest conversation. Before that second pint, VandenBrink was putting his engineering degree from Grand Valley State University to use at the Johnson Controls plant in Holland, when he wasn’t exploring the great outdoors. The outdoorsman eventually moved to the great Seattle outdoors, epic solo hikes and, eventually that second pint of beer. After a homebrew starter kit and an inspirational tour of New
One thing any visitor or new resident to the South Sound should know: People still love to bitch about the summers here. So not only are you coping with the heat (underwear sticking to you, wrestling with those windshield sun shades, the electric bill in general), you’re coping with people complaining endlessly about the heat. If you’re a native, you know this summer is extraordinarily hot. Cars smell like suntan lotion even with no one inside. Priests are asked to put in a good word for air conditioners. Trips to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium are a carnival of sticky
There is something you should know about beer: There is a holiday for virtually everything about beer that is celebrated somewhere, somehow, including today’s IPA Day, which gives glory to hops, bittering units and IPAs. Founded in 2011, IPA Day is a global celebration of craft beer. It is a universal movement that was created to unite the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers and brewers worldwide. IPA Day was originally developed as a social media-based holiday, but has since expanded into a worldwide party, boasting hundreds of IPA-themed events, celebrations and Peaks and Pints craft beer flight. India Pale
Suffering from insomnia is no fun, and just the thought alone of trying to fall asleep can make you anxious. But help in the form of hops could be an answer. Hops are a known sedative, and some research suggests that when the extract from hops is combined with the valerian root extract at bedtime, it can assist in helping people fall asleep faster. Peaks and Pints doesn’t have a lot of valerian root lying around but we do know several craft beers with hop extract helps us fall asleep. Many craft brewers brew with hop extract. Hop extract is
TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, AUG. 1 2017: E9 Frambuesa Moka and blues jam PREFUNK: When people discuss sour beers, rarely do they discuss it in terms of dark beers. Dark sour beers are on the periphery right now but they are coming and were on display. E9 Brewery’s Frambuesa Moka is everything one could hope for in a sour stout — it’s acidic on the first sip as one would expect from a sour beer, but it is also extremely creamy, smooth and toasty like a stout should be. It’s a great marriage of these two very distinct styles and its
The World Beer Awards is a prestigious competition for beer globally. The annual tasting selects, awards and promotes the “World’s Best Beers” to consumers and the trade. The annual competition features thousands of beers from around the world, with regional heats of blind tastings taking place in various countries in Europe, Asia and The Americas, followed by a final tasting of style winners from each region to select the World’s Best. The 2017 World Beer Awards is closing in on the final round of judging where the best beer in each style from the first two rounds are then tasted against each
Tacoma Beer Week begins Sunday, Aug. 6, kicking off a six-day celebration of craft beer. While the countywide festival is organized by Zoe Brackney, who founded Tacoma Beer Week four years ago, most of the events associated with the celebration are operated independently, produced by local bottle shops, bars, breweries and restaurants. These include beer-pairing dinners, tasting parties, special beer releases and tap takeovers. Peaks and Pints, the craft beer and cider bottle shop, taproom and restaurant that opened Nov. 1, 2016 in Tacoma’s Proctor District, celebrates its first official Tacoma Beer Week with a packed week of events. “We
Singer/songwriter Kristen Marlo joins guitarist Jeff Ross at Odd Otter brewing tonight. TACOMA PREFUNK MONDAY, JULY 31 2017: Holy Mountain Helmsman and variations PREFUNK: Holy Mountain Brewing Co. does wonderful things with malt in its Seattle brewhouse, despite the brand’s fame with IPAs, sours and saisons. Its easy drinking mild English mild clocks in at 3.7% ABV, which is lovely on a day like today. English mild ales are easy drinking and slightly malt-forward in both aroma and flavor. “Mild” often refers to the relative lack of hop bitterness. Drop by Peaks and Pints for Holy
Who doesn’t remember waking up on Saturday mornings, parking a big yellow beanbag in front of the tube, and settling in for a round of Saturday morning cartoons? And if you’re anything like Peaks and Pints, we had one Saturday morning staple: an overflowing bowl of Shredded Wheat with milk sloshing over the sides (thanks, Mom!). Yes, we were Shreddheads. Oh, how we wish we were Lucky Charmers holding our spoons overhand-style and make slurping noises as we ate desiccated marshmallows. Nope. On July 31, 1893, Denver, Colorado salesman Henry Perky said “to hell with selling railroad cars” and patented
TACOMA PREFUNK SUNDAY, JULY 30 2017: Fort George Sucker Punch and world music PREFUNK: Kettle souring involves cooking the grist, but then allowing it to cool in the brew kettle where lactobacillus, bacteria found in foods such as yogurt, cheese and sauerkraut, is introduced. After one to two days, the mash becomes sour and then the brewing process is restarted with enough heat to kill the bacteria, but leave a distinctive acidic tartness. Fort George Brewery perfected the process with its Sucker Punch Kettle Sour. It’s a thirst quenching sour with an in-your-face lemon-lime zestiness. Made with non-intrusive hops and
Craft brewers love to experiment. Whether they’re home brewers or work at a major craft brewery, creativity is really at the heart of this industry. Brewers are always willing to push the envelope with styles of beer as well as ingredients. Purists will tell you that adding things like vanilla, chocolate or chili peppers to beer is unnecessary and in some cases, offensive, but others embrace the experimental nature of brewing and have fun with figuring out different ways to create their favorite beverage. Maybe a craft brewer identifies the flavor bridge exists between earthy and citrus-forward hops as well
TACOMA PREFUNK SATURDAY, JULY 29 2017: Ninkasi Ground Control and free pinball PREFUNK: Consider space. Albert became the first monkey in space June 11, 1948, when NASA sent a V2 rocket carrying him up 83 miles. Laika the dog became the first Earth-born creature to orbit the Earth when the Russians sent her into space atop a Sputnik rocket on Nov. 3, 1957. Countless astronauts have since ventured into space, traveling as far as the moon. So is it surprising that Eugene beer maker Ninkasi Brewing decided to launch several vials of yeast into space aboard a rocket and then
