Seattle Beer Week is upon us, and with it, eleven days crammed with craft beer events of every stripe. To get you started, we’ve picked out some unique and exciting events we think you should know about, from a beer can derby race to hop vaping, and from the Back in Black Stout Fest to Women in Beer. For all of your beer week planning needs, you can check out the full Seattle Beer Week calendar.
THURSDAY, MAY 10
Official SBW 10 Kickoff!
It all begins tonight, at Georgetown Brewing. They’ll read off the proclamation to officially start the 10th Beer Week and tap the first keg of the official beer, Citrus Galaxy IPA, before beginning a pub crawl. They’ll make a pit-stop at Beveridge Place Pub’s Cask-O-Rama for cask-aged beers, grab a pint of Citrus Galaxy IPA at Ounces Taproom & Beer Garden, stop at Brave Horse Tavern for beer and a warm, freshly baked pretzel, and end the night at mortuary-turned-bar the Pine Box.
Various locations
THURSDAY, MAY 10
Seattle CASK-O-RAMA
Sixteen casks from 16 different Seattle breweries will grace the bartop at Beveridge Place Pub.
Beveridge Place Pub
FRIDAY, MAY 11
A Night With Holy Mountain
Hang out at Capitol Hill’s favorite mortuary-turned-watering-hole, meet the crew from the esoteric, well-respected brewery Holy Mountain Brewing, and try their rad beers.
The Pine Box
GateCity IPA Release
Usher in the release of GateCity IPA, a new brew benefiting North Helpline. $1 from every pint will go towards their efforts to ensure North Seattle residents have “food on the table and a roof overhead.”
Hellbent Brewing Company
Vormestrand’s Scroll D&D Campaign
Gamers and beer nerds alike will love Vormestrand’s Scroll IPA, a “a mystic recipe which blends new world hops, Galaxy, Citra, and Comet, with old world ingredients, wild rice, barley, and spelt.” But, they warn, “the Zythos Faction has hidden the recipe stealthily in taverns across the Cascading realm during the well celebrated Week of Beer.” Will you be the hero to seek it out? Sign up for a special D&D campaign to celebrate the release.
Teku Tavern
MAY 11-13
Back in Black Stout Fest
Retreat into darkness with this stout extravaganza, which will provide 40 or more of the “baddest of the bad-ass stouts that we can assemble,” along with Stoofvlees, a Flemish beef stew made with beer.
Brouwer’s Cafe
MAY 11-19
GateCity IPA on Tour
For every pint of Hellbent Brewing’s Gatecity IPA that gets gulped down during Beer Week, $1 will be donated to North Helpline, a nonprofit providing a food bank and emergency services for North Seattle neighbors in need. During Beer Week, ten different locations will offer it on their tap, with fun and prizes provided by North Helpline staff. Visit them all and post a photo of your beer with the hashtag #gatecityipa to be entered in a grand prize drawing.
Various locations
SATURDAY, MAY 12
Barleywood Squares
Watch “craft beer celebrities” participate in Barleywood Squares, a take on Hollywood Squares featuring “the region’s most celebrated brewers firing off witty answers to craft beer questions in a life-size Tic-Tac-Toe board” in the Walrus Beer Garden. Plus, check out a dozen special and collaboration beers on tap at the outdoor bar.
Naked City Brewery & Taphouse
Big Bad Baptist Night
If beer is your religion, “party like it’s AD 29,” admit your sins at the drunk confession booth, and get baptized in stout. Plus, enjoy multiple vintages and variants of Epic Brewing’s Big Bad Baptist Barrel Aged Stout.
Full Throttle Bottles
Bob’s Brown Ale Release
Georgetown Brewery co-founder and co-owner Manny Chao created Bob’s Brown Ale in honor of his late friend Bob, whom he met when he was working as a camp counselor at Vashon Island’s Camp Goodtimes and who died of leukemia at age 21 in 2005. In memory of Bob, Georgetown Brewing releases an ale each year on Bob’s birthday. This year, they’ll release four versions of the highly anticipated limited edition brew two days early, starting at 10 a.m. at the brewery. Later that day, Chao will head over to Nickerson Street Saloon to throw a big party in Bob’s honor, with prizes like a chance to hang out with Chao at the brewery and watch a movie. 100% of proceeds from sales of Bob’s Brown Ale goes to Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Nickerson Street Saloon & Grill and Georgetown Brewing
Cheese Wars: The Last Cheddai
Witness the epic clash of galactic proportions between food trucks Peach & the Pig and Wicked Good Grinders, who will duke it out to see who can turn out the best cheddar sandwich. The 501st Legion and Rebel Legion will come outfitted in full Star Wars regalia to aid fundraising efforts, and geeky ensemble the 8-Bit Brass Band will perform cantina standards.
Hellbent Brewing Company
Doughnut Time with High Water Brewing
Brunch like a champion with pairings of doughnuts and beer from High Water Brewing and Peaks and Pints.
Peaks & Pints (Tacoma)
Haze Fest
At this “celebration of all things juicy, hoppy and hazy,” Reuben’s will feature over a dozen hazy IPAs on tap, including some from their Crush series, hazy infusions, and rare guest taps.
Reuben’s Brews
Heavy Metal Beer Night
Bring your own vinyl and thrash to heavy metal while drinking beers from Trve, Firestone Walker, Burial, and Grains of Wrath.
Toronado Seattle
Lucky Envelope Beer Dinner
Brave Horse Tavern chef Bradley Layfield has created a pairing menu of his signature elevated pub grub alongside culturally inspired beer pairings from Lucky Envelope Brewing.
Brave Horse Tavern
Pine Box Beer Can Derby
Participate in an old-fashioned Cub Scout-style derby race with cars fashioned from beer cans. Build your car on the spot and try your luck.
The Pine Box
Truck Bites & Spring Brewfest
At this family-friendly event, Pyramid Brewing Co. will provide a “spring beer garden experience” with food trucks, including NOSH, Thai-U-Up, Wood Shop BBQ and Green Tree Food Truck, plus $7 for local brews from Pyramid, including their award-winning Hefeweizen and seasonal Curve Ball.
Pyramid Alehouse
SUNDAY, MAY 13
Hop Vapin’ on the Patio
As a way to experience the ingredients of their beers in a whole new way, Lagunitas will vape some of their hops from their Seattle Beer Week beer and allow guests to take puffs.
Lagunitas Tap Room
MONDAY, MAY 14
Cloudburst Mai Tai Monday
Don a Hawaiian shirt and sip some fruity Mai Tais in the sun with the crew from Cloudburst. They add that “maybe” they’ll even have some beers.
The Pine Box
Goth Tiki Night Presented by Floodland
Goths aren’t known for their predilection for sunshine, but this event will feature guest goth bartender Derek Brachos shaking and stirring some tropical tiki drinks to bring to mind sunny climes. In addition, the Masonry will tap some special kegs from Floodland.
The Masonry
Women in Beer
At this event honoring the women in the Northwest craft beer industry, try tastes and bites from over 35 different women-run restaurants, cideries, wineries, chocolatiers, cheesemakers, and more, with samples from Seattle staples and newcomers alike. The official beer of the event will be the women-brewed Pike Morning After Pale, which also benefits Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands.
Pike Brewing Company
TUESDAY, MAY 15
12 Pack @ The Troll
For this Beer Week favorite shrouded in mystery (the description reads simply, “If you know, you know”), attendees make a pilgrimage to the Fremont Troll and stand around drinking beer.
Fremont Troll
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16
Beer Olympics with Georgetown
Try Georgetown Brewing’s classic German pilsners Roberbrau and compare it to the classic German pilsner Bitburger, and watch as Prost owner and resident Bitburger fan Chris faces of against Roger of Georgetown Brewing for the ongoing Bier Olympics. Plus, play traditional games like Hammerschlagen, Masskrugstemmen, Bimini, and more.
Brave Horse Pop-up at Urban Family
Partake in gourmet Tom Douglas pub grub from Brave Horse Tavern’s pop-up and hang out at Urban Family Brewing.
Urban Family Brewing Co.
Elysian’s 22nd Anniversary
A uniform of “flannels, ripped jeans, and Doc Martens” is encouraged at this ’90s throwback event, which will include the release of Loki Lager, original 1996 pint prices of $2.75 all day long, and ’90s-themed karaoke from 5:30-9 pm, all at Elysian’s original Capitol Hill pub.
Elysian Brewing Company
(Just Give Into) The Haze Craze!
Succumb to the haze craze with a selection of 20-30 “fresh, hazy, juice bomb IPAs and Pale Ales” from Washington, Oregon, and a few California breweries on tap, including old favorites and some fresh offerings. There will also be special deals on 32 oz crowler three-packs.
The Growler Guys
Naked City Half-Decima Pig Roast
Naked City Brewery will serve all five of the beers released so far for their 10th anniversary Decima series and roast a whole pig raised on spent grain from their brewery, alongside traditional sides like potato salad, collard greens, and baked beans. Plus, play games like cornhole and washers. (Those with completed Decima punch cards from all 10 releases will be able to cash them in for a commemorative pint glass at the anniversary party in October.)
Naked City Brewery & Taphouse
THURSDAY, MAY 17
Sour Fest
Enjoy a palate cleanser from the deluge of “big, gnarly stouts” with 55 “world-class” sour beers from around the globe on draft, running the gamut from “lightly tart” to “enamel-ripping.”
Brouwer’s Cafe
FRIDAY, MAY 18
NITRO Fest
At the largest nitrogen festival on a single system in the world, try Seattle favorites and special one-keg-only beers made exclusively for the festival, all with a nitrogenated twist.
Teku Tavern
SATURDAY, MAY 19
2nd Annual Reuben & Friends Invitational Beer Festival
For the second edition of their annual invitational, Reuben’s Brews have summoned some of their favorite brewers and brewery owners from across the country to join them for a beer fest highlighting “specialty, hard to find brews from both near and far,” with live music from Planet Fly.
Reuben’s Brews
