Following in the footsteps of great pioneers like Magellan, Lewis & Clark, and the Captain James T Kirk, we are blazing new trails in search of new beer (I have just been informed beer is not why any of those people did any of those things. I am not clear on why they did it, then). So we’ll be taking a look at breweries far and wide, but mostly focusing on the greater Seattle area and Western Washington in general.
We will seek out and find new breweries, drink their beers, and tell you about them, so you don’t have to. No need to thank us- It is our duty to serve. Our first stop is Reuben’s Brews.
Location: 5010 14th Ave NW, Seattle, WA
Services: Taproom, Food Trucks/Pizza to Order
The Beer: Reuben’s is fairly new, but wasted no time putting themselves on the map in the crowded Washington beer scene. Their American Rye blew me away the first time I had it, and remains one of my favorite beers. It also garnered some less-important attention, picking up silver at the 2012 World Beer Championship, as well as Best New Brew from Seattle Magazine. If that wasn’t enough, the Imperial Rye IPA picked up the 2013 Silver at the WBC, and three other notable awards. Rye, for my money, is vastly underrated and underused. Rueben’s took that horse and rode it to some well-deserved notoriety.
A Roggenbier- basically, a rye hefe- and roasted rye IPA round out the rye mainstay offering. Each and every one is fantastic in its own right, and are worth the price of admission alone. But let’s talk about the Robust Porter. Porters are, by far, my favorite, and for a fairly new entry, Reuben’s can go toe-to-toe with anyone. Smooth, rich and malty. But don’t take my word for it:
2015 Washington Beer Awards – Gold
2015 World Beer Championships – Gold
2014 European Beer Star – Gold
2014 Washington Beer Awards – Gold
2014 Australian Intl. Beer Awards – Bronze
2013 Washington Beer Awards – Silver
2013 US Open – Silver
2013 & 2012 World Beer Championships – Silver
Yeah, it’s good. A fantastic Oatmeal Stout and American Brown round out their flagship offering, along with a fantastic cream ale, Crickey IPA (which I haven’t had yet), and Balsch, a Kolsch I also haven’t had.
In short, if you are forging your own trail in the sound, Reuben’s should basically be your base camp. If you are up in Bellingham, Elizabeth Station generally has them in stock.
–DESR
