As the days get longer, there are only more hours available for patio beers. Luckily, Bellingham has a plethora of patios to choose from. No matter your neighborhood, preferred beer styles, or time of day you're available to sip a cold one outdoors, there's a patio that's right for you. Here's [...]
While the snow-pacalypse is close to over, or at least turned into slush-pacalypse, that doesn't mean Bellingham is warming up anytime soon. While school is finally back in session and your favorite local businesses open regular hours again, it seems like a great time to escape the cold and duck into [...]
As we're just a little under two weeks until Christmas, time is of the essence when it comes to buying gifts. If you're staying local to celebrate with family, chances are there's a craft beer lover on your list of people to shop for. If you're traveling, now may be the [...]
**Yummy pie header image courtesy of Boundary Bay Brewery The holidays are upon us, and in Bellingham that means the days get much shorter, the weather gets much wetter and for some, the beer gets much darker. Along with the hustle of the holidays, comes the stress of figuring out what [...]
In Series #1, we ran down a list of breakout beers that were in some way significant to the local beer scene. It was a short list based mainly on my experience of being a part of the scene in the late 90’s and early aughts as well as my [...]
Chances are good you know at least something about Oktoberfest. Even the most buzzed among us would be able to deduce that it’s some sort of German party, and of course everyone knows that its mascot is someone raising a liter-sized stein of lager, wearing either a dirndl dress or [...]
Let’s hop in the way back machine and revisit a bygone time. A time when there was practically no beer scene in town and the seeds were being sown for what we take for granted today. As local brewers honed their craft, benchmark beers emerged that helped define the scene [...]
Homebrew recipes for breweries are being unlocked around the US as breweries offer up their once tightly held secrets in the midst of high tap turnover market. The Homebrewers Association just released the Top 50 Commercial Clone Beer Recipes - one for each state. This includes Pliny the Elder. From [...]
Melvin Brewing has landed in Bellingham. They aren't brewing here yet and won't until this fall, when their brewing system shows up. That being said, they are in our community, thankfully, and their world class beers are served up just down the street from many of your houses. Their IPAs [...]
2017 Best Breweries & Beer By State State Top Brewery Top Beer Alabama Yellowhammer Brewery Rebellion (Yellowhammer Brewery), Shadwocaster Porter (Folklore Brewing & Meadery, LLC)* Alaska Alaskan Brewing Co. A Deal with the Devil (Anchorage Brewing Co.), Alaskan Smoked Porter & Alaskan Amber (Alaskan Brewing Co.)* Arizona Prescott Brewing Co. Achocolypse [...]
If there are two things Bellingham has lots of [but not enough of!] it's coffee and beer. We're well aware that Bellingham is an elite craft beer destination. With world class beers and more breweries per capita than any of its neighbors, it ranks at the top of all craft [...]
This weekend Bellingham will be celebrating it's biggest event, Ski to Sea. I've done the kayak leg a handful of times and it is always a weekend that bring the competitive spirit as well and a sense of community out of this vibrant bayside town. Ski to Sea is billed as [...]
Yeah, things are slowing down in craft beer. But keep in mind that is saying something for one of the hottest growing business sectors in the US. 2016 saw a tapering off in in growth and, by some measurements, a regression. But there's still over 5,200 breweries in the United [...]
Craftbeer.com held a poll to determine the best beer bars in America. This is what it's readers determined as the list of the best beer bars around. Only one Washington State beer bar made it, Manito Tap House in Spokane. Never been there, but, clearly, I'll have to make it. [...]
As craft beer moves to a more digital presence we're much more apt to quantify things and create lists. The always graphically wonderful VinePair release this awesome map for you to peruse. For the full zoomable map, go here.
Craft beer has matured to the point where we can start looking back to what got us here. Josh Noel over at the The Chicago Tribune recently listed its 25 most important American craft beers. Naturally, "most important" is a pretty ambiguous descriptor, but they did a fantastic job of [...]
The owner of Elizabeth Station, Patrick McEvoy, one of the region's premiere bottle shops spent the last few weeks putting together their "Top 2017 Hopes and Predictions". We wanted to compile them here for you. Tell us what you think! #11: Founders Brewing Co. This prediction is easy. 6pks just arrived [...]
Tap Trail had a heck of 2016. The beer floweth in this town and we're so thankful. Here are the Top 10 articles that were the most read in 2016. 10. Subdued Brewing Halts Efforts to Open Subdued Brewing was the darling of the burgeoning Bellingham craft beer scene. So [...]
We're nearing the end of 2016 and all the Top Lists are coming out. Tap Trail will have a list in the coming weeks, but while we're compiling all the goodness, we'll continue to provide you with the nation's top beers. Draft Magazine released it's Top 25 Beers of 2016. [...]
Note: The Magazine's Editors did give Fremont Brewing a head nod. Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine released its first ever Reader's Choice and Editor's picks for beers and breweries. And the readers didn't give a single win to one of Washington's 300+ breweries made a single list. Kinda surprising, but with over [...]
So many accolades for Bellingham breweries lately and this is another one. Men's Journal drops the occasional craft beer article and I've actually been impressed by the breadth of their suggestions and choices in these lists. They certainly put their time in. The article goes into each and every state and [...]
Tacoma's Park Way Tavern Tap Trail has a number of amazing beer bars (taphouses). They are the best of the best. CraftBeer.com just released the winners from their "Great American Beer Bar" competition. Tacoma's Parkway Tavern took the honors in Washington State. Unfortunately, the newest awards for greatness [...]
You're probably flying somewhere at sometime in the next year. Hopefully, you have your 2016 vacations all planned out with this. If you don't, make sure you know what airlines will get you to your destination with the best beer selection available. One of the worst things you can possibly experience while flying is hailing the [...]
2015. Wow. Day'um!! What a year. It was like getting a constant stream of hoppy malty goodness poured over your head, every day. A craft bath, if you will. We've all watched the Tap Trail expand, grow, evolve and take on new breweries and tap houses. From gadgets, to brewery [...]
The competition was tough. The votes were many & the craft beer love was deep. The whole Tap Trail could feel the love with each vote cast. Crowning Bellingham's best beer is a fitting way to round out 2015. With the recent opening of Bellingham's newest brewery, Structures Brewing, it's nice [...]
Bellingham has exercised it's constitutional right and voted! Our exit pollsters were working overtime and the feedback was, "Bellingham's love of Tap Trail beers runs DEEP!" The competition was so high that we had to expand the finals to the Top 3 Beers. There was a back and forth that would make [...]
Bellingham, you voted and here's your top four beers of 2015. Tap Trail breweries won awards at both the national and state levels this year. But they haven't won anything until they've won this competition! Tap Trail, you get to decide what Bellingham's Best Beer of 2015 is. Your favorite beer will [...]
It's fair to say that Bellingham was dominated by craft beer in 2015. It was Bellingham's Year of Beer. So many breweries were announced that we all looked up and wondered if this was actually happening. We made innumerable top lists, which showcased just how incredible Bellingham's craft beer scene is. Tourists from [...]
Nothing beats a good beer after an adventurous day of hiking, boating, skiing, biking or whatever you like to do in the mountains. Just remember to bring enough growlers, bottles or cans of beer for your campsite, RV or hotel. Regardless of which route you take into the Cascades, from Mount [...]
Bellingham you nominated many beertenders in our qualifying round from all over the Tap Trail (strangely, some from places not even on the Tap Trail.) After sniffing out some ballot stuffing, the following six sud slingers made it into the semifinals of the 1st Annual Bellingham’s Best BeerTender competition. Below, you can read [...]
Before I begin, let me say one thing up front: I realize “Top 10” and “Best of …” lists are subjective. I’m also aware that some people do not like these lists for one reason or another. But the fact remains, many more people like to read them for a variety [...]
And just like that, another Bellingham Beer Week is in the record books. May my liver and wallet recover from the damage that was done upon it on those ten days. BBW is a time of celebration and awareness, as the mission statement claims: “The mission of Bellingham Beer Week is [...]
We're snobby. We're discerning. We have amazing beer culture. Now we're considered one of the best in the West. Kendall Jones, who runs Washington Beer Blog, Bellingham wrote the list for USA Today. The list included such venerated beer meccas as Portland, Seattle, Bend, Santa Rosa and San Diego. What amazing company [...]
Mixed cases are great. Infuses some variety in your beer fridge. Covers your bases when you're going to a gathering. Protects you in the event that the beer in the case you haven't tried yet isn't that good. Not every (or even most) craft brewery has them, and for a whole [...]
Craft beer has proven an affinity for an eclectic taste of beers - Whale testicles and deer semen beer come to mind. Brewers are pushing the boundaries of craft beer. On the consumer side, beer drinkers are demanding higher alcohol content. New research shows that worldwide there has been a 280% increase [...]
Craft beer still makes up a small percentage of the $100 billion beer market. While the market share increases and the number of breweries is ever rising, the big boys still own most of the taps. Craft beer owns 11% of the total beer volume and 20% of total beer sales [...]
Bellingham has some world class breweries. There are more breweries being built here than, arguably, any city in Washington State. Soon we'll have double the breweries per capita of Seattle, WA. The options available to us are quite impressive and this doesn't even include the amazing diverse selection that's about to be available to [...]
Washington State has 275 breweries, the 2nd most breweries, behind California (431). Washington State has, arguably, the best breweries in the nation - Beer for beer. We're pretty neato. There are many more breweries on the way, not to mention all those popping up in Bellingham in the next 6-9 months. [...]
There are so many opinions about what makes craft beer good and why. Craft beer is hot and it creates some strong opinions (just take a look at the discussions on our new online forum!) There some facts and objectives truths and a bunch of subjective tastes. It's always important to anchor yourself in [...]
Russian River Brewing company is most well known for it's Pliny the Elder release - A double IPA that attracts hordes of people every year to the brewery. Zymurgy Magazine is the publication of the American Homebrewers Association. Zymurgy Magazine ranked named the brewery #1 in America. They also named Pliny as the #1 beer for the [...]
Berliner Weisse is a very popular style this year along with Gose and the every present IPA. A Berliner Weisse is a white cloudy beer usually around 3% ABV that has a distinct taste of lactic acid, often making it taste sour. Aslan Brewing Company brewed up Disco Lemonade, their version [...]
Canada has craft beer brewing chops. Just look towards the highly touted Four Winds Brewing, right across the border and the numerable internationally recognized breweries in and around Vancouver BC. Vancouver will have upwards of 25 breweries in the coming months with more on the way. But for all their amazing beers Vancouver [...]
For some buying a pint of craft beer is a way to relax and enjoy themselves. For others drinking craft beer is best enjoyed as a process. A process that brings out the best in the beer's nose, mouthfeel and flavor. The folks over at Wales Online gives this 5 step [...]
If you drink craft beer, it says something about you. You care about community, high quality ingredients, process and you just like good beer. Thrillist has taken it one step further and have moved into the realm of astrology and fortune cookies. They have taken each beer style and decided what [...]
Beer lists are pretty ubiquitous these days and we fully support more of them. They help to introduce us to beers we may not have otherwise known. With so many breweries and beers finding inventive ways to be educated about all of them is paramount to having a full and rich craft [...]
Just about every beer blogger and beer magazine has published at least one article on the Best Beer Cities in America. A quick Google search even pulls up many Top-10-Beer-Cities articles from news outlets and other non-beer-focused publications. Last year, Bellingham even made it onto one such list. Other than being [...]
Vancouver BC's The Georgia Straight just launched it's Beer Issue. So. Much. Craft. Beer! Joe Wiebe is a regionally recognized figure in the craft beer world. We've told you many times about the amazing craft beer available from BC. There is absolutely no reason to not visit BC for a craft [...]
Craft breweries continue to put out some incredible beers. The Bruery is often included as one of the best breweries in the US. Full Pint lists the following as their 7 favorite beers, in honor of The Bruery's 7th Anniversary. Melange No. 3 – I remember having one of the first [...]
There are craft beer trends we are excited about or are coming and then there are craft beer trends some want to see end. Allen Park over at Paste Magazine is over the following four trends. The last one is a insightful. Maybe craft beer just needs to get over railing on Big [...]
Craft beer has gluten in it. Like tons of gluten. It has 3-7 times as much barley as a macro light lager. Gluten that'll make your stomach churn if you have extreme gluten sensitivity, or, if you suffer from celiac disease, it can kill you. One-third of the US claims to be gluten [...]
