Small town fest, big time beers.

Last month, Bothell hosted its Second Annual Bothell Beer Festival on October 16th. The demand for the event was evident with the festival selling out and people wondering if there was any way they could still score tickets. After all, why should all the bigger cities get all the fun of beer festivals?

The tents lined Main Street and were corralled by a white picket fence to really give the sense of a garden party in your neighbor’s backyard. Music was playing from the start by the great cover band, The Dogtones, nailing all the classic rock and pop hits to the crowd’s content. Several tall tables dotted the road so folks could chat up one another while having a place to put their beer and food.

There were breweries representing the north end as well as some of the big guys like McMenamins Anderson School now open in Bothell and Redhook in Woodinville. They all featured beer offerings celebrating the change of the season, including many pumpkin brews. 

THE BREWERIES (our favorites bolded): 

• Beardslee Public House – Patch Cut Pumpkin Ale was the best variation of a pumpkin brew at the festival 
• Blue Lightning Brew
• Brickyard Brewing
• Chainline Brewing Co. – Zwickelbier was off the chain
• Diamond Knot Brewing Co.
• Dirty Bucket Brewing Co.
• Elysian Brewing Company
• Flycaster Brewing Co.
• Foggy Noggin Brewing
• Fort George Brewery
• Hi-Fi Brewing – Pump up the Volume has more allspice than you could possibly imagine
• Lazy Boy Brewing
• McMenamins
• Red Hook Brewery
• Salish Sea Brewing Co.
• Sumerian Brewing Co. – Stellar Double IPA
• Triplehorn Brewing Co.
• Twelve Bar Brews – The best Red of the event

Overall, good vibes and good brews on a sunny, autumn day. Even some late afternoon sprinkles couldn’t dampen the festivities. Next year, when the festival comes around, make it a point to make it out to this not-so-small-town beer festival.  

For the full album, click here.

Photos by Jered Perez & Kelsey Uy.