New to Victoria’s brew scene? West Coast Brewery Tours will happily haul you and your friends in their lively van to three different breweries in the area so you can merrily get sloshed! Near the beginning of the tour, you will learn bits and pieces of Victoria’s early beer scene history from when it started in the 19th century and a bit about the current climate of craft beer in British Columbia (BC). Much like craft beer in the states and Washington in particular, craft breweries in BC are exploding. There are currently102 breweries and 36 are scheduled to open this year!
Brew Barons
Rum has earned a bad rap as the drink of pirates and the base of fruity cocktail drinks. While that is totally true, there is so much more to this versatile spirit than Mai Tais and Grog! The chicas y hombres at La Isla are more than happy to introduce you to some of the finest rums, rum cocktails, and food pairings. Each month, the staff excitedly dedicate a themed night to do just that, with small plates designed around rums and cocktails.
A 6-course meal with fierce farm-to-table action featuring an all-female ensemble including some of the best chefs, sous chefs, and cider makers and producers in Seattle. The dinner will be a collaboration with one of the best local cider makers in the area, Alpenfire Cider and will take place at the long communal table at Capitol Cider.
Awesome winter beers to try before they vanish like our daylight hours!
Having holiday withdrawals? Have no fear, you can still get fantastic holiday and winter seasonal beers all over the Sound at your local tap house, bottle shop, or brew pub. If you happened to miss this year’s Winter Beer Festival and the plethora of sensational winter beers that were on tap, take a look at the list of selections we sampled below.
Have you ever wanted to be on a cooking show where you could get some actual hands-on experience on how to make something? Well come on down to The Cellar at E. Smith Mercantile for the monthly Mixology course. Bartenders Jessie and Kat will be your instructors and will make the most intricate cocktails look Rachel Ray easy with Alton Brown panache.
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?
Pop open the bubbly to celebrate!
Daniel’s Broiler-Leschi is celebrating their 35th birthday by giving everyone a delightful gift. They are inviting folks to enjoy a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for $35 through the rest of 2015 to say, “Cheers to 35 years!” At the time of our visit, 912 bottles had already been popped. There are only a couple months left in the year and the holidays are only a few days away. You too can treat yourself to a little celebration!
Tea that will really help you de-stress.
Botanicals, including teas, have been going into spirits for ages to make gin, aquavit, rum, and more. The folks at Townshend’s Tea Company have come up with a different approach to utilizing herbs to create new flavors. They take their teas and use them in the mash (materials mashed up to release juices and sugars to be distilled in liquor or spirits) with cane sugar. This creates a liquor that retains the tea flavor while adding more botanicals makes it a truly unique taste experience.
“Beer for one, beer for all.”
Nestled in the peninsula town of Silverdale, Silver City Brewery has been steadily picking up steam in the beer game since 1996. The restaurateurs-turned-brewers took their passion for beer and have proudly established themselves as purveyors of beers that will appeal to all palettes. And boy do these guys know how to make beer!
Bounce to the pop jams of rainbow druids.
Looking for goofy indie-pop fun tonight? Hustle on down to The Crocodile to check out the Bonnaroo Preview Seattle edition featuring Rubblebucket, Babes, and The Hoot Hoots! The event series, sponsored by Angry Orchard, spans five cities all featuring a local Bonnaroo hopeful who needs your vote to make the stage in Tennessee. It’s the next generation of Battle of the Bands with online voting and social media determining the victor!
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