Touring Woodinville Beer Country – Limousine Optional

I grew up on the Eastside and am old enough to remember Woodinville being little more than a wide spot in the road. To this Bellevue boy, it was Hicksville: the boonies. Today Woodinville supports businesses of every shape and size: manufacturing, services and retail. It has become a quintessential suburban bedroom community. Still, amidst the inevitable consequences of 30 years of unbridled growth, Woodinville manages to maintain a measure of the rural charm I remember as a kid.

Most people recognize Woodinville as home to 90 wineries. Mixed in with all those grape crushers, you will find no less than four breweries. Recently we spent an afternoon touring the Woodinville brewery scene. While the winos bounced from tasting room to tasting room in limousines and European touring cars, we did the same in the Washington Beer Cruiser. The same, only different.

NOTE – October 2012 – Since the article was published, two more breweries have opened in Woodinville: Triplehorn Brewing and Brickyard Brewing


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So here we go. Starting in the heart of Woodinville wine country at the region’s largest craft brewery and ending in a forested neighborhood north of town, this is our Woodinville Beer Tour. We include a map below.

Redhook Brewery. Perhaps the best thing about Forecasters—the pub at the Redhook Brewery—is that you can usually sample less-common offerings from Redhook. You can order a pint of Long Hammer IPA if you like, but I would recommend using this opportunity to sample a beer from the Blueline Series or something seasonal. Forecasters serves lunch and dinner to go with the beer. It is open seven days a week, regular restaurant hours.

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Redhook Ale Brewery
14300 Northeast 145th Street
Woodinville, WA 98072
(425) 483-3232
www.redhook.com

Twelve Bar Brews. Located in a business park between McLendon’s Hardware and SR 522, you will find Twelve Bar Brews. Instead of going into the McLendon’s parking lot, continue around to the north and look for the brewery in the light-industrial complex that borders the freeway. We found the brewery unexpectedly closed when we visited. We understand they were off celebrating a very important milestone birthday. The Twelve Bar Brews tasting room is open from Monday through Friday 11:00 – 6:00, Saturday 11:00 – 3:00.

Twelve Bar Brews
12826 NE 178th St Suite C
Woodinville, WA 98072
(425) 482-1188
www.twelvebarbrews.com

Dirty Bucket Brewery. Located northeast of downtown Woodinville, Dirty Bucket Brewery opened in the spring of 2012. Steve Acord is the chief, cook and bottlewasher at Dirty Bucket. Steve’s son helps around the brewery, his brother does all of the graphic design, and his wife handles the books. It is a family affair, with Steve doing the brewing.

We found Steve manning the taps in the tasting room, which is an honorable way for him to spend his weekends considering he still works a day job. There is a decent amount of seating and a garage door opens to the parking lot providing an open-air drinking opportunity. The brewery’s tasting room is open on Fridays (4:00 – 9:00) and Saturday (12:00 – 7:00). When we visited, they were pouring four different beers. They were all good.

Want to know more about Dirty Bucket? Read our in depth interview with Steve Acord.

Dirty Bucket Brewery
19151 144th Ave NE
Woodinville, WA 98072
206-819-1570
www.dirtybucketbrewery.com

Foggy Noggin Brewing. Where most people park their cars (the garage), Jim Jameson has a tasting room. Where most people store their lawnmowers (the backyard shed), Jim Jameson has a brewery. Located in a rural neighborhood north of downtown Woodinville, Foggy Noggin Brewing is unexpected and uncommon: a brewery that doubles as a family home. Be respectful of the neighbors: drive slowly and do not block any driveways when you park.

Jim prides himself on brewing traditional English-style ales. Foggy Noggin sells a large majority of its beer in the garage. You will be surprised how many people know about Foggy Noggin. When we visited, we found Jim Jamison brewing in the shed and his wife and daughter operating the taps in the garage. There was a steady stream of visitors walking up the driveway. Some came to hunker down for a couple pints, comforting themselves on repurposed lawn furniture. Others walked away with growlers. Usually, the tasting room is only open on Saturdays. Keep an eye on the Foggy Noggin Facebook page to make sure they will be open when you visit.

To get the entire story of Foggy Noggin, read our in depth interview it Jim Jameson.

Foggy Noggin Brewing
22329 53rd Avenue Southeast
Bothell, WA 98021
(425) 486-1070
www.foggynogginbrewing.com

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View Woodinville Beer Tour in a larger map

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