Crab and Craft Beer Mark Another Milestone
Seattle’s Latona Pub was a craft beer pioneer and still leads the way. When it opened 38 years ago, it set out to do something different: to serve only locally brewed “microbrews,” the kind of beers we now call craft beers. In the 1980s, that took a lot of dedication. Craft beer was rare—exceedingly rare. A pub that focused solely on serving it was equally rare. Slowly but surely, the word caught up with the Latona Pub’s line of thinking. The venerable pub now looks around Seattle, sees so many other pubs dedicated to craft beer, and asks, “What took you so long?”
On Sunday, August 17th, Latona Pub celebrates its 38th anniversary with a party at the pub. They’re hosting a crab boil to mark the occasion, and you are invited. The festivities start at 2 p.m. and last until supplies run out.
What Makes It Great
“It is hard to imagine that 38 years have passed at the corner of 65th and Latona,” said the announcement from Latona Pub. “During that time, the Latona Pub has been the scene of many events and is still very much the social and cultural hub it was designed to be… From day one, the Latona has strived to be a center for the development of the independent craft beer industry. At the beginning in 1987, there were only half a dozen breweries [in Washington]. Today, there are close to five hundred.”
“Over those 38 years, the Latona has grown into one of the premier craft beer bars on the West Coast by focusing on delivering the beer to guests’ glasses the way the brewer intended. To that end, the neighborhood pub pioneered quality assurance standards like short draws from keg to glass, weekly cleaning of lines, regular changing of lines, and a limited number of taps for a quick pour through, ensuring freshness from every keg.”
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Many of today’s “good beer bars” could learn from the Latona Pub. The core of what makes craft beer different than many other beers is its quality. Brewers strive to use the best ingredients and brewing practices to deliver a product they’re proud of. Too often, that ethos evaporates at bars that ignore the details. The Latona Pub has never taken craft beer for granted, giving it the respect it’s due.
“The Latona has always encouraged the artistic and creative side of brewing by being a location for the release of new beers—perhaps the most notable being Georgetown’s Manny’s Pale Ale 22 years ago,” said the announcement. “Over the years, it has also been involved with well over a hundred collaborations, teaming up with friends both old and new to challenge the brewers’ creativity to make beers that often take on a life of their own and become part of the breweries’ regular lineup.”
The kitchen at the Latona is best described as small yet mighty. The pub delivers a warm, casual pub-dining experience with an elevated twist using locally sourced, fresh ingredients. Melding two passions together, beer-themed dinners have long been part of the pub’s repertoire, artfully pairing delicious food and beer.
Another part of the recipe is the music. Latona Pub has long supported local music, hosting the longest-running Friday Night Jazz Happy Hour. Thirty years of jazz are still going strong. Boots, Barrie, and Murray held court for 17 years with their addictive brand of Dixieland jazz. The tradition continued when Phil Sparks took over 13 years ago and offered a rotating cast of local musicians. Many well-known folk, bluegrass, and blues musicians have also graced the pub’s stage.
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The Latona Pub says it is proud to have contributed to the development of craft beer in Seattle and continues that mission today. “Though the pub is 38 years young, it strives to be relevant in the continuing saga of craft beer.”
