Saturday marked our 7th anniversary. Since we launched this website on October 10, 2008, we’ve published over 3,200 stories. All of those stories were made possible by Washington’s dynamic, ever-expanding beer industry. I don’t recall the exact number, but when we launched this blog there were just over 100 breweries on the list. As of today, Washington is now home to 296 breweries.
The Washington State Liquor Control Board recently updated the official list of licensed Washington breweries. It’s been a while since they’ve released an updated list, presumably because their hands have been full with he burgeoning pot industry. That would explain why 18 new breweries showed up on the list at once (listed below).
Being on the state’s list is not an indicator that a brewery is actually producing beer. Some people get a license but the plan never comes to fruition. Most likely, their plans are thwarted by other regulatory agencies, be they federal or local. The U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), county jurisdictions, and municipal jurisdictions are often greater impediments than the state. The license from the state is just one of the hoops.
I just added 20 breweries to our list of breweries. I do my best to determine that a “licensed brewery” is actually making beer before adding it to the list. Maybe I missed one? Maybe I added one that shouldn’t be on the list? I try, but ultimately I rely on you to be my eyes and ears.
- 5 Rights Brewing, Marysville
- Awkward Brewing, Lake Stevens
- Beardslee Public House, Bothell
- Bellweather Brewing, Spokane
- Benniditos Brewpub, Spokane
- Brier Brewing, Brier
- Cash Brewing, Silverdale
- Destiny City Brewing, Tacoma
- Double Bluff Brewing, Langley
- Farmstrong Brewing, Mount Vernon
- Four Horsemen Brewery, Kent
- Fox Island Brewing, Fox Island
- Hemlock State Brewing, Shoreline
- Lopez Island Brewing, Lopez Island
- New Boundary Brewing, Cheney
- Nine Yards Brewing, Kenmore
- Quartzite Brewing, Chewelah
- Thirsty Crab, Freeland
- Three Bull Brewing, Snohomish
- Wobbly Hopps Brewing, Bremerton
You can now find all of these breweries on our list and map of Washington Breweries.
Here’s 2 more for you:
54-40 Brewing – Washougal, WA
Trapdoor Brewing – Vancouver, WA
Both are having grand opening parties October 24th.
Crucible Brewing opened early Oct in Everett.
Oh and Wild Earth Brewing has permanently closed in Roslyn.
I drove over Chinook Pass to Yakima over the weekend (Bale Breaker makes a great fresh hop beer that is draft only). We drove by a storefront in Natchez for Bron Yr Aur Brewing that currently operating as a restaurant. Don’t know if they have a application filed yet but they clearly have aspirations to brew.
Crucible
Everybody’s Brewing in White Salmon WA.
Perihelion Brewing on Beacon Hill