Dean Westling explores the local beer industry one pint at a time

Over the last year, we have done a lot of writing about the various establishments in Northwest Seattle and the fantastic micro brew being produced there. The micro brew culture of NW Seattle is seeded with breweries and micro brew pubs all with in a causal stroll of each other. Recently the arrival of NW Peaks and Hilliard's Beer has solidified Northwest Seattle's hold as a Mecca for beer drinkers from around the city and beyond. In order to bring these fantastic breweries and their relative closeness to light, on Saturday, May 12 at 2:00pm we will be embarking on a 2.3 mile stroll from Ballard to Fremont, down the lovely Burke-Gilman trail, sampling some of the finest beer from the Pacific Northwest. And it just so happens that The Life by the Pint Brewery Crawl: NW Seattle Edition coincides with Life by the Pint's 1 year anniversary. More of a reason for delicious beers, right? Right.

We will be starting at NW Peaks Brewery, the smallest brewery on the crawl to sample some of Kevin Klein, aka Dr. Peaks' finest spring beers. We have talked up NW Peaks a lot here at Life by the Pint, and now it's time for you to see why. The beer is bold and flavorfull, the approach is unique and creative, and the vibe is low key and local. Just what the Dr. ordered. Dr. Peaks, that is.

After a pint or two and some laughs, we will be departing NW Peaks for a short hike around the block to another new comer on the Seattle micro scene, Hilliard's Beer. An impressive location and operation, Hilliard's Beer opened it's doors and fired up the canner in 2011 and since then has been a staple in the Seattle canned micro world. The ambers are hoppy, the blondes are malty and the stouts are dry. I hate to say that I still have not tried their saison, so you know what my first pint at Hilliard's Beer will be.

Up next is a staple of the NW Seattle beer world, Maritime Pacific Brewing Co. This family owned Ballard "hop"-spot opened in 1990 and since has built a loyal following with such wonderful beers as the Islander Pale, Old Seattle Lager and of course, possibly the most celebrated of all Seattle beers, Jolly Roger.

After a well crafted brew at Maritime Pacific, it's time to hit the Burke-Gilman trail, for a stroll to another well-known Seattle establishment, Hales Ales. For me, Hales is all about cream ales. I love their HSB or "Hales Special Bitter". This fantastically creamy special bitters is like an English silk scarf stuffed into a cool pint glass and blown over by the Queen herself. Mmm. I want one now. And their Supergoose IPA aint nothing to laugh at either.

By now, I am sure everyone will be feeling top-notch, which means it's time to hit the Burke-Gilman trail again, this time for a little longer of a stroll. Depending on the attitude (drunkenness..) and size of the group, half way down the Burke-Gilman trail lies Fremont Mischief Distillery, the only distillery in Fremont. Makers of fine whiskeys, gins and vodkas Mischief is, in my opinion, worthy of being added onto a brewery crawl. Just an option. A very mischievous option.

The final destination on the Life by the Pint Brewery Crawl: NW Seattle Edition is Fremont Brewing Company. Fairly new to the scene, when compaired to Maritime and Hale's, Fremont Brewing has made a huge name for themselves in making socially conscious beer with flavors that astound beer lovers. Their Urban Beer Garden serves eight beers including a weekly cask rotator which is always interesting. Right now, the cask rotator is the Interurban IPA with raspberries and chrysanthemum. Sounds like a springtime, hop filled dream.

Now for the nitty-gritty. How to sign up? There really is no "sign up", though if you are planning on joining, please head over to the LbtP Facebook page and let us know you will be attending. Most of these places can handle quite a few people, but if we are rolling with a huge crew, I'll need to give them a heads up. What to bring? Well, you are an adult (21+ please), so you know what to bring. This is a free event, and you are responsible for all your own drinks, food, and transportation. And in situations like this cash is king, and if it's raining, a quick bus ride might be in order. All stops? No need to come to all the stops if you are only interested in one or two. There is a general schedule below.

This is a very loose outing, with little structure, but you can expect fun people, good beer and a unique afternoon. So come on out and celebrate the vibrant and exciting brew culture of Northwest Seattle with Life by the Pint!

Cheers!

Start: May 12th

2:00pm NW Peaks Brewery, 4912 17th Ave NW Ste. B, Seattle, Wa, 98107

3:00pm Hilliard's Beer, 1550 NW 49th St. Seattle, Wa, 98107

3:45pm Maritime Pacific Brewing Co. 1111 NW Ballard Way Seattle, Wa 98107

4:45pm Hale's Ales, 4301 Leary Way NW, Seattle, Wa, 98107

5:45 Fremont Mischief Distillery 132 N Canal St. Seattle, Wa 98103

6:15 Fremont Brewing 3409 Woodland Park Ave N. Seattle, Wa, 98103

From Life by the Pint