Pinewood derby for dads uses beer cans to get you down Seattle Beer Week’s track

Seattle Beer Week, which is actually 11 days long, kicked off last night around Puget Sound, but this celebration of beer is much more than tastings and hanging out with brewers.

There are brews cruises, miniature golf tournaments and even a Beer Can Derby.

That last one is a Cub Scout dad’s dream event.

Normally, dads just get to do most of the work for a Pinewood Derby car, and his son gets to race it. Now dad gets to build the car, race it and drink beer.

Why didn’t I think of this?

Ian Roberts, co-owner of the Pine Box in Seattle did.

“As (with) all events, it started over having a few beers,” he said. That talk soon turned into a plan. “We talked about it and kind of joked about it, and then one of the guys from New Belgium had his brother build us a race track. So we’re like, I guess we’re doing it now.”

Roberts will be in his Cub Scout uniform, neckerchief and all, Saturday at 1 p.m. for the Pine Box Can Derby. Imagine, a Pinewood Derby car, but instead of a wood block, you have a beer can.

“We require everyone to use our axle kit,” Roberts said. “We built wheels and axles, and from then on it’s can design and where you put the weight and everything. We basically took all the Cub Scout rules exactly, except where it said ‘car’ I changed it to ‘can.’ We follow all the same widths, lengths, weights, everything.”

Roberts said it’s not easy to cut and fashion a beer can into a car, but it’s more about the fun than the competition, at least for some.

“There are some people who show up and enjoy it but maybe just crush a can and put wheels to it, and it gets half-way down the track. To other people, (who) work for Boeing, who show up and maybe have actually tested it in a wind tunnel,” he said.

Roberts has one key tip for any would-be participant. “I don’t want to throw too many secrets out there, but I would start with trying the can that you want to drink first,” he said.

There are trophies and plenty of beer for the winner.

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