FIVE WORLD BEER CUP AWARD WINNERS FROM WASHINGTON YOU SHOULD TRY

Inspired by my colleague to the south, Portland correspondent Warren Willis, I took on the task of trying (or at least trying to try) some of the Washington award winners from the recent World Beer Cup, held by the Brewer’s Association in Boulder, Colorado.  

Despite the fact that Washington brewers appear to have been a little underrepresented this time around, my beloved home state still made a strong showing, bringing home 9 awards overall. That being said, I had a heck of a time tracking down some of the most intriguing winners, including Brouwer’s VIII by Flyer’s (Gold medal, Other Strong Beer category) and Scuttlebutt’s Old #1 Barleywine (the 2009 release – seriously, where am I going to find that?), which also won gold.

So today I bring you several beers you might actually have luck finding in your local bottle shop, grocery aisle or tap room. If you manage to find the other ones, let me know how.

 STOUP BREWING (Seattle, WA) – ROBUST PORTER (Silver)

Category 74: Robust Porter, 75 entries

It’s just over six months since they opened their doors, and newcomer Stoup Brewing is already carving out a nice little niche for itself in the Seattle market. This award is certainly a welcome feather in their cap. This porter is hefty but not overpowering, a little sweet and a little bitter. Just right.

ELYSIAN BREWING (Seattle, WA) – THE WISE ESB (Bronze)

Category 69: Extra Special Bitter, 57 entries

Elysian offers up this pleasantly balanced, beautifully golden ESB, bittered with Chinook and finished with Cascade and Columbus hops. You’ll find it on tap around town, and at any of Elysian’s three Seattle locations, but not likely in the bottle.

AIRWAYS BREWING COMPANY. (Kent, WA) – 3RD ANNIVERSARY (Silver)

Category 37: Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale, 44 entries

Give me a Belgian dark strong ale and a pile of pommes frites and I will surely tell you all my secrets. Find me this limited release beauty in a bottle shop and I will likely give you my first born. This beer is dark and fruity with a murky pour and that nice breadiness that gets me every damn time.

FISH BREWING CO. (Olympia, WA) – LEAVENWORTH BAKKE HILL BLACK LAGER (Bronze)

Category 45: American Dark-Style Lager, 18 entries

I do like a good dark lager, and Fish makes a nice one here that is mild but still shows depth of flavor with subtle roasty, coffee notes. A little odd to drink in the middle of April, but I imagine myself happily coming home to a bottle of this alpine-style schwarzbier by the fire after slogging through a soggy winter day in Seattle.

CHUCKANUT BREWERY (Bellingham, WA) – CHUCKANUT DUNKEL (Silver)

Category 37: European-Style Dark/Munchner Dunkel, 34 entries

Oh, lovely Chuckanut Dunkel, that first won me over at the 2013 Tacoma Craft Beer Festival… let me count the ways. Malty and just sweet enough, at an easy-drinking 5% ABV. And hallelujah: Chuckanut began bottling earlier this year, so hopefully you’ll be seeing this charmer on the shelf in no time.