brews & vines Whether you are a fan of crisp Chardonnay or hoppy craft brew, Kittitas County’s wine and beer options won’t disappoint. The number of options for tasting wine and beer has grown over the past few years, aided by a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Barrel storage room at Swiftwater Cellars
tasting rooms Basecamp Books & Bites 110 W. Pennsylvania Ave. Roslyn Brix Elevage Wine Co. 109 W. Third Ave. Ellensburg Dark Moon 319 N. Pearl St. Ellensburg Ellensburg Canyon Winery 221 Canyon Vista Way Ellensburg Gard Vintners 311 N. Pearl St. Ellensburg Marko’s Place 106 N. 1st St. Roslyn
Pioneer Coffee 121 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Cle Elum pioneercoffeeco.com/cafes/cle-elum Pretty Fair Beer 420 N. Pearl St. Ellensburg Swiftwater Cellars Suncadia Resort Thrall & Dodge 111 Dodge Rd. Ellensburg
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ach year brings new beer and wine tasting opportunities in Kittitas County, as breweries and wineries continue to flourish. Breweries include Iron Horse Brewery in Ellensburg, Whipsaw Brewing on Wenas Street in Ellensburg, DruBru at Snoqualmie Pass, Mule and Elk in Cle Elum, the Roslyn Brewing Co. on Pennsylvania Avenue in Roslyn and the new Taneum Creek Brewery in Cle Elum. A new distillery opened in the NWI building in Roslyn in 2017. Two big beer tasting events happen each year — the WinterHop BrewFest in February, which brings breweries from around the region to venues in downtown Ellensburg, and the Mountain Ale Festival
in Roslyn in early October. Both are popular with locals and visitors alike. For more information and tickets, contact the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce. As for wine, Kittitas Valley falls in the westernmost part of the Columbia Valley Appellation. Varietals grown or produced in the Kittitas Valley include Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Muscat Ottonel, and Sauvignon Blanc. Downtown art galleries also host special wine tasting events during Jazz in the Valley in July. Central Washington University offers a bachelor’s degree in global wine studies and craft beer certificates.
CENTRAL WASHINGTON | VISITORS GUIDE
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