Creativity on Tap 24

Coffee may own the mornings, but Seattle evenings belong to craft beers.

In 2019, Seattle had 91 breweries, according to the Washington Brewers Commission, so whether someone likes their IPA clear or hazy, there’s a nearby tap for them.

“The density of breweries in Seattle is remarkable,” said Kendall Jones, who has chronicled the industry for over a decade on his Washington Beer Blog, washingtonbeerblog.com. “If you look at the number of breweries within the city limits, there are just not a lot of places like it in the world.

Jones said, when he began the blog in 2008, Washington had roughly 100 breweries in the state. In 2019, Washington had 430 – a growth of approximately 400 percent.

Many – 16 actually – are in Ballard, in what is now called the Ballard Brewery District. Thanks to a mix of industrial and commercial real estate, space for tanks and taprooms is more affordable in Ballard than, say, Capitol Hill. Reuben’s Brews has two taprooms there, but only one is currently open.

“I don’t think there’s a neighborhood on earth that enjoys a greater density of breweries per square block than Ballard,” Jones said, noting that, coincidentally, one of the county’s pioneering craft breweries, Redhook, began in Ballard back in 1981.

Ingrid Bartels, of Georgetown Brewery, georgetownbeer.com, said breweries frequently specialize, so despite their large number in Seattle, the specialization keeps the competition dispersed.

A side effect of all this expansion is the democratization of craft beer.

“Craft beer has definitely hit the mainstream, at least in this city,” Bartels said. “Anyone can enjoy really good beer in this town. You go to any grocery store, and it’s amazing how many craft beers there are.” Bartels said, rather than diversify, Georgetown does a few beers very well, including “Manny’s Pale Ale,” its iconic pale ale named for co-founder Manuel Chao. As a result, people can find Manny’s in more than 900 Seattle pubs and restaurants, according to Georgetown’s website.

Bartels describes Manny’s as “hoppy for a pale ale, but flavorful and malty.” Today, beer geeks might look for more exciting beers, but when it debuted, it was a “gateway” beer that delighted palates trained on blander

“macro-lagers,” Bartels said.

Not to be outshone, Georgetown's Bodhizafa India Pale Ale and Johnny Utah Pale Ale won gold medals in their categories at the national Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado. Georgetown’s annual promotional release of Bob’s Brown Ale has raised more than $1 million for Ronald McDonald House Charities in 14 years. In a regular year, Georgetown’s tasting room offers tours, seasonal brews and to-go growlers.

Only 8 years old, Reuben’s Brews in Ballard, www.reubensbrews.com, has come out swinging, offering 170 beers in 2019. With more than 275 medals as of October 2020, it is now the mostawarded brewery in Washington, Matt Lutton, marketing manager, said.

Reuben’s, named for founding couple Adam and Grace Robbings’ first son, Reuben, designs from the “glass backward.” It launches an average of two new beers a week in taprooms, in what Lutton calls a “farm system” of releases.

For instance, the “Hazylicous Pog” guava-passionfruit vibe was a breakout hit. It jumped from a one-barrel tasting to a 15-barrel release, and then to the big leagues: to Costco. After Reuben’s younger brother Warren arrived, the company debuted Warren's Pub Cider in 2019.

Bring the dog, the children or some friends and order grub from food trucks and get a pack of tasters; on

“Thank You Thursdays” $1 from any purchase goes to local non-profits.

Fremont Brewing Company's Community Engagement Manager Zan McColloch-Lussier said Fremont’s obsession with quality sets it apart from other breweries. Its website, www.fremontbrewing.com, lists five pages of awards. New beers are trialed by an in-house sensory committee that has gone through six weeks of training to tease out hidden flavors and scents.

Hazy IPAs, known for their juicy texture and fruit-forward flavor, are the latest thing, McColloch-Lussier said, and Fremont offers no less than 23 in its “Head Full of Dynomite” series.

Fremont Brewing’s large children- and dog-friendly beer garden lends a summer party atmosphere where visitors can order food from several local restaurants. Workspace hours, with free WiFi, are from noon to 3 p.m. The Black Heron tasting room rolls out experimental mixed-fermentation beers, crafted from local hops, grains and seasonal fruit. Some of these are called “sours.”

“I love sour beers. If you enjoy tart flavors, they’re fantastic to try,” McColloch-Lussier said, adding people might taste bubblegum, banana or clove coming through the phenols.

People interested in touring some of these breweries can jump in with two straws by signing up for the Washington Beer Lovers’ App and

Bottom Left Photo courtesy Fremont Brewing Company An employee at Fremont Brewing Company gives the thumbs up in front of barrels containing beers that are carefully selected before being presented to the public

Craft beer has definitely hit “ the mainstream, “ at least in this city.

Photo courtesy Fremont Brewing Company Before being presented to the public, beers from Fremont Brewing Company are trialed by an inhouse sensory committee that has been trained to tease out hidden flavors and scents.

Gathering To Celebrate An

Photo by Anna Power The Shadow Wall at Jimi Hendrix Park in Seattle’s Central District is just one of many tributes to the iconic late guitarist, who was born and raised in Seattle. The park serves as a gathering place, while honoring Hendrix’s legacy.

Located in Seattle’s Central District, Jimi Hendrix Park honors the late Seattle native’s legacy and greets visitors with art, nature and a sense of community.

While Hendrix died at the age of 27 in 1970, he became one of the most renowned electric guitarists of his era.

“Inspired by the music and legacy of Jimi Hendrix, the park, named in his honor, will beautify Seattle, motivate youth and others to achieve in music and art, and strengthen the cultural pulse of the Emerald City, Jimi Hendrix’s hometown,” according to the Jimi Hendrix Park Foundation’s website.

His sister, Janie Hendrix, who helps manage Hendrix’s legacy and music through Experience Hendrix, said her brother’s spirit lives on through the park.

“Jimi’s large signature at the park entrance serves as a personal welcome from Jimi,” she said.

Jimi Hendrix grew up going to school blocks away from the park, 2400 S. Massachusetts St., which sits on 2.3 acres and is next to the Northwest African American Museum.

“In many ways, erecting a park in his honor, surrounded by the community he loved, is like Jimi coming home,” Janie

Hendrix said. “Here, Jimi’s life comes full circle, and here, he is celebrated by his own.”

The park space was developed by The Friends of Jimi Hendrix Park, a group of Seattle residents, with input from local community members, according to the Jimi Hendrix Park Foundation website.

“The harmony, peace and love that Jimi had for his hometown and his music was a driving force behind the design that is intended as a welcoming place of respite as much

as it is meant to encourage community gatherings,” Janie Hendrix said.

This community space is the spirit that drove the development of Jimi Hendrix Park, she said.

The park also serves as a space for inspiration and racial justice. It also uses Jimi Hendrix’s legacy to motivate young minds to feel empowered, Janie Hendrix said.

“Jimi was a person of color in an industry that didn’t see many people who looked like him within the rock genre,” Janie Hendrix said. “Certainly, he had ties to blues, but he was a trailblazer who cleared a path with his guitar and his music into other areas. He was the definition of diversity.”

When designing the park, Friends of Jimi Hendrix focused on incorporating Hendrix’s art and legacy, Janie Hendrix said.

“The walkway bearing the Little Wing & Angel lyrics reflects the chronological journey he took, musically and in life,” She said. “The Shadow Wave Wall, which is somewhat of a crown jewel of the park, was designed to reflect Jimi’s music — free flowing and enormous.”

The greenery and butterfly sanctuary featured in the park allude to Jimi Hendrix’s love for the planet, she said.

“It all comes back to the artistry of the incredible human being the park is

“Jimi was a person of color in an industry that didn't see many people who looked like him within the rock genre. Certainly, he had ties to blues, but he was a trailblazer who cleared a path with his guitar and his music into other areas. He was the definition of diversity.”

Janie Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix’s sister

By Anna