Brewery #1: Pyramid Breweries

Why not start off with a sure thing?

I've been to Pyramid more times than I can count. Working across the street from a brewery is always good for fun and never good for production.

So I decided to start the year off on a safe note and go with a brewery that I knew to be quality and wasn't likely to be damaged from any recent flood waters. Pyramid has a prime location next to Safeco and Qwest fields, so it's booming during the fall and summer but pretty mellow when the Seahawks don't make the playoffs. Finding a table for seven on a Saturday evening was no problem.

Two samplers were ordered and downed pretty quickly. The selection for the sampler was pretty typical, four year-round favorites and one delicious seasonal:

Apricot Ale

I've had this bottled beer before but surprisingly never on tap. It's a good fruity beer and a nice variation to the Hefeweizen. It's good but definitely not my favorite.

Hefeweizen

I really enjoy this hef. It's not too wheaty and not too hoppy. I would say it's just right, except when Kyle empties the entire contents of the lemon into the tiny 4oz. sample. Then it just tastes like lemon.

Crystal Wheat

I've had this once before in a keg for our last Halloween party. It's got this bite to it that gives it slightly more flavor than a typical light beer but once it gets warm it's not easily distinguishable from Bud Light. I'm surprised they call it a wheat because the wheat is hardly noticeable. That being said, if I favored lighter beers this one wouldn't be too bad.

Snow Cap

I love this beer. They call it a "winter warmer" that has a little bit of that chocolate flavor you'd associate with a stout or porter. It's great in a bottle and even more delicious on tap. If you like dark beers this is definitely one you should try out.

Thunderhead IPA

Ugh. I really hate IPAs. It's the hops that kill me. Some brews just really seem to overdo it. However, this one really isn't too hoppy. I kind of liked the flavor and really had no problem finishing the sample.

Overall, Pyramid brews some tasty beer. They have quite a few other options apart from the sampler and ones that I've had in the past have at the least been decent. They brew quality beer but they don't seem to take a lot of risks. I think the reason I didn't hate any of these, even the IPA, is because there really aren't any over the top, bold, extravagant flavors to turn me off.

I bought a pint at the gift store on the way out, so that took care of rule #3.

The picture makes it look like it's snowing, but don't be fooled. Kelsey just had some crap on her camera.

So, one in the bag, 85 or so to go. One thing's for sure, when people ask what I did in '09 my response will probably be "I don't remember, that was Year of Beer".