Drinkers rejoice! Belgianfest blazes into town next month
Tap the keg. Tickets for Seattle's Belgianfest go on sale today. The event kicks off Feb. 4.
This festival gives Washington breweries the chance to experiment a bit and show off their skills with Belgian-style beers. This might include wood-aged sour beers, dubbels, tripels, strong ales, and more. This festival is quite unique, as some of these breweries don’t typically make Belgian-style beers for their regular lineup.
Here's a small sample of what a few breweries plan to bring:
American Brewing Big Pucker – Skip has been nurturing a barrel-aged sour beer for Belgianfest. It’s a double Flanders sour ale aged in an oak Cabernet Franc wine barrel.
Big Time Brewing Jack Candy – The Jack Candy Grand Cru is a Belgian-style strong pale ale fermented with two yeast strains, Westmalle and Achouff. Sixtly pounds of amber candy sugar was added to the last 30 minutes of the boil. It features Saaz hops, which lend a nice spicy character to the beer. 9.3 percent ABV.
Big Time Brewing Black Jack Candy – Drew and Bradley took the Jack Candy Grand Cru and added Northwest blackberry puree post fermentation.
Boundary Bay Tripel – Boundary Bay does not typically brew Belgian-style beers, but they created this Tripel for the first Belgianfest three years ago and it is back for a return appearance. Their tripel is golden in color, medium bodied and moderately hopped. The flavor and aroma are both dominated by alcohol and Belgian yeast. The beer has a nice malt backbone, is slightly earthy and has a dry finish .9.5 percent ABV.
Paradise Creek Brewery Paradise Hoe – A Belgian-style witbier.
Paradise Creek Brewery Tien A – A Belgian-style amber.
Snipes Mountain Brewing Golden Ale – Belgian-style Golden Strong made with Belgian pilsner malt, clear candi syrup and NW beet sugar. Fermented with an authentic Belgian golden strain. 9.5 percent – 27 BU.
Snipes Mountain Brewing Darkstrong – Belgian-style Dark Strong made with three types of rye malt, dark candi syrup and aged for a year with Lactobacillus. 8.5 percent – 28 BU.
In other beer news, the National IPA Championship is coming to Seattle Feb. 18 and shouldn't be missed.
Each year the Brewing News invites brewers from across the country to enter a competition pitting beers against beers in a tournament-style elimination taste-off. Five locations across the country host tasting events throughout February.
The tournament makes its first stop on the West Coast in Seattle on February 18th (no details yet). The final round takes place in New York City on March 3.
Six Washington breweries signed up for the competition thus far: Silver City Brewery, Black Raven Brewing, Diamond Knot Brewing, Ice Harbor Brewing, Fremont Brewing, and Boundary Bay Brewery.
