At five o'clock in the evening in Pioneer Square, I learn that I've missed the media event for the Holiday Ale Fest. I'm a bit hung-over from a birthday celebration the night before (from which I have dim memories of taking off my clothes while singing a karaoke version of The Piano Has Been Drinking by Tom Waits). The tents are packed and there is a line forming outside. I'm a bit disoriented as I grab my mug and tickets and head for the cyclone-fenced beer lines. The Christmas music is madness; there is beer being spilled everywhere I turn. And there are stairs. For the love of God, why are there stairs?
I'm getting close to panic mode. I need a taste, quick, before my spinning vision completely blurs and swallows me up in unconsciousness. Then, there it is in my cup, Cascade Brewing Co's Drie Zwarte Pieten - Sang Noir. I tilt it back and the screaming in my head goes silent. ZING! My palate is flooded with a gorgeous blend of cherry-hued sourness, hints of barrel wood, and a little smidgen of pinot encircling the whole thing. Okay. I get it now. I get the crowds and the music and the tents. With just around 6 oz. of this ale heading straight to me belly, I feel as if I understand why someone would go to all the trouble. It's that good. But I still don't understand the stairs. Yeah, they've got to get over the KGW HD Studio (whoop-ti-fuckin'-do) build out, but I've just sent a 9.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) ale straight to my liver. A few more of these and stairs will become a problem.
Disregarding the stairs, for now, I'd suggest that anyone who loves challenging flavors and alcohol should hit the Holiday Ale Fest this year. With participating breweries from five western states, as well as an international showing from Austria, Belgium, and Japan, the options are diverse and astounding. The smoked beers particularly intrigue me. One I tasted last night, Stone Brewing Co's Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Beans was quite fascinating. The vanilla was very mellow and worked well with the smoke. It was smooth and luscious in the mouth, though it lacked huge complexity found in other offerings like last nights special tapping of Jim 2008 from Hair of the Dog.
Jim is one of several beers that are being tapped for one night only. Though Jim 2008 is only a pleasant memory now, tonight you can sample Hitachino HX from Kiuchi Brewery in Japan and Cascade Brewing's Baltic Porter, among others. These will be tapped when the doors open and will pour until the keg run dry, so hit them first.
Entry into the event is free, but if you want to taste you'll have to buy the tasting package for $20. This includes 10 beer tickets and a commemorative mug. Sampling requires one beer ticket, but you can fill your mug for four. Additional tickets cost $1 each.
The fest runs until Sunday night at 7pm. Doors open at 11am and close at 10pm today through Saturday.
I suggest that once you get in, ask around and find out what people are buzzing about. There's a whole lot of brew being poured and you can save yourself time looking for the good stuff by learning from your fellow beer hounds. Post your favorite beers in the comments section below!
And watch out for those stairs as the evening wears on.
