Mar 20, 2012 Posted by Nancy

Pike Chocofest 2012 Review

Pike Brewing’s Annual Chocofest continues to charm me. How can it not – it’s all about CHOCOLATE! Throw in the hospitality of Rose Anne and Charles Finkel, top that off with the addition of specialty brews incorporating chocolate, proceeds from the event benefiting Seattle job training program FareStart and you’ve got an event that remains tops in my book. If you missed out this year, not to worry.... read more

Nov 11, 2011 Posted by Nancy

Pairing Chocolate with Beer

Last April we asked the question, “Is pairing wine with chocolate like having sex on the beach?” Well, what about pairing beer and chocolate? The Finkels of Pike Brewing celebrate the pairing of beer and chocolate each year right before Valentine’s Day with their Chocofest that they like to bill as “foreplay before the big day.” So maybe this is the pairing we should be romanticizing. The... read more

Oct 31, 2011 Posted by Bean

Beer and Wines that Haunt

Each year, we celebrate Halloween by recalling the wines we sampled this past year that continued to haunt us long after the last sip. This year we are correcting the error of not including beer in the list of Washington beverages that continue to haunt us. The list includes Washington beer and wine from barrel, new releases and the depth of the cellar.  Washington Beer Black Raven La... read more

Sep 19, 2011 Posted by Bean

Washington Beer Commission Oktoberfest: Its About the Beer

Oktoberfest returns to Spokane, September 23-24, 2011. The Washington Beer Commission is charged with promoting Washington craft beers throughout the state, so they have worked towards creating fun festivals featuring Washington craft beer in various parts of the state. Last year the Washington Beer Commission Oktoberfest settled in Spokane after years of wandering the Puget Sound area. The move to Spokane... read more

Sep 9, 2011 Posted by Bean

Silver City Brewery Celebrating 15th Anniversary

I love creativity when it comes to beer  BUT what really impresses me is when a brewery celebrates not only their creativity, but the craft and expertise in their beers. Silver City Brewery has been doing that for 15 years. On September 10th, Silver City Brewery will be celebrating their 15th Anniversary and launching Oktoberfest with one heck of a party! The festivities commence with the Brewmaster VIP... read more