Fremont Brewing Company...Because Beer Matters
Ok, ok, you know how sometimes you're so excited to tell about something, your mind races too far ahead of your words and you end up sounding like a hyperventilating kid who has just received the very toy he wanted but hasn't yet opened the package? This is where I am. About to rip into the package. My new toy is a growler of Universale Pale Ale from Fremont Brewing Company. Mmmm, yes. It's that good.
I better start with the basics: Matt Lincecum and Sara Nelson, married co-owners, opened the FBC because, as Matt says, beer matters. And if you're going to make it, it should be the best beer, made in the best way possible. If you want (nay, need) to experience this first hand, go to Fremont and taste it. See for yourselves and talk to Matt and Sara.
You can drink their beer on-site every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at the Urban Beer Garden, furnished with several tables and even some toys. Yes, toys. You can bring your kids or your dogs and go beer tasting, as if you were in Europe. While they don't serve food at FBC, they do provide free pretzels and doggie treats and they don't mind if you bring your own food. Make PBJs, order a pizza for delivery, or bring takeout. Menus from Fremont eateries are provided. Matt doesn't want to be in food service, nor does he want to compete with pubs and restaurants who serve his beer. So he just says bring the family by with a pic-nic, if you like, and drink some tasty, Earth-friendly beer right in the spot where it's brewed.
To avoid cutting and pasting their entire awesome website right into this article, I will instead encourage you to really read through it on your own. It thoroughly covers how this brewery is walkin' the walk of sustainability and community building. And their "Brewer's Blog" is a great read on what it has been like to build a business from scratch during a real bum-thumping economic slump. Seriously. Do YOU know how to start a brewery? You can track the progress from a beer brainstorm in July of 2008, all they way through finding space, construction, purchase of giant tanks, hops shopping trips, right up to this week's "Art and Politics" post. It's not a dry (get it?) read either. It comes off like real folks writin’ ‘bout what it's like. Because that is what it is. I really feel for and admire them, taking a risk and throwing themselves into this endeavor. You may have thought it was
just a cute tag that says "Beer Matters," but when you meet Matt and Sara, see their two little boys running around the brewery, and read their material, you really realize it does matter.
Plus the beer is good and affordable. We bought a growler (a half-gallon glass jug) for $15, but only pay $8 every time we bring our jug back for a refill. You can't get that much good micro-brew anywhere else for $8. The Urban Beer Garden offers six brews on tap, including their regulars available at bars around town and small-batch specialty beers – recipes they’re experimenting with or serving for special occasions.
Here is the current beer menu:
1. Universale Pale Ale: Fremont is the self-proclaimed “Center of the Universe” and Universale, our flagship product, honors the namesake of our unique location. Universale Pale Ale offers a distinctive Northwest twist on the classic pale ale, using a select blend of organic Gambrinus pale roasted malt and
Old World malts balanced with classic Northwest hops to achieve a heavenly beer of rich malt flavor and subtle hop spice. This is beer. Enjoy.
Down and Dirty: Organic 2-row barley, organic crystal malt, melanoidin, aromatic malt, columbus, centennial and cascade hops. 5.2% ABV
2. Interurban India Pale Ale: Named after Fremont’s most famous outdoor sculpture, Waiting for the Interurban, Interurban India Pale Ale offers the adventurous beer lover a warm embrace of organic Gambrinus roasted pale malt swirled with a hand-selected blend of flavor malts and filled with the rich spice of Chinook, Centennial and Cascade hops. Interurban India Pale is a session beer, eminently drinkable throughout the year.
Down and Dirty: Organic 2-row barley, organic crystal malt, organic munich malt, aromatic malt, chinook and cascade hops. 6.5% ABV
3. Abominable Winter Ale: tasty winter ale, limited release. Dark, roasty, chocolatey, malt flavors balanced by Noble hop aroma and subtle hoppy spice. Warm up to it. Don't be Scared to be Abominable.
Down and Dirty: Organic 2-row barley, chocolate malt, roast barley, carafa, centennial, willamette and golding hops. 7.5% ABV
4. Little Woody: this is what happens when you think about beer too much. Take our Universale Pale Ale, age it on medium-toast American White Oak, dryhop with Chinook hops and wait until the magic happens. Have you had a Little Woody lately?
Down and Dirty: Organic 2-row barley, organic crystal malt, melanoidin, aromatic malt, american white oak, columbus, centennial, chinook and cascade hops. 5.2% ABV
5. Small Batch Artisan Wonderbeer: Come to the Urban Beer Garden for a taste of our special beers, available only at the brewery. Occasionally, some of these beers are so well-received that they escape the UBG and make it into select pubs and restaurants (Amarillo 'One' Ale anyone?).
Thirsty?
Fremont Brewing Company: 3409 Woodland Park Avenue North, Seattle, 98103, EARTH
Urban Beer Garden hours:
Thursday - Saturday, 4:00 - 8:30-ish
Retail hours for sales of growlers and kegs:
Monday - Friday, 11:00 - 5:00
Saturday, Noon - 8:30
Phone: 206-420-2407
Email: info@fremontbrewing.com
And for total beer geeks: Twitter: @fremontbrewing
--Sweet B
Comments