With most of 2023 in the rearview mirror, it’s time for my annual brews news year in review. Before jumping into new spots, there were a few notable closures in the local beer scene this year.
Atwood Farm Brewery shuttered its barn doors and is no longer producing beer. You may still be able to find their bottles in the wild — check Atwood’s website for details. Darach Brewing closed after a brief nine-month run in downtown Bellingham, and 192 Brewing closed its Mount Vernon taproom.
Brewery and taphouse openings surpassed closures in 2023. I’ll recap the most significant new spots here, with some personal recommendations and updates from business owners. The following taprooms are all-ages unless otherwise noted.
El Sueñito Brewing Company opened in February, offering beer and tamales in the Sunnyland neighborhood. They’ve since expanded their food and beer menus and are offering a wide variety of cultural community events. My go-to order is the jalapeño and cheese tamale paired with Alebrijes Mexican lager. Opt for the rice and beans plate if you want to be very, very full. El Sueñito’s new weekend brunch menu — served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday — features Mexican breakfast dishes including beef birria and chilaquiles.
In March, Structures Brewing opened its second location in Old Town, taking over the former Chuckanut Brewery space. Structures Old Town serves drive-in-style burgers and fried chicken sandwiches in the sprawling indoor/outdoor space. I usually order the spicy fried black bean veggie burger. Structures’ beer list changes frequently, so I suggest trying something new each time. This time of year, you can’t go wrong with their silky seasonal stouts.
Also in March, Corner Taphouse opened in Fairhaven. They’ve since added food options including charcuterie, pizza, hot dogs and shareable dips. Weekly events are in full swing, from Trivia Tuesday to Wino Wednesday (bottle and glass pour discounts) and cribbage tournaments every other Thursday. They’ve recently held some Craft and Sip events (Sip and Paint, holiday wreath making) with plans for more in 2024. Corner Taphouse is a 21-plus bar.
Fountain Brewing opened quietly at Zeeks Pizza in June. They’ve since brewed a handful of beers, including a West Coast IPA, hazy pale ale, Pilsner and Saison. They offer a classic lineup of Zeeks pizzas alongside rotating taps.
The Great Northern Bottle Shop opened in June in downtown Bellingham. Garden Path Fermentation’s second location, the 21-plus lounge offers a mix of its own products and guest selections. Co-owner Ron Extract said that current offerings include “orange wine, draft cider, side-pull pils, what I believe are the only two active beer engines in Bellingham, most often used to dispense Machine House, and a massive range of otherwise hard-to-find bottles, and cans of beer, wine, cider, mead and other fermented goodness.” There’s too much variety here to recommend a single beer, but I’ll be drinking whatever is pouring from the beer engine.
In August, Larrabee Lager Co. opened in the Cordata neighborhood. They’ve already won awards for their beer and pizza, including a Platinum Medal for German Pilsner in Sip Magazine’s Best of the Northwest competition. You can’t go wrong with the lager selection here. I’d start with the German Pilsner before moving on to the recently released WinterBräu dark lager (a roasty winter warmer) and Migrator Doppelbock, which co-owner Sam Milne describes as “an elegant and complex dark bock.” Milne also said that Larrabee “recently purchased new tanks and kegs to expand cellar capacity and is beginning wholesale distribution of cans and draft around Bellingham and Seattle.”
Looking ahead, we’re not expecting as many brewery/taproom openings in 2024. Anacortes will gain a new taproom in the new year (see brews news below). There are whispers of Uisce Irish Pub’s return to downtown Bellingham and a couple of brewery/taproom projects in Lynden. I’m keeping tabs on these developments and will share more in 2024. Cheers!
Brews and spirits news
• Gateway 1890 Taphouse in Blaine is now operating an underground speakeasy. “Smuggler’s Tunnel” harkens back to Blaine’s rum-running history, when spirits were smuggled through underground tunnels from Canada during the U.S. prohibition years (1920–33). The 21-plus bar serves prohibition-era cocktails, some made with local spirits from Probably Shouldn’t Distillery in Everson. Smuggler’s Tunnel is open from 4–9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and 4–10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
• Gruff Brewing is building out a new kitchen and food program. Operating on a food truck model since opening in 2016, the downtown brewery will soon have its own menu. Keep an eye on Gruff’s social media for updates about Bellingham’s newest brewpub.
• A new dog-friendly taproom serving craft beer, wine, cider, seltzer and non-alcoholic options is scheduled to open in Anacortes in spring 2024. The second location of Renton-based The Brewmaster’s Taproom will be located at Cap Sante Marina, near Anacortes Anthony’s. Established in 2016, The Brewmaster’s Company also offers beer-themed baked goods and CBD products.
Brandon Fralic’s Drink Cascadia column runs the second week of every month. Reach him at drinkcascadia@gmail.com.
