The Best Microbrews in the Northwest

© Flickr / adactio

It’s the final week of American Beer Month and somehow we’re still standing. We’ve made it up the east coast, into the heartland, down south, out west and here we are at the Northwest corner of the US. It’s been a long journey, but before we lay our weary heads to rest, let’s rally for one more round. Cheers!

Rogue Brewery

Launched in 1988, Rogue Brewery has evolved into one of the most prominent, widely distributed microbreweries in the country. Brewmaster John Maier, who worked as a technician for Hughes Aircraft Company before pursuing his love of brewing, played a major role in Rogue’s growth by helping to craft close to 50 signature microbrews over the last two decades, many of which can be found across the country.

© Flickr / niseag03Dead Guy Ale is perhaps Rogue’s most recognized beer, or at least it would seem so if you took a look in their trophy room. Full-bodied with deep honey coloration, this German Maibock-style ale has won 25 awards since 1994, including three gold medals in the World Beer Championships and most recently a silver medal in the Asian Beer Awards competition held in Singapore.

But don’t let the glory of Dead Guy Ale eclipse any other brews on Rogue’s expansive menu. A few that definitely stand out in the crowd include their Somer Orange Honey Ale (made with sweet orange peel and locally harvested wildflower honey), Hazelnut Brown Ale (Rogue’s nutty rendition of the traditional European brown ale), Chipotle Ale (spiced with roasted chipotle peppers) and Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout (rich and creamy with a chocolate finish).

If these don’t tickle your fancy, there are plenty more to try and it’s likely you’ll be able to find a six pack of Rogue that suits you at any store with a well-stocked beer aisle.

Pyramid Brewing Company

As the Great Pyramid in Egypt is a wonder of the world, Pyramid Brewing Company could be considered a wonder of Seattle – particularly for those who love to drink beer.

Their four year-round brews cover a full spectrum of taste and have been plentifully awarded since their start in 1984. The Haywire Hefewezien (a super smooth and refreshing wheat ale) took gold in the 2009 Great American Beer Festival for best American-style wheat beer. On the other end of the spectrum, the Thunderhead I.P.A. explodes with hop bitterness. In between, there’s the Audacious Apricot Ale, infused with fresh apricot and wheat malt. Grab a sixer of this one for your next grill session.

Pyramid also offers a lineup of seasonal beers, including Curve Ball Blonde Ale and Juggernaut Red Ale. Curve Ball’s crisp and clean flavor makes it an ideal summer beverage, while Juggernaut packs a little more flavor, brimming with caramel malts that might help satiate the sweet tooth cravings around Halloween and give you nice buzz in the process.

Pyramid beer can be found across the country, from Seattle to New York City and beyond. Seek and you shall find!

Deschutes Brewery

As if the natural beauty of Bend wasn’t enough to make it feel like some kind of promise land, the beer produced at Deschutes Brewery makes this small mountain town a surefire sanctuary for nature lovers of the beer persuasion.

Named after the river that runs through Bend, Deschutes Brewery opened up in 1988 and has since invented over a dozen craft recipes, including their flagship brew – the Black Butte Porter. Having received 20 various awards since 1996, including nine gold medals, Black Butte brings the heat in the porter category with rich flavor, slight hop bitterness and hints of chocolate and roasted malts that culminate to a remarkably smooth finish.

Other year-round brews include their Obsidian Stout (a robust, chocolaty brew that’s black as night in a glass), Inversion I.P.A. (a hop lovers dream) and the infamous Mirror Pond Pale Ale (pumped up with four different hop additions to give it bitterness without going overboard).

All things considered, Deschutes offers something for every beer enthusiast year round and, thankfully, Deschutes brews can be found in every state west of the Great Divide.

Midnight Sun Brewing Company

Despite sub zero temperatures in winter months, Alaskans also enjoy cold beer and  Midnight Sun Brewing Company, founded in 1995, is one of Alaska’s few and proud microbreweries that offers an impressive lineup of craft brews, ranging from big and bold to smooth and refreshing.

© Flickr / smaddenOn the big and bold end, Midnight Sun concocts one of the strongest and most distinctive Belgian-style brews around: the Mayhem Belgian-Style Double I.P.A. They describe it as “chaotic yet hypnotic,” which is completely justified given the ingredients used. Mayhem is packed with a motley hop variety, embellished with hints of grapefruit, pine, must and mint that produce a mean bite at the end of a sip. Weighing in at 8.2% alcohol by volume, mayhem is sure to ensue after a few tall glasses of this brew.

On the lighter end, Kodiak Brown Ale balances hints of caramel with roasted malts and Northwest hops to give it a full body with a smooth finish. Other easy drinkers include the Midnight Sun Kolsch (a light, golden ale) and Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter (combines dark malt with freshly roasted coffee beans – perfect to accompany your Saturday breakfast).

They also offer specialty beers, including the beast of all Midnight Sun brews – the Berserker Imperial Stout. Opaque black in a glass, it looks as vicious as it tastes. Aged in red wine and whiskey barrels, Berserker weighs in at 12.7% alcohol. Give it your best.

Most Midnight Sun brews are distributed in Anchorage, but they can also be found in Fairbanks, Denali Park and parts of Oregon. If you’re nowhere near these parts, have their beer shipped to you by ordering from their website.