I didn’t end up going to Seattle Beer Week events because my parents were in town and I wanted to have our schedule semi-open for touristy things, but I did take them to some of my favorite brewpubs that had special beers on tap for Seattle Beer Week or new seasonal beers. Here are a few of my current favorites.

FYI: Seattle is very in love with IPAs at the moment, so this list is a little IPA heavy. When I started this blog, I used to be almost exclusively a stout/porter person but have since developed a Jack-Harkness style appreciation of beer: anything, any style as long as it’s pretty tasty enough.

Elysian Brewing Company

Six Degrees of Collaboration: Seattle Beer Week IPA
This beer, a collaboration between Elysian, Georgetown, Black Raven, Naked City, Schooner Exact, and Pike, is a real winner if you can get your hands on some. I had it on draft at the Masonry, and I’m hoping the bottled version is as good. With six malts, six hops added at six different times in the brewing process, and six house yeasts, the beer is light yet complex, with layers of hops and floral notes and a light bitterness. My score: 5/5

Same Mistake Rye IPA
Elysian is my favorite brewery in Seattle, and when they get new beers on tap, I want to try them all, which isn’t really feasible in one session. Same Mistake is a sour, spicy rye IPA with a hoppy bite and a tiny hint of berries. A huge thank you to my waitress for recommending it. My score: 5/5.

Squeeze Box Imperial Pale Ale
Proof that you can do more with berries than make dessert beer. This pink imperial pale ale is fruity, tart, and hoppy with a little sweetness from the berries. This was brewed by the women of Elysian for the Women in Beer event and is doubly good because 1. there’s no fear of feminine associations with pink or fruity beer and 2. it proves you can make a damn pink beer out of fruit. Haters to the left.
My score: 4/5

Superfuzz Blood Orange Pale Ale
This one is described as “mind-bending whirl of the aromas and flavors of blood orange and Northwest hops,” but both times I’ve had it, the beer tasted more like a slightly hoppy pale ale with a hint of citrus to me.  (Though my friends seem to find it more citrus-y than I do.) It’s a very decent pale ale, though. My score: 4/5 for a pale ale but lower for the fruit factor.

Black Raven Brewing Company

Morrighan Nitro Stout
This is one of the smoothest, creamiest stouts ever I’ve had. Hints of coffee, chocolate, and caramel. Just lovely overall. My score: 5/5

Pike Brewing Company

Monk’s Uncle Tripel Ale
Full-bodied and complex, this “straw-colored” ale has a yeasty nose, hints of sour pear and clove; the finish is a little bitter. This one has a relatively small head and low carbonation. It’s not heavy and runs a a bit thin–and has 9% ABV. My score: 4.5/5

Octopus Ink Black IPA
Don’t let the pitch-black color fool you–this black IPA isn’t a stout but one of hoppiest beers I’ve had. Dry-hopped twice, Octopus Ink is roasty and bitter with an IBU of 85 . And it’s for a good cause: also a fundraiser for the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance. 4.5/5

Did you try anything you loved during Seattle- or Craft Beer Week? Any events you’d recommend?