8 Best Breweries To Celebrate Beer Week In Seattle

From Obec Brewing to Figurehead Brewing Co., it seems like every other week a new brewery pops up in Seattle.

With close to 200 breweries, the great Seattle area is officially ranked as having the most breweries in the entire United States, followed by Chicago (158), Denver (148), Portland (133), and New York (132). IPA’s, lager’s, stout’s, and other craft beers fuel the Emerald City. It’s no wonder that Seattle hosts a 10-day springtime Beer Week dedicated to celebrating the breweries that make Seattle the top beer destination in the country.

The citywide celebration will take place from May 10 to the 20th this year. And with so many breweries to choose from, it’s hard to know which one to visit first. Here are eight of the city’s best breweries to help get the party going.

1. Fremont Brewing

Craft Ale Bar, American

Fremont Brewing offers it all: delicious beer made with local ingredients, a great location, and an outdoor seating area with a view of Lake Union. The brewery emerged in 2009 after founder Matt Lincecum decided to switch from being an attorney specializing in beverage and hospitality law to building an establishment of his own. Since then, the company has quickly become a Seattle favorite thanks to its array of delicious beers.

3. Elysian Capitol Hill Brewing Company

Craft Ale Bar, Pub Grub

The Elysian Brewing Company has five locations, but the Capitol Hill neighborhood location is its original. This brewery opened in 1996 and has since expanded to other Seattle neighborhoods, such as Georgetown, Green Lake, and Pioneer Square. The 220-seat bar features brew-pub style décor, like exposed wood ceilings and concrete floors. With over 350 beers to choose from, beer enthusiasts can’t go wrong with Elysian Brewing Company.

4. Stoup Brewing

Craft Ale Bar, Pub Grub

In 2013, Brad Benson, Robyn Schumacher, and Lara Zahaba opened Stoup Brewing, a brewery dedicated to exploring the art and science of beer. Sitting in the Ballard’s Brewing District, Stoup Brewing offers a variety of ales and IPA’s. The company’s focus is on beer, but that doesn’t mean they don’t offer food. Stoup Brewing is host to an ongoing rotation of local food trucks perfect for pairing their beer with.

5. Georgetown Brewing Company

Craft Ale Bar, American

The Georgetown Brewing Company sits in Seattle’s oldest neighborhood, Georgetown. It’s the largest brewery in Washington State and is responsible for the state’s most beloved beer, Manny’s Pale Ale. It’s not just Manny’s either, but a number of original IPA’s and ales. From brewery tours to an array of growlers to tastings, the Georgetown Brewing Company offers everything a beer enthusiast could ask for.

6. Pike Brewing Company

Craft Ale Bar, Pub Grub

The Pike Brewing Company is one of Seattle’s original brew-pubs. It’s situated in the Downtown neighborhood, near Pike Place Market and Benaroya Hall, making it the perfect beer spot for locals and tourists alike. The company brews between 12,000 and 13,000 barrels of beer a year, creating beers such as the Pike Place Ale and the Space Needle Golden IPA. While there, be sure to take a tour of the brewery, check out the beer museum, and enjoy their locally sourced food menu.

7. Ballard Beer Company

Craft Ale Bar, Pub Grub

Less than a mile from Stoup Brewing is another neighborhood favorite, the Ballard Beer Company. Visitors flock to the Ballard Beer Company for their array of hard-to-find Washington craft beers and ciders. The brewery is a community-minded business dedicated to providing a delicious product as well as giving back. Ballard Beer Company takes part in Pints for a Purpose, a program that takes a portion of beer purchases and donates that money to local organizations.

8. Urban Family Brewing Co.

Craft Ale Bar, American

Situated in the Magnolia neighborhood and near Seattle’s largest park, Discovery Park, is the Urban Family Brewing Co. It’s small, but this brewing company inspired by French and Belgian farmhouses packs a big punch. According to the company, “Everything we do is done by hand the old-fashioned way, utilizing local Pacific Northwest ingredients.” As for food, similar to Stout Brewing, Urban Family Brewing Co. welcomes a variety of ongoing local food trucks that park outside the establishment.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.