With Cascadian spring in full swing, local breweries are celebrating anniversaries, seasonal re-openings and the abundance of the Skagit Valley. Get out there and try something new.
Brews News
Kulshan Brewing’s Trackside Beer Garden reopens Friday, April 8. An opening night party will include live music from 5:30 p.m to 10:00 p.m. with tunes from the Diego Romero Band, Sylvi Does Neil Young and DJ BoomBox Kid. During the month of April, Trackside will be open Thursday through Sunday. Hours will expand to every day in May.
Located on the downtown Bellingham waterfront near Waypoint Park, Trackside opened during the summer of 2021. The seasonal pop-up signals the coming of sunnier days in Bellingham.
With more than 25,000 feet of space, Trackside’s massive beer garden is the perfect place for families and groups to hang out, play games, listen to live music and ride the adjacent pump track. I spent many a sunny day there with family and friends last year and look forward to another Trackside summer.
Fairhaven’s Stones Throw Brewery celebrates six years on Saturday, April 2. Head down to the beer garden for live music by The Devilies from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., vegan food from Sage Against the Machine, and a beer release.
Stones Throw brews up a special batch of There Goes the Neighborhood IPA (an annual twist on their flagship IPA) for this anniversary event each year. All ages, pet-friendly and with various outdoor seating areas, Stones Throw throws some of the best parties around. Stop by and wish them a happy anniversary.
The Skagit Farm to Pint Roadshow kicks off April 1 and runs through April 30. Purchase tickets to the event for access to a sample beer and bite at 13 participating breweries. If that sounds like a lot of breweries to visit in a month, I can assure you it’s doable.
Last year, my friends biked to every stop on the roadshow passport from their home in Big Lake (yes, even far-flung destinations like Birdsview and Anacortes). One benefit of cycling, of course, is bypassing that notorious Tulip Festival traffic throughout Skagit Valley. However you choose to participate, please drink, ride and drive responsibly.
Recent Releases
Stemma Brewing has released Spring Frost Cold IPA, brewed in collaboration with the Bellingham chapter of Pink Boots Society. An international nonprofit organization, Pink Boots Society supports women in the fermented/alcoholic beverage industry through education — including creating collaborative brews like this one.
Brewed by a team of local women, Spring Frost Cold IPA uses a special Pink Boots Society hop blend from Yakima Chief Hops. A portion of Spring Frost proceeds will be donated to the Pink Boots Society.
Fringe Brewing in Ferndale is celebrating its third anniversary this spring with a series of three beer releases. A dry Irish stout, blue raspberry IPA and barrel-aged imperial stout (with toasted coconut and ancho chilies) round out the lineup in celebration of “Ferndale’s best, worst, and only brewery.” Be sure to stop by the relaxed taproom and raise a pint next time you’re in town.
Fringe has been busy cranking out new brews over the last month, including a collaboration with Twin Sisters Brewing in Bellingham. The two breweries teamed up to brew Bloke, an English Strong Ale with notes of dried cherries, caramel, dates and toast. Find Bloke on tap at Fringe and Twin Sisters.
Spring is pale ale season at Structures Brewing. This is very good news for lovers of the pillowy-soft pale ales and IPAs Structures is known for. The brewery’s latest version of the style, Junior, is a hoppy session pale ale made with Citra, Simcoe and Chinook hops.
Also available during my most recent visit were Frost (an American pale ale) and Life of Leisure (hopped with a blend of American hops and a New Zealand hop called Nectaron). Structures’ beers rotate frequently, so hurry over to try one of these pales before they’re gone.
Brandon Fralic’s Drink Cascadia column runs weekly on Wednesdays. Reach him at drinkcascadia@gmail.com.
