Search
Close this search box.
Happy Birthday to us! Try 6 months of unlimited local news for $2.

Brews news in review

Plus, where and what to toast on New Year's Eve

Owner Jessie Polan sits in the mezzanine of Ponderosa Beer + Books
Owner Jessie Polan sits in the mezzanine of Ponderosa Beer + Books
By Brandon Fralic CDN Contributor

For the final Drink Cascadia column of 2022, I’m jumping on the “year in review” bandwagon. Below, I’ll recap significant closures, openings and what’s to come in 2023.

Bellingham lost a few good establishments in 2022 — some temporarily, others permanently. The Temple Bar closed in January for most of the year and recently reopened. You can once again enjoy cocktails, wine, beer and bites from 4 p.m. to midnight, Wednesday through Saturday, at 306 W. Champion St.

The Local Public House and neighboring Annex on Railroad Avenue both closed in downtown Bellingham. The Local’s sister business, Menace Brewing, is alive and well in the Fountain District. Longstanding Uisce Irish Pub closed at the end of August after a 17-year run. There is talk of an eventual reopening, and Uisce’s former space will take on new life as the Great Northern Bottle Shop & Lounge.

While we lost a few watering holes this year, 2022 saw more openings than closures in the local beer and spirits scene.

Four new brewery taprooms opened in Whatcom County in 2022, three of which were second locations for existing breweries. In August, North Fork Brewery opened its second location, the Bellingham-based Barrel House. Mount Vernon’s District Brewing opened its Ferndale location in September. Wander Brewing launched ROAM Coffee + Beer in November. And finally, Darach Brewing opened in downtown Bellingham in December.

Two new taphouses and a distillery tasting room also opened in Bellingham this year. In March, Time & Materials Taphouse brought 20 taps to State Street. Ponderosa Beer + Books opened near the downtown waterfront in July. And Chuckanut Bay Distillery expanded into its neighboring restaurant space, Penny Farthing, in August.

Looking forward, Bellingham is set to welcome a few new brewery taprooms in 2023. First up: El Sueñito Brewing Company & Frelard Tamales are putting the finishing touches on their shiny new Sunnyland space. Expect more news on Bellingham’s next brewery in January.

Structures Brewing’s second location is still under wraps in the former Chuckanut Brewery space on Holly Street. No timeline yet for Garden Path Fermentation’s second location, the aforementioned Great Northern Bottle Shop & Lounge, either.

Another newcomer to look forward to: Larrabee Lager Co. Brought to you by former Kulshan brewer Sam Milne, the brewery will focus on European-style lagers, filling a Chuckanut Brewing-sized hole in the local beer market. Larrabee Lager Co. will be located at 4151 Meridian St., near the Cordata Community Food Co-op.


New Year’s Eve brewery events

If you’re looking for somewhere festive to spend New Year’s Eve, check in with your favorite Bellingham brewery. Some of the larger NYE parties this year will go down at Stones Throw Brewery, Boundary Bay and Twin Sisters.

Stones Throw celebrates with a free, all-ages bash featuring live music, food from Jack’s BBQ and champagne toasts. It’ll be showing the Times Square ball drop at 9 p.m., followed by the Space Needle countdown at midnight.

Boundary Bay rings in the new year with tunes by North Sound Soul. This is a ticketed event ($12 advance, $15 at the door) for ages 21 and over.

Twin Sisters Brewing will also host a ticketed, 21-plus NYE party. Tickets ($35) include admission to the buffet (sliders, snacks and sides, plus a champagne toast) and live music by GrooveBot.

Beer for the new year

photo  Even though Christmas has come and gone, it’s not too late to give gifts to those you may be spending New Year’s Eve with. At Otherlands Beer in Sunnyland, vintage 2021 bottles Goodly Beasts may fit the bill. (Photo by Brandon Fralic)  

If, like me, you find yourself “too old” or “too tired” to stay out dancing until midnight, there’s always the option of cozying up at home or on a friend’s couch. Here are a few suggestions for your low-key NYE party.

During my most recent visit to the brewery, my friends at Otherlands Beer sent me home with a vintage 2021 bottle of Goodly Beasts. This warming, European-inspired “Julebier” features adorable bottle art by Otherlands co-owner Karolina Lobrow. Check with Otherlands for availability of this limited release.

Another fun, original option: Stop by Bellingham’s newest brewery, Darach, where you can get “crowlers” (canned growlers) to go. Darach has been open for less than a month, so there’s a good chance that your friends and family haven’t tasted their farmhouse-inspired beer yet.

photo  “Atwood Farm Brewery Unleashes Scandinavian Pilsner on Unsuspecting World” was the cheeky title of a recent news release about a new Norwegian farmhouse ale. If you want to pick up cans in advance of New Year’s Eve, use the Blaine-based brewery’s beer finder to hunt some down. (Photo courtesy of Atwood Farm Brewery)  

Speaking of farmhouse beer, Atwood Farm Brewery in Blaine is having some fun with its latest can release. In a news release cheekily titled, “Atwood Farm Brewery Unleashes Scandinavian Pilsner on Unsuspecting World,” Atwood owner and brewer Josh Smith unleashed more than 700 words describing his latest creation.

“After researching Scandinavian Pilsner on his iPhone while drinking Akvavit and eating pickled herring at a local tavern near Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham, Smith felt confident enough to brew his own interpretation of the novel Nordic beer: SKANDIPILS,” he wrote.

Made with kveik, a Norwegian farmhouse ale yeast, this clean, pilsner-style beer includes IKEA-style instructions on the label. Notably, the graphic for “rate low on Untappd because it’s a pilsner-style beer” shows a frowny-faced fellow rating SKANDIPILS 2 stars out of 5. Naturally, I need to try this beer, but Atwood is temporarily closed until 2023. I’ll be using Atwood’s beer finder to hunt some down before the New Year. Cheers!

Beginning in January 2023, Brandon Fralic’s Drink Cascadia Column will run on the second Wednesday of every month. Reach him at drinkcascadia@gmail.com.

Latest stories

What to know about the gardens, transportation, events and more
March 28, 2024 10:00 p.m.
A curated selection of happenings in Whatcom and Skagit counties
March 27, 2024 10:00 p.m.

Have a news tip?

Email newstips@cascadiadaily.com or Call/Text 360-922-3092

Sign up for our free email newsletters

Preferences: