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Beer awards and Halloween haunts

Why fall is the best season for sipping

Boundary Bay Brewery's Casey Diggs
Boundary Bay Brewery's Casey Diggs (Photo courtesy of Boundary Bay Brewery)
By Brandon Fralic CDN Contributor

The results are in from America’s biggest beer festival. Founded in 1982, the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is a beer fest and competition held annually in Denver. This year, 2,154 breweries entered 9,904 beers in the competition making it the most competitive year in the history of the GABF. And our local Cascadian breweries brought home five awards. 

Kulshan Brewing cleaned up at GABF this year, earning Gold in two categories. Transporter beat out 56 entries in the Brown Porter category, while Kulshan Gose was the top choice among 33 entries in the German Sour Ale category. Wander Brewing earned Silver in the German Sour Ale category for Champagne Toast, helping Bellingham breweries secure the top two spots for this relatively niche style.

photo  At the Great American Beer Festival, Kulshan Brewing earned Gold in two categories. Transporter beat out 56 entries in the Brown Porter category, while Kulshan Gose was the top choice among 33 entries in the German Sour Ale category. (Photo courtesy of Kulshan Brewing Co.)  

Chuckanut Brewery continued its 13-year GABF winning streak with a Gold medal for Chuck Light (out of 143 entries in the Light Lager category). Boundary Bay snagged a silver medal for its Blonde Ale out of 159 entries in the Golden or Blonde Ale category. Whether in Bellingham or Skagit, you don’t have to travel far to try a Great American Beer Festival award-winning beer. 

Halloween is almost here

Fall continues to be the best season for beer, in my opinion. Fresh hop brews and festbiers are available in abundance, and soon, you can enjoy them in costume! Here’s a short list (not at all exhaustive) of fall harvest and Halloween-themed events at local brewery taprooms.

Chuckanut Brewery celebrates the season with its Chuckanut Fall Harvest Fest on Saturday, Oct. 22. From noon to close, all ages are welcome to stop by and peruse a pop-up market featuring more than a dozen local artisans. There will be a canned food drive for the Skagit Food Bank at South Nut — bring some cans to donate and get a discount off your beer. Chuckanut will also be tapping its Barrel Aged Stout, aged in oak barrels from Westland Distillery.

Each year, Boundary Bay Brewery goes all-out for Halloween and 2022 is no exception. Festivities kick off Friday, Oct. 28, with The Fear Garden Haunted House. Running Oct. 28, 29 and 31, this ticketed event is all-ages ($5 entry) from 6–9 p.m. From 9–11 p.m., expect “a more mature and frightening experience” for adults 21 and older ($10 entry). I attended the Fear Garden many moons ago, and it was indeed quite spooky. All proceeds from the event benefit Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth’s student scholarship fund.

If haunted houses aren’t your thing, perhaps a Grateful Dead cover band will give you life. Sleepy Alligators will play Saturday, Oct. 29 in the Boundary Bay taproom. Doors open at 8:30 p.m., and $5 grants you admission to the music, costume contest, photo booth and dance party. 

If you’ve been looking forward to trying Frelard Tamales, now’s your chance. Kulshan Brewing is hosting a collaborative event with El Suénito Brewing on Saturday, Oct. 29. The breweries will celebrate the Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, with Frelard Tamales, a Horchata Stout beer release, face painting, sugar skull decorating and live mariachi music from Los Flacos. This all-ages event runs from 1–8 p.m. at Kulshan’s K2 location. 

The Terror-Mar Boostillery Spooktacular (hosted by Terramar Brewstillery in Edison) will be held from 3–6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. This all-ages event incentivizes costumes — kids in costume get goodie bags, adults in costume get $1 off drinks and dogs in costume get house-made doggie treats. There’s also horror-themed trivia, a jack-o’-lantern contest (bring in your carved or decorated pumpkin by 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30 for judging), and some spooky drink specials. Sounds like a scarily good time to me. 


For those looking for a Halloween night activity, Aslan Depot will host “A Nightmare on State Street” at 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31. Expect cocktail specials, a costume contest, jello shots and live DJ sets from KraymerGDot and Terroir. This event would be the most appropriate time to cozy up with a glass of Satan’s Airport — Aslan’s seasonal Imperial Milk Stout with coffee.

Beer and spirits news

• Aslan Brewing has developed and released a new flagship beer, Monarch IPA. Available in 16-ounce cans and on draft at Aslan, this “less hazy” IPA hearkens back to the pre-haze days with a pleasant, bright bitterness and crisp, dry finish.

• Terramar Brewstillery is releasing two new small-batch projects: Bourbon Whiskey and Barrel-Aged Gin. Sold in 375-milliliter bottles, these limited-run spirits should be available for purchase by the time you read this. Check with Terramar for current availability.

• It’s harvest season at Bellewood Farms. Stop by the distillery tasting room to try their seasonal Pumpkin Spice Liqueur (made with real pumpkin), plus a newly-bottled batch of Coffee Liqueur (made with Woods Coffee cold brew).

Brandon Fralic’s Drink Cascadia column runs every other Wednesday. Reach him at drinkcascadia@gmail.com.

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