Bellingham Bay BREWS Cruises

Boundary Bay and San Juan Cruises are excited to announce the return of our summer BREWS Cruises. Every Wednesday evening, we invite you to hop aboard the Victoria Star and tour the Bay as we serve a variety of our award-winning beers. Boundary will be joined by two additional Northwest breweries who will also be serving up their finest ales. These tasty brews will be paired with plenty of savory snacks.  Spend a summer evening kicking back and enjoying the spectacular views Bellingham bay has to offer! 

Cruises are $35 per adult.  Fee includes the tastings of three beers, per brewery. Cruises will sell out quickly so reserve your spot ONLINE or by calling 1-800-443-4552 or (360) 738-8099. (This summer, season passes are available!)  The boat departs from the Alaska Ferry Terminal in Fairhaven at 6:30pm. Check in 30 minutes prior to pick up your tickets and board the Victoria Star.

CRUISE DATE & BREWERIES:

July 10 – Boundary, Kulshan Brewery, Chuckanut Brewery

July 17 –  Boundary, Flyers Brewery, Skagit River Brewery

July 24 – Boundary, Scuttlebutt Brewery, Birdsview Brewing Company

July 31–  Boundary, Dick’s Brewery, Island Hoppin’ Brewery

Aug 07 – Boundary, Pike Place Brewing, North Sound Brewery

Aug 14 – Boundary, Elysian Brewery, Georgetown Brewery 

Aug 21 – Boundary, Port Townsend Brewery, Lazy Boy Brewery

Aug 28 – Boundary, Diamond Knot, Schooner EXACT Brewing Co. 

Sept 04 –Boundary, Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Co., Ram Brewing at Northgate 

Sept 11 – Boundary, Hale’s Ales, Northfork Brewery 

***Pictures courtesty of San Juan Cruises***

Everett Craft Beer Festival

Everett Craft Beer Festival
Sat. August 19th Noon-8pm
Downtown Everett (Hewitt Ave. & Hoyt Ave.)

Saturday, August 18th, the Washington Beer Commision will host their first ever Everett Craft Beer Festival featuring 26 local Washington breweries. Over 60 different ales will be poured with names by the likes of Caboose Oatmeal Stout, “Bedraggled” Irish Red Ale & Ziggy Zoggy Summer Lager etc. We’re tellin’ ya, these beers won’t disappoint!  Boundary will be spicing it up with some of our own specialty seasonals…we’re bringing a Ginger Peach Blonde and our newest concoction: Thai-PA.

Ginger Peach Blonde: as a straightforward lighter bodied ale, this Blonde is brewed with generous amounts of German pilsner and Vienna malts that balance with a crisp yet cleansing Noble Saaz hop finish. We added Fresh Hawaiian ginger and natural peach extract creating a just hint of sweet & spicy flavor. OG 1.070

Thai-PA: A honey-ambered colored India Pale Ale with good body, fairly strong alcohol content and an aggressive “fresh hop” quality. Heavily dry hopped with kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass, this beer has a zesty citrus taste. OG 1.052

 

Additional Details

• Entry to the event includes a tasting glass and five tokens (each good for a 5oz. taste).
• Additional drink tokens can be purchased at $1.50 each or four for $5.
• Tickets are $15 in advance online, $20 on the day of at the entrance gate.
• Designated Driver admission will be available for $5 and includes free water and soft drinks.
• Band headliners of the day include Jr. Geezer, Bucula, and Wild Snohomians.

Breweries Expected to Attend

American Brewing Anacortes Brewery

Boundary Bay Brewery Chuckanut Brewery

Brickyard Brewing Diamond Knot Craft Brewing

Dirty Bucket Brewing

Elysian Brewing

Emerald City Beer

Fish Brewing Company

Foggy Noggin Brewing Fremont Brewing

Gallaghers’ Where U Brew

Georgetown Brewing

Harmon Brewing

Hood Canal Brewery

Lazy Boy Brewing

Maritime Pacific Brewing

North Sound Brewing

Odin Brewing

Ram Restaurant & Brewery

Roslyn Brewing Company

Scuttlebutt Brewing Company

Silver City Brewery

Sound Brewery

Twelve Bar Brews

Two Beers Brewing

Drinking Beer and Doing Good

If you know us at all, you know that here at Boundary Bay Brewery, we care just as much about giving back to the community as we do about making really, really good beer.  Luckily, those two pursuits go hand in hand pretty often.  This weekend’s Brewers by the Bay beer festival is a perfect example!

This Sunday (July 22nd), from 1-5pm, representative from 30 regional breweries will gather at the Depot Market Square (at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Maple Street) to bring you over 60 different micro brews to sample.  In it’s sixth year, this Bellingham beer festival gathers together craft beer lovers who enjoy great beer, good food and live music while helping to raise money for local non profit organizations.  This year, the music will be provided by The Playlists, Lost at Last and the Lost Highway Band.

Tickets ($25 advance / $30 at the door) include entrance to the event, a commemorative tasting glass, your first five tastes and live music. Best of all, the proceeds from this event go directly to organizations such as Northwest Youth Services, Whatcom Hospice House, Bellingham Boys & Girls Club as well as many other youth and family focused charities throughout Whatcom County.  You can get your tickets in advance here at our brewery or at one of these other locations: Applied Digital Imaging, Natural Way Chiropractic, Chuckanut Brewery and Elizabeth Station.

So, come spend an afternoon with us in downtown Bellingham – drinking beer and doing good!

Not only will you help support many of our local non profits, but you’ll get to enjoy delicious beers from Alameda Brewing Company, Alaskan Brewing, American Brewing Company, Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Big Sky Brewing Company, Boundary Bay Brewery, Chuckanut Brewery, Diamond Knot Brewing, Dick’s Brewing Company, Elysian Brewing Company, Emerald City Brewing, Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Fish Brewing Company, Fremont Brewing Company, Georgetown Brewing Company, Harmon Brewing Company, Kulshan Brewery, Lost Coast Brewing Company, Mac & Jack’s Brewing Company, Ninkasi Brewing Company, Oakshire Brewing, Odin Brewing Company, Pike Brewing Company, Skagit River Brewery, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Stone Brewing Company, 21st Amendment Brewery and Two Beers Brewing Company.

Beer + Kilts = True Love!

Highland Reserve Scotch Ale

If you’re familiar with Boundary Bay Brewery at all, you’ve probably tasted (or at least heard about) our Scotch Ale.  It was our original, flagship beer when we opened in 1995, but we’d planned to have it on tap only as a seasonal beer. However, it turned out that our Scotch Ale was so popular that in 15 years we’ve never once taken it off tap even once!

This Scotch Ale has a thick, creamy head and a beautiful red hue with an incredibly smooth finish that lingers.  We make it with roasted, unmalted barley which provides a distinctive flavor and hop it just long enough to give the beer good balance with just a touch of sweetness.  You can pretty much always find our Scotch Ale on tap here at the brewery, at any number of regional restaurants and bars who have our beer on tap and in 22 oz. bottles here at Boundary Bay Brewery and at regional grocery stores and bottle shops.

But, this time of year, our beloved Scotch Ale gets a little bit of competition!  This Thursday (May 17th) we’re releasing our Highland Scotch Ale which is brewed in commemoration of the Bellingham Highland Games.  Made with Dark crystal and peated malts, this beer is rich and dark with a faint smokey finish and is definitely stronger than our traditional Scotch Ale.  This small batch brew is only available seasonally, so be sure to come try it while it’s on tap!  This beer tends to go pretty quickly around these parts and you won’t find this one in bottles, either, so plan your weekends around a road trip up here to Bellingham!

Blessing of the Firkin last year!

You can also enjoy this beer of ours at the Bellingham Highland Games on June 1st – 3rd  out at Hovander Park.  You’ll find it in the beer garden at the games all weekend, but there are a few opportunities for you to get your hands on it early, too!  Here in the Boundary Bay Brewery beer garden, the Highland Games association will be conducting a blessing of the Firkin ceremony on Thursday, May 24th.

They’ll bless the kegs of Highland Scotch Ale heading out to the games and even have some pipers, dancers, game officials and men in kilts…of course!  Here’s the catch though…that special Firkin they’re blessing?  Well, it’s not gonna get tapped until Friday, June 1st which kicks off the Highland Games festivities.  If you head out to Hovander Park that night, you’ll get to enjoy the Kirkin o’ the Firkin AND a Scottish Idol talent show!  What’s a Kirkin of the Firkin, you ask?  Well, $20 gets you a special mug that allows you to drink as much of the Firkin (filled with our Highland Scotch Ale) as you want till it’s gone…that means even the next day if there’s any beer left!

Barrel Aging Our Beers

Our Scotch Ale is a beloved favorite of many.  We think it’s great as is, but we figured everybody needs a change every once in awhile, right?  So, we teamed up with Dry Fly Distillery in Spokane to create a small batch of  Barrel Aged Scotch Ale.  Dry Fly loaned us a couple of whiskey barrels and we’ve been aging our Scotch Ale in them.  The result is a smooth, strong beer that is complex with a lingering hop finish (original gravity 1.064).

The majority of this barrel aged beer will be going back to Spokane, but you’ll get a few chances to taste this rare brew on this side of the mountains.  We’ll have it on tap, here at Boundary Bay Brewery, on Monday, Dec 5th. This batch is limited so don’t miss out.  Come early, as we’ll be tapping the pony keg around 11am…and my guess is this stuff isn’t gonna stick around for long! If you can’t make it to our brewpub on the 5th, you can also get a taste at the 2011 Winter Beer Fest and at Brouwer’s Cafe Big Wood Event.

The 2011 Winter Beer Fest is held in Seattle on December 2nd and 3rd.  Put on by The Washington Beer Commission, this festival will showcase a variety of winter seasonals from 30 Washington breweries. (Get tickets and more info at www.washingtonbeer.com/winter-fest/.) We’ll be pouring 2008 Cabin Fever, Oak Aged Oatmeal Stout and our BRAND NEW, Barrel Aged Scotch Ale.

And your last chance, here on the West side, to taste our barrel aged Scotch Ale is at Brouwer’s Cafe Big Wood Event, Thurs, Dec 8th, starting at 11am. Don’t miss this unique event featuring 40 wood aged beers on tap, including our Barrel Aged Scotch Ale!

BBAY Brewery On The Go

Busy people don’t need beer any less.  In fact, one could argue, they need beer even MORE!  Luckily, we’ve got a mobile version of our website that allows you to access all our vital info on your phone wherever you are.  We’ve been tweaking our website a bit too, to make finding what you’re after even easier.

Now, if you’re not right here in Bellingham at our brewpub, but you’re suffering from a hankering for a pint of Boundary Bay Brewery beer, you can search by city for where to find our beer on tap or in bottles.  And if you already know WHERE to get your hands on our beer, check our awards page to find out which awards the beer you’re drinking has brought home.  You can search by beer, festival or even year!

If you head to our website on your phone you should be automatically redirected to the mobile version of our site.  But, if you’re not, you can always click on the mobile phone icon in the top left corner of our home page.  Once you’re on the mobile sight, you’ll see a bunch of icons. We’re gonna give you the low down right here in case you’re confused.  And, if you’re on the go and you need a quick reminder of the icons, just click on the question mark in the bottom left corner of the mobile website to access this same information.

    Call the Brewery or Restaurant.

    Send us an Email. info(at)bbaybrewery.com

    Find us on Google Maps. 1107 Railroad Ave. Bellingham, WA 98225

    See what’s on tap. Click on a beer style for a description.

    Our event calendar. Click on a highlighted day to see all the events for that day.

    See our full menu, descriptions, and prices

    Subscribe to our podcast on itunes.

    Operating hours are listed here.

    Visit our Facebook Page for great info about what’s happening at the brewery.

    Follow us on Twitter, for real time updates on events, what’s on tap and more

    Read our blog for an in-depth look at brewery related events

    Subscribe to our RSS feed to see most of the brewery events listed in one place.

    Need beer to go? Here is the scoop.

    We have a brand new Cask Engine. Learn about Cask conditioned beer

    Find our beer in Seattle, Spokane, Everett, etc with this list of our outlets.

    Everything that is Happy Hour is listed here

    The Boundary Bay YouTube channel. Stay entertained during a boring flight.

Brewing Belgian Beers?!

Boundary Bay Tripel

Belgian beers have a long and distinguished history…and a flavor profile that is uniquely their own.  Brewing with Belgian yeast often results in a distinctive spicy, pungent character and it’s not a style that we do very often here at Boundary Bay Brewery.  But, we’re always up for a new challenge so we entered into uncharted territory for us…all so we could participate in the Washington Beer Commission‘s 2nd Annual Belgianfest.

Last year, for the first Belgianfest, we brewed a Tripel which was received with high acclaim.  Our Tripel is golden in color, medium bodied and moderately hopped.  The flavor and aroma are both dominated by alcohol and Belgian yeast.  This beer has a nice malt backbone, is slightly earthy and has a dry finish.  And this heavyweight comes in at 9.5% ABV, so please enjoy responsibly!  This year, we uppped the ante and brewed the Tripel again as well as a Big Belgian Pale Ale.  We’re calling it the Big Belgian Pale as most Belgian Pales rank in around 5% ABV while ours tips the scales at 6.7%.  It is light to medium in body and a bit stronger than the average Belgian pale ale.  The nose has malt, Belgian yeast and a touch of hops.  The flavor is earthy, malty and slightly alcoholic.  Considering the alcohol content, it is very quaffable if we do say so ourselves!

We have our Big Belgian Pale on tap at the brewery now and we should have the Tripel soon, but you can also get a taste at Belgianfest which takes place at Warren G. Magnuson Park (Seattle) this Saturday (January 22nd).  Not only will you get a glimpse into the beer culture of Belgium, but you’ll also get to taste Belgian-style beers from over 20 Washington breweries.  And lots of us are brewing these babies for the first time, so this is a rare treat indeed!  Tickets are $30 advance or $35 at the door and your admission price includes ten 4 oz. tastes and a commemorative tasting glass.  There’s also a designated driver admission of just $5 (available at the door only) and includes free water and/or soda.  If they’ve got any advance tickets left, you can get ’em at Big Time Brewery or Full Throttle Bottles!

We’ll see you there…cheers!

The Best of 2010

It’s hard to believe, but another year is already drawing to a close and it’s got us in a reflective mood over here at Boundary Bay Brewery.  So, today…we’re looking back!

Cheers to our 15th Anniversary!

2010 marked our 15th anniversary and we had a fantastic party here at the brewery to celebrate!  We ranked as the largest selling brewpub in the nation for the third year running and were voted the Best Brewpub in Washington by the readers of Northwest Brewing News – also for the third year in a row.  The Northwest Brewing News Readers choice awards also named Boundary Bay Brewery for Best Scotch Ale and Best IPA…which makes our IPA the winner for the last five years consecutively!

In 2010, we brewed our first Tripel, made an anniversary ale called “15” and created a special brew to help celebrate the 30th anniversary of Village Books…and all were met with rave reviews! We got a new Mash Tun and installed our very first beer engine which now lets us provide our thirsty customers with not one but TWO cask ales every day.  We brought home medals from the North American Beer Awards, the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup:  Silvers for our Dunkles Bock (WBC) and our Porter (NABA) and Bronzes for our Cabin Fever (WBC), Imperial IPA (WBC) and Imperial Oatmeal Stout (GABF).

our logo come to life in St. Paddy's Parade!

We had the pleasure of helping over 100 local nonprofits and in bringing the community together for Bellingham’s first annual St. Patrick’s Day parade (thanks to Janet, our General Manager!).  We had a Locks of Love donation party with free haircuts in our beer garden and brought together lots of local and sustainable businesses for our very first Earth Day Sustainability Fair.  We surpassed 10,000 fans on Facebook, held our first (possibly THE first ever?) Virtual Brewers Night and took back the tap as the House IPA at Beveridge Place Pub!

And, besides all that, we’ve kept on keeping on…brewing and bottling all our usuals that you’ve come to know and love, serving up fresh and local Northwest food, hosting events here at the brewery throughout the year and doing our best to help keep Bellingham a strong, local, sustainable community.  It’s been a whirlwind and we’ve had a fabulous time!  We just want to say thank you to all of our incredible fans who are such an important part of what we do.  We could never be a success without the love and support we receive from our community.  So, cheers everyone…and thank you!

 

 

We’re Going to Massachusetts

The best of the Northwest is heading to Massachusetts when NW Fest comes to Redbones in October & November .  Breweries in Oregon & Washington send kegs all the way to Massachusetts to be tapped at Redbones BBQ and this year, more than 15 NW breweries, including Boundary Bay Brewery, are sending over 60 kegs, including some special casks!

The Northwest Fest Keg Parties scheduled for November 8th and 9th from 5-7pm.  Enjoy free appetizers and sample craft beer from Washington and Oregon.  All the taps at Redbones will be turned over to Northwest brews…one from each brewery sending kegs!  But don’t worry, if you miss one of the keg party nights, a selection of NW beers will be on tap from mid-October ’til the kegs run out.  Check out the great breweries participating in Redbones Northwest Fest:

Washington Brewers: Anacortes Brewery & Rockfish Grill, Big Time Brewing Company, Boundary Bay Brewing Company, Diamond Knot Brewing Company, Elysian Brewing Company, Issaquah Brewhouse, Pike Brewing Company and Silver City Brewery

Oregon Brewers: Alameda Brewing Company, Cascade Brewing Company at Raccoon Lodge, Deschutes Brewery, Green Dragon Brewpub, Lompoc Brewing Company – 5th Quadrant, Lucky Labrador Brewing Company, Rogue Ales and Track Town Brewery

Redbones is a well established, much loved restaurant located in Davis Square – Somerville, Massachusetts (click here for directions). RedBones has become a favorite for many folks over the years, most likely due to its authentic downhome-style Southern food, its unique ambience, and the genuine friendliness of its staff. Redbones also offers 24 fresh microbrews on tap and often hosts local Brew Fests like the Northwest Fest.

When Redbones opened in 1987, a BBQ restaurant of its authenticity was virtually unheard of north of the Mason Dixon Line. Years later, with BBQ joints popping up everywhere, Redbones still stands out because of the fun, the food, and the wide range of services. Customers and staffers alike share the spirit of Redbones, where community rather than commercialism is the order of the day. In the dining room, there is a constant flow of customers, waitstaff, music and food. Nostalgic photographs of BBQ days gone by, autographed photos of rhythm and blues greats, and artistic, homemade menus and signs adorn the walls of the unpretentious main room. For the curious, there are counter seats up front, where people can observe first hand the action of the open kitchen and chat with the pitmaster and crew. Adjoining the dining room is a cozy bar with more kinds of beer on the menu than food. The new 24 Tap System has an ever-changing selection of beers, and many are from microbreweries that are available in Massachusetts for the very first time. The customers are as varied and interesting as the food and beer: from fur coats to overalls, they’re all there – the young to the less so, from CEO’s to craftsfolk, from globetrotters to neighbors – southern hospitality and BBQ brings them together. And the Redbones’ team, from waitstaff to kitchen crew, is equally diverse.

At Redbones, the traditional craft of barbecue is overseen by a ‘seasoned’ pitmaster, with attention paid not only to the smoking itself, but from preparation of the food to the finishing off of ribs before serving. The pitmaster and crew take pride in their craft, pouring energy and creativity into Redbones’ kitchen. They have brunch options, a kids menu and a section of their menu for gluten sensitive diners that lists everything at Redbones that is gluten free.  This place may not be Utopia, but it is a place where the food is delicious and made from scratch using the best ingredients.

Redbones serves lunch daily at 11:30am (noon on Sundays) and dinner is served from 4:00pm ’til 10:30 (11:00pm on Fri/Sat) – there is also a late night menu every night until 12:30 a.m.

Oktoberfest with Solace

Boundary Bay Oktoberfest poster by Solace Wonder

Join us next Thursday, September 30th, in our Beer Garden for the Boundary Bay Brewery Oktoberfest Celebration!  The party will get started around 4pm and the event is free and family friendly! We’ll have live music, beer trivia, hand made Bavarian pretzels by Ralf’s Pretzels and a special German menu.  Not to mention, an art show by Seattle guest artist Solace Wonder and a Firkin Keg (or 2!) of fresh-hopped Harvest Ale!  Our Harvest Ale is akin to an “Oktoberfest” style.  Our popular fall seasonal features Dark Crystal, Carastan and Munich malts giving this ale a rich malt character and a beatuiful red-orange hue.

Here’s what Solace Wonder has to say about himself and Oktoberfest, in general:

“As long as I can remember, Oktoberfest posters have always caught my eye.  True, there are usually pretty girls and big beer steins on them-which may play a big part, but it’s more than that.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized it’s because of the fall season, it’s colors, and what it brings that has connected me to these posters for so many years.  Being that I’m a beer-loving German fella, I figured it only appropriate to have an art show based on the Oktoberfest season.  Boundary Bay Brewery was kind enough to play along with my vision and host the show as part of their celebration.  I tapped into my roots, (as well as many beers,) for inspiration for this collection.  It is playful, colorful, and at times a humorous way of seeing a season that is well known for its traditions.  I’ve captured everything from lederhosen wearing lads to pretzel wielding ladies and much more!  Bring the family down to enjoy the festivities and the art!”

Solace – Urban Artiste at Large and for Hire!

sol·ace [ sólləss ]

1. relief from emotional distress: comfort at a time of sadness, grief or disappointment
2. source of comfort: somebody or something that provides comfort at a time of sadness, grief or disappointment

I call myself an urban artist or street artist because my work is influenced by street culture and highly inspired by graffiti. While graffiti is normally rooted in letterforms, I lean towards the character design element.  My pacific-northwest surroundings instill a respect for nature that is personified in my work.  Via organic textures, vibrant colors, and a graphic painterly approach, I attempt to meld city life with the tranquility of uninhabited lands.  Through a blend of mediums, aerosol propelled and acrylic, I concoct my background landscapes and finish them with the character design. I call my characters “wanders.”  The wanders are unique in perspective and rely on body language over facial expression to tell their story.  I am always looking to progress my style and increase my stable of characters while challenging conventional mediums.  The mediums most utilized at this time are canvas, large-scale mural production, custom vinyl toys, original plush toys, live painting, graphic design, and t-shirt design.

Some of the venues that have been most gracious in showing my work include:

In Seattle– 35^th North Skateshop, 619 Western, Artifakt, Artoleptic Urban Arts Festival, Bauhaus Coffee and Books, Bherd Studio, Brand Vibes Studio, Café Flora, Capitol Hill Block Party, DB Clay, Deli, Evo, Flatcolor Gallery, Form Space Altier, Fremont Solstice Parade, Goods, Graphic Display Sign and Awning, Greenwood Collective, Halogen Gallery, the Henry Art Gallery, Jones Soda Co., King Cobra, Kristo’s, Laced Up, the Little Red Studio, LoFi, Mackie, Mad Pizza, Market Street Shoes, Mercury Cloud, Moksha, Nectar Lounge, NW Throwbacks, Olivo Doce, the Pioneer Square Saloon, the Purple Razors Studio, Rio Pacific Gallery, the Robert Daniel Gallery (Tacoma), the Satellite Lounge, the Seattle Center, Showbox, Skatebarn West, Sneaker Pimps, Snowboard Connection, Sonny’s, Thread, Trickwood Skateshop, Twilite Collective, Upper Playground/24sea, Urban Light Studio, Vera Project, and the Zebra Club.

In Bellingham (Wa)- Boundary Bay Brewery.

In Oregon: Brian Marki Gallery (Portland)

In Massachusetts– Now Here Fast (Boston)

In California– Alpha Cult (Long Beach), Lost Souls Café (Los Angeles), Da Festicon (San Diego), Munkey King (Los Angeles), Ronin Gallery (Los Angeles), UnitedState (Sacramento), and Sk8ology (Long Beach).

In Florida– Sk8ology (Miami)

Questions, comments, and inquiries are always welcome- feel free to contact me via Email: solacewonder@gmail.com or facebook.com/solacewonder