IT'S WINTER! I REPEAT, IT'S WINTER! AGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!
Ok, do I have your attention now? Good. Now that we have that nonsense out of the way. Since winter is here and for most of gluttons for punishment that means freezing our tails off in a driving sleetstorm, throwing flies the size of purple coated land mines in water the consistency and color of chocolate milk for a fish that may or may not even exist. (Yes steelhead. No, I think all photographs are fake just like the Sasquatch ones. Land one in front of me and prove it. I dare you.) And since fly-fishing entails some sort of imbibing, usually of alcohol, especially in the winter months, I thought we would list a couple top notch local brews that can be found near your favorite iceflows, err...I mean rivers.
These brews will help you dethaw from that plunge you took in that one spot on that one river because you thought it would be better if you just stepped on a boulder in a raging current to get that one perfect drift, but instead pulled a Micheal Phelps and decided to swim after the fish instead.
Anyway. Here are some beers to ponder the one that got away over. They are not ranked because if they were you know Rainier would be at the top of this list...duh.
- Avalanche Winter Ale- One of Snoqualmie Brewery's finer seasonal ales. It's tasty and not too heavy so that you can enjoy more then one if you so choose. If you go to the Taproom after a long, cold day on the river you can enjoy it with some top notch food too. They have plenty of other types of beer to sample as well and if you love beer, they are all terrific.
- 509 Style- Hidden in the comfy confines of the Greater Ellensburg Metropolitan Area (Go ahead laugh, that was the point), is a quaint little brewery known as Iron Horse Brewery. Known for their Irish Death or Double Rainbow brews, the one that really kicks off the ice after a brutally cold day on the Yakima is the 509 Style brew. It is dubbed the brew of the Eastside and is tasty, I promise.
- Strait Stout- If you dig the dark beers for the dark weather then you are in luck. Port Townsend Brewing produces this stellar dark beer to improve your mood after driving all over the OP fleeing from vampies, werewolves and tweeny heart throbs, trying to catch chrome in a rain that feels like you are standing in a bucket upside down. This beer will strike warmth into that cold bitter heart of yours as you drive home from the madness.
So there you have it some alcohol to warm your soul on your midwinter fishing extravaganzas. I mean who doesn't love some tasty brews whilst out throwing a fly doing your best to become a meat popsicle. All these beers actually beat my normal fly-fish trip beverage of Rainier and Mt. Dew. No not together, sheesh. I have class you know....although...that could be interesting...hmmm.
Feed Fish Flies, Not Toxins
-RB
3 comments:
we really don't have any good brew houses here in vegas other than big dogs so I usually drink the normal stuff. I do get to have teton brew sometimes like bitch creek which is awesome but I have to drive a trip to find it. Great post
I'm sure everyone can add their own favs but Ryan, if you're gonna write about a beer from Iron Horse it's the Irish Death possibly the tastiest elixir ever brewed. And at 8% in a 22oz it'll put a whack on you. Love, Brett Weir
It's unfortunate that the micro brewing isn't as prevalent in Vegas. You would think that the micro brewing would be taking off in the city of Sin. I know there is at least one good brewing company in Reno but that is a haul.
As to you Mr. Weir. Irish Death is well known to be tasty, however, the 509 brew is more of a statement on the fishing locale and tasty as well. That is all, carry on.
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