Ask A Seattle Expert: Fall Beers To Try
Toronado beer (Credit, Jenise Silva)
Toronado
1205 N.E. 65th St.
Seattle, WA 94115
(206) 525-0654
www.toronadoseattle.com
If you haven't made time to visit Toronado in northeast Seattle, now is the time. The bar poured its first pint late this summer and is certain to become the darling of craft beer lovers soon, so go now before it starts running a wait. In addition to offering 40 taps of the finest craft beers, Toronado also has an extensive selection of tequilas, bourbon and scotch. And it isn't skimping on its culinary offerings either with an impressive and well-priced menu. Some highlights are the crispy duck confit, braised pork sliders, charcuterie and lovely salads loaded with local organic greens, veggies and cheese.
We may not want summer to end, but at least we know we have some fine craft brews to look forward to as the sun starts setting earlier. We sat down with Ian Clark (formerly of the famed Brouwers), manager of the hotly anticipated and recently opened Toronado, to talk about a handful of beers he's looking forward to enjoying this fall.
The name says it all. Or better yet, this beer's nickname of B-BOMB says it all. This bourbon barrel-aged winter ale tips the ABV scale at 11 percent. But don't let the high alcohol content scare you away. If you like spicy flavors with a hint of chocolate, this B-BOMB will warm you up better than your favorite blanket. The Bourbon Abominable Ale almost always nabs a prize at the Washington Winter Beer Fest and, with its limited availability, is always a prized purchase.
If you are looking to switch up your beverage choices for this year's Thanksgiving meal, you might want to take a pass on the Beaujolais nouveau and grab a six pack of Pumking beer. It's true that some pumpkin beers have been known to be overly cloying but Pumking has just the right amount of malty sweetness that will have you drinking this beer all autumn long. Known for its complexity, Pumking swerves more to the classics spices – nutmeg, allspice and cloves – that make us cherish those autumnal days.
The mystery of the Narwhal comes to life with this heady brew. If you like malty beers then you'll love this Imperial Stout. Most beers beg to be consumed as soon as you get them home, but this deep, dark brew only gets better with age. That is to say you'll want to pick up several of these espresso-tinted, smoky brews the next time you're out: some for now – and some for later.
This devilish drink pulls no punches. As a barley wine, Arctic Devil weighs in at 13.2 percent ABV. This limited nectar is aged in oak barrels for several months before it's bottled and released. If you miss out this year, you'll have to wait until the whole year-long process is repeated. But no two batches of this barley wine are the same. Depending on the oak barrels used for aging, you may get a hint of port, whisky or a little red wine. But one thing remains consistent with Arctic Barley Wine – the superb malt and hop flavors that shine through year after year.
This Imperial Stout should be on everyone's wish list as the fall season comes around. With an ABV of 10 percent, this little helper packs a punch. But as winter rolls around and you're looking to warm your bones, this is the perfect drink to consider. And if you're looking to wash down that fruit cake that you were recently gifted, Santa's Little Helper, with its hint of dark cocoa and roasted coffee, will serve as the perfect elixir. It's no wonder why Santa is always so jolly.
