Enjoy Georgetown Brewing! A Travel Guide to Craft Beer in Seattle

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rihobeer

I work as an IT professional, but my passion lies in the world of craft beer. I hold a Japanese Beer Judge qualification and participated as a rookie judge in the 2024 JGBA. After contributing to the beer scene in Tokyo, I relocated to Seattle, where I’ll be based until the end of 2027, immersing myself in the vibrant beer culture here.

Writing beer reviews and energizing events is my way of spreading the love for craft beer. With a mission to "make beer more accessible," I’m actively looking for opportunities to contribute to the beer industry and get involved in related projects.

While my posts are primarily in Japanese, I plan to increase content in English in the future to connect with a broader audience.

If there’s anything I can help with, please feel free to reach out! I’m open to connections via social media or email(riho.dare at gmail.com), and I look forward to collaborating with fellow beer enthusiasts around the world. Cheers!

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Enjoy Georgetown Brewing! A Travel Guide to Craft Beer in Seattle

Hello! I’m Riho, a big fan of craft beer. As soon as I arrived in Seattle, the first place I headed to was the highly popular craft brewery, Georgetown Brewing. If you’re into craft beer, you’ve probably heard of this place at least once. For me, it was a “must-visit spot” when coming to the U.S. Now that I’ve finally visited the taproom, I’d love to share my experience in this blog!

You might be thinking, “Did you really go there as soon as you arrived!?” Yes, that’s how excited I was!

Back in Japan, I frequently bought and enjoyed their beers from bottle shops. I was particularly impressed by “Bodhizafa IPA,” and I often found myself looking at photos of the taproom on Google Maps, dreaming of the day I could finally drink there.

Looking at Google Maps photos, I could really feel the “craft beer mecca” vibe. The brewery itself is huge!

And finally, I got to visit this long-admired brewery in person. In this blog, I’ll share the charm of Georgetown Brewing and my experience at their taproom.

“A complete guide from the brewery introduction, how to order, to the taproom atmosphere!”

Additionally, I’ll introduce the beers you can enjoy at the taproom, nearby spots worth visiting, and some tips for making the most of your visit. Read on to get some inspiration for your Seattle trip and make Georgetown Brewing a part of your itinerary!

Georgetown Brewing Tap List

Georgetown Brewing Tap List

Hoppy

  • Bodhizafa IPA: A floral and citrusy IPA.
  • Cat’s Meow IPA: A hazy IPA with a juicy hop character.
  • Johnny Utah Pale Ale: A dry and light-bodied pale ale.
  • Lucille IPA: A classic West Coast-style IPA.
  • Meowsa! Double IPA: A bold double IPA with strong bitterness and high ABV.
  • Shanebecker Red IPA: A red IPA with a well-balanced malt sweetness and hop aroma.

Light/Not-So-Hoppy

  • Georgetown Tavern Beer: A crisp and easy-drinking lager.
  • Gusto Crema Coffee Cream Ale: A cream ale with a hint of coffee aroma.
  • Manny’s Pale Ale: A well-balanced classic pale ale.
  • Roger’s Pilsner: A refreshing and clean pilsner.

Malty/Dark/Strong

  • 9lb Porter: A rich porter with chocolate and malt flavors.
  • 1818 Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter: A bold porter aged in bourbon barrels.
  • Basket Case Dark Lager: A dark lager with hints of dark chocolate.
  • Barrel Aged Basket Case Dark Lager: A deep and complex barrel-aged dark lager.
  • Maggie’s Dry Irish Stout: A dry, traditional Irish stout.

Hard Ginger Beer

  • Timber City Elderberry Orange Peel Hard Seltzer: A hard seltzer with elderberry and orange peel.
  • Timber City Pear Jasmine Hard Ginger Beer: A ginger beer with pear and jasmine flavors.

Non-Alcoholic

  • Timber City Original NA Ginger Beer: A non-alcoholic version of ginger beer.
  • Timber City Asian Pear Mint NA Ginger Beer: A refreshing non-alcoholic ginger beer with pear and mint flavors.
  • Duz Dry Root Beer: A classic root beer with cola-like flavors.

Beer Reviews from Georgetown Brewing

I visited the taproom of Seattle’s popular brewery, Georgetown Brewing! First, I grabbed a pint of the beer I had been curious about for so long, followed by a tasting flight of six different IPAs.

Georgetown Brewing Tasting Room

The First Beer: Georgetown Tavern Beer!

Georgetown Tavern Beer

The first beer I had was the flagship lager from Georgetown Brewing, “Georgetown Tavern Beer.”

It has a light and crisp mouthfeel, with a subtle dryness. You can detect a slight candy-like sweetness from the American hops. As you drink, a touch of sweetness lingers in the aftertaste, but it remains clean and easy to drink.

“It has a satisfying body while maintaining a clean finish—a great lager!”

After quenching my thirst with this beer, I decided to try their highly recommended IPA tasting flight.

Tasting 6 Different Georgetown IPAs

IPA Tasting Flight

Georgetown Brewing has an impressive lineup of IPAs!

And the best part? You can sample six different IPAs for free!

Here’s a breakdown of the IPAs I tried and my impressions:

Bodhizafa IPA – A Modern, Sweet, and Tropical IPA

This beer is tropical and sweet, a truly modern IPA. It bursts with aromas of mango, pineapple, and ripe orange. The mouthfeel is incredibly smooth.

Lucille IPA – A Classic, Dank West Coast IPA

Among Georgetown’s lineup, this is the most classic IPA. The hop aroma has a boozy feel with a hint of kiwi, and the finish delivers a solid bitterness.

Meowsa! Double IPA – Cute and Sweet but Leaves a Wild Scratch

The aroma is sweet and tropical, giving off a playful impression. But once you take a sip, it scratches back with a wild bitterness that hits unexpectedly!

Extra Celestial IPA – A Dank and Powerful Hazy IPA

Unlike Meowsa!, this is a completely different type of Hazy IPA. While tropical, it showcases a strong interplay of hops and alcohol.

Wade IPA – The Most Hazy-Style Tropical IPA

This one stands out for its sweetness and fruitiness, featuring refreshing hints of melon and cucumber, making it a classic hazy IPA.

Shanebecker Red IPA – A Red IPA with Clean Resinous Notes

The only IPA in the lineup with a clean resinous aroma. It has a piney and slightly melon-like profile with a warming alcohol presence.

Since I liked Lucille the most, I decided to order a full pint. I really appreciate having the chance to compare different beers before choosing!

Lucille IPA

Barrel-Aged 18lb Porter – Surprisingly Light with Deep Bitterness

Barrel-Aged 18lb Porter

The aroma of this beer is dominated by sweet, woody notes from bourbon barrels, which give the impression of a rich and heavy beer. However, upon taking a sip, it surprises you with an unexpectedly light and smooth texture.

When swirled in the mouth, a deep and lingering bitterness gradually unfolds. It carries a subtle acidity typical of dark beers, with a slight spicy hop finish.

Despite its initial light impression, it has a strong body that makes itself known after swallowing. The beer disappears smoothly, yet leaves behind a complex roast character and hop aroma.

Aged for a year in bourbon barrels, it showcases distinct notes of vanilla, bourbon, cocoa, and toffee. It’s a rich and complex beer that remains surprisingly drinkable.

Overall, this porter delivers both intense character and drinkability, making it a fascinating beer.

Georgetown Brewing’s IPAs are all unique, and tasting them side by side really highlights their individual qualities. If you visit, I highly recommend trying a flight of all six!

A dry stout like this is really enjoyable!

Georgetown Brewing’s Distinctive Flavors

Many of their beers have flavors that aren’t overly persistent on the palate but leave strong aromatic impressions. While they often give a sweet first impression through aroma, the actual taste tends to be dry and well-balanced.

The Charm of Georgetown Brewing

This brewery offers an exciting range of beers with vibrant hop expressions. Their flagship beers are truly unique, and their creativity in limited editions makes them an exciting brewery to follow. The beer quality is outstanding!

Even canned, the beer tastes great, but drinking it fresh on-site really enhances the hop nuances!

The Atmosphere of Georgetown Brewing’s Taproom

It’s great to enjoy your beer while watching the brewing process in action.

Georgetown Brewing Taproom
Georgetown Brewing Taproom
Georgetown Brewing Taproom

They also offer self-service water, which is convenient.

The taproom was almost full when I visited on a Saturday afternoon!

They have both indoor seating and outdoor firepit seating.

How to Order at Georgetown Brewing

At Georgetown Brewing, you can order your beer directly at the taproom counter.

Beer names can sometimes be hard to pronounce, so I recommend taking a photo of the tap list and pointing at the beer you want!

  • Step 1: Order by saying, “Can I have a pint of Manny’s Pale Ale?”
  • Step 2: The cashier will ask, “Open or Close?” (Open means keeping a tab open, Close means paying per order).
  • Step 3: If they ask for “ID?”, show your passport or driver’s license for age verification.
  • Step 4: Pay with cash, Apple Pay, or a credit card.
  • Step 5: You’ll receive a receipt after payment.
  • Step 6: Add a tip in the “Tip” section on the receipt.
  • Step 7: Write the total amount including the tip in the “Total” section.
  • Step 8: Sign the receipt.
  • Step 9: Return the receipt to the staff.
  • Step 10: Pick up your beer at the counter.

When I first arrived in Seattle, I didn’t know I had to write the tip amount on the receipt and went without tipping for a while… I felt bad later.

Some places, like Fremont Brewing, have a tablet where you can select the tip amount, which makes it easier!

Receipt with Tip Section

Since I got to sample the beers for free, I left a larger tip to show my appreciation.

“When someone treats you well, a good tip is a great way to say thanks!”

Georgetown Brewing allows you to add a tip after paying with a credit card or Apple Pay, so it’s good to be aware of this system in advance.

How to Sample Beer at Georgetown Brewing

At Georgetown Brewing, you can sample beers before making a decision. Depending on how busy they are, the staff is usually happy to let you try a few options.

I simply asked, “I’d like to try an IPA, do you have any recommendations?”

“I’d like to try an IPA, do you have any recommendations?”

The staff enthusiastically responded:

“Try all the IPAs!”

They poured small tasters of all the IPA options and told me to take my time sampling. I took them back to my table and enjoyed comparing the different flavors. Each IPA had a unique character, making the experience really fun.

Many breweries offer samples, but most require you to choose just one. Here, you can bring multiple samples back to your seat and take your time deciding!

After sampling, I ordered a full pint of my favorite, Lucille IPA. Since they let me try so many beers, I left a generous tip as a token of appreciation.

Showing gratitude through tipping is a great way to thank friendly staff!

The hospitality of the Georgetown Brewing staff, combined with their passion for beer, made me appreciate this brewery even more.

Overview of Georgetown Brewing

Category Details
Company Georgetown Brewing Company
Location 5200 Denver Ave S, Seattle, Washington 98108
Official Website Georgetown Brewing Official Site
Review Sites BeerAdvocate, RateBeer, Untappd, TripAdvisor, Yelp
Official Social Media Instagram
Founded 2002
Main Beer Lineup Manny’s Pale Ale, Bodhizafa IPA, Roger’s Pilsner, Johnny Utah Pale Ale, Lucille IPA, 9lb Porter, Tavern Beer
Brewing Philosophy Committed to independent brewing, focusing on high-quality craft beer using premium hops and malts, with the motto “Darn Tasty Beer.”
Awards Bodhizafa IPA won Gold at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF).

Location Information

Overview of Georgetown Brewing

Category Details
Company Georgetown Brewing Company
Location 5200 Denver Ave S, Seattle, Washington 98108
Official Website Georgetown Brewing Official Site
Review Sites BeerAdvocate, RateBeer, Untappd, TripAdvisor, Yelp
Official Social Media Instagram
Founded 2002
Main Beer Lineup Manny’s Pale Ale, Bodhizafa IPA, Roger’s Pilsner, Johnny Utah Pale Ale, Lucille IPA, 9lb Porter, Tavern Beer
Brewing Philosophy Committed to independent brewing, focusing on high-quality craft beer using premium hops and malts, with the motto “Darn Tasty Beer.”
Awards Bodhizafa IPA won Gold at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF).

Location Information

Georgetown Brewing Awards

Category Competition Year Beer Name Medal Entries Source
American IPA Great American Beer Festival (GABF) 2016 Bodhizafa IPA Gold 336 GABF 2016 Winners
Wood & Barrel Aged Beer Washington Beer Awards 2023 1818 Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter Silver N/A Washington Beer Awards 2023
Amber Lager Washington Beer Awards 2022 Basket Case Dark Lager Gold N/A Washington Beer Awards 2022
Hazy IPA Northwest Beer Awards 2021 Cat’s Meow IPA Bronze N/A Northwest Beer Awards 2021

Other Craft Beer Spots in Seattle

Check out more Seattle craft beer recommendations here: Seattle Craft Beer Guide

Final Thoughts on Georgetown Brewing

The atmosphere inside the taproom is fantastic, and the staff are incredibly friendly. It’s an amazing place for any craft beer enthusiast.

If you visit Seattle, you have to stop by Georgetown Brewing!

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