Best Breweries in Seattle

Bright colors and nautical decor add visual interest to this inviting bar, where patrons have their pick of 14 beers from the onsite brewery (including the newest, a Cobalt IPA). Maritime Pacific Brewing Company is a small, family-owned brewery, established in 1990 in Ballard, the traditional home port to Northwest mariners. According to the website: "With its full-rigged white clipper ship set against dramatic Olympic Mountains, the Maritime Pacific logo recalls days past when fast windships once plied these Puget Sound waters laden with cargo for trade in exotic ports-of-call. To please the descendants of those bygone sailors in whom the taste for fine local beer lives on, and to salute Seattle's seafaring history, the Maritime Pacific Brewing Company was created."

Partway between Fremont and Ballard, this brewery and pub warrants a stop-over. This spacious venue boasts a philosophy that promotes being sustainable and healthy too. Hale's employs an age-old English brewing method that features an ale yeast that has long been specially adapted for the open-topped fermenters (of the traditional English brewery). The fermenting room sits behind 15-foot-tall panes of glass, meaning brewery visitors can witness the process (there are even mirrors on the ceiling), while sampling the pub's brews and eat. Find tapas and small plate options (from black bean cakes to smoked salmon chowder) or more substantial dishes like burgers, salads, shepherd's pies and chicken au jus. Try brews like the "Troll Porter" and the "Hales Cream Ale."

This local microbrewery, with its huge interior, expansive windows and copper-topped bar, is eminently cool and is a great place to hang out with friends and sample house-brewed beers. Many of them bear mythological names, in keeping with the brewery's name, and you'll find everything from lagers and stouts to pilsners and ales. Try new releases like the Dank Dust IPA (8.2% ABV), a pine-forward India Pale Ale that combines aromas of lush grapefruit, mango and orange; it's brewed with proprietary terpene, providing the beer with the pungent, dank, citrusy, earthy aroma, and turning things up a notch from the brewery's beloved Space Dust IPA. A solid menu of pub fare made from scratch includes pastas, sandwiches, stews, and fish and chips. The original of the Elysian venues, this 220-seat beer hall, full-service bar and restaurant provide a quintessential Seattle experience.

Visit this South Seattle's Georgetown happening tasting room, where you can find pints in addition to 64-ounce growlers, cans and kegs to go. Both children and dogs are always allowed in the tasting room (though required to stay with your party). The venue is the brainchild of beer lovers Roger Bialous and Manny Chao, and today their Manny's Pale Ale creation is one of the region's most beloved brews. Also try the Roger's Pilser, Chopper's Red Ale, Georgetown Porter and Lucille India Pale Ale. Other tasty hoppy options include the Bodhizafa IPA or Chairman Chuck IPA, while lighter options range from the Gusto Crema Coffee Ale and Johnny Saison to the Loop Lager.

Sipping local brews in one of the city's most historic and iconic spots (founded in 1989): Who could say no to such temptation? Enjoy lauded beers from the Pike Pale and the Pike IPA to the Kilt Lifter and the Pike Naughty Nellie in a vibrant setting where the antique-covered walls are a feast for the eyes. (Can't make up your mind on which beer to try? Better yet, grab a sampler tray!) Also enjoy tasty pub eats in this bustling subterranean space; try the fish 'n' chips, the Ploughman's Platter, the Pike Poutine or the Puget Sound platter of mussels and clams.

Redhook Brewlab's popular, spacious concept (great for large groups) is described as "an intersection of Seattle history and culture – a place where the city's eclectic influences mix – art, science, brewing, food and music." Housed within Capitol Hill's historic Pike Motorworks Building, the bright and airy space offers a friendly, modern brewery and pub that's a perfect gathering destination before or after sports games (in any season). The Brewlab features 16 taps of rotating small-batch beers (brewed on-site by Redhook Head Brewer Nick Crandall), and an alluring food menu centers around a stone-hearth oven from Bellingham. Think tasty snacks and share plates that range from sliders to oysters. Try Red Hook's recent addition Lagersquatch, a crisp, Sasquatch- inspired lager specifically created with Pacific Northwest drinkers in mind (and the perfect beer for fishing or camping trips.)

Fremont Brewing is a family-owned microbrewery, founded in 2008 to brew small-batch artisan beers "made with the best local ingredients." Brew masters use barley from Washington State, hops from a fourth-generation, hop-growing family in the Yakima Valley and water from the Cedar River Watershed in the Cascade Mountains. Located in Seattle's funky Fremont, guests can enjoy beer at the "Urban Beer Garden" (think long communal tables inside and out). Beer lovers will also find this company's gems on draft at many Seattle bars and restaurants as well as at neighborhood bottle shops or grocery stores. Looking for a larger quantity of Fremont Brewing's fine beer? Pick up a keg or growler to go.

Métier Brewing Company is a purpose-driven, award-winning, Black-owned craft brewery in Woodinville, typically known for being a hub of Washington wine. Yet Métier brings something fresh to the scene with its family and bike-friendly space that features distinctive beers, local cider, their own in-house nitro brewed coffee and freshly made Hop Tonic. The welcoming venue places an emphasis on building and fostering community, and a visitor's experience is enhanced by the spacious beer hall, cozy taproom and ample parking. The brewery often partners with local vendors and charities, as well as collaborating with Northwest artists to create memorable beer labels,

Brewery goers in Ballard find an exciting new addition at the BBYC taproom, a collaborative venue from Bale Breaker and Yonder Cider. Beer and cider drinkers unite here under one roof to enjoy 30-plus taps at this vibrant, newly renovated hangout. Enjoy 6,200 square feet of outdoor space, rotating food trucks, outdoor fire pits (ideal for groups of old and new friends) and so much more. This enticing hangout comes in addition to Bale Breaker's Yakima Taproom and Yonder Bar in Greenwood. (Follow along on both businesses' social media pages for timely announcements, special releases and other special events you won't want to miss.)

In Ballard, Lara Zahaba and Robyn Schumacher, along with Zahaba's husband and head brewer Brad Benson, co-own one of the top breweries in Ballard's bustling beer district. Since 2013, this family-friendly venue has won awards for its variety of offerings, from pale ales and hoppy IPAs to robust porters, with an emphasis on a rotating selection of Northwest IPAs that highlight locally grown hops. Welcoming communal spaces offer indoor and outdoor seating options, ideal for any type of weather. Check online for the food truck schedule, too, to see which tasty culinary offerings will be available to complement your brews.