Pub Rant

The Hops Have been Harvested

2016-10-08T16:51:00.000-07:00

The Harvest of the Hops

One of the most exciting times of the year for brewers is harvest time in Yakima. Brewers live for their hops and they head for the valley to sample hops, secure hop contracts, and take home hops for fresh hop beers. Brewers typically used pelleted hops to brew with instead of hop flowers. The pellets which look like rabbit food are much easier to use and last longer than the flowers themselves. But at harvest time the brewers brew what are called "wet hop" or fresh hop beers. The wet hop beers are brewed with hops that have been picked and used within a window of time, most say 24 hours. The Fresh hop beers are beers brewed with flowers that are just cut in the fields and brought home to brew with. In both cases the flavor profile is intense. The floral aroma is spectacular.

The hops harvested this year will find their way in to local beer sometime in early 2017 and many brewers are still using their contracts from last year. The hop harvest was strong this year meaning the efficiency of the vines was strong, the number of buds and oil content was better than last year, and the amount of acreage was greater than last year.

Three states produce 99% of the commercial hops. Washington produces the most and over 70% of the country's hops comes from Yakima. Oregon and Idaho split up the rest. Hops used to be grown all over the country, but the climate and stability of the industry in Yakima ensured that the future of hops was in the Northwest.

There are over 4000 breweries in the country now and every brewery must have a hop forward IPA, as a result, the poundage of hops used per barrel goes up as every brewery utilizes even more hops. This puts more demands on the hop growers in the Valley. It means that more acreage must come available in Yakima. Some brewers like Rogue have decided to grow hops on their own farms and a large percentage of their beers come from their own hops and not Yakima. But that is unusual and most brewers flock to eastern Washington this time of year. In 40 or so days the hops will be down, dried, and baled.

The hoppy beers we crave depend on the farmers who successfully grow this wonderful "bine". Thankfully they like what they do.

2016-05-06T14:25:00.001-07:00

Why We Love Beer Week

It’s about beer, beer events and beer places

Every week is beer week in Seattle and our beloved blokes have decided to recognize this week in May as a celebration of Seattle’s scene. There is beer on every corner and a good beer lineup can be had by anyone who has a pulse and a tap to pour beer. Your pharmacist dispenses growlers, your gas station has an amazing bottle collection, and your gourmet market has regular beer and food pairings. Yet Seattle has one of the most vibrant craft beer scenes in the country and it is worth the effort to celebrate it!

It’s About the Beer

The beloved publican Don Younger used to say, “It’s not about the beer -it’s about the beer! And that is why we do this Seattle Beer week thing, beer quality is better than ever. In the 1980’s there were less than a dozen production breweries. You might be able to name them. The beer was new and exciting and some breweries became investment darlings. Sometimes, however, a sour beer back then was not intentional. Today we have over 350 breweries in the state, more every day, and it is impossible to name them all. There are over 250 breweries in Oregon, and over 4,000 across the country, with a new brewery of some sort opening every day and a half.

There are fantastic beers brewed in many places and the retailer must decide what to do with the amazing amount of beer. There are those that “Burst” on the local scene and sell every ounce, and there are exquisite beers from around the world that are available to retailers as well. Distributors have catalogues full of beer, and they can’t even remember them all, or how to sell them equally. A retailer could have a beer list in the thousands. But with all this beer there is a caveat: beer is only good when it is well cared for. Fresh is best, and the brewer’s intentions are met when the consumer quaffs a pint close to brew date. Large octane beers age gracefully. Hoppy Beers are meant to be consumed immediately. We are lucky, Reuben’s Brews has made a fresh and wonderful beer, and it was just canned for Beer week. Wait till you taste it.

Some of the most knowledgeable beer tenders in the country are putting together beer lists this week that will blow your hopped up mind. It is the chance to move beyond the comfortable Citra IPA and enter a world of the sour and the strange.

It’s about beer places

Beer Week can only happen because there are some fantastic places to drink beer in Seattle. Seattle was originally a tavern town. You could easily apply for a tavern license without having to serve food. Pickle the eggs and open the door. There were so many taverns in post prohibition Seattle that beer sold from a tap was a common thing. The first multi tap houses had three Bud and three Rainier lined up in a row. There were no windows because of the liquor laws of the day. Activity in a tavern was not allowed to be seen. Later on craft beer moved in, window coverings came off, and taverns became alehouses, pubs, and breweries. Today redevelopment has hit every neighborhood and more quality multi-tap beer places have opened throughout the city.

Fortunately there is a greater knowledge on how to take care of beer. Beer is a perishable product and today you are more likely to get a beer that comes from clean lines or frequently changed lines. The beer experience in beer places is better than ever!

Quality food and craft beer is now married in Seattle. If food is not immediately part of the new place then it will be food-trucked in. The beer dinners during beer week are legendary and sold out. But don’t worry, many of the participants have amazing food. Food and beer are available in fantastic places around the city for a whole week. When the BW insanity is over we will gravitate back to our favorite haunts and savor a quieter moment.

There are Events

Things are about serious as they can be these days. We often look forward to that pint and maybe a crazy little beer event that lifts our spirits. Beer Week has numerous events of all kinds. Over 200 last year. If you clone yourself and carry an extra liver, and beam from event to event, you might experience some of the wealth of activities. Retailers who participate in Beer Week can do whatever they want. That is the beauty of it. Events are sophisticated or silly. We really don’t want to take this stuff too seriously, after all the political scene is scary enough.

We should celebrate craft beer in Seattle, we have some of the best beer in the world, and it should be showcased. In this fast changing city, beer, and the places that serve draft beer, slow things down. Good beer is a catalyst for developing community. People generally don’t like to drink alone. Beer Week showcases not only amazing beer but some of the places that make Seattle still a fantastic place to be-er in.

2015-09-03T16:41:00.000-07:00

Hop Harvest Time

The smell of hops are in the air and you can smell it all the way from Yakima. It is harvest time and though it is a little earlier than last year the early reports are that it was a good season. Hops used to be grown in many places around the country. Yet, today all hops grown commercially come from Washington, Oregon and Idaho. 70% of the country's hops are grown in Yakima Valley.
Amazingly there are only 25,000 acres or so devoted to hops in the Yakima area.

That acreage is farmed by a small contingency of
families that have over the generations grown that amazing vine. Lucky for us the families stuck it through the tough time and now are reaping the rewards of beers that are hoppier than ever. The hop poundage used per barrel continues to rise as more and more drinkers seek out that hoppy IPA. The harvest time also means that there are wet hop and fresh hop beers arriving, and we soon will be able to taste the harvest of the hops. Many brewers are still using their earlier contracts of hops and it may be a bit until this years cut makes it to your beer. But don't worry before long that amazing vine will create the hoppy and wonderful beer experience we seek.

20 Year Anniversary at the Hopvine. We are happy to let you know we are celebrating our 20th anniversary at the Hopvine. We have fun events scheduled and of course some of the best beer in the world brewed right in our backyard. The beer business continues to grow in amazing ways. There are close to 300 breweries in the State and near 3,000 across the country. We will continue to give you the opportunity to taste some of the amazing variety that is now available. Not only will we have daily events with some of our longtime Washington brewer friends, we will also be showcasing beer from our brewer friends in Oregon and California. So stop by and enjoy the week with us. We thank all our great customers and employees that have made the 20 years so enjoyable.

20 Years at the Fiddler's Inn

2015-07-07T15:19:00.004-07:00

Latona Summer Series 2015

2015-06-02T14:35:00.002-07:00

Latona Summer Beer Series for 2015

We are happy to announce our summer beer series. Throughout the summer we will be brewing with our brewer friends a style that reflects the season and the creativity of the brewer. We will release the beer at a beer dinner at the Latona and celebrate their other fantastic beers at a brewer event downstairs. We are loooking forward to some amazing beer and hope you can join us for the fun.

The Summer Beer Series at the Latona

2015-06-02T13:49:00.001-07:00

Latona Pub Announces 2015 Summer Beer Series.

We are happy to announce our Summer Beer Series. Each of our brewer friends will be designing a beer for the season to be debuted at the Latona. Join us for a dinner with the brewer, a chance to meet the personality behind the beers and sample a portfolio of fine ales. Tickets for the dinners are available at the Latona. A traditional brewer night follows the dinner downstairs.

2015-04-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

Keg walking for Earth Day

We here at the Latona Pub have been celebrating Earth Day with a variety of keg walking and sponsorship events for the last 5 years. The guiding force in our celebration is to raise the awareness of Mother Earth. Remembering how our actions can affect the planet, our goal is to help those organizations that work on these environmental issues, and to remind ourselves that we can individually do more to protect our cherished resources.

The core of our celebration is delivering beer to the Latona with non-motorized means. We live in a unique place where world class beer is merely a walk, a sail, or a cycle trip away from a plethora of diverse and innovative breweries. For about a week, our entire tap list comes from these non-motorized delivery. Last year we had kegs biked from Gig Harbor, Ballard, and Redmond. We walked kegs (pushed on a hand truck) from south Seattle, Fremont, Ballard, Northgate, the U District, and the Elliot Bay Marina. The kegs from the Marina were sailed from Anacortes and Bellingham. The purpose of these keg runs is to raise awareness about our environment and to show alternatives to the usual fossil fuel delivery. This year our walks begin on the 13th with a walk from Capitol Hill to the Latona. On the 18th will be a long walk from Odin Brewing in South Seattle to the Latona. On the 20th will be the walk from Hales to the Latona. And Finally, on Earth day the 22nd will be the walk from the Northgate Ram to Naked City to the Latona.

These events, easily the most fun, are merely the decor on our commitment to raising planet awareness. As a restaurant we are committed to using the most sustainable farms for meat and produce we can. It means composting our food waste and recycling every bottle, box, and bucket. It means hosting and raising money for a variety of non-profit organizations dedicated to raising awareness and enacting legislation to preserve our natural resources.

This year we are supporting three dedicated and worthy organizations. On Monday April 20th at 7pm Hales will be sponsoring Washington Bikes an organization that is dedicated to increasing the awareness of bicycling and promoting legislation that will help bicycling in our community. On Wednesday April 22nd at 7pm we will be celebrating Earth day itself with Washington Wild and the Brewshed Alliance. Proceeds from the keg brewed specifically for the event will be donated to the organization that works to protect the environment so essential to craft beer. There will be a live auction, and bluegrass music. Finally, on Saturday the 25th at 3pm will be our finale with Feet First an organization dedicated to making the city safe and accessible for walking. We will have a special barbecue and celebrate the week long event.

The neighborhood pub has long been a gathering place for neighbors to discuss an array of topics from politics, the weather, and sports. At the Latona we strive to be a place not only to discuss the future of the planet, but also foster a discussion about the steps we can all take to affect change.

Winter Beer Series

2014-12-03T10:02:00.001-08:00

Winter Beer Series at the Latona

2014-12-03T09:59:00.003-08:00

The Hops of Yakima

2014-09-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hops have been Harvested
It is that time of year when the hops come down in Yakima. The Yakima Valley is one of the largest hop growing regions in the world. Over 70% of the hops used in this country come from this perfect location for this wonderful vine. It was a good year and that plump amazing flower will be used by our creative brewers to produce the IPA beer we love. Every year the demand on hops becomes greater because our palate now demands a large dose of those essential oils. Yes that (PPB) pounds of hops per barrel continues to rise and as the number of craft breweries grows so will the PPB. Luckily the hop farming families of Yakima will continue to produce the hops we love. That is what they do best and what they have been doing for generations. Cheers to the those hop farmers in Yakima. Your abilities make us happy and hoppy.

2014-08-29T15:31:00.002-07:00

Hops and Hops

It is that wonderful time of year when the hops are being harvested in Yakima. Hops are grown primarily in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The proximity to the hop fields makes it possible to create amazing hoppy beers in our own back yard. Lets make a toast to the fields of green and the farmers who tend them.

2014-05-07T09:56:00.001-07:00

Celebrate Washington Beer

2013-06-18T10:16:00.003-07:00

The 2013 Latona Pub IPA Final Four Tournament!

2013-04-02T13:39:00.002-07:00

And the Winner is…

Congrats to Lucille, winner of 2013 IPA Madness by 4 pints!

2011-03-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

Spring into 2011

Wow it has been a year since this blog was updated. There is so much stuff out there that this particular page has been dormant. But like anything sometimes time away is good. The other things around the pubs have been busy and Facebook and Tweets are active, our calendar sometimes up to date, and emails sometimes answered. It is hard to do it all on these social network sites and at the same time say something new and something relevant. We are sorry we do not always come through.

We hope that the beer we have on tap speaks for us, for in the end that is what it is all about. We could give you updates and pictures of beer lists and tweets of this and that but you must get to the pubs to try what we think are the best beers in the world. We offer an mportant thing, we have only a dozen taps that rotate frequently meaning you will get a very fresh beer. We also clean our lines every week which may seem compulsive but we think necessary with all the weird beers being made these days that are sour, unfiltered, and made with crazy components.

We will try to keep you informed and occasionally revise this blog. But get on down to the Pubs because this Spring will be very exciting. Seattle Beer Week is right around the corner.

2010-05-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

Seattle Beer Week at your Neighborhood Pubs May13-23, 2010

Spring has made its calendar appearance but outside it feels very much like a wintry day. Weather or not the second Beer Week takes place May 13th-May 23rd. There are so many exciting events in places all over town. The Beer Week Beer was made at Hales this year and it is a Double IPA that is fantastic. It will be released in pubs and alehouses around town on the 13th.

At your neighborhood pub we will be celebrating craft beers with our local and out of town friends. We are very excited to Begin the week at the Hopvine with Port Townsend on Saturday at 7pm. Carter has become one of the very talented Northwest brewers. We will showcase a cask of his Hopdiggity along with some other special ales on tap. Thanks to Kim and Guy who have nurtured a fantastic business. On Sunday the 16th we are fortunate to have Black Raven Brewing at the Hopvine. After only one year Beaux and the awesome folks in Redmond have made a name for the themselves by creating beers that have become legendary already.

Find your way to the Latona for a celebration of Sierra Nevada on Monday the 17th. It will be our traditional Brewer Appreciation Night and there is no brewery deserving more respect and acclaim than our Friends from Chico. We will be serving some amazing beer and we are excited about the night. Stop on by.

At the Fid we will be showcasing New Belgium on Tuesday the 18th for some fantastic beer along with chocolate and cheese and bread and a variety of craft beers. That will be followed up by a barbecue on Wednesday the 19th at 12pm sponsored by Left Hand, Ninkasi, and Lazyboy.

That evening you are invited to the Unknown Brewery Tour. We talked to four brewers from the hinterlands that rarely have their beer out of their small town. But for Beer Week they agreed to showcase their beer in Seattle... only if we picked up the kegs. So off we go to the far reaches of the State to find unusual and wonderful craft beer. Try it at 7pm.

Finally, we are back at the Latona for a traditional cask on the bar night on May 20th at 7pm. This will be our fourth or fifth of these cask-a- things and they are always crazy. You are however guaranteed a fun time.

There it is, some fun nights for you at your neighborhood pubs.

See you during Beer Week

Cheers

Scarcity Brings Desire

2010-01-12T10:44:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2010

The craft frenzy carries on into 2010 and most local breweries are trying to keep up by expanding their often undersized facility. At the same time they are often running out of beer creating a push for product that hasn't been seen in a long time. Some standouts like The Famous Pliney from Russian River Brewing have created an almost eerie demand. The customers are often frothing at the mouth on mere mention. It is exciting for everyone who seeks a quality beer in their pint.

In the old days it was Snowcap or Sierra Celebration creating the scarcity buzz, now small breweries can use the heightened demand to fuel interest in the products they make.

It is all good for craft beer folks

Cheers to the New Year.

Fiddler's Inn Northwest Harvest Auction 12/8/09

2009-12-02T16:59:00.001-08:00

Fiddler's Inn Northwest Harvest Auction Tuesday the 8th at 7pm

It is time for our 4th annual auction for Northwest Harvest. The brewing community has come up with some wonderful gifts to auction off. It is a win win situation, you come away with some great gifts and at the same time you support the community. We are looking forward to seeing you here next Tuesday at the Fid.

Cheers

Thank You Brian and Dick

2009-11-10T09:55:00.000-08:00

Heartfelt Thanks

We would like to thank Brian Sollenberger and Richard Young for everything they have done to make this craft brewing industry what it is today. Without their pioneering efforts the industry would be much less vibrant. They were vital, charismatic, and leaders. Everyone that came across them in this beer adventure realized how dedicated they were. We thank you guys. Every beer dinker should toast your accomplishments. We will miss you.

Cheers

The Best Summer in Seattle

2009-08-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

The Best Summer ever with Fantastic Beer

Many agree that this could be the best summer we have had in Seattle. Not only have we had wonderful temperatures but we have had amazing beer on tap. The beer selection is more diverse and intriguing than ever before. There has been so much for the palate to experience, from over the top hops to sour browns to clean pales. What a life for a beer drinker.

Also this summer we were very proud that Rogue and John Maier brewed the Latona Pale Ale for the Oregon Brewers Festival. To see the Latona name on the festival trailer along with so many great beers was truly a joy. Thank you John.

And finally this summer in tradition with celebrating new craft beer we welcome the Fremont Brewing Company to the Latona. It is exciting to be part of the continuing growth of craft beer. Even with all the great products available there is still room for a new brewery.

Celebrate the summer of all summers with a new brew--Monday the 17th at the Latona

Summer is here

2009-06-19T13:03:00.001-07:00

The longest day

The weather has made it seem like summer arrived much earlier. However, the naked Fremont bicyclists are tuning their bikes and cushioning their seats for the first day of summer this weekend. Yes it is solstice time and Father's Day all bundled together. For beer lovers it is the St. Edwards Festival out in Kenmore and for lovers of nakedness and summer frivolity it is the Fremont parade and Arts Festival.

Do we really want to think that the days are now getting shorter. Let no Seattle-ite complain that it is too hot too soon. It was not long ago that we experienced record rain in May.

So stay up and celebrate the sun until it disappears behind the magnificent Olympic Mountains.

2009-06-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the NW Beer World

This fine summery weather reminds us how wonderful beer tastes and how enjoyable it is to be here in the Northwest. We are so lucky to be part of a brewing community that continues to brew some of the best beer in the world.

The Seattle Beer Week only helped to remind people that yes we are lucky to be part of a growing craft beer movement. Though craft beer is not new to us it is amazing that the quantity and quality is greater than ever before. The excitement for craft beer is also growing. In a time when the economy is struggling many small craft breweries are expanding. This helps the local economy, and keeps the interest in beer alive.

That pint of fine ale you drink is a testament to the quality of the environment we live in and the skills of the brewers in our community. What an adventure we are on .

Sierra Nevada Brewing

2009-03-04T16:09:00.001-08:00

Sierra Nevada King of Craft

Sierra Nevada Brewing has reached a place where most brewers can only dream of. In the course of their nearly 30 year journey from that one car garage brewery to producing 800,000 barrels a year, they have never strayed from maintaining the highest consistency in the industry. Though they may be outside the definition of a microbrewery they have never let production outweigh quality.

As part of their desire to remain creative they continue to brew on a 10 barrel system which is adjacent to the main brewhouse. It is meant to showcase recipes and serve as a demonstration brewery. As part of that the quest to keep brewing fun they have organized "brew camps". Industry folks are invited to participate, travel to Chico, design a beer that is brewed in the demo brewery, and talk beer and live a brewer's dream. What a blast. The beers that have been brewed in the camps have been great. The participants then are able to buy the beer and showcase it back home.

We were able to participate in one of the camps and during the week of March 23rd the beer we brewed will be available at one of your 3pubs. The beer is an Irish Style Red Ale. Superb red color. Pleasantly hopped. It is a session red ale. They say it is a keeper.

2009-01-22T09:11:00.000-08:00

2009 a Choice Year

The cold fog has set over Seattle for days but the beer is warming and keeps us thinking about the spring. The brewers don't waste any time and are already planning their March arrivals.
Yet, we still have February to ponder. It helps that the political season is over and we can concentrate on the year ahead.

Amazingly we have more beer to choose from in 2009 then ever before. Breweries are expanding, breweries are entering the marketplace for the first time, and established breweries are expanding their product line. The wort of creativity is flowing and for publicans it is difficult to choose the beer to pour.

As we consider beer lists we must remember how lucky we are to be living in an area with accessible barley, plentiful acres of hops , and the pristine snow melt water of the Cascades. We are truly blessed in the Northwest with some of the best beer in the world. Though it may seem trite, we do often take for granted the quality of the craft products that are available in Seattle. Though other parts of the country have developed a craft beer industry the natural environment here is unbelievably suited for beer. Beer could be thought of as gauge of health for our Northwest environment, for as long as the beer is fresh and wonderful it is certain that we are taking care of the soil and water that make it all possible.

So when you hoist that pint think how lucky we are. Savor the flavor. Shout out to that brewer for making it possible. Support your local brewery. Let positive energy surround your pint. And may your 2009 be full of aroma, perfect balance, and creative energy. Cheers.

Happy Obama

2008-12-09T22:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year

We are close to that wonderful day when Barack will begin his administration. We will be waiting for the change that will come and the positive energy that will head our way. It will be a different time and one that will bring reason to hoist a brewsky to our lipsy. The beerlists will be awesome at the pubs and there is more beer to choose from than ever before. There does not seem to be a shortage of hops at this point and the number of imperial ipa's are quite amazing. However during this cold, cold, cold winter the warm winter beers have been full of flavor and full of sweetness and balanced with just the right amount of bitterness.

So bring on 2009 and let the positive energy change the way of things.