10 Best Breweries in Washington with 30 Beers Worth Trying
Washington’s brewery scene stretches from Seattle taprooms to Yakima hop fields, Bellingham’s varied beer stops and Spokane’s riverside pub culture. Hops are an obvious theme, but a stronger statewide guide also makes room for pilsner, Kölsch, dark lager, amber ale and stout.
These ten HBA editorial picks balance distinctive beer, style variety and regional coverage. Brewery numbers organize the guide; the thirty beer-card numbers are reading order, not a separate statewide beer ranking.
Beer portfolios and brewery menus were reviewed in October 2026. Rotating and seasonal beers may be between releases; check the current venue, taps and package stock before visiting. Food pairings are suggestions for your own tasting.
Washington brewery picks at a glance
| Brewery | City | First beer to try | Flight focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Fremont Brewing | Seattle | Interurban | Classic IPA, hazy pale ale and oatmeal stout |
| 2. Holy Mountain Brewing | Seattle | NZ Wizard Fight | New Zealand hops, amber lager and dry stout |
| 3. Cloudburst Brewing | Seattle | Happy Little Clouds | House pilsner, fresh hops and black lager |
| 4. Georgetown Brewing Company | Seattle | Manny’s Pale Ale | Flagship pale ale, IPA and pilsner |
| 5. Reuben’s Brews | Seattle | Crikey! IPA | West Coast hops with Czech-style lager and porter |
| 6. Bale Breaker Brewing Company | Yakima | Topcutter IPA | A hop-country pale-to-imperial progression |
| 7. Chuckanut Brewery | Burlington | North German-style Pilsner | Traditional pilsner, Kölsch and Dunkel |
| 8. Structures Brewing | Bellingham | Fuzz | Flagship IPA with pilsner and Czech dark lager |
| 9. Wander Brewing | Bellingham | Wander Litely | Light lager, Northwest IPA and export stout |
| 10. No-Li Brewhouse | Spokane | Big Juicy | Tropical IPA, amber ale and imperial stout |
1. Fremont Brewing
Fremont leads this guide with three clearly different orders: Interurban for classic hops, Sky for a lighter hazy pale ale, and Dark Star for roast and body. This is a more useful introduction than three strong barrel-aged variants.
Choose the Fremont or Columbia City venue and check its current tap list. Dark Star here means the standard 8% oatmeal stout, not a bourbon-barrel-aged release with a similar name.
Interurban
Brewed by Fremont Brewing
A classic hop-forward Seattle first order.
BAR NOTES
Interurban gives the flight its established IPA reference point. It is the sensible first target for readers who want a recognizable beer before exploring Fremont’s hazy a