Friday 13th of April 2012 01:19:37 AM

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The brewery has one of my favorite settings with it's dim lighting and wooden-everything. A great place to spend time with friends or some simple quiet time. I went here because I was waiting for my friend at the climbing gym. I loved their stout beers and all the beers were really good but the stouts, stood out. Will be back for sure when I'm back in the area. Service was great too...when trying to think what to get, they just brought out a few samplers, talked to me and away I started. Good times. Cheers!

Thursday 16th of December 2010 11:39:45 PM

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Introduced to this relatively new place by my son.
Located in an upscale industrial park area so it isn't a place you are likely to stumble on while out looking for a place for a good brew. Parking is limited but adequate in the evening when other businesses in the area are closed. Not sure how it would be when they are open.
Now for the good part. The beer. Great IPA and an excellent selection overall. Trying to sampler will only create a bit of anxiety knowing you can't just have a pint of all of them.
I've been a couple of times and the place fills up evenings. I'm not sure if the back room opens if they need more seating or just for groups that reserve it. Overall the atmosphere is definitely beer focused. They have nuts and pretzels but a nearby pizza joint delivers (menus are at the brewpub).
Staff has always been cordial, efficient and knowledgable.
Warrants many returns.

Wednesday 20th of October 2010 12:08:52 PM

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Now being a beer geek I have had a few of there beers but not the whole list. So I pulled up to the bar got out my note book and ordered the sample tray. This place was awesome great service which was also very knowledgeable about the product. It was hard the tasters where so good which one do you get as a pint? Oh be ready when you arrive at any time this place is packed. The beers where so damn tasty I was so glad I made it here and found a spot to sit. No food here but hey do have a pizza place on the ready for delivery and a few snacks from peanuts to pretzels. Black Raven is a must for any beer geek. You will have a blast and there glassware is unique enough even if you have an extensive glass collection you will leave with one more.

Monday 11th of January 2010 08:52:52 PM

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The brewery and pub are in a business park, but there’s a nice pub feel to the front room. This area has low ceilings and an L-shaped bar with stools and a few tall wooden tables and chairs. There are three more seating areas as you continue into the building. First, a hallway with tall ceilings and more tall tables and chairs that has an attractive, very large sliding wooden door with a painted black raven (it opens to the refrigerated room for the brewery). Second is the brewery itself, with basic tables and chairs sitting amongst the empty kegs, the brew kettle and mash tun. This area has tall ceilings as well and concrete floors. Finally, heading through a garage door is an outdoor seating area on the asphalt parking lot, separated from the lot by a movable fence.

The only food is grilled hot dogs (grilled in the outdoor seating area at the back).

Seven beers made here as well as three guest beers were available on our visit. The IPA was not quite as bitter as you would expect for a Northwest IPA, but it was well-made.

Monday 23rd of November 2009 12:51:59 AM

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This person needs 3 or more reviews on the site for their scores to start counting.

Visited the brewery as a b-day stop earlier this month. What a great place! I tried the taster and gravitated towards the Tamerlane Brown Porter
and Second Sight Strong Scotch Ale as both inventive, fresh, and delicious. The Trickster IPA was quite good but the hops did not come across as clean as I would have preferred. The staff were very friendly and seemed to enjoy the beer they sell. Be sure to visit on Wednesday afternoons for the cask opening! It's wonderful to have a source of top tier beer on the eastside and will be sure to visit again in the future!

Tuesday 18th of August 2009 06:36:01 PM

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Several months in, and this has shaped up to be my new local favorite! Beaux and Andy are setting the new standard for quality Northwest Ales in my opinion. I couldn't ask to have a better brewery close to home!

The tasting room is gorgeous, and far beyond what you would expect in such an industrial complex. The decorations, and subtle touches really make a comfortable atmosphere.

The beers:
Kristale/Hefe- Excellent examples of the style. Finding good American made hefeweizens are tough, and Black Raven has really pulled through! Not a style of beer I go to often, but I can certainly appreciate when it is done well.

Totem Pale- Hands down, no close second, BEST pale ale I've ever had! I can't explain enough how much this beer speaks of the brewing talent, and process mastery Beaux and Andy have achieved. A must try for anyone who gets the chance!

Tamberlane Brown- Like the Pale, this beer is at the top of its class. Subtle roasty flavor from the chocolate malts balanced perfectly with the subtle hop aroma, make this one of the tastiest beers I've ever had. So refreshing to find a GOOD (this one is beyond good however) brown ale. That's hard to do.

Morrighan Stout- Has bested Snoqualmie as my favorite nitro stout. I know I'm starting to get repetitive here, but you'll be hard pressed to find a better one in the Northwest.

Trickster IPA- Damn son! I love me some IPA's, but I'm finding it hard to find many in the area that really blow me away. Most use far too much of a certain few excessively astringent hop varieties that I'm not a huge fan of... Not the case with this one. It boasts a huuuuge hop aroma and flavor, without being overly bitter and astringent. It most definitely deserved the recent award it received!

Really what I'm getting at is that there isn't a downside to this place. It's exactly what our already amazing local beer scene needed.

Thursday 13th of August 2009 03:15:25 PM

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This person needs 3 or more reviews on the site for their scores to start counting.

I went here for the first time (and no the last, I assure you) on a Sunday. While they don't have much of a food menu on that day. I was only there for the beer anyway.

In addition to having an excellent Porter, and IPA, they serve their beer in "Brewers Pints." In other words, a full 20 ounces. They also have three guest beers on tap which I imagine rotate. Some of the sitting is in the bar area, some out back, and some actually in the brewery itself, among the all the equipment! Very cool.

My only complaint is that they didn't have a Stout on tap, aside from a Dry Irish guest tap. Service wise, even though they were understaffed that day, they worked so hard to try to serve all the customers, I actually got better service than most places.

I'm happy to have another go-to place on the east-side. I highly recommend visiting, definitely a good time with good beer!

Monday 13th of July 2009 01:11:58 PM

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Well how's this for a beginning?
Open the doors & a month later, not only is the taproom full on Friday & Saturday nights, but there is a live music jam usually happening in the back by the brew tanks AND your IPA takes home a Silver Medal from the North American Beer Awards AND your beers are voted the Best at the annual Father's Day Washington Brewers Festival!

Not bad!

Not bad, indeed.

Black Raven Brewing Company had been highly anticipated for awhile because the Eastside (Lake Washington separates Seattle from the east-shore suburbs)was finally getting another brewpub. The last one that came to town and stayed was Mac & Jack's in 1997.

We have been patient...and it has paid off.

Although located in a business park complex, owner/brewer Beaux Bowman has nevertheless created a fun, relaxed atmoshpere among the income tax, ceramic tile, cable TV & lumber businesses that surround.

He's also created some spectacular beers like the aforementioned Trickster IPA (that is rarely available - sells out quickly - remember? Packed Friday & Saturdays?), as well as a Kristale, Hefeweizen, Pale Ale, Dry Irish Stout & Tamerlane Brown Porter. There also feature 2 or 3 local brews as well if none of the above fit your current mood.

The gals behind the bar are always ready to engage with a variety of subjects including beer. Sitting there one Saturday, wife Persimmon & I were chatting with two others (one a recent transplant from Idaho, the other a visitor from Philly) and the conversation ranged from beer comparasions (even Mr. Phil had to admit, the city of Brotherly Love had nothing to compare with the Trickster) to the Mariners (Please - we're not even going to go there!) to the true state of the economy (or there!) to geoducks (pronounced gooey ducks - a local delicacy...for some) to "why Black Raven?"(native Washingtonian lore, good luck charm) to the best breweries in Alaska. Y'see, Billy & his Dad were about to embark on an RV tour of the state and wanted to plan out his itinerary.

With guitar, banjo & fiddle creeping in from the back room, the afternoon slipped by gracefully and we promised to come back soon & often.

Which is going to happen tomorrow. Beaux is about to tap his Belgian-inspired, 8/5% strong brown Le Petite Mort & "Possum Claus", a brown infused with pecans. August sees the opening of the beer garden.

So love to chat more but gotta get ready. Pretzels to buy...day to plan...and I have to read up on my Washington folk lore. I still can't figure out the appeal to those gooey-ducks and who first said they were good for you?