Wednesday 18th of April 2012 01:47:53 PM

link

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

A great little brewery to visit for a nice road trip. Excellent beers. Every one was spot on for style. Especially good is the Cascadian Dark Ale (Dark Marc). The IPA and Cream Ale are also some of the best I have ever had. Some of these are on tap in the Olympia and Tacoma area. Don't miss checking this on out !!! You won't be sorry. It is open Thurs. thru Saturday afternoons from 3:00 till 7:00. Prices for his beer are very good too.

Monday 29th of March 2010 05:59:52 PM

link
"Mountain's out."

That's what we Washingtonians say when Mt. Rainier reveals itself on those select few clear days in our gray and cloudy Northwest.

At 14,411 the mountain can be seen in Portland, Oregon and as far away as Vancouver, Canada. It dominates the sky and watches over us like a benevolent guardian. Although it remains an active volcano (the most recent recorded eruption was between 1820 & 1857) scientists say there is no imminent danger of another. Still, the roads into and out of the foothill communities of Orting and Graham are littered with "volcano evacuation route" signs.
It makes one pause momentarily and wonder, what if?

As wife Persimmon and I made the 60 mile drive from our home near Bellevue, I glanced up at the giant, still snow-covered and offered up a silent "please not today."

We were headed toward the M.T. Head Brewing Company for a sample or two and perhaps a tour.

After a past weekend visiting yet another brand new brewery, one housed in a man's garage, I looked forward to a change.
But it was not to be.

Thankfully so!

We arrived at 2:30, a half-hour before opening. As we drove off, a figure waved to us from across the green acre lawn.
"You look thirsty," he said.
"Yes," we answered, "but we'll be back at 3:00."
"Nope. You'll come in right now" and he electronic gate swung wide allowing entry to Tim Rockey's home; 6 acres of trees, greenery, flowers and Mt. Rainier in his back-yard. Literally. It's right outside his door. Reach out and touch the mountain. It's that close.
Again, I thought -- not today!

Tim has only been brewing for 2 years but he has an industrial-sized building with a hodge-podge of brewing equipment; 2 fermenters, 2 mash tuns, 2 (or 3 - I wasn't sure) boiling pots turning out 60 gallons of 3 brews -- a porter, a pale ale and a red. All quite delicious, although I found the porter a bit more akin to an American Stout.
He's got growlers for sale and a few local taverns carry his beer but Tim's in that unique place of having to decide, is brewing still a hobby-gone-wild or ready to be a business?
He seems to be leaning toward the latter and listening to him talk about all the help and support he's gotten from local brewers (something extraordinarily unique to the craft beer business), he's about to make the leap.

Before that happens, fire up your GPS (you WILL need it), make sure your tires are properly inflated (lots of gravel roads to navigate) and charge up those camera and video batteries. You're gonna want to take pictures.

Tim wants to install a beer garden of sorts, perhaps even just a few chairs, so folks can sip and stare at all the beauty just outside his brewery door leaving all their concerns behind.

And just in case, remember to offer up that silent, "not today!"