Tuesday 18th of August 2009 06:52:09 PM
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I found this place completely by accident one night on my way home from Deception Pass. We were driving aimlessly around Burlington and Mt. Vernon for a decent enough sounding place to grab some food and beer. My beer radar must have been guiding me, because this place isn't in a very easy to find location for someone who doesn't know Mt. Vernon at all.
In my "surprise new brewery" enthusiasm, I ordered a pint each of the porter, scotch ale, and IPA. All three were superb. I ordered a standard bacon cheese burger with a side cup of beef stroganoff. The beef stroganoff was so fantastic, I had a full bowl for dessert. I purchased a few of their growlers while I was at it too just to keep on with my splurge.
Having this brewery in that area has been great for me as I'm up there for my outdoorsy recreation quite a bit. I've made it in to a regular stop, and always have a good experience. I still can't bring myself to give it 5 stars, but it's a solid 4.5.
Selection: 4 |
Atmosphere: 4 |
Service: 3.75 |
Food: 4.0
Wednesday 21st of January 2009 04:37:08 PM
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Skagit has excellent beer and it’s well worth visiting just for that. But it’s also got good pub atmosphere. The overall feeling is local and welcoming. There have always been varied customers when we’ve visited - not city-like but more friendly.
The beers cover a range of ale styles. There are seven regular beers and three seasonals. The Skuller’s IPA is one of the best NW IPAs brewed. (You can also buy a growler of beer to-go.)
The building itself is an old brick building right next to the railroad tracks. The brewery is behind the pub in the same building and you can see it from various angles through glass windows - stacks of kegs, fermenters, the mash tun, etc. Out in front is a raised wooden deck with seating. Inside is a fairly large space with old wooden floors and wooden tables and chairs as well as a few booths. The bar area is small with a standard wooden bar. Overall the feeling inside is somewhat barn-like since the middle of the space has a taller ceiling and there are wooden posts and beams.
The food isn’t tremendously inspired, but the wood-fired pizza choices are good and there is seafood and more traditional pub food.
Selection: 4.75 |
Atmosphere: 4.75 |
Service: 4.5 |
Food: N/A
Monday 28th of January 2008 02:04:00 PM
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When wife Persimmon & I first began our quest to sample all the beers Washington has to offer, we found ourselves in Ellensburg sipping with a pair of fellow adventurers from Juneau, Alaska. They, of course, touted that state's wonderous brews (and I admit, they do cook some incredible beers) but then the pair, when they heard of our journey, told us we must visit, without delay, the Skagit River Brewery in Mount Vernon.
Ohhhhh-Kay, we replied. Mount Vernon was certainly closer to our home (50 miles) as opposed to Ellensburg (90 miles) but we were ashamed to learn that, in our research before heading out on the beer highway, we somehow had overlooked that stop and Alaska had to turn the page for us.
Mount Vernon is in the middle of tulip-ville...the annual mecca of tourists who come each Spring to see the spectacular fields with their dazzling rainbow-colored fields of flowers. And set in the middle of town, in a converted railroad station is the Skagit River Brewery.
Most of the station remains intact (and yes, the trains still run) although a beer garden has been added. Nice place to while away part of an afternoon...if you don't mind the earth-rumbling of the boxcars.
The menu features a wide variety of typical pub fare along with different items like beef brisket sandwiches & shepard's pie, crab cakes and an all black bean vegetarian burrito.
But the beer is what attracts the masses. Locals are very familiar with Skagit River. We met one friend who had just returned from a 400 mile bike ride to Idaho to spread his father's ashes and kept thinking about Sculler's IPA as he slowly made his way up those mountainous hills there & back.
Bartender Sam let us know that in October when the winter beers arrive, he'll see folks in ordering the barleywine & Trumpeter Stout "and won't see 'em again for 10 months."
Persimmon & I were early so another time, another trip. That doesn't mean we were treated to some incredible tastes. -
- - the Highwater Porter @ 7.2% with a strong, rich coffee aroma & subtle levels of sweet, dark chocolate
- the Huntsman Oktoberfest, tangy & crisp and a kissing cousin of a barleywine that makes a good summer to fall transitional brew
- Even the Sculler's IPA (again, 7.2%) which turns in a performance that's a real face puckerer. This is a true hopheads dream beer
- But our favorite was Jenny's Scottish Ale, a liquor-smelling beer with a sweet, caramel flavor & a hearty, full-body that leaves to quickly and begs another taste. All I can say is, yum!
We were fascinating too by the huge magnum(? or bigger!) bottle of Barleywine tempting us from up above the cooler. Sam reported the owner, Charlie Sullivan might have as many as 7 such bottle stored away and didn't know "if he would ever crack one open."
That's like Mom telling children she's just baked a mountain of chocolate chip cookies and they're in the jar and "don't touch 'em."
Well we all know that those children will do anything, ANYTHING to get at those cookies.
C'mon, Charlie. Open up the jar or the villagers may revolt!
Only way for Persimmon & I to find out is to re-visit and say "Hi" to friends we haven't seen in 10 months & order up a round or two of the Trumpeter.
Maybe we'll see you there!
Selection: 4.5 |
Atmosphere: 4 |
Service: 4.5 |
Food: 4.25