Author of The Great Northeast Brewery Tour, contributor to The Oxford Companion to Beer, and former editor of BeerAdvocate, Ben Keene is a beer judge and speaker at industry events. He lives in Seattle, where he is marketing coordinator for Reuben’s Brews.
BKS has won national acclaim for its supple IPAs and gained ardent local fans for its classic ale styles and—now—for its lagers. Undazzled, the Rooneys say they are determined to grow slowly, keep a laser focus on quality, and continue to make beer in their own careful way.
Houston’s SpindleTap is known locally for hazy IPA, but it’s no one-trick pony—as evidenced by the imperial stout that became one of Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine’s Best 20 Beers in 2021—and the brewery is increasingly exploring other styles and beverages.
Tired of IPAs? This atypical Portland pub—featured in our Love Handles department for beer bars we love—embraces imported German beers, bratwurst, and crusty Bavarian-style pretzels.
In this edition of Love Handles—where we put the spotlight on the world's great beer bars—we check out The Cask in Richmond, Virginia; the Ware Jacob in Antwerp, Belgium; and the Eastside Club Tavern in Olympia, Washington.
In every issue our Love Handles department features three great beer bars. For Issue 34 we went to the Pine Box (Seattle), Stein Haus (Great Falls), and Small Bar (San Diego).