Shot by +Russ
It’s rare these days that I have more than a couple of the same beer in a given week. I like to continually try as many different offerings as I can, and my fridge is full of a variety of individual bottles. But, right now I am completely and utterly in love with the Fremont Brewing Solstice Pale Ale, which is the brewery’s summer seasonal.
I kept running into this easy-drinking, but hoppy, pale ale everywhere I went last week. First, I enjoyed a couple at Collins Pub before heading to see my Cubs get whooped by the Mariners at Safeco Field on Tuesday. The next day, I found it inside Safeco Field on tap at my favorite beer stand (the “hidden” one lower level on 3B side behind Ichiroll). And then, this weekend we were at Whole Foods picking up beer for a BBQ, and there it was again…this time as part of the store’s “Fresh Fills” growler program. I couldn’t pass it up.
The Solstice is made primarily with Amarillo hops, and that’s what sticks out the most in the brew. Citrus and floral hop flavors are all over the place, but the bitterness remains nice and low. The base beer is a light biscuit malt that adds just enough contrast. Great balance of flavors and “drinkability”.
I’ll continue to drink the hell out of this beer whenever I see it this summer….and I’d suggest you do the same! In addition to finding it all over town, you can grab some at their Urban Beer Garden as well.
Yes indeedy, I was so happy to see Solstice growlers at Whole Foods yesterday as well. It’s perfect BBQ beer.
tell me about this growler program.
oh, and I thought the two stands behind homeplate had some decent beer as well. Bridgeport, Skuller’s IPA, Fremont Beers, etc.
Elvis – We’re probably talking about the same stand at Safeco. It’s on the 3B side close to home plate, back by the Mariners “Hall of Fame” area.
Not exactly sure on details of the growler program. Pulled that from Fremont’s blog:
http://www.fremontbrewing.com/40/brewers-blog.html
Tomorrow, Friday, the 3 Seattle Whole Foods stores will launch their brand-new “Fresh Fills” growler offering with our beer!!! It was a bit of a scramble filling 72 growlers of IPA and 48 growlers each of Universale and Solstice during the ramp up for SBW but, hey, we’re scrappy and highly motivated (that’s Matt filling in the pic above)! It’s been fun working with WF Corporate on this project and we look forward to more in the future.
Oh, and I’ve been to the Westlake and Roosevelt Whole Foods in the past few days, and both had growlers of Fremont Solstice, Interurban IPA, and Universale Pale.
It was something like $12 for the beer, plus a $5 refundable deposit on the growler. Or, you can keep the glass, obviously.
yep, that’s the one…with two seperate stands side by side. i was pretty happy after having read about folks not liking the selection.
i was in the box for one of the cubs games and they had deschutes inversion in the box. pretty good
I had a pint last night at The Collins at it was great. I can’t wait to sit out in the sun and have a few pints of this. Now where is that damn sun at…