Seattle is a city with so much to offer. There are museums, coffee shops, roadside attractions, and of course, my personal favorite, breweries.

There are plenty of sites such as Airbnb, Viator, Groupon, etc. that offer brewery tours around the city, but I’m here to tell you to save your money. We’re budget travelers after all and anything we can do on our own, we’re going to do!

In June 2021, I took a trip to Seattle, Washington with my good friend, Cara, and we decided to leave a few days open to “just wing it.” Now remember, this is me we are talking about. I’m your type-A, calendar by the half-hour, jam-packed itinerary trip planner. This time I decided to be a little more carefree, and I’m glad I did! Leaving a few days open allowed us to do whatever we please, and you know what we pleased? A self-guided brewery tour.

The day before our free day I started my research. I made a list of the breweries within walking distance that I wanted to try (see below) and mapped out the order that made the most sense for us.

We started our tour around 11AM, so get ready, we’re day drinking!

Locust Cider & Brewing

Locust Cider was not on the original plan, but we had some time to kill and I am a cider LOVER, so how could we pass it up.

They offered eight different ciders on tap, four beers on tap, and three different wines in cans.

I decided to order seven ciders and one beer. Cider is my favorite after all. My personal favorite was the Honey Pear Cider. It was the perfect combination of refreshing and tasty. I imagined it to be super sweet but it wasn’t!

Cloudburst Brewing

Our original plan was to start at Cloudburst at noon when they opened. When looking at their website, it didn’t appear that we needed reservations, so we didn’t make them. But when we arrived, we apparently did need them, so make sure you check their website better than I did! Luckily, we only had to wait about 20 minutes for a table to open up.

Cloudburst was small and had a warehouse feel and look to it. They offered 10 draft beers and one cider. I ordered myself a beer named “Called to the Light” and Cara ordered the cider, which was a pink grapefruit lemon verbena cider. (A lot going on in that cider!)

The “Called to the Light” was a Pilsner, so it was very light and refreshing. The cider that Cara ordered was fruity but not too sweet as you’d expect from the name.

At the time we visited, Cloudburst had time limits on their reservations, so you might not have time to order more than one or two. They do not offer flights, so pick wisely.

Old Stove Brewing

We sat outside in the rain while we had our drinks. I ordered a flight again. They had flight options rather than a make-your-own flight type deal. My flight included: Old Stove Pilsner, Mexican Lager, Belgian Blonde, Streaker Citra Pale Ale, Blackberry Sour, and Lemon-Lime Hard Seltzer. I thought it was very interesting that they included a seltzer on the flight, but it was a nice mix. Highly recommend.

Old Stove also has food, so now is the time to fill your belly and balance out those brews you’ve been drinking. We got a flatbread and a pretzel to share, and both were absolutely delicious, as expected!

Pike Brewing Company

Pike Brewing Company is a bit different than the rest. This one has more of a bar than a brewery feel. It’s down some steps at the market, rather than right on the street like the others.

We had a reservation but definitely did not need it. Pike Brewing is HUGE. There were plenty of tables spaced out nicely, so you didn’t feel like you were on top of other tables.

I ordered a Concord Grape Cider and Cara got herself a Lightning Lemonade cocktail. The grape cider tasted just like grape juice. I felt like a kid again and enjoyed every sip! The Lightning Lemonade, according to Cara, was very, very sweet. It was yummy but became too much after a bit.

Pike Brewing also offers food, so if you’re still feeling a bit snacky, get yourself something to munch on!

The Taproom

The Taproom is an open, inviting spot! They had a nice variety of beers on tap. I ordered myself a Scuttlebutt, mainly based on the name because come on… how cute is it.

It was a light, refreshing lager that was the perfect end to the day. The Taproom is a relaxed environment and might have been one of my favorite spots of the day!

Seattle Beer Co.

Seattle Beer Co. was on our original list, but unfortunately due to timing, we didn’t have time to get there.

I feel like I would be doing them an injustice by not including them here, so if you’re planning your day make sure you stop and try it out! Next time I’m in Seattle, I will definitely be visiting Seattle Beer Co.

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