Best Breweries For SIFF 2024
Where To Take A Beer Break During SIFF 2024
It's officially SIFF season! The 50th iteration of the festival kicks off in one week and to celebrate such a wonderful occasion, I think it's best to highlight some of the extraordinary local Seattle breweries. Screenings during SIFF take place over eight locations throughout, and around, Seattle which means there are plenty of breweries to take a beer break at between films.
So without further ado, let's get SIFFTY.
Majestic Bay Theatres
2044 NW Market St
Cloudburst Brewing on Shilshole
5456 Shilshole Ave NW 0.2 Miles
Not only is Cloudburst on Shilshole the closest brewery to Majestic Bay, but it is also one of my favorites in all of Seattle. They have a great outdoor space that may be small, but is mighty. In terms of their beer lineup, it is not small and it is mightier. You can't go wrong with any of their IPA's which are jam packed with hoppy complexities and tropical sensations. Mosaicin' Me Crazy is an ultra Mosaic packed IPA that carries all the wonderful properties of the hop. Making it a highlight offering. But if you're looking for something outside the realm of IPA's then fret not! Cloudburst Brewing has won multiple awards for their Happy Little Clouds Pilsner and it is wholly deserved. A beer as light, refreshing, and flavorful as Happy Little Clouds deserves to be in the Louvre. Or in your hand to be consumed. If you're looking for something even further off the beaten path then I would suggest you get a little freaky with the Aw Shucks Oyster Stout. I won't pretend to know much about the exceedingly British Oyster Stout but I can absolutely say it is delicious. Robust, roasty, and bringing a earthy almost mineral like depth to it, this brew is extremely exciting with how enigmatic it is (to a normie such as myself).
Of course there's also the Plenty of Clouds Dump Truck in case you need some fuel before another beer or screening.
SIFF Cinema Egyptian
805 E Pine St
Outer Planet Craft Brewing
1812 12th Ave #100 0.4 Miles
While Stoup Brewing, taking over the old Optimism Brewing location, is an easy and close choice. I think shouting out a slightly lesser known brewery with the same quality is a wise move. Outer Planet Craft Brewing is one of the oldest breweries in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, starting back in 2014, and it continues to churn out some phenomenal beers. Not only are the beers great, the names are all outrageously fun space puns. Brews like the Hubble Seeing Double IPA, Red Rover Irish Red Ale, English Space Beer, and more highlight the fun nomenclature of Outer Planet's products and the wide variety of styles they offer. They even have a pair of sours, Defying Guavaty and the Nooks and Crannies Cranberry Sour for those looking for something a little more tart. Basically what I'm getting at is Outer Planet Craft Brewing has a stupendous selection of beers that will absolutely have something for everyone.
AMC Pacific Place
600 Pine St Ste 400
The Pike Brewing Company
1415 1st Ave 0.5 Miles
What better way to spend a break between films than a little trip to Pike Place Market? The Pike Brewing Company's massive space at the market is filled with fun beer history and a menu with no wrong choices. That goes for the chowder as well, which is to die for.
A pair of seasonal releases sit atop the menu with Mountains Out IPA and the Rose Ann West Coast Amber. Both of which, are delicious. A west coast spin on the amber makes the soft toffee, roasty sweetness of a traditional amber that much more exciting while the hoppy bitterness of the Mountains Out is a blast of tropical refreshment. Then of course you have the heavyweight championship lineup of Pike Brewing's year round selection. The Post Alley Pils is a favorite of mine, being a crisp and clean drink, along with the Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale always finding its way into my hands. You can't go wrong with a Pike brew, and the location elevates the flavors and fun to another level.
SIFF Cinema Downtown
2100 4th Ave
Here Today Brewery and Kitchen
2815 Elliott Ave Suite 101 0.8 Miles
One of the newer breweries in Seattle, Here Today quickly climbed my list of preferred brewing operations. Their IPAs are some of the best in the city, being full of extraordinary citrus and tropical wonder. The Glitter Paw IPA shows off some excellent Mosaic hopped properties, and finishes with a fruity, earthy, dry bitterness that is excellent. But my favorite (at the moment) has to be the Jaguar Jade. A gorgeous IPA that is outrageously well balanced, the Jaguar Jade is probably the beer I start and end with, with maybe three more in between. I will admit, being .8 miles away is a bit of a hike depending on the time constraints you're working with. But Here Today's beer is well worth the trek. You can also belly up to the bar and order some of their food, which also hits the spot.
SIFF Cinema Uptown & SIFF Film Center
Uptown: 511 Queen Anne Ave N Film Center: 167 Republican St
Fast Fashion
16 Roy St 0.2 Miles
I think I've labeled a handful of these breweries so far as favorites of mine? At what number of favorites do my opinions lose credibility? Maybe that's an impossible question, but guess what. Fast Fashion is another one of my favorite breweries in Seattle. I shed multiple tears when the Masonry location in Fremont closed, which at the time was the only spot where one could procure Fast Fashion beer. But luckily the beer gods have intervened and there's a Fast Fashion tasting room on Roy street a mere .2 miles from SIFF Cinema Uptown and the SIFF Film Center!
Fast Fashion is constantly rotating their taps so its hard to stay on top of all their current offerings. Or maybe I'm just giving myself a good reason to visit their taproom more frequently? While I may be blindly recommending their current menu, I can confidently say there's likely not a bad (or even mid) beer listed. Their IPAs are delicious, the Pilsners are crisp, and they also love to get a little weird and have new takes on old styles. Its also hard to say no to such a wonderful brewery when its a three minute walk from the screening locations. So why not speed on over and sample a couple brews in between films!
Shoreline Community College
16101 Greenwood Ave N Main Auditorium
Monka Brewing Co
17211 15th Ave NE 3.6 Miles
Shoreline is a bit of a tricky spot, just because walking is not feasible. So forgive me for the 3.6 miles between theater and brewery. But don't be deterred by the quick 10-15 minute drive because Monka Brewing Co is legit. They have a basic beer menu but sometimes you just need to do the classics really well. Their no frills approach means that their classic IPAs are scrumptious. Not to mention they have a Black IPA which is always a highlight when visiting. It's lighter than expected but that doesn't result in any sacrifices on the flavor front. A pair of sours are also available for sour lovers, coming in a blackberry and raspberry variety. Both are crisp, sweet yet carrying a tart fruitiness that brings it all together.
