2009 Marks Pike Brewing’s 20th Anniversary!

2009 marks Pike Brewing’s 20th Anniversary. What a time it has been and what a celebration it will be! We could write a book about it and probably will, but for the moment we’ve got too many great events to host and attend.

The Pike seed was planted a decade before we opened in 1989. The idea was fertilized by our partnerships with several of the World’s best and oldest brewing companies and their family-owned pubs and restaurants. Samuel Smiths’ Old Brewery in Tadcaster is the oldest in Yorkshire, dating from 1758. Their tied houses include, in London: The George and Vulture, the oldest restaurant in the world, where Dicken’s wrote The Pickwick Papers; and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street, famous for its association with literary figures, most notably Samuel Johnson, who wrote the dictionary over more than a few pints of pale and porter.

A role model for Pike was Pinkus Müller’s Home Brew House in Munster, Westfalia, Germany. Since 1816 the Müller family has hand crafted superb beer to be served at their own restaurant. Their hospitality and delicious home cooked local food are to this day an inspiration. At Orval, an ancient monastery brewery in Florenville, Belgium, we gained pride in the art of brewing and discovered that breweries could be high tech while maintaining the highest brewing standards. The monks are great marketers, too, with incredible packaging and a distinctive glass reserved for their own treasure.

While our “baby” developed, we visited beer lover’s paradise: 1000 year old Aying, Bavaria, Germany on many foamy occasions. Aying served as the incubator for our ideas about beer culture, brewing great beer, the value of genuine hospitality, superb service, and the pleasure of doing work that we love. Our friend and mentor, Franz Inselkammer, the Braü Von Aying, tapped our first keg, Pike Pale, and Pike was born. We regard Braueri Aying as our sister brewery and serve their delicious Braü Weisse on draft, as well as specialties like Altbairisch Dunkel and Celebrator Doppelbock in bottles.

From our nursery at 1432 Western Avenue where Pike Pale was born, Pike IPA, Pike XXXXX Stout and Pike Old Bawdy Barley Wine were delivered from a four-barrel system. From that to a full-fledged Brew Pub of 30 barrels that incorporated a public house was a quantum leap. In our new quarters (our current location) we added Pike Kilt Lifter Scotch Style Ale, but before we could say database, our child became someone else’s Christmas present in December of 1997. We were empty nesters for 8 years, though we kept an eye on our prodigy and jumped at the idea of buying it back. Since May of 2006, we have tutored our teenager, investing in its future. We have renovated the brewery, improved our marketing, added capacity and installed the Ferrari of bottle fillers. We’ve added two Belgian style beers: Monk’s Uncle Tripel and Tandem Double. We’ve also added organic Naughty Nellie. Our recent release of Pike Entire, wood-aged stout, was received like the return of an old friend. A new menu and drinks list reflects our devotion to local, organic, and sustainable foods. The Pike Pub has been completely redecorated and refurbished and our Microbrewery Museum, an educational and party venue, has been added.

Our neighborhood has changed with the addition of a bigger and better Seattle Art Museum, the beautiful new Four Seasons Hotel, and the future of the historic Pike Place Market is secure.

We have a lot to celebrate and hope you will all be able to come to Pike to share in our celebrations and to meet our terrific Pub and Brewery staff, whose enthusiasm and support have made Pike the critical success that it is. We are proud of them and grateful to all of you who have participated.

We kick off January with:

• The release of Pike Old Bawdy Barley Wine 2008.
• Celebrate the historic Presidential Inauguration on Tuesday, January 20.
• Robbie Burns Evening on Sunday, January 25th.
• A Special Edition Happy Hour for Super Sunday, February 1.
• A vertical tasting of archived Old Bawdy, Sunday, February 8.

Below, you will find all the details for these events, as well as a calendar of events that Pike will be hosting or will be participating in throughout the year.
Thank you for your support of Pike Brewing Company.

Cheers,
Rose Ann & Charles Finkel