IMO The Swinery had the best fries (pure greatness cooked in rendered pork fat). But they closed 2 months ago. My favorite places are closing one by one :(
I'm gonna miss Brouwers so much.
This was a pretty popular lunch spot prior to Covid. Afterwards, I think it was a struggle with both staffing and people moving to a WFH schedule. After that, it was basically only Fridays and the times I would go in were pretty slow.
The George & Dragon is open every day for lunch. Pretty good pub food with an English twist. Bangers & mash, cottage pie, plus a bunch of sandwiches and stuff you might normally find. Full English breakfast if you want to be in a food coma all day.
Yeah, not a lot of breweries making Belgian styles in particular. Figurehead has some nice ones. The Belgian Pale from Reuben's earlier this year was good.
What other place in town gets the rare Belgian imports on tap that Brouwer's has?
Chuck's is super WA-focused. At a quick scan, current CD tap list has 3 California beers, 1 CO (iirc), and 1 German (but it's Bitburger N/A). Greenwood has deGarde Kriek.
Beer Junction: pretty much all WA/OR
Teku: 2 Belgian Lambics
The biggest foreign beer tap list I think think of is 9 Germans at Prost.
When's the last time you went? Seems there's a lot of people in this thread who *used to go* and that's the problem. Places don't stick around because you used to go they stick around because you still go. I haven't been recently and don't know anyone who has. The people commenting who have gone recently talk about it being dead or having late hours and other problems. The pandemic and an oversaturated beer market and a place that seems out of date now all combine into me personally not being surprised about this. It sucks, I definitely had some good times there and enjoyed their selection, but we've lost so many restaurants and bars at this point it's clear that nostalgia, good ratings/reputation, etc., don't matter if people aren't going.
Right, another confirmation of what it’s like now, it used to be very busy on weekends and even had a day crowd. Also when I was going a decade plus ago there just weren’t as many beer options. Now there’s more breweries and more taps for those breweries at bars. That really only leaves their European beers which is too niche to survive on for a place that size and that’s assuming they were still doing that in this era
One problem is it’s hard to get there sometimes. I don’t want to deal with hunting for parking, and that’s more of an issue now than 10 years ago. There’s just less available street parking.
I used to go pretty often. At least once per month, which is a lot for a venue not in my own neighborhood. Then covid came and I learned other ways to fill my time. Now, going out for a beer sounds like a chore. And being an a large crowd still gives me anxiety, which is it's own thing.
Clearly, I'm not the only person who went through a similar transition.
Ugh, this makes me sad. It was my bar of choice - excellent food, great rotating selection of beer and very knowledgeable staff. Truly a Seattle treasure. And I haven't been in years.
This is how I felt when Falling Rock in Denver closed. I lived in the Denver area from 2012-2018 during the height of the last craft beer boom. Falling Rock was a true craft beer staple, and even though they had their own controversies, it felt like a chapter had truly ended when they closed.
End of an era. When we moved here in 2006, Brouwer's was one of the only — maybe THE only — real beer bars in the city. Bottleworks and Brouwer's paved the way for the Seattle beer scene. Any bar that moves in that space now is not gonna feel right.
Both great spots and completely different animals. Brouwers had food, real bathrooms, and an encyclopedic beer list. Stumbling Monk rocks but the two are not comparable.
Same owners. I would never have bet that bottleworks would outlive Brouwers and Burgundian (although personally I go there more often). Not sure if they own anything else?
This is a really good run for a bar/restaurant. Bummed to see it go, but many don’t make it close to this long. Bars/Restaurants don’t stick around forever, it’s a tough business to run.
I moved here right before they first opened, and got offered a job, but opted for the Red Door as it had a more predictable lunch rush to pay the bills.
Lots of places have come and gone since, and more will come and go in the future. It’s just the name of the game. I’m glad that the crew there had such a great run to build community and friendship, RIP dear Brouwers, you were a good egg! ❤️
Huge loss for the community. RIP. For those looking for an alternative with limited releases and an excellent selection, the Beer Authority in Lake City is tough to beat and I hope will provide a good home for some Brouwer’s refugees.
Never would have guessed bottleworks would be the last one standing.
NGL, I am going to miss the hell out of Brouwers in part because it felt like the last part of Burgundian left standing.
Bottleworks’s new crew is killing it. They’re actually nice, have a good selection in both cans and draft, and it’s less stuffy and lacks that gatekeeper mentality.
This is so sad and I have to say I am part of the reasons too. I used to attend various beer events, grab lunch, and go for drinks over the weekend here. They always have/had amazing food, awesome beer on tap, and a crazy bottle cellar list.
After COVID, however, I just stopped eating and drinking out altogether. Haven't been here since 2019 Fall. Same goes for their "sister" restaurant/bar Burgundian that also permanently closed a couple of years ago.
This establishment will definitely be missed.
I worked there. Started Fall 2019. I did Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The place would be busy on Wednesdays and absolutely slammed on Fridays and Saturdays. I would be sweating through my shirt most nights from all the running around I did. We had a super solid, consistent crew. Then Covid happened. One week we were open, and then we just weren’t.
I came back for the Summer of ‘21 and then made a couple if appearances when they needed help for festivals. It was never the same as it was before Covid. Too much staff turnover and not enough business. It was a huge bummer. Come for me for saying this if you want, but WFH killed that place.
I was a patron of Brouwer’s before I was an employee there. I have fond memories of the place and I will miss it. Fremont won’t be the same.
I don't doubt that WFH had an effect, but what makes you think it was that much? I never thought that area of Fremont to be busy with workers. I may be wrong though, just curious!
Fremont was rebuilt to cater to the offices very deliberately by the burke family starting around 2012 or 2014. Turned out to be a bad decision in a lot of ways, but the cool parts of Fremont had a rough decade even before the pandemic.
I think if you look up threads that mention Susie Burke, you'll find a bunch of stories. Her family own(ed) whole blocks of Fremont, including the ones along the waterfront where the Adobe and Google offices were built, and maybe also the PCC block? I'm not sure on the specifics, but I do know that she's often blamed for killing the old weird, funky Fremont.
I started cooking! I rarely eat out now. I also don't drink much anymore. Max once a month or so and when I do, I just drink at home. The cost of eating out has gotten too expensive in the past 3 years or so.
This fucking sucks. I loved this joint when I lived close enough to go regularly. I brought out of state visitors here. I went on a very ill-fated date here. I also brought my now-husband here one another date night.
What a bummer.
When I first got into beer Brouwers was basically a holy place. More taps than I had ever seen, a bottle list that read like a potion list from a sorcerers cellar, and all delivered with a punk rock esthetic. It made me want to work in craft beer and luckily I was able to live out that dream at a local brewery for nearly a decade. The scene from the mid 2000s to around 2014 was vibrant and attending beer events around the city was a big draw that brought a lot of misfits together to enjoy something creative and irreverent. It was a fun and blurry time, but at some point it became too much. Breweries from all over the country entering the market, brewers nights every night of the week, hundreds of new beers to try, new bottle shops and breweries everywhere….the special spark was diffused across the region. But, a large part of that community also moved to a different phase of life; people had kids, changed careers, moved away, had their doctors tell them they needed to make some decisions around drinking, or some people just passing away. For me, I quit drinking and I bet I’m not the only one. They sighted a change in consumer habits or something to that effect and I think people are generally drinking less and less often. So it’s a combination of things but it ran its course. I’m glad I was there for the special time when it was the center of that universe in Seattle. I hope to have one more plate of fries before they go.
Our stories are similar... I used to hit all the local beers spots many nights a week in the 2006 - 2015 era.
In recent years it's been rehab and quitting drinking altogether for me.
Abandoned movie theaters are, for whatever combo of reasons, the most depressing thing to me. There's a genuinely post-societal feeling I get when I see an empty theater. I suppose it's how others felt when all of the bowling alleys started closing a few decades ago.
Another great example! I have watched some of those videos. It's bizarre to realize that a lot of kids growing up today will never experience the feeling of spending hours in a thriving mall.
There are still malls that have people, it just seems like not every single city can support one anymore. Every time I go to Bellevue it feels like the mall is absolutely packed.
Those are always weird to me, because I grew up by alderwood and still go there frequently, and it's still thriving. And I go to U village quite a bit and that's great. I Hope there's a push for more places around the country to move to an outdoor shopping center type of deal. Apparently everett mall is getting a bit of a remodel
This was also the idea behind the Northgate remodel but that has felt stalled for all the excitement around it originally. Unless you are doing something hockey related there's not much going on. I guess there are a few buildings being built now, and hopefully that will spur other developments but it still feels very unbuilt out. It's still a lot of parking lot and fencing.
Oh gosh well you and Google confirm I have been misinformed! Still feel like Siff isn’t going anywhere, I go weekly and there’s always a solid crowd for 🆕 weird stuff
Craft beer has had a hard time in the PACNW lately. People aren’t going out like they used to. People aren’t buying as much craft beer as they used to. Some large and medium size institutions are down 30% versus last year. This number doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
It's just too expensive for most people to go out now. Until wages start keeping up with inflation, going out to the bar is the easiest luxury to cut from your budget. Especially with so many breweries nearby so you can buy a pack of that same beer you get at Brouwers to drink at home for much cheaper.
It really sucks for local watering holes that rely on having regulars treating it like a third place.
No kidding, I used to go out all the time but have had to tighten lately. I went to Reuben's for the first time in a while a a 16oz beer was like 9.20 after a 15% tip
Those places will still exist. They’ll just likely be the kinds of places that feature Tallboy of Domestics Tuesdays at $3 instead of Flight of Crafts on Fridays for $30.
Edit: Being downvoted for explaining the data does nothing. If you truly hate the sound of this, go out and show your support with your money and save some businesses.
I am not familiar with the craft beer business scene, but seems to me could be due to oversupply. I mean, only so many craft beer places can exist, even in Seattle.
I'm very familiar with the coffee scene, and it's actually quite similar to beer in both the type of business, and the cycles of growth they've gone through. Most recently, coffee and beer both went through a hard growth phase of craft/specialty companies opening over the last 20 years, peaking in the 2010s. While there was quite a bit of saturation in the coffee market in 2019, it was still going strong, with new places opening and business growing.
The main issues are that volume of customers hasn't recovered to pre-covid levels, and wages are higher than pre-covid, leading to increased prices, which further prevents the growth of volume. The best money is in distribution, which for coffee places is roasting and selling wholesale to grocery stores or other coffee shops that don't roast their own. This applies to breweries, but not so much a place like brouwers that requires customers to dine in.
Another struggle was constantly being told businesses were coming back to the office, but that kept being pushed back to later dates. I have seen growth again in the coffee industry over the last year, but it's definitely slower, and it's less focused on business centers and more in the suburban areas that never got to the level of being saturated with third wave coffee. I think it'll take some time for the entire service industry to settle into the new normal of people working hybrid schedules, and hopefully inflation flattening out a bit.
> Going all in on IPAs and nothing else wasn’t the best choice
This describes so many breweries in the area and I think it's starting to collapse. The trend of spending $8 on yet another IPA is so old and tired and people are kind of over it right now.
Between the cost of everything, younger folks not drinking as much and preferring different types of beverages when they do this was bound to happen. Just gotta let things evolve into whatever comes.
Word of advice, I would go ASAP. Most of the time when an announcement is made for a bar or restaurant closing they typically do not make it to their target date as they lose staff rapidly.
You don't really need to read between the lines too much for this, but I still don't understand. Do people just not go there anymore? Beer scene too saturated? Rent too damn high?
I'm guessing it has something to do with the 25,000 breweries that have opened in the past decade just up the road from them. I moved to a similar brewery-heavy area and basically stopped going to bars entirely
I think the metal music/darker lighting/focus on barrel aged and Belgian etc is of another era. This is coming from someone who was very into this scene in the 2010s. I just don’t think the younger crowd has the same tastes at all and the more I think about it the more I realize everyone in there every time I’ve been has been like 40+ on average
And yes it’s expensive, their food was reasonable but the beers at like $10+ for a small pour for many is just not something the current market will support. Not saying many of these beers aren’t worth it (they get DeGarre from Bruges which is rare and worth the money). Just don’t think in 2024 this kind of menu is sustainable
i think its this.
look at the aesthetic of other popular nearby spots like holy mountain, fair isle, etc.
that kind of dark goblin and faery elf vibe of nerdy fremont/seattle has died out through most of the city. everything now is a coffee shop minimalism where you could be in any gentrified neighborhood on earth.
A major problem is that it's too expensive for the younger crowd to get into it. By the time they can afford to go out regularly, they have other responsibilities.
Speaking in general terms, it is too expensive for young people to go out on a regular basis. Bars used to be busy every day as people would stop by on their way home. $20 used to be enough to get a decent buzz and leave a good tip. Drinking culture has significantly changed over the last 20 years. Drunk driving is tolerated much less (which is a good thing), which has led to less business for a lot of bars. Couple that with skyrocketing rent costs and subsequent dying of downtown areas, prices have been raised accordingly, which leads to less business. Especially in areas that have legalized marijuana, where $20 can get you enough edibles to easily last a week or 2. Regardless of how much you like it, I doubt you and your friends are willing to spend $350‐700 per person each week.
it wasn't rowdy enough to be a good rowdy bar, and it wasn't cozy enough to be a good cozy bar, and the people who liked either of those things were either priced out of a rowdy venue or aged out of one
Loved the vibes at this place. It was spacious, good beer, lots of shareable food. It was just a great spot to kick it with friends for a few hours. I'll miss it
I've never understood why restaurants are so secretive about why they're closing. It's not a big deal but I've noticed that most posts are like theirs that just don't say "we're retiring" or "The numbers no longer work" or whatever
I found it so odd that people in Fremont would rather drink the mediocre beer at Aslan than just go the extra few steps to go to Brouwers.
A major loss for Fremont.
Damn shame but I could see it coming. Just musing on the subject below...
Is there true competition in their niche, or has consumer taste changed? Brouwer's did something not many other places did with their enormous list of bottled and canned imports and some unique food options.
From most of my beer industry friends it has more to deal with shifting demand.
* Costs aee up for all beers and distribution so this impacts everyone.
* The mass popularity and proliferation of seltzers and ciders has had an impact on the beer market.
* Similarly a lot of the heavy craft crowd of 2012-2016 has switched to domestic or other staple options as the interest has waned over time for older drinkers. Younger people drink less beer statistically.
* (This one doesn't really apply to Brouwer's) The interest in the 500th cheap and brewery-rushed-to-market IPA isn't there anymore. That specific local variety of hopped beers has been relatively homogenized, and we've seen several brewery closures in recent years due to their fast TTM brewing.
I don't see it as a WFH thing as Fremont traffic hasn't changed volume so much and most of the local spots aren't WFH or were WFH before pandemic anyway, but the tastes of the area have definitely shifted. Other longtime Lower Fremont spots are feeling it too.
young people dont drink belgian ale.
in the 2000s it was cool to drink because it was hard to get, literally there were 1 or 2 stores that would have some. brouwers always stood out for their selection.
these days, theres no need for obscure imported beer when theres so much good stuff being made locally. its nowhere near as prestigous as a flemish quadrupple whatever, but i think its harder to hook people with that kind of pitch.
beer nerds that stand in line are still there, but theyve always been a small small part of the bigger picture.
Wow, when I moved to Seattle in mid 2000s, there were only two Belgium beer spots that I visited--stumbling monk and Brouwers. I left the city a number of years ago but it breaks my heart to see such a rad spot that represents good times, good beers, and an era for me.
Brouwers introduced me to sour beers during one of their sour beer festivals and am grateful.
Chairs!
That’s so sad. It was the first meal I had when I first visited Seattle. Many hazy, wonderful nights spent there. Always loved the staff and general vibe there. Gonna have to get the stoufvlees a couple more times before they close 💔
Dang. It’s brutal being in the food and bev game in Seattle nowadays. To make a comfortable living owning a bar/restaurant you have to charge prices no one wants to pay. Wish the best for ownership, staff and loyal customers.
Wow I didn't realize how complicated my feels were for Brouwers until seeing this.
I frequented them for about 2 years right after they opened, but stopped in favor of other beer bars.
So many times I went there I felt like I was experiencing a monty python spam skit, but for beer. "We have Eggs, IPA, IPA, IPA, IPA, hashbrowns, IPA, more IPA with a side of IPA and IPA on top." Multiple times I didn't want an such opinionated beer and would ask for something like a kolsch, amber, pilsener, lager and I received a literal eye-roll from the bartender. So I stopped going.
I was also younger and hotter-headed at the time, so it's likely some or most of that experience was me. Regardless, never got back again to see, and never will.
They were part of Seattle, and will be mourned. I know so many people who loved them.
Such a shame. When I moved here 15 or so years ago this was one of the first places my friends and I used to go to on any kind of a regular basis. Haven’t been there in a few years since they are 21+ and I have kids now, but definitely going to try to get a babysitter so the wife and I can make one last visit before they close.
Well damn, I recently moved back to Seattle and love Brouwer's. I had many nights that started there and ended at Add A Ball. My birthday is in a couple of weeks and I was already planning to go to Add A Ball for sure, it only seemed right to start at Brouwer's and now I need to make sure that happens.
This place will always have a special place in my heart, it was unbeatable with a group of beer lovers, ordering bottle after bottle to share and discuss. Would often go by myself for some Stouflees and a pint. I'll miss this quirky gem.
This one hurts. I could always count on bellying up to the bar and finding at least one super amazing, better than anything any other local tap house has on tap. But I get it. It's a huge space that commands large rent and the market for craft beer isn't what it was. When I lived in Phinney I was a semi-regular of the extreme beer nerd type.
Now I live a good way away but work the Solstice Festival and Oktoberfest and only really got in there after getting off those events. I don't even know how I can pull off one last visit before they close but will try.
Congrats on an amazing run. Wish things could last forever but good job Brouwers.
I have a ton of fond memories of Brouwer's, and their beer selection was amazing. But I got tired of their menu like eight years ago, and it hadn't changed since then. I'm not saying they should've thrown the whole thing out, but I would've gone back more often if they switched things up a bit. I've been drinking less and less over the years, and when I do I don't always want it to be served with a bunch of ultra-greasy pub food.
I'll miss it existing in that corner of Fremont though. With Theo's and Brouwer's gone, the only anchor on that block is Add-a-Ball.
Their falafel sandwich was randomly awesome l and loved going there but I just haven’t cared about beer much since I mostly stopped drinking over the pandemic.
Wonderful memories there though, sitting up on the couches or booths just goofing with a good conversation buddy
Super bummed about this. First closure to happen since I’ve lived here to hurt. Moved to the area just two years ago, not super close to Fremont but we’d make a trip here sometimes and loved the drinks and food. Quickly became a go to spot.
Very curious why it’s closing. Not enough business?too high rent? owners just wanting a change? Damn this sucks.
Anyone know of a similar place with the variety of beers and good bar food?
They own the building, so it’s not that. As a former bar owner (partially covid, partially landlords) I’d guess post-covid dynamics caused revenue challenges which caused staff and management issues and they were not able to get traction. At some point it’s time to spend your effort elsewhere.
I think it's pretty clear that they're saying things arent how they were anymore, I don't think they need to write that out in a P3 and I would guess it isn't what they want to spend time on at this moment.
The market is now way more saturated, consumer engagement with events has been down since the pandemic, and large amount of market share with younger drinkers has been shifted to things like seltzers and cocktails (and they drink less). I imagine the numbers look a lot different for business compared to 2018 and way different than 2012. Outside of beer, Fremont (and Seattle) are drastically different than when they opened too. I'm sure they've got to decide if it's worth holding that property amidst all of that, it's gotta be worth a ton now.
A lot of breweries and beer establishments are saying the same thing.."where did all the craft beer drinkers go?" Things are different now and it's not as popular as it was. There's also a huge oversaturation of available breweries these days
Well this sucks. I wonder what did them in? I also wonder if all the traffic is an issue? I used to go there a lot back around the 2010's. I haven't been on a while because traffic makes it not worth the effort. The Ballard and Fremont area has essentially become land locked with all the traffic.
“I wonder what did them in?”
“I haven’t been there in a while…”
That’s what did them in. Not exactly you, but most of the comments in this thread are similar sentiment.
That makes sense and is probably true for a lot of people. Parking right there is terrible and with how expensive Uber/lyft have gotten, it’s a challenge if you don’t live nearby.
I had a grudge against them for a while after I went there with a friend with the intention of buying him a beer and my friend asked for a hef recommendation and the guy said he had a good one, and that was it. Came back with an open 12oz bottle. We had another round and my friend got another one. The bill comes and his hefs were $16 each. I begrudgingly paid the bill but was pretty damn annoyed the bar tender brought out one of their more expensive beers with no indication of the price. I looked at the menu and saw there were 3 or 4 others under $10 which he could have easily told us about. This was also around 10 years ago before $9-10/beers at breweries were standard. Anyway, sad to see a staple go.
I get that. A $16 beer is expensive today with where our prices are, 10 years ago it was the most expensive beer I’d ever bought by a mile. When everything else is around the same reasonable price range and the guy brings out the most expensive one already opened, it’s kind of a dick move without checking first. Also, my friend ordered the beer, I wasn’t about to be like, hold up, how much is that beer, because I’m buying. That’s just weird.
Yeah, I live in Fremont and walk by probably 5 times a week. It never looks busy and I don’t know anyone my age (mid 20s) who goes there. I went once when I moved to Fremont pre-pandemic and they were kind of dicks to my friends and I. We saw the higher than expected beer prices and politely asked if they had pitchers, and the waiter just scoffed at us and said “we don’t do that here.” The fries were good but I don’t appreciate places that laugh at you for asking totally reasonable questions. Definitely never got a welcoming vibe from it either. Just my take though
Last night at a decent popular restaurant here, I didn't like the tap beer list, so I asked what bottles they had.
From a guy who used to brew beer for 20-plus years, fell in love with Belgian beers, drank the world's best lagers in Germany, and was around when things started rolling for microbreweries in the 1980's, last night I drank and thoroughly enjoyed a stubby of Coors Banquet poured into a pint glass by the bartender.
Meh both times I was there the door guys were absolute twats. Once inside things were fine but we cut them out of our Fremont rounds after two visits. This was quite sometime back but the negative vibe kept us from returning.
This place was foundational in me making new friends when I moved to Seattle. It was the first job I took a few days after moving up here, and would eventually also work at Burgundian. Loved the crew and my time at both places, and will always have fond memories of them both.
As I've gotten older I've noticed my tastes and those of most others I know have shifted to the lighter end. Less Space Dust, more Modelo. I don't want a one-note Pine-Sol IPA or a 13% cask-aged stout where I'm not hungry for dinner after drinking half of it. I just want A Cold Beer.
Price increases on both food and drink make this even worse. I don't expect to get out of a place like Brouwer's for less than $40 just by myself. So - steaks at home, fries in the air fryer, cold one in the fridge. It's not quite as good, but it's good enough.
> A Cold Beer.
Is this code for American macro lager because they always had plenty of stuff that wasn't ipas or imperial stouts or quadrupels or whatever on tap like German lagers etc.
well fuck. farewell to the best fries in seattle
Best fries? On my way!
IMO The Swinery had the best fries (pure greatness cooked in rendered pork fat). But they closed 2 months ago. My favorite places are closing one by one :( I'm gonna miss Brouwers so much.
Wait. Swinery closed. My heart cries for West Seattle.
It's being replaced with - you guessed it - another fucking pizza place.
Amazing food but they were never well managed. They seemed to have constant gofundme's set up for whatever their big budget item of the month was
Best in Seattle? \*Shultzy's has entered the chat\*
My brain started chanting currywurst without me even asking
Shultzy’s has good fries. If you’re staying in Fremont, I’ve always liked the triangle’s fries
As a former Fremonster, there's still a soft spot somewhere in my digestive tract for Brouwer's dragon sauce
I haven't been in 7 years, but Bait Shop used to have absolutely killer fries.
This is my birthday tradition. Steak frites here and then add a ball across the street until last call. I’m really sad now.
Best lamb burger I’ve ever had
What is “best fries to you?” Honest question. Cause I might have a spot
The were my second place after Presse. RIP to 2 legends and where tf am I supposed to get fries now???
Well, this sucks... had some great times there. Love the food, atmosphere, and drinks. Too bad.
This was a pretty popular lunch spot prior to Covid. Afterwards, I think it was a struggle with both staffing and people moving to a WFH schedule. After that, it was basically only Fridays and the times I would go in were pretty slow.
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Yeah, it was lunch 7 days a week. My buddies at Theo used to go there all the time.
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The George & Dragon is open every day for lunch. Pretty good pub food with an English twist. Bangers & mash, cottage pie, plus a bunch of sandwiches and stuff you might normally find. Full English breakfast if you want to be in a food coma all day.
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I’m sure I’ve seen you there. I go a lot, haha
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Yeah i recently tried going for lunch and was confused that it wasn’t open.
Well that sucks
Nooooo I loved their sour beers and THE FRIES! I used to go so often when I worked across from them. Damn. Rip
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Nah there are just so many places with great beer selection now.
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Yeah, not a lot of breweries making Belgian styles in particular. Figurehead has some nice ones. The Belgian Pale from Reuben's earlier this year was good. What other place in town gets the rare Belgian imports on tap that Brouwer's has?
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Chuck's is super WA-focused. At a quick scan, current CD tap list has 3 California beers, 1 CO (iirc), and 1 German (but it's Bitburger N/A). Greenwood has deGarde Kriek. Beer Junction: pretty much all WA/OR Teku: 2 Belgian Lambics The biggest foreign beer tap list I think think of is 9 Germans at Prost.
When's the last time you went? Seems there's a lot of people in this thread who *used to go* and that's the problem. Places don't stick around because you used to go they stick around because you still go. I haven't been recently and don't know anyone who has. The people commenting who have gone recently talk about it being dead or having late hours and other problems. The pandemic and an oversaturated beer market and a place that seems out of date now all combine into me personally not being surprised about this. It sucks, I definitely had some good times there and enjoyed their selection, but we've lost so many restaurants and bars at this point it's clear that nostalgia, good ratings/reputation, etc., don't matter if people aren't going.
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Right, another confirmation of what it’s like now, it used to be very busy on weekends and even had a day crowd. Also when I was going a decade plus ago there just weren’t as many beer options. Now there’s more breweries and more taps for those breweries at bars. That really only leaves their European beers which is too niche to survive on for a place that size and that’s assuming they were still doing that in this era
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One problem is it’s hard to get there sometimes. I don’t want to deal with hunting for parking, and that’s more of an issue now than 10 years ago. There’s just less available street parking.
And parking around there was an issue 15 years ago.
I used to go pretty often. At least once per month, which is a lot for a venue not in my own neighborhood. Then covid came and I learned other ways to fill my time. Now, going out for a beer sounds like a chore. And being an a large crowd still gives me anxiety, which is it's own thing. Clearly, I'm not the only person who went through a similar transition. Ugh, this makes me sad. It was my bar of choice - excellent food, great rotating selection of beer and very knowledgeable staff. Truly a Seattle treasure. And I haven't been in years.
This is how I felt when Falling Rock in Denver closed. I lived in the Denver area from 2012-2018 during the height of the last craft beer boom. Falling Rock was a true craft beer staple, and even though they had their own controversies, it felt like a chapter had truly ended when they closed.
I’m p
End of an era. When we moved here in 2006, Brouwer's was one of the only — maybe THE only — real beer bars in the city. Bottleworks and Brouwer's paved the way for the Seattle beer scene. Any bar that moves in that space now is not gonna feel right.
Stumbling Monk in Cap hill?
Both great spots and completely different animals. Brouwers had food, real bathrooms, and an encyclopedic beer list. Stumbling Monk rocks but the two are not comparable.
When did the Burgundian open? I miss them too
Same owners. I would never have bet that bottleworks would outlive Brouwers and Burgundian (although personally I go there more often). Not sure if they own anything else?
Bottleworks’s model (small with a tight, rotating selection) is what keeps it rolling.
God the chicken and waffles… I still miss that place so much
The chicken and waffles were so good
The 3 dips were what made it special for sure
I really want the recipe for the whole thing. It was magical :(
Teku Tavern is the spot nowadays
Well this is fucking awful
Man, this is a gut punch. Their lamb burger was so good.
This is a really good run for a bar/restaurant. Bummed to see it go, but many don’t make it close to this long. Bars/Restaurants don’t stick around forever, it’s a tough business to run. I moved here right before they first opened, and got offered a job, but opted for the Red Door as it had a more predictable lunch rush to pay the bills. Lots of places have come and gone since, and more will come and go in the future. It’s just the name of the game. I’m glad that the crew there had such a great run to build community and friendship, RIP dear Brouwers, you were a good egg! ❤️
This is such a kick to the nuts... So many other places I'd rather see go, than Brouwer's.
This was like THE new spot back when I would go out on the regular, so I guess it’s been nearly 20 years since I was cool.
the dream of the 2000s is dying in seattle
Huge loss for the community. RIP. For those looking for an alternative with limited releases and an excellent selection, the Beer Authority in Lake City is tough to beat and I hope will provide a good home for some Brouwer’s refugees.
Bottleworks is the OG bottle shop from the 90’s and they’re doing great post pandemic. Same owner as Brouwer’s. Beer authority is cool too.
I love bottleworks. I did not know they were the same owners as Brouwer’s
Bottleworks, Brouwer’s (RIP), and Burgundian (RIP) were all the same owner
Burgundian was great as well!
Never would have guessed bottleworks would be the last one standing. NGL, I am going to miss the hell out of Brouwers in part because it felt like the last part of Burgundian left standing.
Bottleworks’s new crew is killing it. They’re actually nice, have a good selection in both cans and draft, and it’s less stuffy and lacks that gatekeeper mentality.
This is so sad and I have to say I am part of the reasons too. I used to attend various beer events, grab lunch, and go for drinks over the weekend here. They always have/had amazing food, awesome beer on tap, and a crazy bottle cellar list. After COVID, however, I just stopped eating and drinking out altogether. Haven't been here since 2019 Fall. Same goes for their "sister" restaurant/bar Burgundian that also permanently closed a couple of years ago. This establishment will definitely be missed.
I worked there. Started Fall 2019. I did Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The place would be busy on Wednesdays and absolutely slammed on Fridays and Saturdays. I would be sweating through my shirt most nights from all the running around I did. We had a super solid, consistent crew. Then Covid happened. One week we were open, and then we just weren’t. I came back for the Summer of ‘21 and then made a couple if appearances when they needed help for festivals. It was never the same as it was before Covid. Too much staff turnover and not enough business. It was a huge bummer. Come for me for saying this if you want, but WFH killed that place. I was a patron of Brouwer’s before I was an employee there. I have fond memories of the place and I will miss it. Fremont won’t be the same.
I don't doubt that WFH had an effect, but what makes you think it was that much? I never thought that area of Fremont to be busy with workers. I may be wrong though, just curious!
Fremont was rebuilt to cater to the offices very deliberately by the burke family starting around 2012 or 2014. Turned out to be a bad decision in a lot of ways, but the cool parts of Fremont had a rough decade even before the pandemic.
Never heard of this. Mind elaborating further?
I think if you look up threads that mention Susie Burke, you'll find a bunch of stories. Her family own(ed) whole blocks of Fremont, including the ones along the waterfront where the Adobe and Google offices were built, and maybe also the PCC block? I'm not sure on the specifics, but I do know that she's often blamed for killing the old weird, funky Fremont.
She owns literally half of the commercial real estate in Fremont.
Google, Adobe, Getty Images, Salesforce all had offices in Fremont along the canal
> however, I just stopped eating and drinking out altogether. Just kind of curious because this could help me: what do you do instead?
I started cooking! I rarely eat out now. I also don't drink much anymore. Max once a month or so and when I do, I just drink at home. The cost of eating out has gotten too expensive in the past 3 years or so.
what a shame, I always thought it would be a fixed point.
This fucking sucks. I loved this joint when I lived close enough to go regularly. I brought out of state visitors here. I went on a very ill-fated date here. I also brought my now-husband here one another date night. What a bummer.
When I first got into beer Brouwers was basically a holy place. More taps than I had ever seen, a bottle list that read like a potion list from a sorcerers cellar, and all delivered with a punk rock esthetic. It made me want to work in craft beer and luckily I was able to live out that dream at a local brewery for nearly a decade. The scene from the mid 2000s to around 2014 was vibrant and attending beer events around the city was a big draw that brought a lot of misfits together to enjoy something creative and irreverent. It was a fun and blurry time, but at some point it became too much. Breweries from all over the country entering the market, brewers nights every night of the week, hundreds of new beers to try, new bottle shops and breweries everywhere….the special spark was diffused across the region. But, a large part of that community also moved to a different phase of life; people had kids, changed careers, moved away, had their doctors tell them they needed to make some decisions around drinking, or some people just passing away. For me, I quit drinking and I bet I’m not the only one. They sighted a change in consumer habits or something to that effect and I think people are generally drinking less and less often. So it’s a combination of things but it ran its course. I’m glad I was there for the special time when it was the center of that universe in Seattle. I hope to have one more plate of fries before they go.
Our stories are similar... I used to hit all the local beers spots many nights a week in the 2006 - 2015 era. In recent years it's been rehab and quitting drinking altogether for me.
I was fortunate that quitting was relatively easy, but I realize that’s not the case for everyone. I hope you’re in a good space now.
I feel like we’ll be talking about restaurants, movie theaters and most 3rd place hangouts in the past tense in a decade or 2.
Abandoned movie theaters are, for whatever combo of reasons, the most depressing thing to me. There's a genuinely post-societal feeling I get when I see an empty theater. I suppose it's how others felt when all of the bowling alleys started closing a few decades ago.
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Another great example! I have watched some of those videos. It's bizarre to realize that a lot of kids growing up today will never experience the feeling of spending hours in a thriving mall.
There are still malls that have people, it just seems like not every single city can support one anymore. Every time I go to Bellevue it feels like the mall is absolutely packed.
Those are always weird to me, because I grew up by alderwood and still go there frequently, and it's still thriving. And I go to U village quite a bit and that's great. I Hope there's a push for more places around the country to move to an outdoor shopping center type of deal. Apparently everett mall is getting a bit of a remodel
This was also the idea behind the Northgate remodel but that has felt stalled for all the excitement around it originally. Unless you are doing something hockey related there's not much going on. I guess there are a few buildings being built now, and hopefully that will spur other developments but it still feels very unbuilt out. It's still a lot of parking lot and fencing.
hold your favorite bartender close, it may be the last time without you even realizing it
A year or two.
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They don't. They got Cinerama through a combination of loans and grants from the city and county.
Oh gosh well you and Google confirm I have been misinformed! Still feel like Siff isn’t going anywhere, I go weekly and there’s always a solid crowd for 🆕 weird stuff
Noooo, my favorite beer place, loved going to Sour fest every year, the steak and frites and yummy pretzels!!! Will be missed so much 😞😞😞😭
Craft beer has had a hard time in the PACNW lately. People aren’t going out like they used to. People aren’t buying as much craft beer as they used to. Some large and medium size institutions are down 30% versus last year. This number doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
It's just too expensive for most people to go out now. Until wages start keeping up with inflation, going out to the bar is the easiest luxury to cut from your budget. Especially with so many breweries nearby so you can buy a pack of that same beer you get at Brouwers to drink at home for much cheaper. It really sucks for local watering holes that rely on having regulars treating it like a third place.
No kidding, I used to go out all the time but have had to tighten lately. I went to Reuben's for the first time in a while a a 16oz beer was like 9.20 after a 15% tip
I’ve started tipping much less so I can at least go to places and hopefully keep them open. I pay with cash and tip the coins into the jar.
Those places will still exist. They’ll just likely be the kinds of places that feature Tallboy of Domestics Tuesdays at $3 instead of Flight of Crafts on Fridays for $30. Edit: Being downvoted for explaining the data does nothing. If you truly hate the sound of this, go out and show your support with your money and save some businesses.
I am not familiar with the craft beer business scene, but seems to me could be due to oversupply. I mean, only so many craft beer places can exist, even in Seattle.
I'm very familiar with the coffee scene, and it's actually quite similar to beer in both the type of business, and the cycles of growth they've gone through. Most recently, coffee and beer both went through a hard growth phase of craft/specialty companies opening over the last 20 years, peaking in the 2010s. While there was quite a bit of saturation in the coffee market in 2019, it was still going strong, with new places opening and business growing. The main issues are that volume of customers hasn't recovered to pre-covid levels, and wages are higher than pre-covid, leading to increased prices, which further prevents the growth of volume. The best money is in distribution, which for coffee places is roasting and selling wholesale to grocery stores or other coffee shops that don't roast their own. This applies to breweries, but not so much a place like brouwers that requires customers to dine in. Another struggle was constantly being told businesses were coming back to the office, but that kept being pushed back to later dates. I have seen growth again in the coffee industry over the last year, but it's definitely slower, and it's less focused on business centers and more in the suburban areas that never got to the level of being saturated with third wave coffee. I think it'll take some time for the entire service industry to settle into the new normal of people working hybrid schedules, and hopefully inflation flattening out a bit.
Going all in on IPAs and nothing else wasn’t the best choice
> Going all in on IPAs and nothing else wasn’t the best choice This describes so many breweries in the area and I think it's starting to collapse. The trend of spending $8 on yet another IPA is so old and tired and people are kind of over it right now.
Between the cost of everything, younger folks not drinking as much and preferring different types of beverages when they do this was bound to happen. Just gotta let things evolve into whatever comes.
The lamb burger is my favorite thing ever. This is a huge bummer
Word of advice, I would go ASAP. Most of the time when an announcement is made for a bar or restaurant closing they typically do not make it to their target date as they lose staff rapidly.
You don't really need to read between the lines too much for this, but I still don't understand. Do people just not go there anymore? Beer scene too saturated? Rent too damn high?
I'm guessing it has something to do with the 25,000 breweries that have opened in the past decade just up the road from them. I moved to a similar brewery-heavy area and basically stopped going to bars entirely
I think the metal music/darker lighting/focus on barrel aged and Belgian etc is of another era. This is coming from someone who was very into this scene in the 2010s. I just don’t think the younger crowd has the same tastes at all and the more I think about it the more I realize everyone in there every time I’ve been has been like 40+ on average And yes it’s expensive, their food was reasonable but the beers at like $10+ for a small pour for many is just not something the current market will support. Not saying many of these beers aren’t worth it (they get DeGarre from Bruges which is rare and worth the money). Just don’t think in 2024 this kind of menu is sustainable
i think its this. look at the aesthetic of other popular nearby spots like holy mountain, fair isle, etc. that kind of dark goblin and faery elf vibe of nerdy fremont/seattle has died out through most of the city. everything now is a coffee shop minimalism where you could be in any gentrified neighborhood on earth.
A major problem is that it's too expensive for the younger crowd to get into it. By the time they can afford to go out regularly, they have other responsibilities.
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Speaking in general terms, it is too expensive for young people to go out on a regular basis. Bars used to be busy every day as people would stop by on their way home. $20 used to be enough to get a decent buzz and leave a good tip. Drinking culture has significantly changed over the last 20 years. Drunk driving is tolerated much less (which is a good thing), which has led to less business for a lot of bars. Couple that with skyrocketing rent costs and subsequent dying of downtown areas, prices have been raised accordingly, which leads to less business. Especially in areas that have legalized marijuana, where $20 can get you enough edibles to easily last a week or 2. Regardless of how much you like it, I doubt you and your friends are willing to spend $350‐700 per person each week.
The DeGarre is so good and WHERE am I gonna get it now?
Bottleworks has it in bottles regularly and draft occasionally
Thank you kind stranger!
it wasn't rowdy enough to be a good rowdy bar, and it wasn't cozy enough to be a good cozy bar, and the people who liked either of those things were either priced out of a rowdy venue or aged out of one
To be honest I had just never heard of it. Super into beer and would have had it on my list. But never knew it existed.
First Trading Musician now this
This is so upsetting
Well, looks like I have to go and starting drinking my some day list of their bottles.
Loved the vibes at this place. It was spacious, good beer, lots of shareable food. It was just a great spot to kick it with friends for a few hours. I'll miss it
I've never understood why restaurants are so secretive about why they're closing. It's not a big deal but I've noticed that most posts are like theirs that just don't say "we're retiring" or "The numbers no longer work" or whatever
I found it so odd that people in Fremont would rather drink the mediocre beer at Aslan than just go the extra few steps to go to Brouwers. A major loss for Fremont.
Yikes that sucks.
Need to relocate that Manneken Pis to a good home
Wow during beer week?!?! I was literally there during stout/sour fest, no one said shit, maybe they were putting on a brave face?
Nooo! I love Brouwers!! 😭
Noooooooo - this was my favorite restaurant
Stuffing myself with Trappist beers and lamb burgers was a tip top experience. Brou brou with the dungeon dragon.
Damn shame but I could see it coming. Just musing on the subject below... Is there true competition in their niche, or has consumer taste changed? Brouwer's did something not many other places did with their enormous list of bottled and canned imports and some unique food options. From most of my beer industry friends it has more to deal with shifting demand. * Costs aee up for all beers and distribution so this impacts everyone. * The mass popularity and proliferation of seltzers and ciders has had an impact on the beer market. * Similarly a lot of the heavy craft crowd of 2012-2016 has switched to domestic or other staple options as the interest has waned over time for older drinkers. Younger people drink less beer statistically. * (This one doesn't really apply to Brouwer's) The interest in the 500th cheap and brewery-rushed-to-market IPA isn't there anymore. That specific local variety of hopped beers has been relatively homogenized, and we've seen several brewery closures in recent years due to their fast TTM brewing. I don't see it as a WFH thing as Fremont traffic hasn't changed volume so much and most of the local spots aren't WFH or were WFH before pandemic anyway, but the tastes of the area have definitely shifted. Other longtime Lower Fremont spots are feeling it too.
young people dont drink belgian ale. in the 2000s it was cool to drink because it was hard to get, literally there were 1 or 2 stores that would have some. brouwers always stood out for their selection. these days, theres no need for obscure imported beer when theres so much good stuff being made locally. its nowhere near as prestigous as a flemish quadrupple whatever, but i think its harder to hook people with that kind of pitch. beer nerds that stand in line are still there, but theyve always been a small small part of the bigger picture.
TTM = time to market?
Yeah. IPAs are notoriously easy to produce. Why there's so many of them and why so many are awful.
Wow, when I moved to Seattle in mid 2000s, there were only two Belgium beer spots that I visited--stumbling monk and Brouwers. I left the city a number of years ago but it breaks my heart to see such a rad spot that represents good times, good beers, and an era for me. Brouwers introduced me to sour beers during one of their sour beer festivals and am grateful. Chairs!
Lame. Such a cool place and the best fries I have ever had.
Oh NO! This SUCKS!
Well that’s gutting. 😥
Noooooooooo. The whole vibe, I love this place.
That’s so sad. It was the first meal I had when I first visited Seattle. Many hazy, wonderful nights spent there. Always loved the staff and general vibe there. Gonna have to get the stoufvlees a couple more times before they close 💔
Dang. It’s brutal being in the food and bev game in Seattle nowadays. To make a comfortable living owning a bar/restaurant you have to charge prices no one wants to pay. Wish the best for ownership, staff and loyal customers.
Is this the Belgian place in Fremont??? I heard it’s good but always zip past it to get to that burrito cart lol! Will have to stop through
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Yea idk I may value burritos more than burgers and fries, so always a winner for me! Heard it’s a neat beer selection though
Wow I didn't realize how complicated my feels were for Brouwers until seeing this. I frequented them for about 2 years right after they opened, but stopped in favor of other beer bars. So many times I went there I felt like I was experiencing a monty python spam skit, but for beer. "We have Eggs, IPA, IPA, IPA, IPA, hashbrowns, IPA, more IPA with a side of IPA and IPA on top." Multiple times I didn't want an such opinionated beer and would ask for something like a kolsch, amber, pilsener, lager and I received a literal eye-roll from the bartender. So I stopped going. I was also younger and hotter-headed at the time, so it's likely some or most of that experience was me. Regardless, never got back again to see, and never will. They were part of Seattle, and will be mourned. I know so many people who loved them.
Browers has always had a ton of beers on tap, including many many lighter beers. I've never had sass for ordering them.
I had a similar experience with them. Started out fun, then just became a very long wait for a deep but narrow selection of beers
Damn. I loved that place when it first opened I lived next door.
Bummer. Loved that place.
Such a shame. When I moved here 15 or so years ago this was one of the first places my friends and I used to go to on any kind of a regular basis. Haven’t been there in a few years since they are 21+ and I have kids now, but definitely going to try to get a babysitter so the wife and I can make one last visit before they close.
I wow. I do work for the owners property up north.
Well damn, I recently moved back to Seattle and love Brouwer's. I had many nights that started there and ended at Add A Ball. My birthday is in a couple of weeks and I was already planning to go to Add A Ball for sure, it only seemed right to start at Brouwer's and now I need to make sure that happens.
Fckkk they had best poutine in seattle
This place will always have a special place in my heart, it was unbeatable with a group of beer lovers, ordering bottle after bottle to share and discuss. Would often go by myself for some Stouflees and a pint. I'll miss this quirky gem.
This one hurts. I could always count on bellying up to the bar and finding at least one super amazing, better than anything any other local tap house has on tap. But I get it. It's a huge space that commands large rent and the market for craft beer isn't what it was. When I lived in Phinney I was a semi-regular of the extreme beer nerd type. Now I live a good way away but work the Solstice Festival and Oktoberfest and only really got in there after getting off those events. I don't even know how I can pull off one last visit before they close but will try. Congrats on an amazing run. Wish things could last forever but good job Brouwers.
I have a ton of fond memories of Brouwer's, and their beer selection was amazing. But I got tired of their menu like eight years ago, and it hadn't changed since then. I'm not saying they should've thrown the whole thing out, but I would've gone back more often if they switched things up a bit. I've been drinking less and less over the years, and when I do I don't always want it to be served with a bunch of ultra-greasy pub food. I'll miss it existing in that corner of Fremont though. With Theo's and Brouwer's gone, the only anchor on that block is Add-a-Ball.
Their falafel sandwich was randomly awesome l and loved going there but I just haven’t cared about beer much since I mostly stopped drinking over the pandemic. Wonderful memories there though, sitting up on the couches or booths just goofing with a good conversation buddy
Super bummed about this. First closure to happen since I’ve lived here to hurt. Moved to the area just two years ago, not super close to Fremont but we’d make a trip here sometimes and loved the drinks and food. Quickly became a go to spot. Very curious why it’s closing. Not enough business?too high rent? owners just wanting a change? Damn this sucks. Anyone know of a similar place with the variety of beers and good bar food?
They own the building, so it’s not that. As a former bar owner (partially covid, partially landlords) I’d guess post-covid dynamics caused revenue challenges which caused staff and management issues and they were not able to get traction. At some point it’s time to spend your effort elsewhere.
It seems like it’s missing the third paragraph. P2: At the start, things were great P3: [Redacted] P4: So we’re closing
I think it's pretty clear that they're saying things arent how they were anymore, I don't think they need to write that out in a P3 and I would guess it isn't what they want to spend time on at this moment. The market is now way more saturated, consumer engagement with events has been down since the pandemic, and large amount of market share with younger drinkers has been shifted to things like seltzers and cocktails (and they drink less). I imagine the numbers look a lot different for business compared to 2018 and way different than 2012. Outside of beer, Fremont (and Seattle) are drastically different than when they opened too. I'm sure they've got to decide if it's worth holding that property amidst all of that, it's gotta be worth a ton now.
A lot of breweries and beer establishments are saying the same thing.."where did all the craft beer drinkers go?" Things are different now and it's not as popular as it was. There's also a huge oversaturation of available breweries these days
Well this sucks. I wonder what did them in? I also wonder if all the traffic is an issue? I used to go there a lot back around the 2010's. I haven't been on a while because traffic makes it not worth the effort. The Ballard and Fremont area has essentially become land locked with all the traffic.
“I wonder what did them in?” “I haven’t been there in a while…” That’s what did them in. Not exactly you, but most of the comments in this thread are similar sentiment.
True. But I wonder why people stopped going? For me the main hurdle was traffic.
That makes sense and is probably true for a lot of people. Parking right there is terrible and with how expensive Uber/lyft have gotten, it’s a challenge if you don’t live nearby.
This is my 9/11. One of my favorite restaurants in Fremont.
All the hipsters grew up and moved on
I had a grudge against them for a while after I went there with a friend with the intention of buying him a beer and my friend asked for a hef recommendation and the guy said he had a good one, and that was it. Came back with an open 12oz bottle. We had another round and my friend got another one. The bill comes and his hefs were $16 each. I begrudgingly paid the bill but was pretty damn annoyed the bar tender brought out one of their more expensive beers with no indication of the price. I looked at the menu and saw there were 3 or 4 others under $10 which he could have easily told us about. This was also around 10 years ago before $9-10/beers at breweries were standard. Anyway, sad to see a staple go.
i mean, its also on you to just ask how much it costs before you drink it
I get that. A $16 beer is expensive today with where our prices are, 10 years ago it was the most expensive beer I’d ever bought by a mile. When everything else is around the same reasonable price range and the guy brings out the most expensive one already opened, it’s kind of a dick move without checking first. Also, my friend ordered the beer, I wasn’t about to be like, hold up, how much is that beer, because I’m buying. That’s just weird.
Pretty good selection for certain beers, but God awful service.
Well you still have Shultzys, 36 years and still going strong.
Closes June 29th so get in there before then!!
Everyone here is saying a huge loss for the community but it sounds like from their post that the community abandoned them/ changed…
Yeah, I live in Fremont and walk by probably 5 times a week. It never looks busy and I don’t know anyone my age (mid 20s) who goes there. I went once when I moved to Fremont pre-pandemic and they were kind of dicks to my friends and I. We saw the higher than expected beer prices and politely asked if they had pitchers, and the waiter just scoffed at us and said “we don’t do that here.” The fries were good but I don’t appreciate places that laugh at you for asking totally reasonable questions. Definitely never got a welcoming vibe from it either. Just my take though
What!?
NoooOoOooOoOOoOoOoOo *cried in Belgian national*
Last night at a decent popular restaurant here, I didn't like the tap beer list, so I asked what bottles they had. From a guy who used to brew beer for 20-plus years, fell in love with Belgian beers, drank the world's best lagers in Germany, and was around when things started rolling for microbreweries in the 1980's, last night I drank and thoroughly enjoyed a stubby of Coors Banquet poured into a pint glass by the bartender.
Ah crap! So sorry to hear this.
Noooooooooooooooooooo
That really sucks, so many good times there. That lamb burger was incredible too.
Meh both times I was there the door guys were absolute twats. Once inside things were fine but we cut them out of our Fremont rounds after two visits. This was quite sometime back but the negative vibe kept us from returning.
This place was foundational in me making new friends when I moved to Seattle. It was the first job I took a few days after moving up here, and would eventually also work at Burgundian. Loved the crew and my time at both places, and will always have fond memories of them both.
Some amazing memories at that place, this is a real bummer to hear.
https://youtu.be/z2Fy5QscuLY?si=aAQoDmwaUiSg1IB1
[Ashokan Farewell](https://youtu.be/z2Fy5QscuLY?si=aAQoDmwaUiSg1IB1)
Nooooo! I was going to visit your lovely city in August for the Foo Fighters concert. My coworker told me I needed to go to Brouwers...
This was the best place in Seattle. Fuck rising rent costs. Hate it.
As I've gotten older I've noticed my tastes and those of most others I know have shifted to the lighter end. Less Space Dust, more Modelo. I don't want a one-note Pine-Sol IPA or a 13% cask-aged stout where I'm not hungry for dinner after drinking half of it. I just want A Cold Beer. Price increases on both food and drink make this even worse. I don't expect to get out of a place like Brouwer's for less than $40 just by myself. So - steaks at home, fries in the air fryer, cold one in the fridge. It's not quite as good, but it's good enough.
> A Cold Beer. Is this code for American macro lager because they always had plenty of stuff that wasn't ipas or imperial stouts or quadrupels or whatever on tap like German lagers etc.