Draft Mag 100 Best Beer Bars (2013 Cont.) - Stumbling Monk in Seattle

Avec Les Bons Voeux and Me Enjoying an Angel's Share from Lost Abbey

Stop #2 on the tour of Draft Magazine's 100 Best Beer Bars in the United States (the list can be found here) is a small bar in Seattle called Stumbling Monk.  Remember those Halcyon Days where beer bars were quiet affairs.  Where it was just you and your pint and you could strike up a conversation with the three or four other people at the bar.  Those days when you get Pliny the Yonger without lining up three hours in advance, and Belgium meant everything to you.  Well, I am happy to report that there is a little time machine in Seattle that can take you back to those days.

The strength of Stumbling Monk is not in flashy decor or an outrageous selection.  Instead it offers a quaint but quirky interior and a handful of quality taps (maybe about 8 or so) and about 20 super quality bottles that can be enjoyed to go or in the bar itself.  On the night I went, I was able to enjoy an Avec Les Bons Voeux from Brasserie Dupont, a Bourbon Barrel Aged Angel's Share from Lost Abbey, and a Stille Nacht 2011 Vintage from Browerij de Dolle Brouwers.  That is a quality a trio served in appropriate glassware from a knowledgeable and friendly bartender.

There is no food here, but you are free to order food from any of the surrounding establishments and eat it here in the low lit, comfy interior of the Stumbling Monk.  You can even challenge your date or friend to a game of Battleship or Star Wars Trivial Pursuit (proof that beer geeks are just plain old geeks really).  This is just a plain old water hole open everyday from 6pm - 2am.  There isn't much to it, but it focuses on quality beers and a quiet retreat.  These days, that is a very rare find and makes this a worthy stop.

Draft Mag 100 Best Beer Bars (2013) - The Pine Box in Seattle

Draft Magazine recently released its 100 best beers in the US list.  Lists are always highly subjective or "crap" as one of my friends opined.  But what lists often give you is new information.  So it is best not to get too upset about the list's inclusions or omissions but to use it as a guide for your own exploration.  I recently found myself down in Seattle for a long weekend and I decided to stop in to at least a couple of the bars on the list.  Full disclosure here, in the past I have found Seattle (and in general the Pac-Northwest as a whole) overrated as a beer scene (both in breweries and bars).  So, I was excited to check out some of the listings in an effort to experience new places and get a fresh perspective.

The Converted Funeral Home Now a Classy Beer Bar

The first stop was the relatively new (opened in 2012) - The Pine Box.  You have to love a bar that has been built in the chapel of an old funeral home.  The results are very good. A big airy feel, with high ceilings, a 2nd floor for dining, and a quirky but very classy vibe to it all.  The bar itself is a long "L" with the bar space wide and roomy.  As an added bonus, the wood for the bar was taken out of the basement of the original funeral home, where its original purpose for shelving for the remains of those that have shuffled off their mortal coil.

The tap menu is 32 quality taps centered on local breweries but also including fine choices from across the US and abroad.  My personal favorite on this day was the wonderful, over the top, Imperial Stout from Dugges Ales in Sweden called (appropriately) Idjit!  Lots of roasted caramel and malts with coffee and chocolate tempered with a bit of vanilla. A real quality sipper for a cold, rainy Seattle day.  The bar staff were very attentive and helpful with assistance in picking beverages. It was obvious that they were beer lovers also and their detailed descriptions were appreciated.

Idiot Drinking Idjit!

The full bar is also well stocked, including some very local distilled spirits available (think local meaning, down the street).  I did not eat here on this day but the menu appeared delightful with fresh pizzas, some small plate options, and a handful of well thought out entrees. 

As stated, lists are always highly subjective.  Is The Pine Box one of the top 100 beer bars in the country?  That can certainly be debated, but it is a very visually cool spot, with quality beer and friendly staff.  That alone should make you stop and check it out while you are in Capitol Hill district of Seattle.  The Pine Box is located at 1600 Melrose Avenue in Seattle, Washington.  Their website is www.pineboxbar.com