We just got back from a night spent in Anacortes for the Brewgrass! festival. Here's the scoop.

It’s a frozen Friday night in November. We’re in Anacortes for Brewgrass, an annual music-and-beer festival that has been going strong for 14 years. Three venues are involved -- H20, Rockfish Grill, and Brown Lantern Ale House — all of which are within a block of each other on the west side of Commercial Avenue. We begin at the brewery (Rockfish Grill & Anacortes Brewing) for dinner and drinks to the tune of bluegrass, played by the Rain City Ramblers.

Normally we’d spend a sunny Saturday on the trail, chased by a pint or two at the nearest brewpub. But February 25, 2017 is no normal Saturday in Bellingham. It’s a day to celebrate with two of our favorite industries: local beer and the great outdoors.

The third annual Bellingham Beer Week was a sampling of everything Bellingham has to offer: a united community of excellent independent business, gorgeous scenery, and most importantly a hoppin' beer scene! From September 12 to 21, all of Bellingham shone a golden spotlight on our favorite beverage. From a film series and chocolate-beer pairing happy hours to Oktoberfest celebrations and a walk in the woods, there was something for everyone.

Last year, three Bellingham breweries joined forces to create a special ale for Bellingham Beer Week. The result of this collaborative effort between Kulshan, Chuckanut, and Boundary Bay, a Belgian-style dark ale, was a big hit. Not only was it the first collaboration beer in town - it was also the first canned beer from the three breweries.

Riding on last year's success, Beer Week is back and bigger than ever. This year, nine (count 'em!) Whatcom County breweries have teamed up to create Whatcom Wheat Ale. Canned August 20, 2014 at Boundary Bay Brewery, Whatcom Wheat will be available on draft and in 16-ounce cans throughout the city, just in time for Beer Week.

Get ready—September is coming. Here in the Pacific Northwest, September is one of the best months to get outside. Cooler summer weather, fewer crowds, and less bugs! Fall colors edge in near the end of the month, but the rains are kept at bay and the temperatures are still plenty warm. It’s our favorite month for hiking here at Beers at the Bottom.

September also means Bellingham Beer Week! Mark your calendars, as beer week will be held from Friday, September 12 to Sunday, September 21 this year.  Celebrating its 3rd consecutive year, BBW promises to be bigger than ever, with more events and MORE BEER! 

The Evergreen State has plenty of great beer festivals to choose from throughout the year. We’re not talking about beer gardens with limited choices of brews—nope, we mean festivals featuring dozens of breweries and hundreds of beers. It can be overwhelming, in the most wonderful way.

We’ve attended and volunteered at three major beer festivals in recent memory: Seattle International (SIB), April Brews Day, and most recently WA Beer Commission's Winter Beer Fest. Here’s some tried and true brew fest advice from Beers at the Bottom:

From beer author book talks to hikes, Octoberfest celebrations, and of course lots of beer, we traded sleep for good times and great brews during Bellingham Beer Week #2.

Beers at the Bottom has some exciting news.