My previous post was on Washington’s largest brewery. This is on one of its smallest, Rooftop Brew Company. They are about as far north in the Queen Anne neighborhood as you can get – not quite along the South Ship Canal Trail, but on the other side of Nickerson St, behind the 7-11, in a rather small garage – and the Ship Canal separates them quite effectively from the Ballard and Fremont brewery scene. That bit of distance has given them a good little neighborhood brewery feel. You know, every neighborhood should have its own microbrewery or two (or in Ballard’s case, ten), especially one as cool and friendly as Rooftop. I really like their logo glass/public health workaround system – buy their glass and, as long as you keep bringing it in with you, all beers are $1 off. Otherwise it’s full price in a compostable plastic cup. You save a bit on their beer, and they don’t have to install an expensive glassware sanitizer system. Not sure this will make sense if and when they expand their facilities, but in the meantime it’s pretty awesome.

Rooftop Brew Company — Seattle, WA

Rob’s Picks
• Belgian Wit – 4% – Crisp, light and spicy, with a bit of clove (less so banana). The coriander and orange peel are not overpowering, which is good. Bready finish.
• Dry-Hopped Wheat Ale – 4.5% – Big citrus and piney aroma. Flavor not as big but at a really nice level. Light and smooth.
• Makeda Coffee Porter – 4.7% – Made with cold-press Makeda coffee. Great coffee aroma. You need to like coffee to like this beer. Fairly dry, with subtle dark chocolate flavor and an underlying bitterness.
• IPA – 6.5% – Big citrus and piney aroma and flavor. Good caramel maltiness. Really solid.
• Hoppin Honey Braggot – 9.5% – Sweet citrusy aroma. Floral and citrus hop flavors balanced nicely by honey and caramel sweetness. Good lingering flavors, though sweetness does build up a bit. Doesn’t taste like it’s almost 10%.
• ESB – Floral and some citrus hop with caramel and biscuit malt. Subtle underlying bubblegum sweetness. Smooth. Nice mix of flavors.

The Rest
• Imperial Porter – 10% – Strong, sweet, alcohol and coffee aroma. More sweet, alcohol flavor than coffee/chocolate. Bit of Kahlua edge. Hint of dryness. Still a work in progress.
• Steamer – 5.2% – California Common-like pale ale. Floral aroma and flavor. Caramel and biscuit malt. Pretty smooth. Light lingering bitterness.

Oh yeah, you’d think that with a name like Rooftop, they’d have a roof deck, but no, they’re just in a little garage. Start small and dream big, right?