It had been a couple years since a new brewery opened in Georgetown, but Counterbalance Brewing finally put an end to that dry spell. So on a particularly hot summer day I hopped on my bike to pay them a visit. I’d worked up quite a sweat by the time I got there, and since the taproom was surprisingly quiet I was able to sit next to the fan while re-hydrating with the taster tray.

Taster tray at Counterbalance Brewing — Seattle, WA

Rob’s Picks
• Counterbalance IPA – 6.1% – Smooth, with big tropical fruit and light earthy hops. Good caramel malt backbone.
• Kushetka Imperial Stout – 8.9% – Coffee/chocolate aroma and flavors. Sweet molasses, too, with a bit of a dark chocolate bitter finish. Creamy mouthfeel.
• Pogo Duck ISA – 5% – Light, with earthy hops and a little bit of sweetness. Subtle underlying caramel.
• Maibock – 5% – Caramel and light biscuit maltiness. Some herbal hops. Pretty smooth. Nice mix of flavors.
• Summer Wheat – 5.5% – Tropical fruit hop flavor, light underlying breadiness. Hint of bubblegum sweetness, with mellow bitterness on the finish. Unfiltered.

The Rest
• Abigale Blonde Ale – 5.2% – Sweet bubblegum, some herbal hops, bitter zing on the finish. Bit of lemon. Very slight breadiness.
• Bad Wolf Dark Ale – 6.7% – Dark reddish-brown color. Roasty, light coffee/chocolate maltiness. Citrus and herbal hop edge. Interesting but a little too sweet for me.
• Storm Cycle CDA – 7.5% – Collaboration with Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery. Chocolate, coffee, light roasty maltiness. Herbal hops. A bit creamy mouthfeel. Molasses on finish. Interesting.

There are plenty of brewery stop options now for south end rides through Sodo, Georgetown, and South Park. The only drawback is the increased likelihood of spending most of the time drinking beer instead of on the bike. This is why I always seem to end up biking home at night.