Dru Bru has a lot potential. Although, I don’t generally like European style beers, Dru Bru has never really let me down. I am lucky enough that they regularly provide their beers around my town, even their specialty ones. If you follow me on Facebook, you have probably seen that I have been lucky enough to try most of them– including an impromptu tasting flight at the local Zeke’s pizza, which happened to have been visited recently by the Dru Bru rep.

I just really wish my experience at the brewery had been a little better.  Granted I did choose to go to the brewery, which is located right next to the Snoqualmie ski area, during a period of high ski volume. I knew it would be crowded and this is my fault.  However, I don’t expect as a paying customer to have a group of children, who are not paying customers, be using the majority of seats in a brewery. I am sorry, I don’t really understand taking children to a brewery. There is nothing for kids to do in a brewery and drinking then driving  your kids down a snowy mountain is not a good idea in any way, shape or form. Dru Bru does offer a limited menu but there is no kids menu and many of these parents had brought outside food and drink for their kids to enjoy.  I really think brewery management need to consider this, especially during peak times. Paying customers walk out the door.  Because of the lack of seating, I drank my flight and left. Next time I visit it will be summer.

Now on to the beers, which were the saving grace of my experience–

Hop Session had a light grassy nose. It was lightly grassy in flavor and slightly bitter. A good run of the mill session style beer.

The IPA has less nose than the Hop Session and was very bitter up front. I didn’t find that it was a very well balanced beer.

Oktoberfest had a slightly malty nose, less than other similar style beers. It was very sweet up front but finished more malty. In fact, I found that it ended a bit too malty.

The Pumpkin Ale had a very cinnamon nose and was very cinnamon upfront in taste. However, it finished like a cinnamon candy and was overall a bit too sweet.

The Winter German Sticke Alt did not have much nose but had good coffee flavors up front.

The Schwartzbier was not much different than the Winter (in fact they were almost the same beer). However, the Schwartzbier was a bit more coffee in flavor.

In addition to these beers, I have had their Alt and Kolsch while around town. Again, they tend to make European style beers, which are generally not my favorite, but overall they are fairly true to style and decent beers.  If I see them on a local menu, I will grab one to support my local brewery.