Seattlest Beer Spots - The Pub at Pipers Creek

A couple of Sunday nights ago we wandered up Aurora towards The Pub at Pipers Creek, located just north of the intersection at 105th and Greenwood Ave. Going to bars we've never been to before is always exciting, especially those that have a great tap list. We had heard that the Baron Rauchbier was on tap here, and that was the primary reason for visiting.

At 6pm on this Sunday evening, the bar itself was fairly empty. With the exception of a few regulars with stools pulled up to the bar, there was just one other group of people when we walked in. As we headed up to the bar, not only were there three Baron beers (Pils, Schwarzbier & Rauchbier) sticking out, there were a total of 17 taps of goodness(+ 1 tap of schwag, MGD) ready to pour.

Other beers on tap included Deschutes The Abyss ($3.75 for a full pint!), Water Street Queen Nina IPA, Sculler's IPA, Pike Monk's Uncle and Stone IPA -- you get the feeling they like IPAs? All pints seemed to be $3.75. They also had a few bottled beers for sale it looked like, but nothing exciting. Interestingly, they also had a beer from Butte Creek Brewing, in California, called Mateveza. It's an organic pale ale brewed with yerba maté, the ancient South American tea prized for its energizing and nutritional properties. We had a sample of it and thought it was pretty vile, but it is still a unique beer to have on tap anywhere. Overall, the tap selection is great, especially for a bar that you rarely hear mentioned around Seattle beer circles.

It doesn't look like much from outside, but inside it is a clean, welcome atmosphere. The bartender was great and friendly, and the regulars seemed like the type you could pull up a chair with and chat for a while. Three pool tables, several dart boards and Golden Tee make for some entertainment with your pint, and there was a TV or two to catch whatever is on. We didn't eat, but from other reviews we've read it sounds like the burger is fantastic. In fact, we plan on making a trip back just to try it.

Oh, and the Baron Rauchbier was worth the trip. The aroma is fantastic and gets you ready for the significant smoky bacon in the taste. The smoke doesn't overwhelm, and the beer is actually quite smooth and drinkable. If you like the Aecht Rauchbier, give this one a try. It's a solid attempt that we'd love to head down to the Baron brewery for a growler of.

The drive from Beacon Hill doesn't exactly make it convenient for this Seattlest, but Pipers Creek might be a place we go back to often in the future. It's definitely worth the trip.