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This review covers the Worthy Brewery located on the East side on Bellevue. This is a large, modern brewery with a sampler of 6 costing $10. Again, the beers are pretty much all hoppy, much to my chagrin. A nice outdoor sitting area adds to the appeal. Did not sample the food. They grow their own hops on the way in, though it seems to be an experimental garden. Not close to anything – must drive there.

Black Squirrel Books & Espresso Bar – Menu with Prices – 1073 Bank St, Ottawa

In the era of coffee shops and global knowledge of how to appeal to youth and their desire for uniqueness, it is difficult to stand out. Black Squirrel still manages to do that! It is a coffee shop with a nice selection of teas and coffee, and a ton of interesting books to browse through. While I was enjoying my cup of tea, my dad found a bunch of well priced books he wanted to purchase for a while. The place also hosts a range of events including the monthly experimental/electronic music sessions referred to as Not Normal sessions. I highly admire this effort to promote experimental music and be a bit more than just another coffee shop.

E9 Brewing Co. & Taproom – Menu with Prices – 2506 Fawcett Ave, Tacoma

E9 Brewery: 2506 Fawcett Ave. Tacoma This tap room/brewery opened last Wednesday The tap room is fairly small with windows to view the brewery. The bar is fully metal with comfortable metal stools. Bartender: Brenton – Nice fellow, very professional Tap Room Manager: Todd – Informative, knowledgeable, personable and very willing to make the customers comfortable. Brewmaster: Shane Johns – Shane was quite busy at the time we visited the brewery. He has several awards. I thank him for emailing, the same evening, to help fill in some gaps in my notes. I do appreciate the time taken to offer that help. All ratings are only my opinion and specific to the particular visit. Ratings are on a scale of: 0-10 stars. (New rating levels) Tacoma Brew: ABV 4.8% – IBU 20 Style: Kolch Hops: Mt hood, saaz and strisselspalt Beautiful crisp aroma. The taste is light and crisp but flattens out to a bit bready. short finish **** stars Belgian Amber Ale: ABV 6.8% – IBU 38 Style: Amber Ale Cascade centennial and tettnang Nice sweet aroma. Unusual taste; there’s a high bitterness in the pallet. It has a little bubblegum flavor. Long bitter finish. ****** stars Nefelibata Flemish Red Ale: ABV 6.9% Style: Red Ale Hops: Aged noble This brew has an aroma of soda pop. However; the taste has caramel and dried fruit. Nice easy medium finish ****** stars Atma Tarte Farmhouse Ale: ABV 5% – IBU 25 Style: Farmhouse Ale Saaz , east Kent Golding and belma Tart aroma. This is a nice medium ale, comfortable to drink. It would go nicely with just about any food. It has an enjoyable tarte medium finish *******stars. Wild Tacoma Bing Cherry American Wild Ale: ABV 5.8% Style: American Ale Hops: Aged Apollo Very light Cherry aroma. Fine tart cherry taste due to the Bing cherries used in the brew. Later in the taste the tartness sets a side, bringing forward a pleasant bing cherry medium finish ********stars

Thirsty Eye Brewing Company Menu with Prices 206 Broadway Blvd SE, Albuquerque

Another great addition to Albuquerque’s craft brewery scene, this place is coming out of the gates swinging on nearly every front, as far as I’m concerned: + Venue: Honestly delightful, sort of a Zendo/Sidetrack hybrid — because it’s both brewery and cafe — very bright within, beaming with smart art, communal seating and a wide bar. In back, a patio connects the place to an art gallery that I’ve yet to explore, can’t wait. + Beer: Whoa, it isn’t supposed to be this good this early on. Like many new spots around town, I could care less that their IPAs don’t quite nail it — this city has plenty of hops — and literally everything else I tried was good or straight up great, like the sneaky Gourd ale with pumpkin and, somehow, cranberry. The menu also features sours, kombucha, and ciders, many of them guest pours. + Cafe: I can’t speak to the overall quality — it was beer o’clock, folks — but they’re sourcing pretty good beans from local roasters. + Food: Nothin’ but food trucks, yet, so plan accordingly. + Staff: Likely what will keep me coming back, and that isn’t only because they let me sample literally everything they were pouring. The brewmaster, bartenders and owners were there throughout, they were outgoing and super open to suggestions, which is an important attitude for a brewery facing exceptionally strong competition in the 505.

Four Peaks Wilson – Menu with Prices – 2401 S Wilson St, Tempe

Never had a chance to get over to Four Peaks’ tasting room until last night despite seeing it on my Yelp bookmark map for years. What a treat! So glad I finally found a Friday night with some free time to venture over! (FYI: the tasting room is only open on Fridays 4-9) The beer selection is pretty much the same as their 8th street location, although I think they might have some single barrel/limited edition beers here on a more frequent basis being that most of the beer is brewed here. I ordered the Odelay which is the seasonal Mexican chocolate brown ale and gotta say it surprised me in a great way! The hints of cacao nibs and slight spice was a great combo with the typical composition of a brown. I would definitely order it again. I also recommend that you register for the free brewery tour! Mark was an awesome host and went into good depth about the brewing process for those new to how the whole thing works. From mixing the malt/water/hops to make wort, to pitching the yeast, to filtering via centrifuge and finally bottling/canning, all is explained with great quality. Mark also has a great sense of humor which definitely adds to the tour experience. We even got to sample the Golden Lager, which is on the ultra drinkable side for a craft beer but with much more body than your typical Modelo. I walked away following the visit feeling positively surprised and that I will definitely return when my schedule permits. For those who want a different perspective on Four Peaks outside of the restaurant vibe, give the Wilson St. tasting room a try!

Market Fresh Key Center Menu with Prices 601 108th Ave NE, Bellevue

Came here apparently during their HH which runs from 2:30-3:30pm! The price goes from $7.49/lb to $5.49/lb! Score! Been wanting to try this place and not only did I get to but I also got a good deal on it, too! I am sure the freshness and amount of food was slightly compromised considering the time of day but I am okay with that. The owner (I think he was) was very friendly and invited me to take a look around before deciding. They offer a variety of salad bar, cold food, and hot food options. Kind of reminds me of Whole Foods but with less options. The place is quite small, but it does what it needs to do. I got a bunch of things since I like to fill my plate with sample size amounts of food. I really enjoyed the orange chicken but the orange/pineapple tofu (forgot the name exactly) was the star of my plate! The tofu was crispy on the outside with the right amount of sweet sauce and soft tofu on the inside.. YUM! I also liked their mac n cheese. I did not enjoyed the overcooked and dry salmon, but maybe it was fresh and juicy when it first came out and not sitting under the heat lamp for hours when I got to it. This is very close to me so I could frequent this place. Plus, it’s close to the Bellevue transit center. So, you can hop off, get food, and go back to work or where ever or you can get food right before you hop on the bus- if you leave early from work bc this place closes early at 3pm! Overall, I would return, HH or not. I liked having healthy food options and several of them!

Bang Brewing Company – Menu with Prices – 2320 Capp Rd, St Paul

This is such a unique and cute little brewery and taproom. It?s all tucked into this old silo. Given the limited space inside, I would suggest visiting this brewery in the warmer months so you can take advantage of a rather expensive outdoor patio. I only had a chance to try a few of their brews – namely their sweet IPAs. They were fantastic!! This place is great. Will for sure come back soon.

Scuttlebutt Brewing – Taproom – Menu with Prices – 3314 Cedar St, Everett

Fun little dog-friendly taproom in Everett with garage doors that open up to an outdoor space, as well as the larger warehouse with extra seating, ping pong and corn hole. An extension of the popular Scuttlebutt in the Everett Marina, Scuttlebutt taproom showcases the brewery’s beer with rotating taps. They always have a wide variety of beers on tap, keeping a few of their popular ones available while switching out some seasonal brews. Ciders and Scuttlebutt-made soda on tap, too. All the beers I’ve tried have been solid. The ambiance could be loosely termed ‘PNW nautical’, fitting for a brewery. As mentioned, there’s an indoor space that opens up to a warehouse, and then an outdoor space – plenty of room for groups. They don’t serve food (if you want that, head to their restaurant on the waterfront for some typical pub food), but that’s great for me as they allow dogs in. The bartender was very friendly to my pup and asked him for a handshake, making me feel welcome with him. Since they don’t serve food, you can bring your own/order delivery to the taproom. They do close early, I think at 9 p.m., so it is more of a daytime experience. One downside; they are in a weird location, set back from the Everett Public Works building – but there is a good amount of street parking available. Overall, great brewery and casual spot to get groups/friends together for some beers.

Upland Brewery – Menu with Prices – 1201 Prospect St, Indianapolis

Upland’s Fountain Square location is definitely prorated up a notch for me, due to its emphasis on sour, barrel-aged, and experimental brews. I like having multiple options to pick from, of my favorite beer styles. Plus, you know Upland’s sours will typically taste amazing, as they keep building up their sour & barrel-aged program’s reputation, even winning national recognition. You can order basic flights of Upland’s flagship beers, sours only, or a mixture of both. Unfortunately, you can’t order single flight size tasters if you aren’t in the mood for a lot of beer (or you’re watching your carbs). Food-wise, the menu reads as interesting and modern, with diverse options. However, every time we’ve eaten at Upland, we get the bill and think “Hmm, not sure I need to pay that much again for an average meal”. There always seems to be one element off in each meal. For the bratwurst sandwich, the local Turchettis brat is great, but the “rustic” thick breading doesn’t fit. We thought the flavor profile of the deviled eggs sounded delicious, but the overcooked egg whites were a little rubbery. The upgrade charges can add up too. I love Upland’s buffalo burger; but the time you swap in a side salad, get the buffalo opt-in, and add on the Blue Flame style…it’s almost a $20 meal. I do enjoy Upland’s take on nachos, as it’s fresh-tasting and not dependent on grease or atomic orange cheese sauce for flavor. Upland Fountain Square has the rare parking lot, but you can honestly find free, close-by street parking if the lot is full. Service was average-friendly and less attentive some of the time. The interior is modern industrial, with a lot of concrete and gray/wood accents. The brewery opens up to outdoor dog-friendly patio and small gaming area, which is attractive and fun-looking, but also lets in the flies which were dive bombing our beers during a recent visit. I recommend visiting this Upland location to sample some awesome sour and barrel-aged beer varieties that you’d have trouble finding elsewhere.

Cielo Cocina Mexicana Menu with Prices 958 111th Ave NE Suite 101, Bellevue

This is my new favorite Mexican restaurant on the East side. It’s located in the former Scotty Brown’s location on NE 8th and 405, with free parking downstairs as well as across the street in the Elements building. I’ve been parking here for free for years and have never gotten a ticket or citation. First off, their prices are decent for being in downtown Bellevue. Combined with their happy hour specials until 6pm, you can get cheap drinks and appetizers. And what’s not yet indicated on their menu or website is that they’re now offering late night happy hour starting at 9pm as well. In terms of the service, I’ve been here about 4-5 times and one of the servers already remembered my order. Last night we were waited on by Adriana who was very friendly, attentive, and readily fixed a small mistake in our food order. The food is also great. They provide free chips and salsa, and the salsa is perfect every time – it’s not too mild not too hot. I’m also not a fan of most Spanish rice dishes, but what they serve here I really like. I also usually opt for the picadillo in either a burrito or chimichanga, which is flavorful and they don’t skimp on the portions. The atmosphere here is also great. They have an open kitchen, centrally located bar, and fire pits on the patio during the warmer nights. All in all, a great new addition to Bellevue!

Naples Botanical Garden – Menu with Prices – 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples

My boyfriend, dad and I spent a few hours wandering around the Naples Botanical Garden this winter. It was a very peaceful and relaxing experience! General admission for adults is $20, which is pretty average for places like this. There are seven main areas in the Naples Botanical Garden: +Visitor center (Irma’s garden, Kathryn’s garden, and the orchid garden) +Asian garden +Brazilian garden +Caribbean garden +Children’s garden +Florida garden +Preserve +Water garden I liked the water garden and the orchid garden the best. The water garden was large with lots of different features and very peaceful. The orchids were amazing! They have so many different varieties and interesting facts about them. There are fun features throughout the gardens, like a labyrinth, plants you can touch and smell, and the idea garden. All of the gardens and plants are kept up beautifully. I wish there was more signage to explain the different species and history of the gardens. Maybe I missed some while admiring all the different flowers! The gardens also have a cafe, walking trails, a gift shop, and special events throughout the year. I was hoping for a small souvenir like a postcard from the gardens, but the shop is mostly fancy home decor and less “souvenir” shopping. I don’t think I’d go back again right away, but it was a nice way to spend a sunny afternoon in Florida.

Seven Seas Kombucha – Menu with Prices – 9863 Pacific Heights Blvd Suite D, San Diego

Just like the craft beer brewery spike, the kombucha breweries I feel are on the rise. This one is located in a random business park and is not 5 minutes away from work for me so I have come to sit in here to do work a few times already. The owner is usually chilling here during the day in complete silence, but he always makes sure to put on some tunes for me, usually those conducive to working, so nothing loud and distracting. As others have mentioned, their kombucha is very light and not as vinegary as others. They are mildly sweet with a pop of fluff from the corresponding flavor. Kombucha, when not fermented for a long period of time such as hard kombucha, is lower in sugar AND alcohol content, but there is still *some* of both. Kombucha usually floats under 1% ABV, so therefore they are still considered a non-alcoholic beverage (according to the FDA). STILL, on an empty stomach, consuming an entire flight of tasters (16oz total) *has* gotten me buzzed and oddly loopy. Seven Seas seems to have at least 6 core flavors available at any given time, with a couple of R&D flavors available off menu. I have enjoyed their Jasmine tea/ Grapefruit flavor from this series. From their core line-up, I prefer their *Island Hopper*, a dryer, more direct kombucha with the Nelson hops and juniper berries. They otherwise have a good variety of flavors ranging from traditional & herbal (e.g. Honey Mate, Tuk Tuk Tea) to fruitier (e.g. Sea Breeze, Garden of Eden). Their biggest crowd pleaser is their *Cactus Nectar* which is rather refreshing. It’s even available on tap recently at Blue Box Bagel down the street. I appreciate creativity and craft especially when it involves things I love — tea, yeast, and healthy, wholesome products. This brewery is doing everything right and they are still in their infancy stages. I can’t wait to see what else they will churn out!

Oakshire Brewing Public House – Menu with Prices – 207 Madison St, Eugene

I’m ONLY giving them a 3 star rating because our beertender (who wore glasses… maybe fake?) was pretty snobby and rude. My husband and I had just arrived, I sampled (but did not finish) 3 samples which 2 I did not like. When my husband arrived at the bar he asked for 2 samples, I told her I had decided on my third sample but wanted to try 2 others (to sample what they had to offer) and she declined, saying they limit to 3 samples… I’ve never been declined samples at ANY other brewery before, and I’ve been to MANY! Maybe this is the policy of the brewery, but she was not even apologetic or sympathetic, just snotty and rude in her delivery. My husband asked for whichever of his 2 requests that she poured first and she served him the wrong one. The beer he liked she had poured second and she served him what she poured first. We know we enjoy their sours that are canned and available in stores, unfortunately their tap room service is not like their canned beers, those are much fresher and actually enjoyable to be around.