Brewtopia
"Greenwood Aged Beer"
If you like Mac & Jack's I'm sorry but I have to agree whole heartedly to the following comment to Geoff Kaiser's Blog.
This is in response to this blog entry
Again, sorry but I just can't bring myself to drink Mac & Jack's
ok ok. so it IS a locally owned company, it IS actually dry hopped, it is, well, pretty good for an amber. but, gee wiz: aren't we all SICK AND TIRED of this beer by now? like you mention: they sell more of this crap in the region than ANY OTHER BEER!!!! enough already! in the NW micro brew community in the last twenty or so years, the dominate amber brand has cycled every five or six years. redhook killed it for a long time, then alaskan amber through the late 90's. when does mac and jacks get knocked of their holy firkin pedestal?!?!? unfortunately, like any other market dominating product, the monopoly of mac and jacks CHOKES OUT other, better products. fine ambers like boundary bay and port townsend barely maintain a share of the market the boys in redmond delightfully dominate. this must end! it's an ok beer but, for screamin' out loud my seattle beer brother (and sister): call for another beer every once in a while!
This is in response to this blog entry
Brewery Tour at Mac and Jack's in Redmond
I'm guessing that just about anybody reading a blog about beer that lives in Seattle has had at least one pint of Mac and Jack's African Amber. But, how many of you have been to the brewery for a tour over in Redmond?
Did you know that Mac and Jack's sells more of their African Amber on draft in the Seattle area than ANY other beer/brewery? Yes, that includes all the macro beers such as Bud/Coors/Miller. Mac and Jack's is a very focused brewery; draft only, 4 beers in the lineup(maybe 3 soon if they drop the IPA as rumored) very little advertising, a basic website and limited distribution. They're obviously doing something right if they are beating the big guys in one of the most competitive beer markets in the country.
Mac and Jack's is located in Redmond, WA and is open every day of the week for filling your growler or picking up kegs. On Sundays at 3pm they do a weekly tour that my girlfriend and I attended this past weekend. There were about 25 people on the tour that was led by a very informative employee that gave great information about the basics of brewery operation and specifics of the Mac and Jack's beers in general. One thing I learned, is that every single keg of African Amber that leaves the brewery has a mesh sack of hops floating in it to dry-hop the beer. We sampled the Amber, Porter, Wheat and IPA that are the four staples of Mac and Jack's. Of those beers, the Amber accounts for something like 90% of their volume. Essentially, they could make just that beer and not skip a beat. And you know what? It's a great beer. I often pass it up for other offerings in bars, but having a fresh sample reminded me of just how good it really is. It's the highest rated Amber Ale on Ratebeer.com.
The tour is well worth an hour on a Sunday afternoon; just make sure to bring a growler or two and get them filled.
Again, sorry but I just can't bring myself to drink Mac & Jack's