What to Drink at Washington Brewers Festival This Weekend

This weekend is the Washington Brewers Festival in Redmond's Marymoor Park, where 105 Washington breweries will be pouring nearly 500 beers. If variety is the spice of life, prepare to get seasoned. Eater wanted to give you a pocket cheat sheet of ten must-sample beers (in alphabetical order, below) from the hundreds of brews offered this weekend. Cheers, folks.

- Jake Uitti

7 Seas Brewing (Gig Harbor): Depth Finder IRA - A red ale/IPA lovechild, this beer has the tasty malts and edged hops of maybe the two most popular styles.

Bale Breaker Brewing (Yakima): Topcutter IPA - A bright India Pale with a touch of citrus, this brew has a full body, but won't weigh you down.

Chuckanut Brewery (Bellingham): Vienna Lager - Bouncy on the tongue, this well-balanced lager has caramel notes but is never syrupy, only smooth.

Diamond Knot Craft Brewing (Mukilteo): Imperial Chocolate Vanilla Oatmeal Stout on Nitro - This dark, rich beer with subtle earth and sweet notes will hit you on the first sip.

Dru Bru Taproom & Brewery (Snoqualmie Pass): Hop Session - It seems as if hoppy, light beers are all the rage these days, and with good reason. They're packed with floral and, well, hoppy flavors, but are light enough in alcohol that you can enjoy more without the guilt (or the hangover). Dru Bru has one of the best on the market.

Fremont Brewing (Seattle): Summer Ale - One of the most beloved beers in our city, this orange-tap-handle beauty is the perfect balance of a pale ale, IPA, and the summer season itself. Also note the slightest jalapeno flavor to the mix.

Georgetown Brewing (Seattle): Chopper's Red Ale - Red ales, scotch ales, and even brown ales can often have that thick taste that drags your palate down. Chopper's isn't one of them. Georgetown has nailed the classic, light-hearted red.

Naked City (Seattle): Orange Blossom Special IPA - What does a touch of tangerine and tropical fruits get you when combined with Washington hops? An empty glass and another round of this wonderful summer concoction.

Odin Brewing (Tukwila): Odin's Gift - This dark, rich ruby brew drinks light. It has a touch of malt to start and a well-balanced oak-barrel finish.

Stoup Brewing (Seattle): Citra IPA - Made with Citra hops that you taste in the nose, this beer brings an oasis of grapefruit, lemon, and an orange spritz.