Black Raven Brewing Co.

RoryGilmore

Washington

3.54/5  rDev -13.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | $$

Finally got out to Black Raven after hearing so many great things about them. II had few offerings at various fests and though they solid.

The atmosphere and decor are well done for a production brewery tasting room. The service was great: attentive, friendly, and not overbearing.

Now to the important part... the beer. After hearing so many good things, I went in with high expectations. Unfortunately after plodding through the sampler, I was a bit disappointed. Nothing was drain-pour bad, but I kept finding the same off flavor in at least three of samples.

To be fair, they were out of the Trickster IPA and no seasonal or limited releases were on, and by all accounts that's were BR shines. But judging solely on what was available at the time of my visit, I wouldn't go out of my way for their meager regular line up.

03-24-2011 07:09:31 | More by RoryGilmore

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.75 | $$

Had been meaning to stop by the tasting room for some time, but something always came up in the past, plus the hour long drive from Tacoma was a deterrent. However, the stars all aligned on Tuesday, and I finally made it over.

The tasting room is located in an inconspicuos set of buildings, just off the main drag of Willows Road. I got there a bit before 3:00 (when they open), only to see a BBQ food truck already setting up shop in anticipation of the crowd to come. That struck me as a bit overly optimistic on a Tuesday afternoon, but then I'd never been here before and didn't know what to expect (even on a Tuesday afternoon, the tasting room gets a decent size crowd).

Inside, the taproom is surprisingly sizeable, with several dining room areas, as well as a modest size bar in front to the left when you first walk in. The tasting room has sort of a modern, minimalistic vibe, with warm colors throughout. So this struck me as comfortable place to hang out with a beer or three on a cold afternoon in February.

On this particular day there were the 6 core beers on tap, and then 4 limited, special release beers. I eshewed the coconut brown ale (the coco jones), but did try the wine barrel aged abbey ale (BA Le petite mort), the wine barrel aged saison (the pour les oiseaux), and the Beaktweaker IPA. All of them were excellent to outstanding. As for the core beers, my favorites were the Trickster IPA (a huge hit this day in the tasting room), splinters and the totem pale.

The server was knowledgeable and quick, as one would expect from someone who tends bar on a regular basis in the tasting rooom. Prices were pretty reasonable I thought. I went with the sample flight, and then added a sample size glass of the beaktweaker, BA le petite mort and the Pour les oiseaux. I liked the latter two beers so much that I ordered two more sample size glasses of the beer. I wasn't sure if that was cool (just ordering sample size glasses), but I told the bartender I had a long drive back to Tacoma, and he was completely cool with it. So total cost for my beers was $11 ($6 for the flight of core beers, then a buck a sample size glass for the others). Not bad at all, considering what I ordered.

The tasting room is a haul for me to get to, but damn if the beers here aren't good. I'm sure I'll be back.

02-21-2013 17:31:36 | More by johnmichaelsen

dirtylou

Washington

3.94/5  rDev -3.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

located in an industrial park - pretty "blah" setting

the interior is a somewhat fragmented space - a main bar area with a few side rooms. Clean and sterile.

There were 8-10 taps or so, with a few guest options from the region. I went with the Trickster IPA as the rotational taps weren't really standouts in this particular day.

There is no kitchen but they have bar snacks and seem very open to having people bring in whatever they want from local restaurants.

Definitely a different atmosphere than similar places in Seattle - lots of samplers and locals present.

I enjoy most of Black Raven's beer, but it's going to take a special release to get me back out to Redmond, due to the logistics of their location and the somewhat anonymity of the location

04-16-2012 00:53:26 | More by dirtylou

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.14/5  rDev +1.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

A: Tucked away in a industrial park one might say...OH NO. Five minutes inside into the first beer I say OH YES! Small place, walking in the bar is ahead seating to the right and some extra seating next to the back wall which screams Black Raven.

Q: Every beer here is good to damn right fantastic.

S: Good, friendly and prompt on this visit

S: About 7 standards brews and three specials with Old Birdbrain barleywine and two others..I have to grab my notes

F: No food but pretzels galore.

Visited here several times now. One trip I managed to try Wisdom Seeker and CoCo. The place has expanded with the suit next door. Now they have plenty of seating and additional handles and a bathroom to handle the fans.

08-07-2011 22:14:07 | More by barleywinefiend

hopburster

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +6.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

A - Th atmosphere is nice, still a little on the small size even with the recent expansion. Usually feels crowded and often hard to find a place to sit. Guess that just speaks to the quality of their beers.

Q - I love the beers these guys make!! In my book, they are neck and neck with Walking Man and Boundary Bay for the best brewery in the state...really, they are that good! I think their Trickster IPA is the best in Washington and would compare favorably to any I've had from across the country. The Wisdom Seeker is out of the world when it comes on and the Old Birdbrain is an excellent barleywine. While those three top the list, the others beers I've had there have been solid as well. Looking forward to trying their Imperial stout and some of the lbottles being released in the near future.

S - I've always had great service here...no diva bar maids who don't have time to serve you a beer. And they've always been at least somewhat knowledgeable about the beer they are serving. I've talked to the brewmaster (Beau) a couple of times and he is always friendly and willing to talk shop; he even gave me tour of the brewery once. Good people all around!

S - I believe they have 9-10 taps. 5-6 of their own and 3-4 gust taps. Seemed to have a good selection across a range of styles.

F - Pretzels, nuts, order in or bring your own. But I don't really care--I go to drink, food can be had elsewhere.

V - Seemed OK. Pint and growler prices seemed about average for what you can expect to pay these days.

Overall--At the top of my list for WA. breweries...I'd be a happy mane if the other breweries around here made beers that were half as good!

03-12-2011 01:03:48 | More by hopburster

NWer

Washington

4.66/5  rDev +14.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

One of the top quality breweries in the Northwest. Their Trickster - when you can get it - and their Wisdom Seeker - when you can get it - are as good as it gets.
Then there's Grandfather Raven - when you can get it - superb!
Food? Not germane - they're a working brewery with a tap room. People who expect food should go elsewhere. They're not paying attention. There are complementary peanuts and pretzels though and you can order a pizza from a nearby place that delivers.
Great beer and friendly, knowledgeable people. Doesn't get any better than that.

02-18-2011 13:15:53 | More by NWer

SirChugsAlot

Washington

4.56/5  rDev +11.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Black raven is a very nice place to stop in for a beer. They have several very delicious beers that are almost always on tap. I love the trickster IPA! They have a cask offering sometimes too. The atmosphere is great with a few sports TV's and the ever expanding seating area (they bought out the place next door for more room)

The girls that work there are friendly and efficient at serving beer and helpful if you're having trouble deciding what to have.

They have a limited release line that is awesome! from coco jones to wisdom seeker, black raven makes some really solid beer

Food selection is not an option here, but there are several places nearby that deliver and you can bring your own if you'd like

01-08-2011 01:12:10 | More by SirChugsAlot

RJLarse

Washington

3.43/5  rDev -15.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | $$$

I stopped at Black Raven will visiting family in the area.

Atmosphere is nice for a tap room. A solid wood bar, and matching tables provide for indoor seating, and there is outdoor seating as well. There is a rustic, almost cave like feel to the place. Seating for about 25.

Quality is OK. The Black Raven brews are on tap, along with a few regional micros on as guest taps.

Service is OK. There were a couple of girls behind the bar. One was quite knowledgeable about the beer.

Selection included 6 Black Raven taps and the guests were Elysian, Alpine & Snipes Mountain. They were out of the Trickster of IPA on July 10th. A cardinal sin.

Food is non-existent. I understand you can order out for pizza.

Value is a bit pricey at $5 a pint. Personally I would expect a little lower pint price at the tap room. They do offer a sampler.

07-25-2010 20:55:43 | More by RJLarse

Bfarr

Washington

4.06/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

Situated in the middle of what looks like an industrial office complex, Black Raven Brewing appears very out of place. Once inside though, you forget about that because you are greeted by a wonderfully small bar with a few surrounding tables all made of polished wood. Tall tables have what appears to be tree trunks cut to fit as legs and a huge wooden door in the back with a big black raven painted on it. Some stone work on the inside wall complete the upscale rustic feel. It still appears to be a bit of a work in progress but it is still quite intrigueing.

There is not a huge selection of beers they brew but they do a lot of seasonal beers that I'll have to come back for. They at least have a range of beers so anybody can find something they like.

The bartender was very attentive and amicable.

There's no food here aside from some peanuts but you can bring in outside food or you can have Flying Saucer Pizza deliver their Bird of Prey that they developed with the help of Black Raven.

Definitely on the small side but if you're looking for a quiet place to have a beer than this is a great place.

05-25-2010 04:37:17 | More by Bfarr

beertunes

Washington

4.24/5  rDev +3.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

I made my first visit to B.R. World Headquarters for their 1st Anniversary party recently. So, while this isn't a typical visit, I did get a feel for the place.

The atmosphere was very nice for a spot in an industrial complex. A comfortable room, with nice tables and chairs, is what you get when you walk in the front door. There is a bar with 6-8 seats and 10-12 taps in the front most spot. Going through a doorway leads to some more tables and, eventually, the brewery.

The entire staff was nice and friendly, despite how busy they were that day. The beers were, as usual for BR, top notch. They had the regular lineup available for pints and growler fills, and special things just for for the party by the glass.

If you're in the area, stop in. If you're visiting the PNW on a vacation or business trip, make a point of getting there, you will not be disappointed.

05-02-2010 10:23:18 | More by beertunes