With the audible death rattle of 2020 within earshot, the southwest Washington craft beer industry is doing their best to sprint us all over the finish line and end on a triumphant note. Even with indoor drinking and dining closed throughout the state, Washington’s hospitality sector isn’t going anywhere, and the breweries, cideries, taprooms and restaurants are stepping up to make supporting local as simple and pleasurable as possible.

Southwest Washington Winter 2020 Updates:

Ben's Bottle Shop: Now offering FREE delivery anywhere in Vancouver. Same day delivery when ordered before 3PM. Order by calling or direct messaging Ben's on social media.

Fortside Brewing: New releases include 2019 Bounty in bottles. Offered in both still and carbonated versions, this ale uses wine grapes as the catalyst, these beers are carefully crafted using only singularly sourced ingredients. For 2019, Walla Walla, WA grown (HT Rea Farms, Mainstem Malt) genie barley and hard red wheat malts were fermented alongside Walla Walla AVA Les Collines tempranillo grapes, fermentation solely conducted by the regional yeasts that found a home on the grape skins themselves. Walla Walla Wild -a local hop varietal whose cultivation in the region predates prohibition- is also used for both balance and microbiological stability.

Fortside also released a new crowd-sourced collaboration with the Facebook Group, Beer Nerds. Nerd Immunity ESB follows a recipe developed through a series of polls within the Facebook group. The name was suggested by Brian Balland of Packmule.beer and voted to win by the group in a landslide. The beer uses Maris Otter malt with Barbe Rouge and Huell Melon hops for a hop blend that mimics traditional Kent Golding hops very well.

Every Weekend at Fortside, Taco Spaceship is open with Mexican-style food specials. Also on the weekends, Fortside offers a mulled fruit version of their Mullet of Krampus winter ale - served HOT in a gleuhwine style.

Barlow's Brewery at Taps Growler House New Years Weekend MegaTent: Both Barlow's Brewery and Taps Growler House have struggled with very limited outdoor seating the last few weeks. This has resulted in limited foot traffic. So they've combined forces and taken over the Barlow's parking lot at Parkcrest and Mill Plain in Vancouver to provide a large outdoor, heated space for up to 50 folks. Taps Growler House will be pouring guest taps at Barlow's including deep reaches into their cellar for barrel-aged goodies from Crux, Fremont and more! It kicks off at 4PM on New Years Eve with a special 9PM toast to ring in the New Year on the east coast. The celebration, guest taps and new beers in the new tented space will run through 9PM on Sunday, January 3rd.

Brothers Cascadia to release 12 Collaboration Beers in January

Brothers Cascadia has teamed up with 12 of our areas top breweries to conjure up 12 different and unique beers to showcase the considerable talent and creativity that the PNW has to offer. Find, drink and enjoy all the different collaborations at Brothers Cascadia, partnering breweries and local beer outlets this January and February!

Baerlic Brewing Co., Heathen Brewing, Breakside Brewery, Doomsday Brewing Company, Everybody's Brewing, Grains of Wrath, Hammer & Stitch Brewing Co., Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, Sig Brewing Company, Stemma Brewing Co., Stoup Brewing and Trap Door Brewing.

Final Draft Taphouse has opened their window for new Draft Society Members. The Draft Society is more than a mug club, offering more than discounts on beer, swag and cans to-go. Mike and Kim go to great measures to make community events happen with the group, both safely in-person when possible and virtually online. It's unlike any other mug club and worth checking out if you're in the Clark County area.

Grains of Wrath: New covered patio is finished and open now.

Heathen Brewing: Just released their first foeder-fermented mixed culture ale - Pulp Fixation! This beer was fermented in oak over freshly pressed Chardonnay grapes. 8.1% ABV and delightfully delicate. Available at both their brewery and Feral Public House location.

The Heavy Metal Brewing Co. releases their 2020 Reindeer Balls - a Peppermint White Chocolate Blonde Stout coming in at 8.5% ABV.

Loowit Brewing & 54-40 Brewing: Mittens, Masks, Earmuffs Winter Warmer just dropped on Friday. This collab with Loowit and 54-40 comes in at 6.5% ABV and has hints of caramel, cinnamon, allspice, mace, ginger and molasses. It’s on tap and in cans at both locations while it lasts!

North Jetty Brewing released their annual Graveyard of the Pacific Imperial Red Ale in cans. It's the first time the caramelly 10% ABV libation has been in cans versus previous years' bottle release.

Trap Door is set to release Interiority BBA Imperial Stout in 16oz cans alongside a brand new IPA called Lupuluminati on January 1st.

Wild Man Brewing, North Jetty Brewing and Willapa Brewing make Food Bank Donations

This past June three Washington breweries came together to brew a beer in response to the first wave of COVID-19 by raising funds for local food banks. A portion of every pint sold and growler filled of their collaboration County Wide IPA was donated by each of the the three participants: North Jetty Brewing, Willapa Brewing, and Wild Man Brewing.

This past week, the funds were distributed to 4 food banks in Pacific County. With the community’s help, Wild Man Brewing donated $300.00 to the North Pacific Food Bank and $100.00 to the Bay Center Food Bank, Willapa Brewing donated $500.00 to the South Bend Legacy Food Bank, and North Jetty Brewing donated $500.00 to the Chinook Food Bank which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Corder Foundation. This brings the total amount donated to $1,900.

Wild Man Brewing in Raymond, WA has canned their first-ever beers. The first 3 offerings are Five Years From Now Hazy IPA, Sledgehammer Peanut Butter Stout and Raymond Light - an American Light Lager. They're also offering FREE delivery on Sundays around much of the Willapa Bay area.

Visit Vancouver USA and Brewcouver have partnered to celebrate 5 years of Brewcouver with a limited time Holiday Passport that rewards guests upon visiting 3 breweries with a koozie and for visiting 10 breweries with a $25 gift card to be used at the brewery of your choice along with entry to win one of three $100 gift cards! Cheers to supporting local breweries in Vancouver!