If you love craft beer it’s easy to find local breweries when you travel. I’ve even planned a few trips around the local craft beer scene. During my trip to Lynden, I found the best breweries in Bellingham.
Disclosure: As is common in the travel industry, my trip was provided for review purposes. All opinions are 100% mine.
Best Breweries in Bellingham
Planning a visit to Whatcom county and looking for the best craft beer in Bellingham? What makes these breweries the best in Bellingham? When you start with good ingredients you get good beer. Plain and simple.
Here are my picks for the best breweries.
1. Aslan Brewing Co
Aslan Brewing Co is a cool, family-friendly brewery that’s organic through and through, including reusing materials to build the brewery and using a grain silo to store hops. Aslan has a USDA Organic beer certification and is a Certified B Corporation.
Aslan offers a variety of award-winning beer styles year round including an IPA, ale, lager, brown, and a stout. For stout and dark beers lovers like myself who don’t like IPAs this is awesome. Because it’s a drag when you visit a brewery and there’s nothing on tap that you want to try.
The communal tables allow solo travelers and beer drinkers to enjoy a pint or two without having to sit at the bar or feel awkward.
Pro-tip: Aslan brews a non-alcoholic beer, Pete’s NA, and two caffeine-free sodas: Root Beer and Ginger Ale. Their soda makes a great float when you use Edaleen Dairy ice cream.
2. Wander Brewing
Wander Brewing is an award-winning brewery that’s a local and visitor favorite. Established in a former ship-building warehouse, travelers will love Chad and Colleen Kuehl’s pick for Wander Brewing’s logo: a paper airplane. Beer names are also travel inspired.
Inside and outside seating is available. Plan to make a day of it and bring your own food or buy from whichever food truck is there that day. Bring your pooch because Wander Brewing is dog-friendly.
Be sure to try one of their barrel aged beers from the Wander Barrel Project. Wander Brewing collaborated with Willows Inn to make the Willows Inn Loganita Farmhouse Ale. The James Beard Foundation named Chef Blaine Wetzel Rising Star Chef of the Year in 2014, Best Chef Northwest in 2015, and a 2018 semifinalist for Best Chef Northwest.
Pro-tip: Willows Inn Loganita Farmhouse Ale is only available at Wander Brewing and the Willows Inn.
3. Stones Throw Brewing Co
Tony Luciano and Jack Pflueger opened Stones Throw Brewing Co with the motto, “The Closest Pint to Adventure.” A perfect name for a brewery that’s walking distance from the Interurban Trail, Boulevard Park, and downtown Bellingham. Their logo is a cairn (stack of rocks or rock pile).
With only six taps, Stones Throw’s frequently rotates their taps. Be sure to try the Raincounty Liquid Sunshine lager as it won a gold medal at the Washington Brewers Choice awards.
Although built on the site of a former brothel, Stones Throw Brewing is dog and family-friendly. Constructed out of shipping containers, the brewery offers unique features like an outdoor area, deck, and a bar with refrigerated pint holders. They also brew their own ginger ale.
Pro-tip: $3 beers on Mondays from 12 pm to 6 pm.
4. Boundary Bay Brewing
Started by Ed Bennett in 1995, a visit to Boundary Bay Brewing is a destination in itself. Located in downtown Bellingham, they have a tap room, store aka brewtique, restaurant, and a dog-friendly beer garden.
Named as one of 10 great breweries in the US by Food & Wine Magazine, Boundary Bay offers 11 beers year-round and rotates in seasonal and limited releases. Taproom happy hours are Sunday to Thursday from 3 pm to 6 pm and 9 pm to close.
Pro-tip: Free concerts during the summer in the beer garden.
5. Chuckanut Brewery
Mari and Will Kemper started award-winning Chuckanut Brewery in 2008. Kemper’s name is familiar because he helped found Thomas Kemper Brewery (1984) and breweries throughout the US and Mexico.
Chuckanut is a Zero Waste brewery. Kemper, a former engineer, designed the brewing system to use less water and energy. The system is extremely efficient and saves manpower because the valves can be opened or closed via a computer. They recycle their spent grains.
If you only had time to visit one brewery, stop by Chuckanut when Mari is there. Mari is one of the most engaging and vibrant people you will ever meet.
The brewery is family-friendly and has great views of the Bellingham Bay and Old Courthouse.
Pro-tip: If you don’t like German-style beers, you may want to skip Chuckanut.
Conclusion
Looking for the best breweries in Bellingham? Whether you like IPAs, lagers, or stouts you’ll find a tasty beer at one of these award-winning Whatcom County’s best breweries.
From Aslan Brewing Company to Wander Brewing each offers uniquely crafted beers for any palate. Here are a few fun facts: Food & Wine Magazine ranked Boundary Bay Brewing among the top 10 greatest breweries in the United States; Stones Throw Brewing Co is built upon a former brothel.
Each brewery is family-friendly and practices sustainability, which is standard in Bellingham, but not as common in other places like San Diego. Will Kemper from Chuckanut developed an efficient computerized brewing system that saves water, energy, and manpower. Aslan Brewing Co takes it a step farther and maintains both a USDA Organic beer certification and Certified B Corporation.
Are there any breweries missing? What are your favorite best breweries in Bellingham?
When you’re in Bellingham, be sure to grab a meal at Eat Restaurant and take a short drive for the best things to do in Lynden. It’s such a cute city you may want to stay in Lyden.
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Ryan Biddulph
Friday 6th of July 2018
Some fine suds as always guys. BTW; you are everywhere. I see you in all my feeds. And I am everywhere. So this is a really good thing :)
Debra Schroeder
Friday 6th of July 2018
Hey Ryan,
LOL, thanks. :) Awesome! Thanks for the heads up.
Nathan Anderson
Friday 6th of July 2018
Aslan is one of my favorite breweries in Bellingham, their Ginger Rye is fantastic! Some other favorites on here as well, though I'd add Kulshan Brewing to the list ;) They have awesome brews, and usually have some sort of food truck out front. Great little spot outside of downtown!
Debra Schroeder
Friday 6th of July 2018
Hey Nathan,
They are my favorite. I love their philosophy and dig that they're completely organic. :)
Thanks for the heads up about Kulshan, will have to see if I can find a photo and add them to the list. I'll check them out the next time I'm in Bellingham.