What’s Brewing for Bellingham Beer Week? Collaborations, Community, and Craft Beer Celebrations

Discovering Bellingham’s Beer Scene

In Bellingham, the beer scene is vibrant and full of positive energy.

Meet Layne Carter and Emily Mallos. They share their passion for raising the beer community in Bellingham and invite everyone to support Bellingham Beer. The camaraderie in the beer community is unmistakable, with a strong emphasis on collaboration and support among the breweries.

The episode sheds light on the upcoming Bellingham Beer Week, promising an array of exciting events that showcase the diversity and creativity of the local breweries. Beer Week is a production of the Bellingham Beer Alliance.

Unique Beer Releases and Collaborations

One of the highlights of the episode is the discussion of unique beer releases and collaborations within the Bellingham beer community. From “Bach in the Saddle,” a Texas style amber bock, to the Gruff Forest Funk aimed at raising money for the Cascade Carnivore Project, Bellingham breweries are brewing up delights for beer enthusiasts. The episode also features a floral IPA release, showcasing the breweries’ proficiency in crafting dynamic and flavorful IPAs.

Local Delights and Activities

Layne and Emily also take us on a delightful journey through the culinary and recreational offerings in Bellingham. From savoring a beet Reuben and French fries at a local cafe to exploring the breathtaking Galbraith Mountain and Mount Baker, the episode presents a comprehensive guide to experiencing the best of Bellingham’s food and outdoor adventures. Live music enthusiasts will appreciate the recommendations for the top spots to catch live music in Bellingham, such as the Trackside Beer Garden and Cowan Depot patios.

Bellingham Beer Week and Community Support

Bellingham Beer Week is a much-anticipated event that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of community and celebration within the local beer scene. With live music, beer, cideries, and food trucks, Bellingham Beer Week not only showcases the incredible beer offerings but also supports the Max Higbee Center, a significant aspect that underlines the community’s commitment to giving back.

The episode provides an insightful look at the Bellingham Beer Alliance’s efforts to expand beer tourism and elevate the recognition of award-winning local beers, all while leveraging the exceptional quality of the local water.

Bellingham Beer Week Episode Transcript

Hello, friends, and welcome to the Exploring Washington State podcast. My name is Scott Cowan, and I’m the host of the show. Each episode, I have a conversation with an interesting guest who is living in or from Washington State. These are casual conversations with real and interesting people. I think you’re gonna like the show. So let’s jump right in with today’s guest. I’m always sitting down. I am sitting down with Lane and Emily today, and they’re gonna introduce themselves.

Scott Cowan [00:00:29]:
But this episode’s gonna be all about Bellingham’s upcoming beer week. So, Emily, you were in the in the studio first. We’re gonna let you introduce yourself to the audience. Take it away.

Emily Mallos [00:00:42]:
Alright. Hello, audience. I’m Emily Mallows. I work at Kolsch and Brewing Company. I am the general manager here, and I live in Bellingham.

Scott Cowan [00:00:53]:
How long have you been in Bellingham?

Emily Mallos [00:00:56]:
This is my 10th what’s

Scott Cowan [00:00:58]:
the why did you end up in Bellingham?

Emily Mallos [00:01:01]:
I moved here to go to Western and then had the mystical, I’m not gonna leave. I wanna stay here. How do I stay here?

Scott Cowan [00:01:12]:
That’s so common in college towns. It really is. I didn’t wanna leave Ellensburg either. I get I get it. Alright. Lane, how’d you get to Bellingham? Let’s start with that. I’m gonna make you answer that question before you introduce yourself. How’d you end up in Bellingham?

Layne Carter [00:01:24]:
Scott it. I also went to Western and had the same experience as Emily where I didn’t wanna leave. So I decided to find a way to stay, and beer ended up being that way for me.

Scott Cowan [00:01:35]:
And how long have you been in Bellingham?

Layne Carter [00:01:38]:
I’ve been here since 2013. So 11 years now.

Scott Cowan [00:01:41]:
And and where are you working? Because we cut you off to do that intro.

Layne Carter [00:01:45]:
Yeah. No problem. I am operations manager at Aslam Brewing Company. So just a skip hop and a jump away from Emily over at Colschen.

Scott Cowan [00:01:55]:
So you 2 are involved with Bellingham Beer Week. Now I’m a little confused. There’s Bellingham Beer Week Cowan then there’s the Bellingham Beer Alliance, which is putting on Bellingham Beer Week.

Layne Carter [00:02:07]:
Right. So that’s a new thing. Okay. The previous person that ran Bellinghambury Week, decided that they needed a break and a setback, a permanent break.

Scott Cowan [00:02:19]:
K.

Layne Carter [00:02:19]:
So they’re they’re done doing that. And, Emily and I just can’t help but get ourselves involved. We’re definitely those 2 people. So, we decided with a couple other people to try and form a Bellingham Bureau Alliance, and that is technically our Cowan, and it stretches beyond Bellingham Bureau Week. So all the other 51 weeks of the year, the Bellingham Beer Alliance exists. And then for 1 week a year, we do business as Bellingham Beer Week.

Scott Cowan [00:02:50]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:02:51]:
So Alright. That’s what’s happening April 18th to 28th.

Scott Cowan [00:02:54]:
Okay. Emily, how did she rope you into this? Were you not present and she got voted in or, you know, are are you one of those organizers that you we were talking about earlier?

Emily Mallos [00:03:06]:
Oh, I am a big organizer, and,

Layne Carter [00:03:11]:
you

Emily Mallos [00:03:11]:
know, when we got contacted by Brian, who was running beer week before, and he was saying, oh, I wanna give it back to the breweries. My mind immediately started going, like, well, we can organize it, but we Cowan also organize other stuff. And how do we get money to do that? And we started looking into ways that we could apply for grants, and what would be available to us. And we found that, you know, it would be helpful to have a way to do that officially, and so that kinda led us down the LLC path.

Layne Carter [00:03:50]:
Right.

Emily Mallos [00:03:51]:
And it also helped us form you know, there’s a big there’s 16 breweries in Bellingham right now, and we kinda have some unofficial avenues that we all hang out and plan things together. And oftentimes, when we’re organizing out if we have to do something Mhmm. Sorry if you heard that.

Scott Cowan [00:04:12]:
Why do you think Bellingham’s got what? About a 100000 people approximately, give or take, you know? It’s

Layne Carter [00:04:19]:
yeah. A little bit just over. Yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:04:21]:
And you got 16 breweries there? That’s why? It’s a

Layne Carter [00:04:25]:
lot of breweries per capita.

Scott Cowan [00:04:27]:
Yeah. Why?

Layne Carter [00:04:27]:
Why do you think beer

Scott Cowan [00:04:28]:
is so popular in Bellingham?

Layne Carter [00:04:32]:
That’s a great question. Delicious? Well, sure. But but that’s I think the the outdoor resources that we have, like mountain biking, Mount Baker’s right here, so everyone skis and snowboards. Mhmm. You know, the bay is right here. There’s a lot of water sport activity. Lends itself well to the idea of earning your beer and, like, deciding that you’re gonna go do an activity that a beer tastes even better after. I don’t think that is

Emily Mallos [00:05:01]:
like So

Scott Cowan [00:05:01]:
are you familiar with the guy by the name

Layne Carter [00:05:02]:
of why it does so well in our economy. But

Scott Cowan [00:05:04]:
Are you familiar with a guy by the name of Brandon Fralick that’s up there that wrote the book, Beers at the Bottom?

Emily Mallos [00:05:11]:
Yeah. He’s a writer for the

Layne Carter [00:05:12]:
town’s radio. I emailed someone.

Scott Cowan [00:05:14]:
So he’s he’s a writer, and he lives in he lives up there. And he wrote a he he and another person wrote a book called Beers at the Bottom, which is all these great hikes to go on. But after the hike, there’s always a a tap room nearby to go to. So, you know, basically, you’re gonna go go climb a climb a mountain somewhere and then drink beer afterwards. Yeah. He’s he’s another Bellingham person. Anyway, it’s it’s just interesting to me. The the the vibe from the I hate that word, but the the energy that comes out of Bellingham is so outdoors orientated and heavy and really beer heavy.

Layne Carter [00:05:50]:
Right. You

Emily Mallos [00:05:51]:
know? That’s It is, it is a lifestyle.

Scott Cowan [00:05:56]:
Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:05:57]:
More than 90 days.

Layne Carter [00:05:58]:
Say this. And I Yeah. Alright.

Emily Mallos [00:06:00]:
So I I would say, just another note on that is that seems like every neighborhood has has its own brewery or 5. So it’s really born out of the people who are close to the breweries also supporting that.

Scott Cowan [00:06:17]:
But one of the other interesting things that I’m I’ve gathered is that it seems like with 16 breweries up there, that for the most part, everybody in these the works of these breweries, the from the owners down to, you know, the the brewery dog is they’re all kind of it’s it’s a community. It’s it’s you’re all businesses and you all wanna make a profit and, you know, just keep the doors Cowan. But you’re, like, collaborating and you’re you’re you’re supportive of each other’s ventures versus Absolutely. Versus, you know, trying to sabotage the guy down the street’s brew tank. You know, you’re you’re you’re helping him out. And that’s that’s really cool. I would I

Layne Carter [00:06:55]:
would say that it’s such a unique industry, especially in our little Cowan, because we’re always trying to push other breweries to be better without, like, stepping on anyone’s toes, if that makes sense. So, you know, we really love, like, so much of the beer that Kolchian makes. And, you know, we look at other lands for lager. And when Chuckanut was here, Chuckanut was like the blueprint for lager. And it was like, man, how can we make something that good, instead of, oh, we wanna be better. It’s like we wanna reach where our friends are at because we are all pretty supportive of each other. And Yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:07:28]:
Kind of a rising tide and we solve boats, if you will, type thing. You know? Yeah.

Layne Carter [00:07:31]:
Absolutely. And if it’s good for Bellingham beer, it’s good for all of us. So, you know, we all kinda reap the benefit from that. And I’ll be the first person to tell someone to go to another brewery other than the

Scott Cowan [00:07:43]:
one that

Layne Carter [00:07:44]:
I’m running. You know? So yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:07:47]:
Well, I’m gonna give you that chase

Layne Carter [00:07:48]:
a little later. Web.

Scott Cowan [00:07:49]:
By the way. Perfect. Yeah. So as Bellingham Beer Alliance, is Bellingham Beer Week your first event that you’re putting on? So nothing’s gone wrong yet? Everything’s been perfect? You you know?

Layne Carter [00:08:03]:
Nothing’s gone wrong yet because nothing has happened. Perfect. It could go horribly wrong. We’ll see. But so far, so good. K. We built our website. All the breweries have joined Bellingham Bureau Alliance.

Layne Carter [00:08:15]:
We even have, like, a taproom tier. So if you’re running a taproom, you can still be involved. Cowan. And just kind of trying to figure out how to structure this thing so that, you know, things don’t happen like 2 big key events around the same day. Mhmm. Mhmm. And people have to choose between where to

Scott Cowan [00:08:31]:
Right.

Layne Carter [00:08:31]:
Spend their time and money. You know?

Scott Cowan [00:08:33]:
Alright.

Layne Carter [00:08:33]:
So it’s been very helpful to have literally one person from every brewery in a room.

Scott Cowan [00:08:38]:
That’s cool. And everyone’s kinda playing nice so far. I mean, in other words

Layne Carter [00:08:42]:
Oh, yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:08:42]:
You’re not planning an event, and then Emily’s company’s planning an event to compete with you. You’re you’re going, okay. You do yours next week. We’ll do ours 2 weeks later. Boom. Boom. Boom. Awesome.

Layne Carter [00:08:51]:
Right. Yeah. And that’ll be, like, the nature of the calendar for forever. For instance, our anniversary, we have our 10 year anniversary for Osmond coming up in May. And if I wasn’t so close with the wander brewing folks, I wouldn’t know that their anniversary party is the week before ours. So, outside of Bellingham beer week, it’s gonna be beneficial for everyone, I think. So

Scott Cowan [00:09:15]:
Well, let’s so why is Bellingham beer week in April? What was the is I know that maybe this has been this is the, what, the 10th anniversary of it? Is that am I correct on that? Do I see somewhere on line 10? K.

Emily Mallos [00:09:28]:
Yeah. It’s the 10th year, and it has moved around

Scott Cowan [00:09:32]:
Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:09:32]:
Different weeks,

Scott Cowan [00:09:34]:
since its inception. And I

Emily Mallos [00:09:34]:
think when they originally is somewhat of a slower season for beer, and I think where when it landed in April, the idea was that it was leading up to April brews day, which is a huge beer festival in Bellingham that’s is put on by Max Higbee Center. So at this point, all of Bellingham beer week is leading up to the celebration of our biggest beer festival.

Layne Carter [00:10:13]:
And I think too it lends itself well to, you know, not cold weather, but there’s a chance it could be nice out. So if it is, then we’re gonna we’re gonna ride that high as much as we can.

Emily Mallos [00:10:27]:
Right. It’s kinda kicking off beer drinking season.

Layne Carter [00:10:30]:
Yeah. I looked at the forecast too, and it’s looking sunny next week.

Scott Cowan [00:10:33]:
So You just jinxed it.

Layne Carter [00:10:36]:
I know.

Scott Cowan [00:10:36]:
You just jinxed it. I’m sorry. You know, everyone you can blame. Blame Lane for the rain that you’re standing in when you’re drinking beer. Okay. Yeah. Walk me through what you anticipate Bellingham beer week to look like in 2024.

Layne Carter [00:10:52]:
Well, do you want, like, a snapshot of some of the key stuff going on?

Scott Cowan [00:10:56]:
Well, I I’m looking on your events calendar right now, and I’ve got I could ask you questions or you can offer offer things to me. But let’s start off with tell me about the kickoff party. What do you guys what do you have planned to kick this thing off?

Layne Carter [00:11:09]:
The kickoff party is kind of, industry driven, but open to everybody. I think we’re kind of just celebrating the idea that the breweries, not took back, but were given, kind of control over Bellingham Beer Week and what that looks like. So, there’s gonna be gravity kegs, which is a really fun way to drink beer. And, for anyone that doesn’t know what a gravity keg is, you, like, literally have to hammer it Cowan, and it’s just kind of a fun traditional way to tap a keg. And then, you know, the I believe it’s the gravity that carbonates the beer for the most part.

Scott Cowan [00:11:46]:
So Interesting.

Layne Carter [00:11:47]:
It’s similar to a cask without, like, the slow pull down Alright. When you’re pouring a cask. Anyways, so there’s some gravity kegs, food trucks. And because Wander is also turning 10 this year, it felt appropriate to kind of give them the reins in terms of the kickoff party.

Scott Cowan [00:12:04]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:12:05]:
Yeah. Should be really fun. They make excellent beer over there. So any excuse to go to wander, I will go.

Scott Cowan [00:12:10]:
Okay. So I’m gonna put you both on the spot because I wanna ask this quite and this is I understand that what I’m about to ask you is probably difficult. 2024, Besides a beer from your brewery that you represent, what’s your current go to beer from another Bellingham Brewery? Lane, I’m gonna put you on the spot first. There’s no wrong answers, by the way. I mean, I’m just curious. Like, what do

Layne Carter [00:12:39]:
you want? 2 come to mind right Cowan. And I used to work for the North Fork Brewery, which is out in Deming, but they just opened their, Bellingham location in Sunnyland earlier this year, or last year, end of last year. And I love the North Fork Nitro ESB so much.

Emily Mallos [00:13:00]:
Great. It’s like

Layne Carter [00:13:01]:
it was my shifty every day when I worked at the North Fork. I love it. K. But lately, I’ve been hankering for cold IPA. I don’t know what it is. K. I just need it. So the Larrabee Lager Cold IPA has been k.

Layne Carter [00:13:14]:
Pretty steady for me.

Scott Cowan [00:13:15]:
Emily, what what about you?

Emily Mallos [00:13:17]:
Well, I was gonna say a Larabee Lager beer too, but I’ll go

Scott Cowan [00:13:22]:
It’s okay. To

Emily Mallos [00:13:22]:
the other brewery. I do too. Because it’s in the neighborhood here. I’m I really love when Otherlands has their nightmare beer on. It’s their dark lager. Mhmm. And it’s coming I think it’s kinda coming to the end of its season. So every everyone that we get to have is like, oh, yes.

Emily Mallos [00:13:40]:
One more nightmare until I have to wait till next fall.

Scott Cowan [00:13:45]:
Okay. Yes. He’s I like the fact that Yeah.

Emily Mallos [00:13:47]:
That’s actually easier than I thought.

Scott Cowan [00:13:49]:
See, the but the thing here’s the thing. I I loved how you guys you both answered this and you’re you’re, like, like I said, the nitro sounds. I gotta say that that of the of what you guys recommended, that would be the one I would probably like, I wanna try that. Like, that’s that speaks to me type of thing. Okay.

Layne Carter [00:14:04]:
Totally.

Scott Cowan [00:14:04]:
Alright.

Layne Carter [00:14:05]:
Yeah. It’s, one of those things where I have so much access also to my brewery’s beer

Scott Cowan [00:14:13]:
Uh-huh.

Layne Carter [00:14:13]:
That, it’s a special treat when I get to drink another brewery’s beer.

Scott Cowan [00:14:17]:
Sure. Because it’s And Emily

Layne Carter [00:14:19]:
I’m swimming in Aslan beer.

Scott Cowan [00:14:20]:
I was

Emily Mallos [00:14:21]:
gonna say. Yeah. Emily, I’m sure

Layne Carter [00:14:22]:
you’re gonna do.

Scott Cowan [00:14:23]:
Yep. Yep.

Emily Mallos [00:14:23]:
Alright. Yeah. You can only drink so much premium lager. Know.

Layne Carter [00:14:27]:
Yeah. But you can’t

Scott Cowan [00:14:28]:
is there is there really a limit? I mean, have you have

Emily Mallos [00:14:30]:
you hit that limit? Maybe the limit doesn’t exist.

Layne Carter [00:14:32]:
Have you

Scott Cowan [00:14:32]:
hit that limit yet? I mean, it sounds like you’ve given up. You should keep going. Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:14:36]:
I I it’s it’s the season. I need some stamina.

Scott Cowan [00:14:42]:
So we’re kicking it off. I mean, no pun intended with the kickoff party. I’m Mhmm. I’m looking here. There’s I and I’m not we’re not gonna be able to do justice to the whole calendar, and I’ll put a link in the show notes to that, you know. But Yeah. I gotta say the the Give A Shuck Patagonia beer and oyster pairing sounds kind of, like, kinda funny? Tongue in cheek? Yeah.

Layne Carter [00:15:04]:
Kinda cool. I named I named that event.

Scott Cowan [00:15:06]:
Oh, you did? Okay.

Layne Carter [00:15:07]:
I yeah. K. Awesome. I just wanna eat oysters, you know, for and yeah. I wanna be used for oysters for free in my own place of business. So that’s a good idea there.

Scott Cowan [00:15:17]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:15:18]:
And it’s celebrating a bunch of our sustainable beers and Shellfish is one of the more sustainable.

Scott Cowan [00:15:23]:
And and you guys are pairing up with Taylor Shellfish for that?

Layne Carter [00:15:26]:
It’s not Taylor Shellfish. It’s actually a different business.

Scott Cowan [00:15:31]:
It’s on your website.

Layne Carter [00:15:33]:
Oh, that’s oh, yeah. Well, somebody said it though.

Scott Cowan [00:15:37]:
Sorry.

Layne Carter [00:15:39]:
No. Thank you for pointing that out. We were gonna partner with Taylor Shellfish, and now we are not. It’s a different oyster company.

Scott Cowan [00:15:45]:
The oyster company? Let’s give them a shout.

Layne Carter [00:15:48]:
They are like a private caterer Okay. That focuses on oysters. So Alright. Yeah. It’s less of a sexy name. Okay. But, yeah, they’re awesome.

Scott Cowan [00:15:59]:
Then look. April 20th wouldn’t be appropriate without a reefer release party with and but before we talk about the beer there, I just gotta say the Scott Cheeto chicken sandwich.

Emily Mallos [00:16:12]:
Structures. It looks insane. Can I talk about Saturday really quick? Because I think it’s a good example of

Scott Cowan [00:16:18]:
Go for it.

Emily Mallos [00:16:18]:
How all these events

Layne Carter [00:16:19]:
Go for it.

Emily Mallos [00:16:20]:
Cowan complement each other. So you know how Lane was talking about, we were really intentional with the way that we didn’t want events overlapping or but we do wanna give people the opportunity to go from place to place to place. So Saturday would be a day where you can stop by Kolsch and Beer Olympics, and that’s happening all afternoon. And then you can hit up Otherlands for lunch and head down to structures for to try their chicken sandwich, maybe go check out the Earth Day Fair at Boundary.

Scott Cowan [00:16:55]:
Oh, wow.

Emily Mallos [00:16:55]:
You know, there’s, like, things that are time limit specific, and then there are also things that are, like, oh, I could go try this at any point during the day when I’m out and about riding my bike around town.

Scott Cowan [00:17:05]:
Right.

Emily Mallos [00:17:06]:
And that’s the kind of essence of beer week is that you can make a day out of any of the days.

Scott Cowan [00:17:13]:
Right. Right. Sorry. I’m still fixated on this hot Cheeto chicken sandwich, though. I gotta

Layne Carter [00:17:20]:
I’m both I’m fixated on 4 burgers for $20. Well, there’s

Scott Cowan [00:17:24]:
that’s okay. Yes. But I can’t decide, and I’m sorry, structures, if I’m offending you, but I can’t decide if I’m repulsed by the idea of a hot chicken Cheeto sandwich or something I must try. It’s it’s very polarizing to me. It’s like, I think I gotta try it.

Layne Carter [00:17:40]:
It seems like a novelty experience where you just have to try it because it’s only there for one day.

Scott Cowan [00:17:45]:
Where I can

Layne Carter [00:17:46]:
go get burgers say you tried it.

Scott Cowan [00:17:47]:
Yeah. I can get burgers all the time, that type of thing.

Layne Carter [00:17:50]:
Whenever you want.

Scott Cowan [00:17:51]:
Let’s go back to the beer Olympics though, because that was that was on my list of questions I wanna have. So I’m I’m reading here. It’s, you know, now, you know, 22 teams will compete in 8 beer Olympic games. Can you disclose what the beer Olympic games are?

Emily Mallos [00:18:07]:
I can tell you about a few of them but we like to keep a few a surprise.

Scott Cowan [00:18:10]:
Okay. So give us

Emily Mallos [00:18:11]:
a chance here. So there’s your obvious ones, You know, you got your you got your cornhole. You got your keg hoop toss, where you’re throwing hula hoops at kegs.

Layne Carter [00:18:21]:
Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:18:22]:
You’ve got trivia. K. We’ve also got some fun ones like old balls where you tie pantyhose around your waist, and you have tennis balls at the bottom, and you’re trying to knock beer cans over for scoring points. It was like a little obstacle course. And we have a couple few new ones this year, so participants can, you know, keep them on their toes, keep things competitive.

Scott Cowan [00:18:50]:
And so it says 22 teams. So how did you pick how how did the teams get assigned? How what how did that happen?

Emily Mallos [00:18:59]:
So people sign up beforehand. So we have a sign up link on our website, kolschenbrewery.com.

Scott Cowan [00:19:06]:
And Link in the chat.

Emily Mallos [00:19:07]:
Once the, yeah, once the once the bracket’s full 22 teams is a is a good bracket to put them through 8 games, and we found it takes about 4 hours.

Scott Cowan [00:19:17]:
Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:19:17]:
So

Scott Cowan [00:19:18]:
So did and is the rule of

Emily Mallos [00:19:19]:
beer breaks? And we do have a couple breweries signed up for teams. I think Aslan has 1. And, April I

Layne Carter [00:19:27]:
don’t know about it, but I’m glad to hear it.

Emily Mallos [00:19:32]:
I’m not in charge of the sign up, so I’m a little out of touch with that.

Scott Cowan [00:19:36]:
I think it’d be kind of fun if the alliance had a beer Olympics where you made all the breweries compete against each other in events like that.

Emily Mallos [00:19:43]:
I can Yeah. It’s like the Disney Channel Games.

Scott Cowan [00:19:46]:
Yeah. Something something like that. That’d be fun. Alright. So then other links We

Layne Carter [00:19:51]:
do that at the end of the week. Mhmm.

Emily Mallos [00:19:53]:
So We do.

Scott Cowan [00:19:53]:
We do

Layne Carter [00:19:54]:
have a secret

Emily Mallos [00:19:54]:
week. Bocce tournament.

Scott Cowan [00:19:57]:
Oh, cool.

Emily Mallos [00:19:57]:
So all of the breweries meet up at at this undisclosed location, but it’s the bocce bonds compound. Yeah. Compound. And all the breweries hang out at the end of beer week, and we have a bocce tournament. And there’s all 16 breweries signed up, and we spend the whole day together barbecuing and drinking beers and playing bocce.

Scott Cowan [00:20:21]:
So I’m I’m old, and I’m looking at this. And I’m thinking if I participated in this as if I was working for 1 of the breweries and I was having to be at beer week all week, the last thing I’d wanna do was have more beer at the end of this thing. I I just those days are behind me. So I’m glad that

Layne Carter [00:20:41]:
That’s fair.

Scott Cowan [00:20:41]:
The youth of America is still representing. I I’m I’m glad. Keep it up. Because

Emily Mallos [00:20:46]:
The 25th of the Bahrain bocce tournament where our bodies are

Scott Cowan [00:20:50]:
Yeah. It’s because events are hard on you. Alcohol’s Oh, yeah. Alcohol’s hard on you, You know? So let’s bounce to the very end. We’ll come back, but let’s bounce to the very end because we have the what was it called? I gotta get there. The hangover helper brunch. I love that name.

Layne Carter [00:21:08]:
Yeah. That’s a funny one. We, just decided that the day after April brews day, everyone’s in rough shape, so we may as well kinda lean into the chaos of that. Okay.

Scott Cowan [00:21:19]:
So at

Layne Carter [00:21:19]:
the Aslan Depot, we have a outdoor grill going, and they’re making breakfast sandwiches. Best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had. One of our, cooks here at Aslan is just, like, insanely talented at that genre of food. Okay. And it’s nice and greasy, sticks to your bones. You can get a Michelada, Mimosa, Bloody Mary, and then there’s gonna be a DJ set, but, like, chill.

Scott Cowan [00:21:45]:
And and soft because handovers cause my head to hurt, and I don’t want loud music. Okay.

Layne Carter [00:21:49]:
Exactly. Alright. Exactly. So I’ll be stopping by there on the way to debauchery, ball. Yeah. Seems like it’s a very fun time.

Scott Cowan [00:21:56]:
Good on you. My my head hurts already from talking about this stuff. I mean

Emily Mallos [00:22:02]:
Beer Week is all about stamina. Yeah. Peace and stamina. We’re training for beer season.

Layne Carter [00:22:10]:
Also, Emily and I, just as industry people, are essentially professionals at at being hungover at this point. So

Scott Cowan [00:22:19]:
Alright. Put me on the spot. What’s your go to hangover cure? What works for you?

Layne Carter [00:22:25]:
A diet coke immediately.

Scott Cowan [00:22:27]:
Really?

Layne Carter [00:22:29]:
I usually get an overall deli sandwich when I’m hungover, like a panini.

Scott Cowan [00:22:32]:
How about you, Emily?

Emily Mallos [00:22:33]:
But I’m a big, bubbly water. Like, I need, like, 32 ounces of sparkling water.

Scott Cowan [00:22:42]:
Yeah.

Emily Mallos [00:22:42]:
And, like, I I go for the health where I’m like, I need, like, a smoothie, but, like, bacon.

Layne Carter [00:22:49]:
Okay.

Scott Cowan [00:22:50]:
Bacon on

Layne Carter [00:22:51]:
the side. Bacon on the side.

Emily Mallos [00:22:52]:
Bacon on the side.

Scott Cowan [00:22:53]:
Alright.

Layne Carter [00:22:53]:
What’s your hangover Kier?

Scott Cowan [00:22:55]:
Not drinking.

Layne Carter [00:22:57]:
I it’s gotten to the

Scott Cowan [00:22:59]:
point I had to stop drinking beer because I went out so few years ago. I went out and had a Guinness one night because I I enjoy a Guinness, right, and dark beer. I like that. I woke up the next day feeling like I had drank all day and all night and was miserable. And I thought, that’s weird. Just one off. Had another beer.

Layne Carter [00:23:18]:
Chasing.

Scott Cowan [00:23:19]:
Couple weeks later, same thing. And beer doesn’t like me anymore. We we broke we had to break up. That being said, I’ve I’ve tried a couple lately, and we might be re reconnecting we might be rekindling our romance.

Layne Carter [00:23:35]:
What better place to find out than Bellingham every week?

Scott Cowan [00:23:38]:
Yeah. You know?

Layne Carter [00:23:39]:
I I

Scott Cowan [00:23:40]:
I agree. The the problem the problem would be too too much temptation, too many choices, too many opportunities. Bad decisions would would would be made. And

Emily Mallos [00:23:53]:
Well, if you drink tiny beers, you know, little samplers, maybe that’ll Jeez. Help. That’s one of my tricks.

Scott Cowan [00:24:01]:
Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:24:01]:
It’s always just have the smallest

Scott Cowan [00:24:03]:
beers. But you can drink a lot more of them. Alright.

Layne Carter [00:24:07]:
But you have to go to the bar more times.

Scott Cowan [00:24:08]:
That’s true. If it’s crowded, that does that is it is the the thing that slows you down. Alright. Yes. What else do you guys I mean, there’s a lot going on here. So we’ve got, you know Right. I don’t tell me about the not another spring market.

Layne Carter [00:24:23]:
Yeah. That’s at STEMMA. I think that name is pretty funny because the breweries do all tend to have a similar schedule for hosting, like, maker’s markets.

Scott Cowan [00:24:34]:
Mhmm.

Layne Carter [00:24:34]:
And so there is a lot of spring markets happening. So stomach cold, there’s not another spring market. And so that will be a lot of different local vendors and, some heavy hitters, town favorites, I’m sure will be there. And I think they set it up in their brewery. So, like, you’re walking through the brewery itself

Scott Cowan [00:24:53]:
Right.

Layne Carter [00:24:53]:
Usually, unless it’s nice on, maybe it’ll be outside this year. But, yeah, that should be a

Scott Cowan [00:24:58]:
fun one. Taken care of that by saying the weather was supposed to be it’s gonna be inside. Let’s just prepare you for that. And so Azlin’s doing some brewery tours as well.

Layne Carter [00:25:07]:
Oh, yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:25:07]:
Do you normally does Azlin normally have brewery tours throughout the year?

Layne Carter [00:25:11]:
Every 3rd Sunday of the month is, our typical schedule unless that is like a holiday weekend, and then we’ll shift it around a bit. K. But our brewery tour guide is Jess Killerpool, and she is, our advanced or she’s our Cicerone. So she’s a real deal Cicerone, which is like being a sommelier

Scott Cowan [00:25:33]:
Oh, wow. Okay.

Layne Carter [00:25:34]:
And beer.

Emily Mallos [00:25:35]:
K.

Layne Carter [00:25:35]:
Yeah. So she knows what she’s talking about. Yep. I wanted to highlight a giant fork night if if possible Sure. Because it’s the North Fork where I used to work. And they have a long standing collaboration with Lost Giant Cider Mhmm. Where this pretty cool all day. Made a beer in a barrel that was from a cidery, I believe.

Layne Carter [00:25:58]:
And then lost giants took the barrel and made a cider and aged it in that same barrel.

Scott Cowan [00:26:04]:
Interesting.

Layne Carter [00:26:04]:
And then served it. And then North Fork took that barrel back and made another beer. And then lost giants took it back and made another cider. So they’re gonna have a vertical of all of those

Scott Cowan [00:26:16]:
Interesting.

Layne Carter [00:26:17]:
Using the same barrel, and it just gets funkier and funkier. And they’ll put, like, fruit in it, and so everything has a bit of the residual. Right. It’s like a snowball of funk in this beer and cider. So yeah. Between Lost Giants and North Fork, it that’s why it’s called Giant Fork. But, I promise it’s safe to drink and really, really good. So

Scott Cowan [00:26:42]:
Have you tried have you have you been able to sample some of this?

Layne Carter [00:26:46]:
I was working there at the at the conception of that, yeah, that whole idea. Okay. So I have had the first couple.

Scott Cowan [00:26:54]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:26:54]:
But I think they’re on number 5 now.

Scott Cowan [00:26:56]:
And And they’re using the same barrel all these times.

Layne Carter [00:27:01]:
Yeah. So if there’s one thing that Eric Jorgensen, the head brewer out at Northwork, is good at, it’s finding weird ideas and making them work k. Somehow. And yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:27:14]:
That’s one that’s one of those ones, if I’m being very honest with you, you you didn’t sell me on it, but I bet it’s really cool.

Layne Carter [00:27:21]:
That’s okay.

Scott Cowan [00:27:21]:
But I bet it’s really cool. I mean, I know I know that enough. It’s like I’m kinda going, oh, I don’t know. Yeah. I’m gonna try it. I mean, that’s okay.

Layne Carter [00:27:29]:
There might be a beer that I helped make on top that night, maybe. So

Scott Cowan [00:27:33]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:27:34]:
You’ll have to go to find out.

Scott Cowan [00:27:35]:
Alright. Bellingham beer trivia. Is this trivia about Bellingham? Is it trivia about Bellingham beer? Is it trivia just about beer? What are we what are we got going on here? Oh, so it says specifically pause

Emily Mallos [00:27:47]:
for a beer event?

Layne Carter [00:27:49]:
Yeah. That’s at the dog bar, which is kinda fun.

Scott Cowan [00:27:52]:
K.

Layne Carter [00:27:54]:
Teams up to 5 Paws.

Emily Mallos [00:27:56]:
Yeah. So paws for a beer is putting that on. They’re when Lane says dog bar, so they’re a tap house that has a big yard, and you’re able to bring your dog there and have your dog socialize and play with other dogs while you drink beer.

Scott Cowan [00:28:10]:
Perfect. Yeah. I’m bringing my dog.

Emily Mallos [00:28:12]:
And yeah. They’re they’re super awesome, and they, are putting on a trivia about the Bellingham breweries.

Scott Cowan [00:28:20]:
Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:28:21]:
So we’ve all answered questions for them about, you know, kind of fun facts or little known facts about the brewery.

Scott Cowan [00:28:28]:
K. That’s that’s so side side note, what’s the oldest craft brewery in Bellingham? Who was the who was the the OG?

Emily Mallos [00:28:41]:
Right now, it’s OG. Yeah.

Layne Carter [00:28:44]:
Which was Orchard Street Brewing

Scott Cowan [00:28:46]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:28:46]:
Before that. So that turned into Boundary Bay, I believe.

Scott Cowan [00:28:49]:
And who’s the newest one? Right? As of the time we’re recording, who’s the new kid on the block?

Emily Mallos [00:28:54]:
Larrabee? I think Larrabee Lager Company.

Scott Cowan [00:28:57]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:28:57]:
Yep. Alright. They just opened last year, and they know how to make a tasty beer. That’s for sure. And they have great pizza.

Scott Cowan [00:29:06]:
Okay. Mhmm.

Layne Carter [00:29:07]:
A rarity in it in this town.

Scott Cowan [00:29:09]:
So Oh, pizza not a thing? Bellingham’s?

Layne Carter [00:29:12]:
It’s it’s a thing. There’s just I’m looking for the right kind that I you know, everyone likes different styles of pizza. Right. And I think Larabee makes the kind that I enjoy.

Scott Cowan [00:29:22]:
So elaborate on that.

Layne Carter [00:29:25]:
Thin like base, but not thin crust.

Scott Cowan [00:29:30]:
You

Layne Carter [00:29:31]:
know? It’s not like a it’s not like a bread y. Yeah. Not too bread y. They make one that has sausage and Mama Lils on it, the peppers, my favorite. And that is just right up my alley. Let me tell you.

Scott Cowan [00:29:45]:
How about you, Emily? Pizza? Hot, honey.

Emily Mallos [00:29:48]:
I’m a big pizza girl.

Scott Cowan [00:29:49]:
So what’s your what’s your go to Bellingham pizza place?

Emily Mallos [00:29:53]:
You know, I’m kind of a little known, spot. I don’t think they’re necessarily known for pizza, but there’s this restaurant in Fairhaven called Mambo Italiano. And they make really good pizza, and I live on that side of town. So that’s if I’m gonna order a pizza, I’ll order it from there. That.

Scott Cowan [00:30:10]:
Okay. And what what’s your you you know, Lane mentioned sausage and mama Lil’s. What what are you what are you putting on that pizza?

Emily Mallos [00:30:20]:
That varies so much for me. I grew up working in pizza restaurants, so I’m kind of a across the spectrum. I I get, like, too bored if I have the same thing over and over. So I’ll just go with whatever’s interesting to me that day. But at Mambo, I do really like their, margarita pizza. It’s good.

Scott Cowan [00:30:36]:
Okay. Very important question. Pineapple, yes. Pineapple, no.

Emily Mallos [00:30:41]:
Pineapple, yes. I’m a yeah. I’m kinda like a why not. You know? Yeah. You don’t need to die on this hill.

Layne Carter [00:30:47]:
Baked pineapple, yes, Gail. If you don’t like it, grow up. That’s what I have to say.

Scott Cowan [00:30:53]:
Say. What beer are you what beer are you pairing with pineapple on a pizza?

Layne Carter [00:31:00]:
I think a crispy lager. I’d have to think of which one, but, you know, like a Helles or something. K. Where

Emily Mallos [00:31:06]:
it’s a little bit thinking like Pilsner, something with a little, like, hop fruity character.

Layne Carter [00:31:12]:
A German beer.

Scott Cowan [00:31:13]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:31:13]:
German lager.

Scott Cowan [00:31:15]:
Yeah. Well, let’s go back to Bellingham Beer Week now that we’ve discussed pizza, pineapple, and beer. See? What’s the Pink Boots Society?

Layne Carter [00:31:25]:
That is a nationwide, maybe worldwide at this point, society with different chapters in each region or town. I think Bellingham created its own because we had such a strong beer scene up here, and it is a celebration of women that work in the beer industry. So, Yeah. You have to, like, have a certain percentage of your income, I think, has to be from

Scott Cowan [00:31:51]:
k.

Layne Carter [00:31:52]:
Being beer.

Scott Cowan [00:31:53]:
And then how are we connecting it to a Pine Car Derby?

Layne Carter [00:31:58]:
Great question. I’m not sure where that came from, but I know that it was it went really well last year, and so they’re doing it again. Boundary based team won last year, so I think that’s kinda why they’re to do it again. Defend their title Cowan their home turf.

Scott Cowan [00:32:13]:
Got it.

Layne Carter [00:32:13]:
But, yeah, I think it should be should be fun, and you can sign up to get a kit. And then if you wanna play, it’s open to the public as well as the beer industry. So yeah. Anyone can do it.

Emily Mallos [00:32:24]:
Cool. Yeah. We take all of our, competitive spirit and channel it into games in this industry.

Scott Cowan [00:32:33]:
A luau dinner? I don’t think of Hawaiian Polynesian food in Belvieu.

Layne Carter [00:32:38]:
About pineapple. Yeah. There’s there’ll probably be pineapple at that one.

Scott Cowan [00:32:43]:
Just you think?

Layne Carter [00:32:46]:
That’s one of my favorite genres of food, so I’m definitely going to that. Okay. Yeah. Should be delicious knowing Larabee.

Scott Cowan [00:32:53]:
Alright. Now this

Layne Carter [00:32:54]:
And I love in my book.

Scott Cowan [00:32:55]:
Now this is where my my palate doesn’t quite click. Beer and dessert isn’t a pairing that I’ve ever kind of worked on. So walk me through what you both think are, like, good dessert and beer pairings because that’s happening too.

Layne Carter [00:33:15]:
Right. Well, maybe you haven’t had the right pairing is what I’m curious about. I would go, like, a with Stemma, I bet there will be a lemon something dessert with that lemon cayenne lager that they have.

Scott Cowan [00:33:28]:
Okay. Alright.

Layne Carter [00:33:29]:
You know? Yeah. They have a spicy lemon lager.

Emily Mallos [00:33:32]:
Pure Bliss, who they’re partnering with, is this delicious, delightful bakery in town, and they really specialize in kind of high quality cakes.

Scott Cowan [00:33:40]:
Mhmm.

Emily Mallos [00:33:41]:
Mhmm. Special treats.

Layne Carter [00:33:43]:
Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:33:44]:
Special treats. And so I bet that will be they also have, like, a German chocolate cake that I’m imagining pairing with Stamets Porter. I think I think that’d be a good one. I’m a big dessert girl. Like, I love desserts.

Scott Cowan [00:33:58]:
Don’t look like this without I mean, like me. You don’t look like me without liking desserts and beer type food, you know, so it’s like I’ve never really thought of those 2 as

Emily Mallos [00:34:11]:
Complimentary.

Scott Cowan [00:34:12]:
Thank you.

Layne Carter [00:34:12]:
I get that.

Scott Cowan [00:34:13]:
But

Layne Carter [00:34:13]:
I get a little overwhelmed with sweets, but I’m also I’m not a dessert person.

Scott Cowan [00:34:17]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:34:17]:
So, if I’m gonna have a dessert, it’s gonna be something like tart.

Scott Cowan [00:34:22]:
K.

Emily Mallos [00:34:23]:
Or the beer is the dessert? I’m I’m total opposite. I’m like, I love dessert. I love beer. I want them both at the same time. Give them to me.

Layne Carter [00:34:32]:
I want, like, garlic bread for dessert. You know? Solid?

Scott Cowan [00:34:35]:
I could I respect that.

Layne Carter [00:34:37]:
I’m a savory gal.

Scott Cowan [00:34:39]:
We got Bellingham Brewers Guild beer release. There’s a lot of beer releases going on during I mean, go fig go

Layne Carter [00:34:45]:
figure makes it Yeah.

Emily Mallos [00:34:46]:
And that’s kind of a part of the spirit of it of, like, let’s put out something new for people to come out and try.

Scott Cowan [00:34:53]:
Mhmm. And then we’ve got Yeah. We’ve got karaoke. Well, that almost seems like, duh, have to have, care

Layne Carter [00:35:01]:
What’s your karaoke sound?

Scott Cowan [00:35:03]:
I’ve never and the world should be grateful. I’ve never sang karaoke because I have a terrible voice. No. It’s it’s it would make children cry, and, you know, just not

Emily Mallos [00:35:18]:
But you have such a good podcast voice. I could you could go

Layne Carter [00:35:21]:
for, like,

Emily Mallos [00:35:22]:
the low, like, almost, like, talking song

Scott Cowan [00:35:25]:
I have

Emily Mallos [00:35:26]:
thinking like some

Scott Cowan [00:35:27]:
I have no. It’s you know how people sing in the shower? My shower shuts off. You know, it just goes, no. We’re done. It just it doesn’t it’s like, no. Or it’s just dump cold water on me to make it go Scott. You know, it’s just it doesn’t work. So I’m gonna put you on the spot.

Emily Mallos [00:35:43]:
What’s your karaoke song? Oh, I thought I just discovered a new one Okay. For myself. It’s Limp Biscuit Break Stuff. Woah.

Layne Carter [00:35:50]:
Okay. Now Alright. Link.

Emily Mallos [00:35:53]:
So out of left field.

Scott Cowan [00:35:55]:
Wow. Yeah.

Layne Carter [00:35:55]:
That’s okay. Mine is kind of a deep cut. It’s, Picture by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow.

Scott Cowan [00:36:02]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:36:03]:
But I do both parts. Okay. Alright.

Scott Cowan [00:36:06]:
That’d be fun.

Layne Carter [00:36:08]:
Yeah. It is a fun one. Sad.

Scott Cowan [00:36:10]:
I don’t know. I don’t know what I would do. I don’t know.

Layne Carter [00:36:14]:
I have you pegged as, like, a Copacabana guy.

Scott Cowan [00:36:17]:
No. You

Layne Carter [00:36:17]:
know? At the Copacabana?

Scott Cowan [00:36:19]:
No. No. Honestly, because I would do it just to be obnoxious. And is it I can’t think of I can’t think of this it’s a Zeppelin song. I can’t the one where they’re, you know, under the line of it.

Layne Carter [00:36:34]:
Oh, yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:36:34]:
I I just would do that.

Emily Mallos [00:36:35]:
Which might actually be harder than it sounds like. Terrible. And I Like, there’s a lot of words that you don’t actually know enough.

Scott Cowan [00:36:40]:
Let’s let’s let’s let’s record sales would cease immediately. Their streaming would Scott. No one ever I would have ruined it. And I’m not as up on band per se, but, yeah, that’d be. I do respect when somebody gets up on a karaoke stage in in

Layne Carter [00:36:56]:
Belts. Yeah. For sure.

Emily Mallos [00:36:57]:
We Scott a big karaoke culture here at Colschen.

Layne Carter [00:37:00]:
Oh, yeah.

Emily Mallos [00:37:00]:
We do that yearly all of our staff events.

Scott Cowan [00:37:03]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:37:03]:
Oh, at Colschen. Cool. There’s one guy in Bellingham that always sings Meatloaf songs exclusively, and he goes, like, every karaoke. So yeah. It’s a fun one.

Scott Cowan [00:37:18]:
Let’s move on.

Layne Carter [00:37:18]:
And he wears a meatloaf shirt.

Scott Cowan [00:37:19]:
Let’s let’s let’s move on from that.

Layne Carter [00:37:22]:
Yeah. Anyways I’m

Scott Cowan [00:37:24]:
waiting right along. So I’m reading the headlines, and I’m a little confused, and then I have to read the thing because I was a taste of Humboldt. I was instantly thinking of Northern California, but there’s a Humboldt Street in Bellingham. So what’s going Which

Layne Carter [00:37:36]:
has what’s

Scott Cowan [00:37:37]:
going on there?

Layne Carter [00:37:37]:
Many breweries on it.

Scott Cowan [00:37:39]:
So Okay.

Layne Carter [00:37:40]:
There, is a neighborhood called Sunnyland. Goshen has a location in Sunnyland. Mhmm. But then if you even get a little bit more microscopic, it’s, one street has many opportunities for eating and drinking. And so I think you start at one end and make your way to the other end. K. Probably Scott at El Spinito and end up at other lands, and there’s some delicious herrings along the way. So Cool.

Layne Carter [00:38:07]:
That should be fun. El Spinito is great. They have tamales. They’re associated and owned by the same people as Free Large Tamales in Seattle. So Okay. Good opportunity there.

Scott Cowan [00:38:18]:
So you got a standard Fort collab release night on this is where not that anyone’s following along by days, but this is Thursday, April 25th. Yeah. We got another beer being released. Shocking. We’ve got April Oktterfest, Oktoberfest.

Layne Carter [00:38:38]:
Apriltoberfest. Which is so Sam Milne coded that he wants to do a logger event in in April, but I’m here for it. I’ll be there.

Emily Mallos [00:38:48]:
So So Yeah. Colschen actually collaborated with I

Scott Cowan [00:38:50]:
see this.

Emily Mallos [00:38:51]:
Larrabee and one of our beers or our collaboration beer, Bach in the Saddle, will be released at that event as well. Fun.

Scott Cowan [00:39:00]:
Love that.

Emily Mallos [00:39:01]:
Bach in the Saddle. It’s a Texas style amber bock. It’s a very specific style, but the head brewer or one of the owners at Larrabee, Sam Milney, used to be a co head brewer at Kolshen with our head brewer, Wesley Finger. And so those 2, you get them in the same room, and they’re just like, oh, let’s make this kind of beer. So they went off on their journey and came up with this beer recipe and paired it with the April Toberfest.

Scott Cowan [00:39:33]:
Well, let me ask you this. This now this is this is maybe getting really, really into the weeds, and you may or may not know the answer. But you you made it sound like in your opinion, this is a very niche specific beer. Was that am I correct in that?

Emily Mallos [00:39:49]:
I I think so. I don’t think it’s a very well known style.

Scott Cowan [00:39:53]:
How how much do you think they brewed this beer?

Emily Mallos [00:39:59]:
I probably, like, 10 barrels. I’m not sure how big the we brewed at Larrabee k. And I’m not super familiar with how big their system is.

Scott Cowan [00:40:09]:
And so what barrels translate size wise into approximately?

Emily Mallos [00:40:16]:
32 gallons per barrel. So

Scott Cowan [00:40:18]:
320 gallons of beer. It’s a Yeah. A reasonable amount of beer. Okay. Oh, yeah. That’s a reasonable amount. So this is just some mad scientist lab doing 5 gallons and, you know, they’re they’re they tested this before they put it out into, let’s call it, 300 gallons of of production. Okay.

Scott Cowan [00:40:37]:
K. Mhmm. Alright.

Emily Mallos [00:40:40]:
Yeah. And this one’s going into cans as well, so it’ll be available in 12 ounce cans.

Scott Cowan [00:40:44]:
Oh, they’re gonna be canned

Layne Carter [00:40:45]:
at 2. Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:40:46]:
Alright. Mhmm. At Lairby, and we’ll sell some here at Koschmann as well.

Scott Cowan [00:40:49]:
Alright. Tell me about the, the beer week block party.

Layne Carter [00:40:55]:
That’s always a fun one. That’s it. Sounds thrill. And their space just lends so well to, you know, having a lot of people celebrating, drinking beer. They shut down their little, street. It’s a small block in Fairhaven, but, they are great at curating the food trucks, and there’s always live music. And it’s just a good energy. You know? Nice way to kinda wrap up your week.

Scott Cowan [00:41:18]:
So So who is Marty the party truck?

Emily Mallos [00:41:22]:
Marty the party truck.

Layne Carter [00:41:23]:
I have never heard of

Emily Mallos [00:41:24]:
that person. Okay. Me either. I think you’re I’m ready though. It might be their tower truck. So they have, like

Layne Carter [00:41:31]:
I didn’t know how to make them.

Emily Mallos [00:41:33]:
They have a refrigeration truck with taps in the side Okay. They pour beer out of.

Scott Cowan [00:41:38]:
That’s

Emily Mallos [00:41:38]:
I’m pretty sure that’s Marty the party truck.

Scott Cowan [00:41:40]:
That’s got Marty the party truck. Yeah. That that actually sounds kinda cool. Alright. The problem jazz trio at greens. We got there seems to be a jazz theme going on musically here. There’s been more than one jazz event. Does Bellingham have a is jazz a

Layne Carter [00:41:54]:
It’s a young it’s a young town, Bellingham, but I will say we’ve as young people, we have an affinity for jazz here. We love it. So Alright. Can’t be stopped. There’s jazz every week at The Aslan Depot. That’s how much we love it.

Scott Cowan [00:42:08]:
Really?

Layne Carter [00:42:08]:
Yeah. Oh, yeah.

Emily Mallos [00:42:10]:
Throws a jazz festival at trackside every year Really? Yeah. And it’s always a kind of people pleasing, style.

Layne Carter [00:42:19]:
From kid

Scott Cowan [00:42:19]:
rock to jazz. That’s a kind of a wide

Layne Carter [00:42:22]:
Never said I didn’t have range.

Scott Cowan [00:42:24]:
Yeah. So that’s pretty impressive. Not being a Bellingham person is gruff forest funk. What on earth is gruff forest funk?

Emily Mallos [00:42:38]:
So from my understanding, they’ve partnered with this organization called Cascade Carnivore Project Mhmm. And they’re helping raise money for that organization

Scott Cowan [00:42:47]:
Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:42:48]:
Through this event.

Scott Cowan [00:42:49]:
Alright.

Emily Mallos [00:42:50]:
I think they made a beer release with them, and they’re gonna have the organization there for people to learn about their work around

Scott Cowan [00:43:00]:
Oh, okay. Alright.

Emily Mallos [00:43:01]:
Releasing lynx and wolverines and foxes and carnivores back into the northern Cascades.

Scott Cowan [00:43:06]:
That’s cool.

Emily Mallos [00:43:07]:
So that actually seems like a really cool

Layne Carter [00:43:08]:
Yeah. Event. Yeah. I love that. It’s ticketed. So if you want to go, gotta get your tickets.

Scott Cowan [00:43:14]:
We’ve Scott the another beer release with for a floral IPA. K? And that’s alright. And and is that something that they release annually? Is this their floral IPA? Is that the IPA season starting for them? Is that what’s going on? It’s it structures?

Layne Carter [00:43:30]:
Yeah. They’re in the IPA season all the time. They’re they’re great at making IPAs. Alright.

Emily Mallos [00:43:35]:
This beer is, benefits Max Higbee Center though. So I think it’s an annual one that they do around April Okay. Brews Day.

Scott Cowan [00:43:43]:
Alright. And then April Bruce Day. What’s the story there?

Layne Carter [00:43:51]:
It started a long time ago as a smaller event and has grown to the point where we had to move it down to the waterfront to accommodate all of the people that wanna go. So, thousands of people coming to it’s basically a beer festival where, Bellingham beer is very well represented, but also some other Washington week is all about live music and drinking beer at the same time. It it’s it’s a beer week is all about live music and drinking beer at the same time.

Scott Cowan [00:44:21]:
It it’s it’s a great pairing.

Layne Carter [00:44:23]:
Yeah. And then there’s some citeries, and food trucks and the works. So Okay. It all benefits Max Hupee Center, which is, a an adult center for, it’s like a place where that provides a creative outlet for, adults with, like, developmental a range of developmental Okay. Disabilities. Yeah. So Yeah. And this festival funds

Emily Mallos [00:44:52]:
nearly their whole operating budget for the year, so it’s a really important fundraiser.

Scott Cowan [00:44:58]:
K. We we we touched on the hangover helper brunch.

Layne Carter [00:45:03]:
Yeah. That kinda wraps us up.

Scott Cowan [00:45:05]:
But you need, you know, you need to I don’t know. I I’m tapping out by then.

Layne Carter [00:45:14]:
Well, we hope to see you up here.

Scott Cowan [00:45:16]:
Well, it’s it’s funny. I’m actually gonna be in Bellingham on the 19th. So I’m gonna go to something. Yeah. I’m gonna drop by something. Yeah. Alright. Let’s,

Layne Carter [00:45:24]:
You know where to find me.

Scott Cowan [00:45:25]:
What about Bellingham Beer Week and the Alliance, didn’t we talk about before I Scott asking you both some very Bellingham specific questions?

Emily Mallos [00:45:37]:
I think the main thing I would just like to plug is that Bellingham Beer Week won’t be all you see from us.

Layne Carter [00:45:45]:
Okay. Cool.

Emily Mallos [00:45:47]:
And we don’t have anything solidified yet, but we’re, you know, kind of we’re in the scheming mode where anything could happen. And looking at, you know, traditional things like Oktoberfest weekend or winter beer festival and different ways that we can incorporate all the breweries as an organized unit to to celebrate ourselves and and honestly bring beer tourism continue to bring beer tourism to Bellingham.

Scott Cowan [00:46:16]:
Let me ask you about that. Is beer tourism noticeable at your breweries? Do you do you see are you aware of people coming in, say, from from Canada, from Vancouver coming Cowan, or from Seattle, Portland coming up? Do you notice that in your breweries?

Emily Mallos [00:46:35]:
I’d say yes. Yeah. Particularly with Canadian holidays. Yeah.

Layne Carter [00:46:41]:
But,

Emily Mallos [00:46:42]:
you know, we’re trying to expand our reach and put Bellingham on the map statewide because we make incredible beer here. Our beer is award winning. It’s mostly because our water is amazing here. Shout out the water treatment center.

Layne Carter [00:46:57]:
Yes. Shout out Lake Welcome.

Emily Mallos [00:47:01]:
Yeah. Lake Welcome.

Scott Cowan [00:47:02]:
K. Alright.

Layne Carter [00:47:05]:
Yeah. Alright.

Scott Cowan [00:47:06]:
Lane, you got what what what the

Layne Carter [00:47:12]:
I think Emily said it best.

Scott Cowan [00:47:13]:
Oh, thank you. I mean

Layne Carter [00:47:14]:
yeah. I know where you’re going

Scott Cowan [00:47:16]:
about. Thanks.

Layne Carter [00:47:17]:
She said it best. There’s more to come from Bellingham Beer Alliance, taking care of all of your organizational beer needs, which there are a lot in this town. So we’re here for you. Okay. We’re kinda just here to all celebrate each other and the thing that brings us together. Because beer drinking all about having a pint with your friends and meeting new people over a beer and

Scott Cowan [00:47:35]:
k.

Layne Carter [00:47:36]:
You know, making connections.

Scott Cowan [00:47:37]:
Alright. So I prepped you for a couple of questions, but I’m gonna surprise you with a couple more. And the and the rules of this next section is need if Emily goes first, let’s say, and she says something, Lane, you can’t use the same answer. Okay? Except for the last question, which you can go okay. So, Emily, I’m gonna let you go first. I love coffee. Where’s the best place in Bellingham for coffee?

Emily Mallos [00:48:03]:
I love Banter.

Layne Carter [00:48:04]:
K.

Emily Mallos [00:48:06]:
They’re a coffee shop where I can get my smoothie, bacon, and coffee all in one. So true. And that just tickles me.

Scott Cowan [00:48:12]:
All in one? That’s kind of

Emily Mallos [00:48:14]:
Yep. Blended up. No. I’m just kidding.

Layne Carter [00:48:16]:
Coffee and bacon smoothie.

Scott Cowan [00:48:18]:
And at Banter, what’s your go to coffee drink?

Emily Mallos [00:48:22]:
I’m an iced Americano girl. Okay. The dash of cream.

Scott Cowan [00:48:26]:
Okay. Solid. Solid. Alright, Lane. Can’t say banter.

Layne Carter [00:48:31]:
Cafe Bleu is my favorite coffee place. Really? Why is that? They have the best food, the best coffee, the best staff. K. The owner is a friend. Amazing people. And I get the, goat cheese and hazelnut toast with honey. And I don’t have a go to coffee order. I was in the coffee industry for a long time, so I kinda bounced around.

Scott Cowan [00:48:55]:
But So what was the last coffee you you you bought? What was the last coffee? Wherever you bought it at, what was the last coffee drink you bought?

Layne Carter [00:49:03]:
An oat milk chai with a shot in it. Dirty chai. Alright. Yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:49:07]:
I’ll let you go first, Lane. I’m gonna get to Bellingham about lunchtime. Where should I grab lunch?

Layne Carter [00:49:13]:
Old World Deli. It’s my favorite sandwich place, and they have everything that you could ever want. I get the spicy Italian, but instead of pepperoncinis, I do mama Will’s because as we know, I love mama Lil’s.

Scott Cowan [00:49:23]:
Why are why are mama Lil’s so I love them.

Layne Carter [00:49:27]:
They’re so good.

Scott Cowan [00:49:27]:
I know. I love them, but why are they so it’s like this cult thing?

Layne Carter [00:49:32]:
I don’t know. I think it’s the only pickled thing I like, so I have to lean into it.

Scott Cowan [00:49:36]:
Yeah. There’s they’re they’re really they’re really tasty. Okay. Emily’s lunch. I’ll go for 2 lunches while I’m in Bellingham.

Emily Mallos [00:49:43]:
Two lunches. I’m going to other ones.

Scott Cowan [00:49:45]:
Really?

Emily Mallos [00:49:46]:
Okay. I love their cafe menu. I get the beet Reuben.

Layne Carter [00:49:53]:
It’s really good.

Emily Mallos [00:49:54]:
It’s delicious. And their French fries are, like, to die for.

Scott Cowan [00:49:59]:
Really?

Layne Carter [00:49:59]:
Perfect. Yeah. Mhmm. Thick. They’re frites. Yeah. So good.

Emily Mallos [00:50:04]:
So Frites.

Scott Cowan [00:50:06]:
Beet Reuben? Mhmm. Elaborate.

Emily Mallos [00:50:09]:
It’s a vegetarian menu. Uh-huh. So, you know, it’s not exactly what you expect, but It’s okay. They’re like these smoky beets and sauerkraut and this delightful bread. And they have this really good sauce that goes on it, and it just gets me over time.

Scott Cowan [00:50:25]:
See, I’ll be honest with you. I don’t like beets, but you just made it sound like I would like them. Like, when I think of beets, I think like they taste like dirt. It’s just and but

Layne Carter [00:50:36]:
They kinda do.

Scott Cowan [00:50:37]:
You just

Layne Carter [00:50:38]:
I have a beat tattoo

Scott Cowan [00:50:40]:
What?

Layne Carter [00:50:40]:
In my arm.

Scott Cowan [00:50:41]:
You do? Yeah. Do you like beets?

Layne Carter [00:50:46]:
I love them a lot. Yeah.

Emily Mallos [00:50:48]:
Love beets.

Scott Cowan [00:50:49]:
Oh, so

Layne Carter [00:50:50]:
I was a farmer for a while. There’s I’ve seen some seen some stuff.

Scott Cowan [00:50:53]:
You’ve seen some things.

Emily Mallos [00:50:54]:
You’ve seen a few beets

Layne Carter [00:50:55]:
in your day?

Emily Mallos [00:50:57]:
Yep. Exactly. Okay.

Layne Carter [00:51:00]:
What’s the surprise question?

Scott Cowan [00:51:01]:
I got a couple more I’m throwing at you that I haven’t prepared too far. Just because these are, like, selling him, you know, you’re you live there. You you recreate there.

Emily Mallos [00:51:10]:
Yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:51:11]:
Work there. Best recreation spot in Bellingham?

Emily Mallos [00:51:16]:
Oh, Galbreath Mountain easily. K. You got here.

Scott Cowan [00:51:20]:
Elaine, I’m sorry you can’t answer that question. So or you can’t say this anything.

Layne Carter [00:51:24]:
No. It’s okay.

Scott Cowan [00:51:25]:
Why why what’s about Cobworth Mountain that is so I mean, you just jumped that fell out of your mouth. Why?

Emily Mallos [00:51:31]:
Well, it’s our it’s our main vein for our mountain biking trails, but they’re also great hiking trails and there’s you can gravel bike up there and it’s just this huge network. This whole mountain that’s just covered in trails and it’s super accessible from town. It’s like in you Cowan bike from a neighborhood, and you can

Scott Cowan [00:51:54]:
Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:51:56]:
Go to the other side of the mountain in, like, 10 minutes.

Scott Cowan [00:51:58]:
Oh, wow.

Emily Mallos [00:51:58]:
And that’s driving. So there’s 2 access points, trails all around, and it’s pretty incredible.

Scott Cowan [00:52:06]:
Lane, how about you?

Layne Carter [00:52:08]:
I’m a Mount Baker girl. It’s not in Bellingham, technically, but it’s near Bellingham, visible from Bellingham. Snowboard.

Scott Cowan [00:52:16]:
Okay.

Layne Carter [00:52:16]:
Snowboarding. Yes.

Scott Cowan [00:52:18]:
Where else do you like to snowboard besides Mount Baker?

Layne Carter [00:52:22]:
Sun Peaks in Canada. K. Yeah. Big fan.

Scott Cowan [00:52:26]:
Best place to see live music in Bellingham? That’ll be the last question.

Emily Mallos [00:52:33]:
I’m gonna say the trackside beer garden.

Layne Carter [00:52:37]:
I was gonna say the Cowan Depot patios. So we’re doing a shameless plug for our

Emily Mallos [00:52:41]:
own organization. Own version.

Layne Carter [00:52:43]:
So so Yeah.

Scott Cowan [00:52:44]:
That’s fine. Why? Why are you besides the proximity

Layne Carter [00:52:49]:
The patio yeah. The patio at the depot is just vibey, and there’s a big gorgeous brick wall, which feels weird, but it sets the mood and the the lights. And you can get cocktails, spritzes, wine, beer, food, the works. So Alright. Big fan. Yeah.

Emily Mallos [00:53:09]:
I mean, for me, trackside is this beautiful Cowan space down at the waterfront, and there’s always families running around and friends. And it just is like kind of a quintessential Bellingham place for me and for a lot of people in town. So when there’s a good show there and you get to be on the grass looking up at our container stage

Scott Cowan [00:53:33]:
Oh.

Emily Mallos [00:53:33]:
It has a pretty magical essence to it.

Scott Cowan [00:53:36]:
Very cool. So from a technical standpoint, we just lost Lane. So Emily, we’re gonna wrap this up with you. You get the last the last question that you’re not prepared for.

Emily Mallos [00:53:44]:
You have to answer

Scott Cowan [00:53:46]:
this question, and you have to explain your reasoning. If if Lane comes back, I’ll ask it of her too. Alright? Very simple question.

Emily Mallos [00:53:53]:
Great.

Scott Cowan [00:53:54]:
Cake or pie, and why?

Emily Mallos [00:54:00]:
That is such a hard question because, you know, as we talked about, I love desserts of all kind. But I think I’m gonna go with cake, because I love frosting.

Scott Cowan [00:54:14]:
Okay.

Emily Mallos [00:54:14]:
It’s not so much that I love the cake part, but I’ve always loved frosting. I was always that kid who was, like, swiping off the side, getting into the chocolate in the middle. And not to hate on pie, but there’s a lot you know, most pies are just fruit and dough, and I feel like I’m happy getting that from a pastry. And it doesn’t need to be a pie. But cake is very specific to me, and I really want frosting.

Scott Cowan [00:54:45]:
What one cake. You got 1 you’re gonna get one cake the rest of your life. What’s it gonna be?

Emily Mallos [00:54:55]:
So my mom will make this ice cream cake, which is, you know, this is kind of borderline. It’s not cake cake, but she makes this ice cream cake. She’s made it my whole life. It’s a very nostalgic specific thing for me, and it’s an Oreo layer, an ice cream layer, peanuts, hot fudge, and it’s topped with Cool Whip. And it’s delicious, and I could eat that for the rest of my life. Eat that

Scott Cowan [00:55:21]:
for the rest of my life. Okay. Mhmm. Well, thank you for sitting down with me. This was very fun for me, and I’m really, I think it’s really cool what what’s going on in Bellingham, not just in the beer scene. But as I was telling you before we hit record, there just seems to be this disproportionate good energy coming out of Bellingham in all sorts of categories. And what you guys are doing with Bellingham Beer Week, with the beer alliance, I’m excited to see what what sort of fun events you have percolating in the background, and I’m, you know and I just this this week of beer in Bellingham sounds painful to me, but but, like, really fun. And I I really like hearing the the camaraderie between the breweries.

Scott Cowan [00:56:19]:
I think that’s really, really a wonderful thing. And so I thank you for sitting down and and talking with me today. Is there anything you I’m gonna let you have the last word is what do you wanna say? It’s your show.

Emily Mallos [00:56:30]:
Well, I wanted to say that I think you nailed it with the rising tide raises all ships sentiment earlier, and that’s really the essence of what Bellingham Beer is all about and what we’re trying to continue to raise up through the beer lines and through beer week. And we hope that, you know, people enjoy what we’re planning and come out and support Bellingham Beer.

Scott Cowan [00:56:54]:
Awesome. Well, I will get this published and out there for you guys, And, I’m really excited to I’ll get to swing by and at least check something out while I’m up there. So I’ll absolutely do that. So thanks for being on.

Emily Mallos [00:57:08]:
Yeah. Thanks for having us.

Layne Carter [00:57:10]:
Yeah. Great. I hope