Wednesday, December 29, 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Are you ready for 2011???  Of coarse the absolute BEST way to start the year would be by coming down to The Jolly Roger Taproom and drinking some beer.  Unfortunately, we feel the need to give everyone a rest after ringing in the new year, so we will be closed on the first day of the new year.  Here's our holiday schedule for this weekend:

     New Years Eve (Friday the 31st) - Close at 10 PM
     New Years Day (Saturday the 1st) - CLOSED
     Day after New Years (Sunday the 2nd) - OPEN REGULAR HOURS

Have a wonderful and safe New Years!

Cheers,
Maritime Pacific Brewing Company and The Jolly Roger Taproom

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

LOOKING FOR LAST MINUTE GIFTS???

Running out of time before the BIG DAY???  Looking for something for that beer lover in your life? Don't forget that we now have Gift Cards at The Jolly Roger Taproom.  Just ask your server the next time you come down...

Friday, December 17, 2010

New Lunch Menu Is Up And Running!!!

The new lunch menu kicked off yesterday...
Here's a LINK to the updated menu for your review.  Just scroll down to the LUNCH LIST.

Hungry Yet???

Come on down and check it out!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Apologies for the Tease...

There is a new lunch menu starting today, but I probably won't get it posted till tomorrow morning.  I will be on the bottling line all day today dealing with Jolly, so I guess that's a pretty good excuse.  Check back tomorrow...

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

NEW LUNCH MENU ALERT!!!

We will be rolling out a new lunch menu tomorrow (Thursday the 16th.)  The new menu will be up on the menu page as soon as I get a copy (this afternoon or tomorrow morning.)  Check back...

Thursday, December 9, 2010

New Menu Specials...

Have you ever had a "JUICY LUCY?"  (It's not what you think, unless you think it's a cheeseburger with the cheese inside the patty...then you would be correct...)  Click HERE to read about ours, and click HERE to read about everyone else.

We also have a new seasonal dessert for your enjoyment:  Rum / Eggnog Pot de Creme.  Click HERE to check it out...

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Top 5 Winter Beers From The Pacific Northwest

The folks over at the Seattle Weekly's food blog Voracious (which I am totally addicted to...some of the most entertaining food writing out there in my opinion) have put together a list of their Top 5 Winter Beers From The Pacific Northwest.  Of course I can't personally agree with the rankings, but I want to send out a big THANK YOU for including us in this years lineup. (At least we can look forward to maybe moving UP the ladder next year...)

Almost 5000...

Tomorrow we will be bottling the 5000th case of Jolly!   Still not enough, but much better than last year...

Cheers...

Monday, November 22, 2010

4000 and counting...

It may not be the biggest Jolly bottling run yet, but it sure is better than last year.  We had not yet even brewed the FIRST batch of Jolly last year at this time.  This year the story's a bit different.  We have already shipped 4000 cases and last week the first 100 kegs went out the door.  Keep up the good work everyone... 

Snow!!!

NOW it feels like time for a Christmas Ale!!!  I know it's only 10:30 in the morning, and not even Thanksgiving yet, but when there is snow on the ground, however little it may be, it feels just a little like Christmas.  This is just about the best time ever to come down to the Jolly Roger Taproom and imbibe in some of this years Jolly. 

The years' first snow on the ground, some good food, and a pint of Jolly.  It doesn't get much better than that...

Cheers!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Jolly's Got Me Thinkin'...

And so it begins...

Every year when we release Jolly the response is always the same:
     "This is the best Jolly yet!"
     "This Jolly isn't as good as last year."
     "Jolly's too sweet this year."
     "Jolly's too bitter this year."
     "Did you guys change the recipe?  I like it better this year."
     "Did you guys change the recipe?  I don't like it as much as last year."
     "The 2002 Jolly was the best ever. 2007 was okay too. Why don't you brew one of those again?"
Etc. Etc.

Sometimes it seems like people think we have giant containers of Jolly mix that last for YEARS and we just crack them open every year and add water and POW...Jolly Roger Christmas Ale.  "Why does it taste different this year?  It's always the same recipe, right?"

Right.  We try to keep the recipe as consistent from year to year as possible.  But have you ever followed a recipe at home two times and used different ingredients and ended up with two things that tasted a little "different?"

Everybody knows that the "same" wine from the same winery varies from year to year because the grapes are different EVERY YEAR.  I don't think that people always make the same connection with beer.  Grain is harvested every year.  It is an agricultural product and varies from season to season and year to year because of such factors as weather, disease, and other growing conditions.

Hops are harvested ONCE a year (I guess technically twice if you count the flipped seasons in the southern hemisphere.)  They too are affected by growing climate, weather patterns, and can be partially wiped out because there might be a freak rainstorm one morning followed by a hot afternoon that sets in motion a nasty mold outbreak and wipes out a field.  Nature can wreak havoc on our ingredients and we are stuck with what we've got for a YEAR!

Even water is never the "same."  Even though we filter all of our brewing water, it can experience subtle changes on a chemical level on a daily basis.  And you know what?  Water chemistry affects brewing!  Let's not even get started on how the same yeast can perform differently from brew to brew.

What I'm trying to say here is:  Even though we try to follow the "same" recipe every year, EVERY ONE OF OUR INGREDIENTS IS DIFFERENT ALL THE TIME.  And you know what that means?  Even though we try, Jolly is a little different every time.  For that matter, all of our beers are a little different every time.  That's what makes craft beer "craft beer."  I have the utmost respect and am blown away by large breweries that can make the EXACT SAME beer from variable ingredients and different water supplies in different brewhouses around the world.  It's phenomenal.  It's also probably the reason people think of beer as a "consistent" product that is manufactured and never varies from batch to batch.

It's downright amazing that our beer is as consistent as it is given all the variables that go into making it, and I only touched on ingredients.  There is a whole lot more that can affect a batch of beer that most beer drinkers probably never even think of.

Our beer might not always be CONSISTENT.  We try to make the best of what Mother Nature hands us each year.

I do like to think, though, that our beer is always consistently GOOD.

Just my two cents...  Hope you like the Jolly this year, and if you don't, please continue to try it each year.  You are bound to find one year you like.

Cheers... Chris (the keeper of the blog)

2010 Jolly Roger Release!!!

We are proud to be releasing this years Jolly Roger Christmas Ale tonight, November 11th, at 5 pm.  Come on down to the Jolly Roger Taproom and enjoy $3.75 pints all night long.  Not that I'm saying that you should drink nothing but Jolly all night long.  That would be totally irresponsible. You get the point, though.  Come drink.  Jolly.

Friday, October 29, 2010

The Big Memphis

I had one for lunch today...

I feel kind of like I did something naughty and am sort of ashamed...

I think I might want to do it again...

You should really try one...

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Beer Trek 2010


Come see us at Beer Trek 2010 at the Phinney Neighborhood Center.  We will be pouring our infamous Rum Soaked Jolly Roger and an Islander Pale that I am told will be hopped " A LOT! "  Come see us if you can...

Click the pic for more info...

It's No Joke... New Lunch Menu Starts Today

You are not going to believe this one, and NO, we aren't kidding. 

Click on the man and scroll down to lunch and read about the "Big Memphis."

Then come on down and order one.

I dare you...

It's That Time Of Year Again!

Oh... Jolly, Jolly Jolly... How we love you and loath you. (Most people love it but those of us trying to make it and make ENOUGH of it sometimes take a different view, but we mostly love it too.)

So the 2010 Jolly Roger Christmas Ale is in the stores now and production is in full swing.  Most of you might remember we got off to a rocky start last year what with the move to the new brewery and all.  Rumors were flying around about why we were so late in getting it out, and there were some real winners.  It's amazing what your local grocery store beer manager tells you he heard "from someone" about why your beer isn't out yet.  The honest truth is we didn't brew it until the day after Thanksgiving.  It was the very FIRST BEER BREWED on the new system (like, as in, no test brews or anything) and you know what?  You drank it and we got good feedback about it.  I kept telling people that the label says "Christmas Ale" on it, so that was our deadline.  If we got it out by Christmas we were good.  And we did.  Besides, it gets a little ridiculous when the "Winter" beers start rolling out in the middle of September.  Summer's hardly gone and we need to hold on to those memories as long as we can. 

We have already bottled 2300 cases of Jolly so far this year.  Last year we only got off 1600, which was WAY below normal.  The goal was 2000 before Halloween and we met that and then some.  The guys are down in the bottling room as I write this knocking out another 200 today, 300 tomorrow, and 900 next week!

Jolly kegs should start rolling out to bars and restaurants around town the week of November 15th (IF everything goes according to plan.  I can never promise anything these days...)

Hope you all like this years offering.

Enough rambling, okay?  On to the good stuff...

The Fred Meyer in Ballard and the Ballard Market both have Jolly for sure.

This Friday, October 29th, we will be selling Jolly at the Taproom.  We will release only 25 cases this weekend, so if you want to get it at the source, you better hurry. (Don't worry, though.  There will be more coming.  It's just that we still need to fill the distributor pipeline.)

What you need to know:

$8.99 / 6-Pack
$34.96 / Case
2 Case Maximum Per Customer (got to spread the love, you know)

Cheers

Friday, October 22, 2010

Scenes from the Pumpkin Carving


Well, the first (annual???) Jolly Roger Pumpkin Carving contest is past us.  A packed house drank lots of Cask Jolly Roger (I said you didn't want to miss this one!) and carved some wonderful pumpkins.

















Fortunately, everyone left with all of their fingers and no band-aids needed to be called into action.  Nice Work!  Three lucky carvers even left with some nice gifts.  Here are the three top pumpkins chosen by the drunken masses last night... (note: the actual top voted pumpkin was carved by one of our wonderful servers and was unfortunately disqualified from receiving a prize.)
Third Place




Second Place



And the Grand Prize went to...
First Place!


Thanks to everyone who came down and made this night a roaring success.  Hopefully we can do it again next year. 




Thursday, October 21, 2010

Rumors are ugly...

Rumors about Jolly can be pretty interesting sometimes.  Last years delay in production led to some real winners....rusty tanks, bad batches, brewing at the old brewery, buying beer back from stores, etc...

We're making up for it this year though.  There are already over 1500 cases bottled and ready to ship and there is also one rumor that may be true, regarding a special firkin of 2010 (i.e. this years) Jolly being tapped at 6pm for our pumpkin carving contest.  Tonight.  Get down there quick cause there's no telling how long this one will last.

You have less than an hour!  GO

New Dinner Menu Starts Today

Octoberfest is leaving us for another year.  Hope you got down to try some of the tasty dishes from that menu.  Starting today, Thursday, we roll out a new Fall menu that features some favorites from the past returning for your enjoyment.  You will find these under the "Dinner List Favorites" heading on the regular menu.  Click HERE to jump to the menu and check it out.

P.S.  Look for a new lunch menu rolling out sometime next week.  Can't wait to see what Dave comes up with next...

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

A Few New Specials...

We have made a small change to our menu recently...

We no longer have a "Special's" menu but we do have a few items which will rotate periodically that are not part of the regular menu.  Currently we have a "Lil' Cincinnati Style Chili Slider" and a dessert special, both of which you can read about HERE.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Are those our ONION RINGS?.....Thank you Seattle Weekly!


Much thanks to the Seattle Weekly food blog Voracious for picking our "Smokers" as the best Onion Rings in Seattle.  Click on the picture of the lovely beauties to see the whole story...

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST!


The Jolly Roger Taproom Presents
Pumpkin Carving Contest
Join Us Thursday October 21st
6 PM - 9 PM
Cheer on your favorite carver!
$1.00 Off Pints For Carvers!!
Judging @ 9:00 PM
by your fellow carvers and Jolly Roger audience.
plus   SPECIAL CASK NIGHT
(trust me, YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!!!)
Carvers should bring their own carving tools.
We'll supply Pumpkins and Band Aids.
All pumpkins will be proudly displayed at The Jolly Roger Taproom through Halloween.

Come down now and sign up for the fun!!!

Oktoberfest Coming To A Close...

If you've been digging the Oktoberfest offerings at The Jolly Roger Taproom, you better get on in and get your fill because it will be going away soon (like in the next two weeks.)  We will be phasing in a new dinner menu next week and a new lunch menu the week after next.  So come get your schnitzel and brats before they are gone for another year...

Monday, October 11, 2010

Reminder about service changes (Monday, October 11th)!!!

Don't forget that there are a few changes going into effect today that will affect some of the times you can order certain foods.  The changes will now be on the menu page or you can read about them in this post:


http://thejollyrogertaproom.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-happy-hour-menu-and-happy-hour.html

or this post

http://thejollyrogertaproom.blogspot.com/2010/10/very-important-notice-new-hours-coming.html

Monday, October 4, 2010

NEW HAPPY HOUR MENU AND HAPPY HOUR HOURS

Please note that the Happy Hour is slightly shorter.  It will now run from 3 till 6 Monday through Friday.  Sorry for any inconvenience...

On a better note, there is a new happy hour menu.  Click HERE to check it out...

VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE!!! NEW HOURS COMING SOON...

It's really not such a drastic change, but we will be changing our opening hours and the times that some of our menus are run.  Beginning next Monday, October 11, The Jolly Roger Taproom will open for lunch at 11:30 am.  The menus will be availabe as follows (this info will be on the menu page once it goes into effect):

Chef's List
Monday - Wednesday     11:30 am - 9:00 pm
Thursday     11:30 am - 10:00 pm
Friday - Saturday     11:30 am - 11:00 pm
Sunday     12 noon - 9:00 pm

Lunch
Monday - Saturday     11:30 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday     12 noon - 3:00 pm

Dinner
Sunday - Wednesday     5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Thursday - Saturday     5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Happy Hour
Monday - Friday     3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Friday, October 1, 2010

Sorry for the lack of posts...

We've been shorthanded in the brewery this week so there has been little time for blog updating.  Just a few friendly reminders...


This weekend (Friday and Saturday) is the Tacoma Craft Beer Festival.  Head down Friday night to taste some very special Bosun's Black Cask (aged with Port infused oak chips) and meet Corey the Brewer.   We'll also be pouring Dry-Hopped Islander Pale, Double Dry-Hopped Imperial IPA, and Old Seattle Lager (Seattle's NEW Original Lager.)  Check the post below to get more info... 


Also, you better hurry down to get your Windfest!  There are only a few kegs left, so it will probably be gone by the middle of October, if not sooner.


That's all for now.  Have a wonderful weekend and as always...


Cheers!

Friday, September 17, 2010

The whole Oktoberfest menu is here!!!

The full Oktoberfest menu is now up and being served!
Click on the Oktoberfest banner and scroll down to Lunch and Dinner to see what we've got.

Prost!!!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

One Thousand Kegs...

While doing some inventory management today, I realized tonight's release of Windfest will mark the 1,000th keg poured in the NEW Jolly Roger Taproom since it's re-opening in February.  Thanks to everyone who weathered the closure, came back, and continue to support us.  Thanks also to all of our new fans, and to anyone who helps keep craft beer alive and well.

Come on down and help us celebrate this milestone.  Tonight (Thursday, Sept 9) all pints of Windfest will be $3.25 starting at 4pm. 

Also, next week there will be another night of Windfest specials when our much anticipated Oktoberfest menu rolls out in the Taproom.  Check back right here for more updates on that special release and to peep the new menu (as soon as I get it.)

Thanks again and as always...    Cheers!!!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Fresh, Fresh, Fresh...

New Menu Specials rolling out today.  Check out the link in the Navigator to see the new items...

WINDFEST RELEASE DATE!



The first keg of WINDFEST will be tapped at 4pm on Thursday, September 9.  Pints will be $3.25 from tapping till closing.  Hope to see you there...

 

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

EVENING MAGAZINE is collecting votes for their annual "Best Of Western Washington" competition.  Help us win by clicking the link below and voting for us in the "Best Brewpub" category.

http://best.king5.com/jolly-roger-taproom/biz/124256

Friday, August 27, 2010

Brewery Update...

This years batch of Windfest is filtered, in the conditioning tank, and tasting pretty yummy.  Look for it to be released September 9th or 10th (we haven't nailed it down yet.)  Then the following week our much anticipated Oktoberfest Menu will roll out in the Taproom.  Look for that on Wednesday the 15th or Thursday the 16th.  We will be offering special pricing on the Windfest for the debut of the menu so get on down here and check it out.

Also, everyone will be totally excited that the first batch of Jolly is in the fermentor.  Don't expect to see it any sooner this year than normal, but at least it will be out ON TIME!  And hopefully there will be A LOT OF IT!

For those of you interested in what our place looked like while under construction, you can click on the Brewery Construction slideshow on the right hand side of the page and view our photo album of pics.

That's about it for now...
Stay tuned and stay drinkin'...

Thursday, August 19, 2010

THE BIKE RACK IS HERE!!!

SDOT finally came out this morning to install our new bike corral.  For those of you unfamiliar with a bike corral, it is basically a BIG bike rack that takes up one street parking spot.  One of these corrals was installed earlier this summer in Wallingford outside Essential Bakery.  As far as we know, this is the first corral to be installed in Ballard.

Check the link below to read about us on MyBallard.com...


http://www.myballard.com/2010/08/19/bike-corral-installed-at-jolly-roger-taproom/

HAPPY HOUR COMING SOON!



Come on down on Monday, August 23rd at 3pm and check out our new Happy Hour Menu.  The kitchen has concocted some awesome small plates for your snacking enjoyment.  Have some beer, share some snacks, stay for dinner!  Click the Happy Hour link in the Navigator above to check out the menu...   Cheers

Monday, August 16, 2010

THE PATIO IS NOW OPEN!

Come on down and enjoy your beer and food in the great outdoors!  Our patio/beer garden is now open for your drinking and dining enjoyment. See you there... Cheers.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

New Chef's List starting today...

Hit the link above to check out the new Chef's List which starts today.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Good News...Bad News

GOOD NEWS...

We got our shipment of growlers today!!! Come on down and get one filled.  Drink it up, bring it back and fill it again.  Repeat as necessary.

BAD NEWS...

The special deal we were offering for filling ALL growlers at the special Maritime price is now gone.

GOOD NEWS...

If you do come down and buy a Maritime growler it only costs 11 cents an ounce to fill it.

BAD NEWS...

If you bring in a NON-Maritime growler, it costs 13 cents an ounce (which is still pretty darn good.)

SO...

Get on down here and pick one up (or two, or three) before they're all gone again...

Monday, July 26, 2010

FRESH SHEET UPDATE

Hit the link at the top of the page to view our current Fresh Sheet which just dropped this past weekend.  Looks like some pretty good eats on this one.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Fare Start...George...Keith...KING 5 NEWS!!!

If you don't have your tickets yet, you better get on the ball.  Fare Start's Guest Chef on the Waterfront is this Wednesday, July 14th. The following info is from Fare Starts website:

Bell Harbor's Pier 66 & Elliott Hall
Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 6 – 9 p.m.
Join summertime revelers at Bell Harbor's Pier 66 & Elliott Hall celebrating over 70 of the Seattle area’s most talented chefs, breweries, wineries and purveyors of fine food and beverages. (This is a 21 years and over event.) 

King 5 News was live at The Jolly Roger Taproom this morning to do a story about the event and interview George along with Keith, one of our cooks who is a Fare Start graduate.  Click the link below to check out the video...
  

Friday, July 9, 2010

Growler Update

We are patiently awaiting our new shipment of growlers.  Until they arrive, we are offering a special deal for those of you wanting beer to go.  We will fill any growler at the special Maritime Growler price of 11 cents an ounce.  When our growlers do arrive we will resume the regular pricing of 11 cents an ounce for the Maritime Logo Growler and 13 cents an ounce for all "other" growlers.  Thanks for your patience...

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

SUMMER IS HERE!!!

Finally!  Blue skies.  Sunshine.  HEAT!!!

When the time comes to get out of the sun for a bit, keep The Jolly Roger Taproom in mind.  Now is the time to take advantage of one of the more subtle improvements made to the new digs:  AIR CONDITIONING.

Now you can enjoy your Lil' Jollys and Lil' Mahis and all of our great beers in air conditioned comfort.  What are you waiting for?  Come on in and cool off a bit...

Cheers!

Friday, June 25, 2010

NEW MENU ALERT

Click on the "Oh! The Food..." link above to check out our newest menu.  There is a bounty of new items both in the lunch menu and dinner menu to check out.  Come hungry... (and thirsty!!!)

Hmmmmmm......

Bosun's Black?

Triple Cask Tuesday???

June 29th....click the link above.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Phinney Neighborhood Beer Roundup!!

Come see us at the Phinney Neighborhood Association's 5th Annual Summer Beer Roundup.  It all goes down on Saturday, July 10th from 4-7:30 pm at the Phinney Neighborhood Center.  Click the link below for more info and directions...

http://www.phinneycenter.org/events/beer_summer.shtml

Thursday, June 17, 2010

BIKE RACK COMING SOON

We got in touch with SDOT a few months ago to inquire about bike parking at our new location.  They happened to be in the process of scouting locations to install some new bike corrals around the city.  Talk about perfect timing...

Doug from SDOT just came out today to mark the spot on the street where our new bike corral will be installed.  Hopefully within the next couple of weeks the crews will be out to do the install and all of you cyclists out there will have a safe and secure parking area for when you come to visit the Taproom.  

Click the link below to read about their program and see a picture of our newest catch...

http://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2010/06/10/sdot-lands-big-fish-bike-rack-that-is/

Darkness On The Horizon?

Even though summer is supposedly right around the corner, there is a dark storm brewing in Ballard.  Could it be the return of one of our long lost brews? Check back to find out...

DESSERTS?!?

Did you know...

With the extra space in the new kitchen the chefs are expanding beyond the appetizer and entree realm and beginning to concoct desserts for your enjoyment.  Check the Fresh Sheet link above and ask your server about the dessert specials the next time you are in for a visit.

New Menus Coming Soon...

Things are a changin' at the old Jolly Roger.  Starting next Friday, June 25th we will be revamping our lunch, dinner, and bar menus.  Don't worry, the Jollys, Mahis, and Smokers aren't going anywhere.  There will be new lunch items, dinner items, salads and sauces.  Check back next week for more information.

FRESH FRESH FRESH

Just to keep all the happy diners on their toes, we're rolling out a new Fresh Sheet today.  There are even a few selections for our veggie friends out there and they look pretty darn good.  Click the "Current Fresh Sheet" link above to check it out!!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Triple Cask Tuesday!

Come on down for Triple Cask Tuesday at The Jolly Roger Taproom.  We will be tapping a keg of special Dry-Hopped Islander Pale at 5 pm for your cask drinking enjoyment.  All three cask beers are specially priced at $3.25 a pint.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Special Events On The Horizon...

2010 Washington Brewer's Festival - Father's Day Weekend
http://www.washingtonbeer.com/wabf.htm

Come see us at Saint Edward State Park in Kenmore for the annual Father's Day Beer Festival. We will be pouring our Imperial Double Dry Hopped, Maybock Lager, Nightwatch Dark Ale, and a specially aged Pilsner.


6th Annual Guest Chef on the Waterfront
Bell Harbor's Pier 66 & Elliott Hall
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
6:00-9:00 PM
http://www.farestart.org/help/events/waterfront/index.html

If you've never been, you need to go. Great food, great beer (wine too,) great venue, great time. Sample beers from the brewery and try special tasty treats created by our chefs for this very special event.

Triple Cask Tuesdays!!!

Last week we held our first Triple Cask Tuesday.  Every other Tuesday we will feature a special cask beer poured straight from the cask on the bar top for your enjoyment.  Why Triple Cask?  Because all cask beers (the special plus the two regulars) are only $3.25 a pint.  So come on down next Tuesday, June 1 for our next Triple Cask Tuesday.  Festivities get under way at 5 pm.  Cheers!