Tag Archives: valholl brewing

Poulsbo has a lot of breweries, but it’s not quite ‘Brew City USA’

blog.valholl Poulsbo is about to get a fourth brewery.

As we reported last week, Silverdale’s Rainy Daze Brewing will move north late this summer to take over Sound Brewery‘s original tasting room on Bovela Lane. (Sound is moving its tasting room to the current Campana’s Italian Restaurant building on Viking Avenue.)

B0013216035--291405 Rainy Daze will join Sound, Slippery Pig Brewery and Valholl Brewing in Little Norway.

With four breweries in a city of less than 10,000 residents, Poulsbo will certainly have an embarrassment of malty riches. So it’s fun to wonder where Poulsbo rates among craft beer crazy towns.

There are all kinds of ways to rank cities and states based on beer. Which has the most breweries? The most breweries relative to population? What city produces the most barrels or consumes the most beer? And which has the “best” breweries?

When it comes to breweries per capita at least, Poulsbo isn’t ready to claim the title of “Brew City USA,” as it was recently dubbed in the North Kitsap Herald.

There are a number of cities here in Washington with higher ratios of breweries to people. After all, we live in a state with more than 300 licensed breweries and a lot of very small cities.

Using a database of licensed breweries from 2015 provided by the Liquor and Cannabis Board, and the state’s official population estimates, I put together a quick list of Washington cities blessed with high brewery-to-population ratios. I ignored breweries that didn’t report any production in 2015 and stuck with incorporated cities.

Poulsbo
Population: 9,950
Breweries: 4 (once Rainy Daze opens)
Ratio: 1 brewery per 2,488 residents

Westport
Population: 2,110
Breweries: 3
Ratio: 1 brewery per 703 residents

Stevenson
Population: 1,530
Breweries: 2
Ratio: 1 brewery per 765 residents

Roslyn
Population: 890
Breweries: 1
Ratio: 1 brewery per 890 residents

La Conner
Population: 895
Breweries: 1
Ratio: 1 brewery per 895 residents

White Salmon
Population: 2,420
Breweries: 1
Ratio: 1 brewery per 2,420 residents.

Based on a quick scan, it does appear Poulsbo could become the smallest city in the state with four or more breweries. That by itself would be an accolade worth toasting.

Valhöll Brewing celebrates 5 years

Tad Sooter

Poulsbo’s Valhöll Brewing has come a long way in five years.

Founder and head brewer Jeff Holcomb started the microbrewery in 2010. Since then, Valhöll has expanded, garnered awards, built a loyal following at its tap room and become a staple at local bars.

The Norse-themed brewery is throwing is throwing itself a birthday bash starting at noon Saturday.

The party will include BBQ and a special beer release. Musical guests Mike Hererra and Branden Daniel & The Chics will perform at 2 p.m.

Valhöll isn’t the only Kitsap brewery marking five years in 2015. Poulbo’s Slippery Pig Brewery and Bremerton’s Der Blokken were also born in 2010.

See the brewery’s Facebook page for details.

Kitsap On Tap: Valhöll Brewing

Tad Sooter

Founded: 2010

Location: 18970 3rd Ave., Poulsbo

Online: Website, @valhollbrew, Facebook

Beer sold in: Taproom, kegs

Signature beers: Brew Bitch IPA, Golden Warrior Ale

What’s brewing: Valhöll grew out of Heads Up Brewing, a Silverdale hub for beer makers. Heads Up closed in 2008 and former employee Jeff Holcomb laid the groundwork for his own brewery in a Poulsbo with partner Jordan Rogers.

They opened the 3rd Avenue taproom in 2012 and brought on Pike brewer Adam Orrick oversee production. The brewery found a successful niche, offering bold beer, an inviting barroom, and popular, Viking-themed apparel (Valhöll is the original word for Valhalla).

While most growing breweries push aggressively into wholesale, Valhöll is more focused on building its taproom business. Holcomb has plans for a larger production facility on the Kitsap Peninsula, and envisions a string of Valhöll taprooms spread across several craft beer-starved states.

Viewpoint:

“My whole goal has been to create a gathering place. People forget how to talk, everyone wants to be on their phone, we want a place where beer lovers can come together and hang out.” — Jeff Holcomb

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Kitsap On Tap is an exploration of West Sound’s rising craft beer industry. Find the print story, more beer features and ongoing coverage at kitsapsun.com/beer.