#ghostfishbrewco

When you're in Seattle, Wee highly recommend you visit the Ghostfish Brewing Company in the SoDo district. This is a gluten-free brewery and gastropub that defies the "traditional" brewing grain bill with a bright, industrial-cool taproom. And for anyone who has ever been skeptical of gluten-free beer, this place is the ultimate myth-buster. We stopped in before a Seattle Mariners game on Cinco de Mayo to run through some flights and see how their current lineup is holding up.

https://youtu.be/8gstMLHJN7U

Wee were pleasantly rewarded as Ghostfish continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible with millet, buckwheat, and rice. Their taproom atmosphere was buzzing, and the kitchen was smelling incredible as we settled in for a proper session.

Ordering a Ghostfish Gluten-Free Flight and Food

When we arrived at Ghostfish, we were hungry and thirsty but the gluten-free beer list looked so good we had to order a flight of four 4oz tasters before wrapping up our pre-game brewery tour with a final pint. Brady and I ordered virtually the same flight and posted each to Untappd. One of the primary profiles I noticed across all of the tasters is the up-front flavor explosion followed by a quick drop off without an aftertaste. It was quite pleasant.

Meteor Shower Pale Lager (3.5 caps) We kicked things off with this easy-drinking lager. It’s clean, crisp, and provides exactly what you want from the style. It has a light floral note and a smooth finish that makes it a perfect palate cleanser before the heavier hitters.

Kickstep IPA (3.75 caps) This is a classic Pacific Northwest-style IPA. It brings a solid hop profile with those familiar pine and citrus notes. It’s well-balanced and doesn't lean too hard into the bitterness, making it a very reliable go-to for any hop head. I ended up following up the flight with a full pint of this one before we headed out to catch the Seattle Mariners game.

Grapefruit IPA (4 caps) The standout of the flight. This one is a total juice bomb in the best way possible. The grapefruit is bright and punchy, complementing the hops rather than masking them. It’s refreshing, vibrant, and easily earned the highest marks of the day. Braded ended up ordering a pint of the Grapefruit IPA for his final beer of the day prior to going to the M's game.

https://youtu.be/znfFJZ-HMcY

Parvenu Barrel-Aged Mixed-Culture Ale (2.75 caps) We moved into the more experimental territory with the Parvenu. While we always appreciate the ambition of a barrel-aged, mixed-culture projects, this one was a bit of a departure. It had a sharp complexity that didn't quite land with the same harmony as the IPAs, but it’s still worth a try if you’re looking for something outside the box.

Brady went a slightly different route with his flight, swapping out the Kick Step for the Watchstander Stout. If you’re a fan of dark roasted flavors, that stout really shows what gluten-free brewing can do. It is a rich, toasted, and smooth stout that holds up well in comparison to other stouts we have had.

He also went off the flight and ordered the Mesa Cerveza Mexican Lager to pair with his taco order. It's a beer that presents a beautiful clear gold and delivers the clean, crisp profile you’d expect from a traditional lager, but with a subtle complexity that keeps it interesting.

The Gluten-Free Beer and Food Pairings

You can’t visit Ghostfish without hitting the gluten-free menu. I opted for a cup of the chili, and it was, in a word, fantastic. It’s hearty, well-spiced, and the perfect companion for a flight of tasters to curb hunger before going to a stadium with outrageous food prices.

Brady, in recognition of Cinco de Mayo, paired his beers with a mix of Ghostfish tacos, which disappeared almost as fast as his beer did.

Wee Final Thoughts for a Gluten-Free Option in Seattle

Whether you’re living the gluten-free life by necessity or just curious about alternative grains, Wee recommend adding Ghostfish as a mandatory stop when exploring the Seattle beer scene as it is something you can't find anywhere else. The innovation happening in their fermenters is impressive, and the vibe in the taproom is always spot on.

Unfortunately, the Seattle Mariners lost to the Atlanta Braves (3-2), but thankfully, Wee won before the game got started by stopping in at Seapine and Ghostfish Breweries.