This week, we made it down to the newest brewery in Tacoma. Redd Dog Brewing opened in mid-June, and another brewery on the Tacoma scene is a welcome entrant.
Redd Dog Brewing is the next in a line of pubs from the Scalzi family, adding to their existing locations in Bellevue and Puyallup. Redd Dog takes over the former Blackfleet Brewing space in downtown Tacoma at Fawcett and 23rd. The layout is similar to my memories of Blackfleet, but with a fresh coat of paint and maybe more TVs. The pirate and ship themes are gone, of course, and there is a new red “beer delivery” pickup sitting in the corner of the seating area.
I had met Redd, the dog the taverns and brewery are named after, a couple of weeks ago when I stopped by prior to the opening, though they were unable to pour me anything at that time. An excellent dog, quite skilled at demanding ear scratches. While I was there this trip, I sat at the bar, but the existing patio space outside on the sidewalk was quite lively, with four tables busy with both food and beer. The brewery plans to build out a dramatic patio on the green space immediately south of the brewery. The existing taproom is also very kid- and dog-friendly, as there were four or five dogs in the place while I was there.
As it was my first time down to Redd Dog, I, of course, sampled all eight beers they had on tap. They also had a couple of ciders from Cockrell Cider in Puyallup.
The Air Redd, a classic West Coast-style IPA, was my favorite of the beers. It comes out in the glass a beautiful yellow-red, with a nice white head on it. I appreciate that Redd Dog displays the various glass options on its menu, including a “mini-boot” with about thirty ounces of beer. On the nose, the Air Redd is delicious West Coast hops and just hints of malt body.
Pulling my first sip, this beer really reminds me of the heyday of great beers in the early 2000s. Every brewpub in Washington was trying to make an IPA like this beer, and some even succeeded. It’s a great IPA.
Mouthfeel-wise, this beer continues to grow on me. I think of this beer as the old regular pour at my regular pub, a beer I used to drink all the time before I started trying the new stuff. When I say, “Give me the regular,” and get a nod from the bartender, this West Coast IPA is the beer that makes me go, “Yup, still great.”
Overall, it’s a solid IPA.
All the other beers that Redd Dog has on tap are also really enjoyable. I did sample all eight that are on, and besides the West Coast IPA, the German-style Hefeweizen and the Pilsner were probably my next two favorites. Great beer, especially to enjoy on the warm patio. I’m excited to bring some board games down with my kids and enjoy another IPA or German Hef at Redd Dog, a wonderful addition to the Tacoma beer scene.
Wanna Beer With That? Redd Dog Brewing
