TACOMA, WASHINGTON
Open since 1997, downtown Tacoma’s HARMON PUB & BREWERY sits across from the Washington State History Museum at Thea Foss Waterway’s Puget Sound base. Visited December ’09, green patio benches at the entrance welcome customers to Harmon’s ski lodge atmosphere.
Skiing paraphernalia bedecks the walls, exposed pipes lend an Industrial feel, and TV’s at all corners capture the eye from right side wood bar. American cuisine menu featured recommended halibut fishwich. Windowed brew tanks behind the bar served two dark seasonals alongside six regular brews.
Mild-spiced wheat-honeyed cereal-grained Vienna Lager, with its biscuit-y cornbread midst and chestnut-pecan subsidy, bested lemony hard-candied orange-tart wheat-flaked wet-grassed dry body Mt. Takhoma Blonde Ale and mildly vegetal spice-hopped lemon-bruised herbal-tinged apple-orange-fruited Pinnacle Peak Pale Ale.
Acidulated malt-soured floral-scented orange-dried honey-nutty Brown’s Point ESB lacked initiative.
Genteel in its soft approach, woody-hopped Point Defiance IPA shone grapefruit-centered apricot-apple-pear fruiting across creamy caramel malts.
Creamy mocha-caramelized Puget Sound Porter soaked hazelnut coffee into roasted chocolate, vanilla bean, black cherry, and sour raisin illusions, becoming an instant fave.
On the wintry dark side, magnificent Scott’s Puget Creek Vanilla Porter poured creamy vanilla ice cream sweetness atop chocolate-y pecan-hazelnut-macadamia richness and port-burgundy illusions.
Nearly as rewarding, Diamond Pete Dry Stout placed hop-charred barley-roasted dark chocolate above cherry-pureed cocoa-chalked vanilla-cappuccino conflux.
Succulent perfume-spiced hop prickle absorbs fruit chocolate-y goodness. Molasses-like caramel malts and floral pineapple-peach-tangerine sweetness counter grapefruit peel bittering. Resinous pine lingers through lemon zest midst before slim nuttiness reaches biscuit-y spine.
Smoothly creamy chocolate-spiced winter seasonal reaches sublime heights. Sugar plum, fig, and date ride shotgun next to cinnamon-nutmeg-coriander-ginger spicing and macadamia-hazelnut-pecan propensity.
Luxuriant nut-roasted molasses-smoked mocha malt creaminess gives lactic tan-headed brown-bodied stout inviting opening. Brown chocolate, vanilla, and cocoa subdue mild bourbon-sherry-port whir as well as espresso-cappuccino-induced finish. Dark rum soaks ripened black cherry, raspberry puree, stewed prune, and raisin illusions at backend.
Amiable light-to-medium-bodied softie provides easygoing drinkability. Plaintive caramel malt setting highlights spiced apple modesty, mild orange-grapefruit tang, and dinky chestnut-almond nicety. Peat-y tea-like earthiness settles below thin mocha-fruited finish. Well-rounded, though needing to push standard ingredients forward a bit more.
Creamy Scotch sweetness and nutty brown chocolate-y center hold up well against dry fruited plain of formerly known Fat Bastard Ale (named after Austin Powers character). Praline, hazelnut, macadamia, and chestnut reinforce rum-soaked dried cherry resolve and sugar plum reminder. Smooth.
Creamy wintry weizenbock retains soft, fluffy texture for cinnamon-spiced brown chocolate theme. Prune, raisin, and cherry gird cocoa-dusted molasses malting as vanilla, cappuccino, and walnut illusions emerge. But seasonal clove and gingerbread spicing lacks stamina.
Similar to Scuttlebutt Amber Ale, though a slight bit better and more resilient. Still, for hop-notched India Pale Ale, proper yellow-orange-fruited tang and piney bitterness lack while toasted cereal graining takes the lead. Phenol walnut-charred dryness gets exhaustive. For contrast, nominal butterscotch, pecan and candy apple nuances simmer through sugary almond-pasted marzipan sweetness.