Vessel Taphouse

Vague sailor theme here, though nothing beyond the basic cliche stuff. More or less empty on a Friday night (while Triplehorn across the street was going nicely), save for a few at the bar. On tap were 3 infected beers and a really boring IPA. So the brewing isn’t up to par, and neither is the vibe. I guess if you’re a filthy ticker, you’ll still stop here.

In the old Blue Lightning location, across the street from Triplehorn and close to Locust and Dirty Bucket. It’s a large taproom that is rather retro and dimly lit. Feels like a quaint, grungy rural pub. 5 beers on tap, available in a taster flight for cheap. Beers are nasty -- tons of off-flavours and infections. Avoid like the plague.

These guys have been in business more or less continuously under two different names. They stopped very briefly to change from Blue Lightning Brewing into Vessel, which is great news--they went from making perfectly awful beer to very decent stuff.

Oddly enough, pretty much all the details from BLBC still apply. They appear to have changed nothing about the taproom area:
1. Woodinville strip mall
2. It’s near the warehouse winery district
3. There are a couple other breweries and a cidery nearby, too
4. There’s a decent amount of parking
5. It’s very nicely furnished
6. Lots of nice TVs
7. Mostly showing the game
8. Friendly, well-caffeinated, bubbly staff
9. Lots of parlor games available downstairs
10. They share space with a winery, whose name they now also share

The menu is short here: A few sandwiches, a couple deep-friend things. Fair prices on ’em.

It feels like a goofy dive bar in some ways: "Oh, you’re ’Vessel virgins’? We need your names and we’ll ring a bell and tell everyone we’re taking your virginity." Where am I? Kent? Whatever. Thankfully, they didn’t actually do this, though they did yell across the room to ask us how our drinks were.

The staff here CLEARLY care a ton that you’re enjoying yourself, even if they are a little kooky. They check on everything, they’re super quick, super friendly. The chardonnay was thoroughly decent, no oak, light tree fruit flavors. The IPA was solid--no flaws, nice fresh clear flavors. Prices were good. I’d come back, which I was not expecting to say when I realized it was a formerly awful brewery with a new name. They’re good now! Check ’em out.