Elysian Brewing screamed onto the craft beer scene just as the movement was getting its second wind. The 1980s had lead to the birth of modern craft beer with names like Sierra Nevada and Samuel Adams (among several others) hitting shelves around the country. But it was the mid-1990s when craft beer really took hold and microbreweries started popping up in major cities around the country, hitting grocery store shelves, and beer bar taps from coast to coast.
In 1996, a group of beer nerds got together in Seattle to take their love of beer from their home garages to the streets of the Emerald City and beyond. They created Elysian Brewing, which would quickly become the touchstone of Seattle craft brewing.
Then 25 years went by. And while a lot has changed in craft beer over those two-and-a-half decades, the core of what Elysian does (or any craft brewer does) has not changed. Elysian has always been about pushing that envelope and trying something new with each new brew session. That has led to plenty of misses because that’s sort of the point. It’s also led to a lot of wins.
Those wins are what we’re focusing on today as we taste through the 23 quintessential Elysian brews over the last 25 years. Below, I’m ranking 14 IPAs, three pale ales, two stouts, one Gose, one sour ale, one ESB, and one pumpkin ale on taste alone. Since that’s a lot of beer to rank, let’s get right into it!
23. Cake Topper Brut IPA
ABV: 6.5%
Average Price: $9 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This brew is made specifically to taste like a “wedding cake,” according to Elysian. The beer is made with a base of Great Western Premium 2-Row, Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner, and Weyermann Sauermalz malts supported by El Dorado, Citra, and Southern Passion hops.
Tasting Notes:
This tastes shockingly like one of those big sheet cakes you get at Costco. White frosting, blue frosting trim, sprinkles, vanilla white cake inside … it’s all there. The “beer” aspect of this is pretty fleeting and the end reads sweeter than anything else.
Bottom Line:
This was the 13th taste of the day and it just didn’t land. Birthday cake and beer are two different things for a reason. Maybe. I don’t know. I tried to imagine a beer-flavored birthday cake and it really killed the vibe of this sip for me.
22. XXV Anniversary Coffee IPA
ABV: 9.3%
Average Price: $96 (box-set only)
The Beer:
This was brewed specifically to celebrate Elysian’s 25th anniversary. The brew is their classic IPA that’s dosed with Ethiopian coffee beans from Lighthouse Roasters in Seattle.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a nutty nature on this sip that’s enticing. The IPA hoppiness is more fruit-forward with a sour cherry taste and feel. The bitterness of the coffee hits but feels more like a spiked Irish coffee made with drip coffee than an IPA. Notes of citrus and sweet-cracker malts swirl on the finish but are overpowered by the drip coffee grounds.
Bottom Line:
This was another late taste, 20/23 (maybe that explains why I forgot to take a photo of this glass too?). But, I really wasn’t digging the wet coffee ground vibe at play. I think I just don’t really care much for beers that “taste” like something you don’t immediately associate with beer. Coffee works well with stout but an IPA is a different beast. I started thinking about cutting my next cup of coffee with a brassy IPA and was, again, turned off.
21. KEXP Mixtape! Blood Orange Milkshake IPA
ABV: 6.4%
Average Price: $96 (box-set only)
The Beer:
KEXP is a Seattle radio station with a storied history of supporting live music from the local scene throughout the last few decades. As KCMU back in the 1980s, the station was pivotal in putting local bands on the radio waves for the first time. For Elysian’s 25th anniversary, the station’s crew collaborated with the brewery to create a beer that captured the feel of alternative rock in Seattle in the 80s and 90s and the flavors that went along with it.
Tasting Notes:
This smells and tastes exactly like an orange creamsicle. You can almost taste the plastic wrapper and feel the cold wooden popsicle stick. It’s so damn close to that flavor profile. The issue is that I’m not getting much more.
Bottom Line:
I really like orange creamsicles. But there was something about this that was just missing that … something. It was a fine collab beer with a nostalgic flavor profile but that was about it.
20. Salt & Seed Watermelon Gose
ABV: 4.3%
Average Price: $12 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This old-school German style is brewed for summer sipping. The beer is made with a base of Pale, Malted Wheat, and Acid malts bolstered by Huell Melon and Northern Brewer hops. The beer is then hit with real watermelon and kosher salt.
Tasting Notes:
This is a nice balance of sweet and savory. It’s light and certainly refreshing. The watermelon that comes through is more like a watermelon candy than fresh melon.
Bottom Line:
This is the lightest beer on the list and that really made it stand out. It just landed a little thin on the palate and that made it really hard to remember by the end of 23 sips of beer.
19. Jasmine Avatar IPA
ABV: 6.3%
Average Price: $6 (22-oz. bottle)
The Beer:
This beer has become an Elysian classic. The beer is brewed with Pale, Munich, C-45, and CaraHell malts next to a small selection of Glacier and Amarillo hops. The beer is then finished with dried jasmine flowers.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a distinct grassiness on the nose and on the palate. The IPA dankness is dialed back towards the potpourri tendencies of the taste. There’s a light haziness with a touch of citrus and resin underneath all of that jasmine.
Bottom Line:
This was the first taste of the day and read very grassy and floral and not much else. It was a little thin otherwise, which is strange as I really dig this off the tap.
18. Scourge Goji Berry Sour Ale w/ Blueberries
ABV: 5.2%
Average Price: $96 (box-set only)
The Beer:
This sour fruited ale is subtitled “The 13th beer of the apocalypse.” The brew is a sour ale that’s made with plenty of berries to take the edge off that sourness from the yeast.
Tasting Notes:
You really get a sense of funky yeast next to berry brambles. The sweetness of the dark berries is a nice counterpoint for the slightly funky sour ale beneath it. Beyond that, there’s a touch of citrus, wet hops, and a hint of red wine vinegar that lingers a bit longer than necessary.
Bottom Line:
This was nice for what it is. It’s not something I’d immediately reach for again, but I wouldn’t turn it down if handed to me at a party.
17. Snailbones IPA
ABV: 8.5%
Average Price: $14 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This is Elysian’s classic West Coast IPA that leans slightly towards fruit. The beer is brewed with a medley of Premium 2-row, Pilsner, Dextrapils, and Flaked Barley malts amped up with Galaxy, Hallertau Blanc, Mosaic, Hallertau Blanc, and Huell Melon hops.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lot of fruit on this nose and in the taste. Orange oils, guava, mango, and pineapple all make appearances and temper the danker aspects of the resinous hops. The malts chime in late and carry a slight caramel maltiness but are really overshadowed by the fruitier hops.
Bottom Line:
This feels like a great bridge between the fruitier NEIPAs and the classic West Coast IPA. And that’s sort of where it falls down, it’s not clear on being either and gets a little muddled. It’s still a very quaffable brew though.
16. Velvet Painting Raw IPA
ABV: 7.2%
Average Price: $10 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This “raw” IPA is brewed without bringing the mash to a “boiling temperature,” according to Elysian. The actual brew is an IPA mix of Premium 2-Row, Rolled Oats, Honey Malt, and Acidulated malts next to Nelson Sauvin, Strata, Sabro, and Chinook hops.
Tasting Notes:
This opens more liked a robustly hopped lager than an IPA. That malts and floral hops lead towards some citrus fruits and a good dose of dank pine resin. The malts kick in with a sweetness that turns the fruit into a hard candy vibe.
Bottom Line:
This really felt more like an overly hopped lager than an IPA, which is why it’s a little lower. However, it was pretty crushable with distinct (albeit sweet) flavor notes.
15. Altered Contact Tart IPA
ABV: 6.8%
Average Price: $10 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This West Coast IPA is brewed specifically to bridge the world of piney and fruity IPAs. The brewers start with Premium 2-Row, Rolled Oats, Crystal 15, White Wheat, and Acidulated malts and then layer in those hoppy notes with a mix of Mosaic, Cashmere, Southern Passion, and African Queen hops.
Tasting Notes:
This is tart as advertised. That tartness leans into the citrus oils and almost woody pineapple. As the taste settles, it gets juicier with those grassy and mildly resinous hops taking a backseat. The end amps up the tartness one last time, leaving you with a slight pucker on your lips.
Bottom Line:
This taste came at number 15/23. Again, it just felt a little listless. It was perfectly drinkable but it wasn’t a NEIPA or a West Coast IPA and felt a little muddled at the end of the day.
14. Contact Haze Hazy IPA
ABV: 6%
Average Price: $13 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This is Elysian’s straight-up New England IPA. The brew is made with Pale Ale Malt, Flaked Barley, and Oat Malt with a supporting cast of El Dorado, Mosaic, Southern Passion, Sabro, Citra, and Sultana hops.
Tasting Notes:
You’re greeted with a noseful and then a mouthful of tart citrus fruits. That bright citrus gives way to darker and sweeter berries and savory guava. The end has this really specific note of passion fruit that sort of takes everything over.
Bottom Line:
This starts off strong but ends a little weak. That passion fruit really overwhelms and you lose the wonderful nuance this beer opens with.
13. What’s the Password Tiki IPA
ABV: 8.8%
Average Price: $96 (box-set only)
The Beer:
This strong ale is brewed specifically to mimic that feeling you get after drinking a stiff, fruity, and sweet tiki cocktail on a hot beach. They do this by adding pineapple puree, brown sugar, toasted coconut, nutmeg, orange zest, and lactose to the brew, creating a very pina colada vibe.
Tasting Notes:
You get a nice dose of pineapple cake on the nose. The taste holds onto that fruit while adding in a really clear pina colada taste, feel, and finish. It’s a little rummy, a little coconut-y, and a little sweet.
Bottom Line:
This beat out a lot of the “flavored” ales on this list by being a little subtler on the landing. Yes, it tasted like a pina colada but that was a flavor note of the beer. You still have sweet malts and floral and fruity hops present to remind you that this is indeed a beer and not a birthday cake in a can.
12. Scarlet Fire IPA
ABV: 7.2%
Average Price: $96 (box-set only)
The Beer:
This beer is brewed by adding the hops in early (between the wort and mash stage) to really amp up those hoppy notes deep in the beer’s foundations in a process called “First Wort Hopping.” Elysian’s brewers do this with classic Pacific Northwest hops, Chinook and Cascade.
Tasting Notes:
The hops shine through with a floral, almost grassy nature. Then the malts kick in with a clear honey candy sweetness under those dank hops. It’s a powerful counterpoint and works from the nose to the sweet yet resinous finish.
Bottom Line:
This is where things start to get very “splitting hairs” and subjective. For me, this was a really good IPA but not the best of the day, which is weird to say as I’d gladly drink this again anytime.
11. Superfuzz Blood Orange Pale
ABV: 6.4%
Average Price: $12 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This brew is a classic Northwest pale ale brewed with Pale, Munich, and DextraPils malts. The beer is then hopped with German Northern Brewer, Cascade, Citra, and Amarillo hops before orange peels and blood orange flesh goes into the pot.
Tasting Notes:
Orange, orange, orange! This opens with a slightly bitter orange pith that leads towards an orange blossom hoppiness. The end sweetens thanks to all those malts but stays in the orange lane by becoming more like an orange cake with orange frosting.
Bottom Line:
Finally, a pale ale! This edges up on the list by the virtue of being bold and distinct. The orange vibe builds as you sip the beer. It actually goes somewhere. It’s also amazingly refreshing. Or maybe I was just really happy to be done with this tasting as this was taste 23/23.
10. The Wise ESB
ABV: 5.9%
Average Price: $96 (box-set only)
The Beer:
Redhook ESB was one of those ales that helped launch the craft beer movement in Seattle back in 1981. So this beer style (Extra Special Bitter) is a seminal beer for both the Pacific Northwest and Elysian brewing. The hoppy, old-school brew is made with a foundation of Pale, Munich, C77, CaraHell, and Belgian Special B malts supported by Chinook, Cascade, and Centennial hops.
Tasting Notes:
You get a mix of floral and dank hops with a grassy edge next to sweet brown bread malts, caramel cookies, and honey candies. The danker aspects of the hops drawback, leaving you with a slightly bitter edge to counterpoint the hefty and sweetened malts that make the backbone of this ale.
Bottom Line:
This is a very easy sipping beer. It also feels like it’s from a different era and poised for a comeback. It’s really hard to find faults with this one.
9. Dreadwood Derby Oak Aged Imperial Stout
ABV: 9.3%
Average Price: $96 (box-set only)
The Beer:
This American imperial stout is Elysian’s classic stout that’s aged in used whiskey barrels. The whiskey and the nuttier notes of the stout blend nicely into this now discontinued throwback.
Tasting Notes:
This is a whiskey stout through and through and makes sense. There’s a clear sense of almond cake, dark chocolate malts, mild cherry, and honey candy that goes hand-in-hand with the note of woody whiskey on the palate.
Bottom Line:
This probably ranks higher simply by standing out so defiantly from the IPAs on the list. That aside, this really does hit well for a whiskey-barrel-aged stout. It’s complex without being annoying. It’s easy to drink while still having depth. It delivers on what’s promised on the can. You can’t beat any of that.
8. Full Contact Haze Imperial Hazy IPA
ABV: 8.8%
Average Price: $14 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This imperial IPA is an ode to hazy fruit bomb ales. The beer is brewed with 2-Row, Malted Wheat, and Unmalted Wheat. That’s then hopped with Centennial, Simcoe, and Strata hops with “more” unnamed hops.
Tasting Notes:
This is deliciously fruity with ripe and juicy peaches leading the way. Then the taste turns abruptly to cream soda — cold, refreshing, and vanilla-forward. The bright citrus oils lighten the mood as a savory fruit note arrives late, cutting through the sweetness of the cream soda.
Bottom Line:
This ranked pretty high thanks to the clear and unique notes. That peach and cream soda really sing together. I’d absolutely drink this again.
7. Ode To Capitol Hill Beer Pale Ale
ABV: 6.1%
Average Price: $96 (box-set only)
The Beer:
This pale ale is technically a smoked brew. The malts are rye and smoked wheat next to local Chinook, Cascade, and Amarillo hops. The result is another beer that truly stands out.
Tasting Notes:
This marries a stone-cold classic pale ale with a very mild smoked lager. The malts lean into an almost salted caramel feel with a floral yet refined hoppiness. Those smoked wheat malts bring about an almost burnt hay note that’s more like straw on a hot summer day than burned to ash.
Bottom Line:
This was interesting, refreshing, and classic. Those are all hard aspects to pull off in a beer. In the end, this was another beer I went back to after the tasting was over.
6. The Immortal IPA
ABV: 6.3%
Average Price: $11 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This is Elysian’s love letter to the classic English style of ale. The brew is made with Pale, Munich, Crystal, and CaraHell malts next to Chinook and Amarillo.
Tasting Notes:
This felt like a time machine back to another era in craft beer. The taste was light with floral and dank hops next to semi-sweet caramel malts. The hops build towards a cannabis-infused dankness as the malts remain boldly sweet and bready.
Bottom Line:
This went down very easily. It was the second taste of the day but stood out through 21 more tastes as something I wanted more of.
5. Night Owl Pumpkin Ale
ABV: 6.7%
Average Price: $10 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This pumpkin ale adheres to the hard and fast rules of the style: Add a lot of fresh pumpkin and spices to create a fall beer. Pale, Munich, CaraHell, C-20, C-45, and Special B malts and Magnum hops form the foundations of the beer before 150 pounds of fresh and roasted pumpkin along with green and roasted pumpkin seeds and ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice are added to each batch.
Tasting Notes:
You get a sense of real pumpkin from the nose through the finish. Imagine slicing up a whole pumpkin and you’ll be on the right track. There’s a matrix of pumpkin pie spices in the base of the taste but it’s not the focus of the beer. There’s a nice bitterness thanks to those pumpkin seeds and the beer touches on a buttery pie crust.
Bottom Line:
This isn’t just any ol’ storebought pumpkin pie in beer form. This is more like your favorite grandparent’s pumpkin pie that you only got once a year but you knew was made from scratch. And it just somehow works wonders in this beer. Even in the middle of summer, this was refreshing, bold, and hit the spot.
4. Dragonstooth Stout
ABV: 8.1%
Average Price: $11 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This deep and dark imperial oat stout starts off with some hardcore malts. Pale, Munich, C-77, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, and Roasted Oats malts are all used in the base. The brew is then hopped with Magnum, Cascade, and Centennial hops but they’re really only there to support those hefty malts.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear sense of almond (almost marzipan) next to dark cacao powder, almost oily espresso beans, and a hint of warm sweet brown bread. The body of the beer is dense but doesn’t overwhelm your palate. By the end, you’re left with silky dark chocolate that’s been spiked with espresso next to a soft oatmeal cookie with no raisins.
Bottom Line:
Again, this might have ranked higher simply because it’s not an IPA. Still, this was a black ray of sunshine on a very hoppy day. This is a very crushable stout at a very dangerous ABV.
3. Loser Pale Ale
ABV: 7%
Average Price: $11 (six-pack)
The Beer:
This beer is another collab that celebrates Seattle’s music scene in beer form. The brew was made with the folks over at SubPop Records to commemorate that label’s impact on music in general. The classic pale was brewed with Pale, Munich, Crystal, and CaraHell malts and supported by Sorachi Ace and Crystal hops.
Tasting Notes:
This is classic from the nose to the taste with hints of grassy hops next to caramel malts. That hoppiness gets a little crispy and fruity as a hint of pineapple juice sneaks in to counter the drier edges of the hops. The malts stay solidly in the sweetened bread or cracker territory while providing a solid foundation for the hops to shine.
Bottom Line:
This takes me straight back to the late 1990s and tasting craft-brewed pale ales for the first time. This fell at taste 11/23, or about halfway, yet it still stayed clear in my memory to the end and was a beer I actually drank when I finished this.
2. Space Dust IPA
ABV: 8.2%
Average Price: $14 (six-pack)
The Beer:
Space Dust has become Elysian signature brew. The West Coast IPA balances Pale, C-15, and DextraPils malts against Chinook, Citra, and Amarillo hops to create a modern classic.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear sense of grassy, resinous, and mildly floral hops from the nose to the finish. The malts come into play around the mid-palate and lean into salted caramel and maybe a touch of fresh honey. The hops take on a slightly juicy edge late with bitter grapefruit pith, orange oils, and a tiny note of mango.
Bottom Line:
This is IPA through and through. It’s so damned refined and just … crushable. I finished this can after the tasting was over as well.
1. Prometheus IPA
ABV: 6.7%
Average Price: $96 (box-set only)
The Beer:
This American IPA is all about that Northwest vibe. The brew is made with locally grown malts and hops with Pale, Munich, and Crystal malts alongside Chinook, Centennial, and fresh and whole Cascade hops.
Tasting Notes:
This draws you in with a balance of honey-candy maltiness next to a rush of dried rose and fruity hops — think orange peels, star fruit, and papaya. The body of the sip really leans into the dank resin and orange peels with an oily bitter edge. The resin dries out towards a rosy pine as the malts create an orange-infused sweet loaf filled with walnuts on the base.
Bottom Line:
This was a beautiful sip of beer. It’s complex without being annoying. It’s got some serious depth but it all makes sense, builds, and crescendos on your palate. This was the beer I wanted more of immediately even though it was taste number 19/23. It woke me up and got my head back in the game for the rest of the tasting. And you can rest assured, I finished this beer after the tasting was over.
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