Ben Keene
@whereandback.bsky.social
Parenting, hiking, beer writing & marketing, not always in that order. Authored The Great Northeast Brewery Tour & Best Hikes Near NYC. He/him.
📍 Seattle, WA
📍 Seattle, WA
Honestly yesterday's news that @pikebrewing.bsky.social will close its Pub and Fish Bar at the end of the month wasn't surprising. Its production volume and relevance to beer drinkers has been on the decline for years. Decisions by Seattle Hospitality Group (its owner since 2021), haven't helped.
November 20, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Honestly yesterday's news that @pikebrewing.bsky.social will close its Pub and Fish Bar at the end of the month wasn't surprising. Its production volume and relevance to beer drinkers has been on the decline for years. Decisions by Seattle Hospitality Group (its owner since 2021), haven't helped.
What was the last Stout you drank? Central to craft beer's early days, Stouts aren't so easy to find anymore. Sales were down about 12% in 2024 and this year looks similar. But despite this gloomy trend, bright spots remain for breweries like Lawson's & Left Hand. imbibemagazine.com/breweries-ar...
Breweries Are Evolving Their Approach to Stout
How craft brewers are respecting the stour beer style’s traditional roots while exploring its possibilities for today’s drinkers.
imbibemagazine.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:54 AM
What was the last Stout you drank? Central to craft beer's early days, Stouts aren't so easy to find anymore. Sales were down about 12% in 2024 and this year looks similar. But despite this gloomy trend, bright spots remain for breweries like Lawson's & Left Hand. imbibemagazine.com/breweries-ar...
What an absolutely perfect @thebeths.bsky.social show in Seattle last night. Go catch them on tour! www.thebeths.com/tour
November 16, 2025 at 9:52 PM
What an absolutely perfect @thebeths.bsky.social show in Seattle last night. Go catch them on tour! www.thebeths.com/tour
Yikes. I knew Rogue's red star had fallen, but this is seriously bad news for a pioneering PNW brewery.
"Rogue is drastically behind on rent and taxes – owing $545,000 to the Port of Newport and up to $30,000 in taxes to Lincoln County."
Been waiting for this shoe to drop, but... oof, man.
Been waiting for this shoe to drop, but... oof, man.
November 14, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Yikes. I knew Rogue's red star had fallen, but this is seriously bad news for a pioneering PNW brewery.
A disappointing Amber Ale on tap, Billy Joel on the airwaves, and a "No working during drinking hours" sign on the wall. Sitting in this empty brewery taproom on a weekday afternoon, I can't help but feel like I've traveled back in time.
November 7, 2025 at 9:43 PM
A disappointing Amber Ale on tap, Billy Joel on the airwaves, and a "No working during drinking hours" sign on the wall. Sitting in this empty brewery taproom on a weekday afternoon, I can't help but feel like I've traveled back in time.
Winning lunch combo: Figurehead Brewing
9th Leg Belgian-style
Quad and Midnite Ramen's
Wontonmen Ramen with
pork+shrimp wontons. #beerpairing
9th Leg Belgian-style
Quad and Midnite Ramen's
Wontonmen Ramen with
pork+shrimp wontons. #beerpairing
October 29, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Winning lunch combo: Figurehead Brewing
9th Leg Belgian-style
Quad and Midnite Ramen's
Wontonmen Ramen with
pork+shrimp wontons. #beerpairing
9th Leg Belgian-style
Quad and Midnite Ramen's
Wontonmen Ramen with
pork+shrimp wontons. #beerpairing
People like to complain about pumpkin beers. They don't like how early they appear, they don't like baking spices, etc. Well, I'm here for it, especially because #pumpkinbeer is a style with North American origins. In the 18th century, colonists on the East Coast made "pompion" ale with this gourd.
October 25, 2025 at 6:50 PM
People like to complain about pumpkin beers. They don't like how early they appear, they don't like baking spices, etc. Well, I'm here for it, especially because #pumpkinbeer is a style with North American origins. In the 18th century, colonists on the East Coast made "pompion" ale with this gourd.
I understand the appeal and importance of a volume account for large craft breweries. I really do. But Costco is not where you want to try to sell your fresh hop hazy IPA. It's late in the day on October 20th and I'm seeing cases upon cases of a Seattle brand sitting warm on shelves.
October 21, 2025 at 1:16 AM
I understand the appeal and importance of a volume account for large craft breweries. I really do. But Costco is not where you want to try to sell your fresh hop hazy IPA. It's late in the day on October 20th and I'm seeing cases upon cases of a Seattle brand sitting warm on shelves.
With medals now awarded for the Great American Beer Festival and several large fresh hop competitions, there's still one more brewing industry trophy to claim before the end of the year: the 2026 #Malt Cup. craftmalting.com/2026-malt-cup/
October 20, 2025 at 6:55 PM
With medals now awarded for the Great American Beer Festival and several large fresh hop competitions, there's still one more brewing industry trophy to claim before the end of the year: the 2026 #Malt Cup. craftmalting.com/2026-malt-cup/
On Monday the newspaper of record published a truly weak, uninformed take on the state of the brewing industry. And as easy as it would be to dunk on the author, I thought I'd share this rebuttal from the Brewers Association's staff economist instead. www.brewersassociation.org/insights/wac...
Wacky Headlines and Silly Claims Are Saving Craft Beer?
A recent New York Times opinion piece offered advice to what it claims is an ailing craft beer industry. In this data-backed response we break down the claims and add context from real industry trends. IPAs still dominate and wacky names aren’t the problem. Craft beer isn’t collapsing—it’s maturing. Dig into the data and see why this “death of craft” headline leaves something to be desired.
www.brewersassociation.org
October 17, 2025 at 7:51 PM
On Monday the newspaper of record published a truly weak, uninformed take on the state of the brewing industry. And as easy as it would be to dunk on the author, I thought I'd share this rebuttal from the Brewers Association's staff economist instead. www.brewersassociation.org/insights/wac...
For the sake of beer history, it's sad to lose another brewery that has remained dedicated to open fermentation for centuries.
October 17, 2025 at 6:18 PM
For the sake of beer history, it's sad to lose another brewery that has remained dedicated to open fermentation for centuries.
After missing the past few years, it was fun to be back at a judging table for @sipmagazine.bsky.social again yesterday!
October 17, 2025 at 12:26 AM
After missing the past few years, it was fun to be back at a judging table for @sipmagazine.bsky.social again yesterday!
Had a great time helping to judge the Washington Beer Awards Fresh Hop Competition at Logan Brewing yesterday. Head to the Growler Guys in Seattle on Thursday, 10/16 to hear the results and try some of the winning beers on draft! thegrowlerguys.com/locations/se...
October 13, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Had a great time helping to judge the Washington Beer Awards Fresh Hop Competition at Logan Brewing yesterday. Head to the Growler Guys in Seattle on Thursday, 10/16 to hear the results and try some of the winning beers on draft! thegrowlerguys.com/locations/se...
What a night, Seattle. Tridents way up!
October 11, 2025 at 5:09 AM
What a night, Seattle. Tridents way up!
Things were bleak in Portland over the weekend. I personally saw numerous combatants enjoying an autumn stroll or the city's many food cart pods. My own war rations included a brisket sandwich and fragrant fresh hop IPA.
October 7, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Things were bleak in Portland over the weekend. I personally saw numerous combatants enjoying an autumn stroll or the city's many food cart pods. My own war rations included a brisket sandwich and fragrant fresh hop IPA.
"Like avant-garde jazz, [Upright Brewing] thrilled those who understood the form deeply, but may have been inaccessible to the hazy IPA fan." @beervana.bsky.social on the loss of one of Portland's great breweries. www.beervanablog.com/beervana/202...
Upright Brewing, 2009-2025 — Beervana
Founder Alex Ganum is one of a handful of the most gifted brewers I’ve encountered in my travels around the world, and on a number of occasions, tasting his beer left me startled by its originality an...
www.beervanablog.com
October 3, 2025 at 5:35 PM
"Like avant-garde jazz, [Upright Brewing] thrilled those who understood the form deeply, but may have been inaccessible to the hazy IPA fan." @beervana.bsky.social on the loss of one of Portland's great breweries. www.beervanablog.com/beervana/202...
September is a special month here in the PNW, as expressive beers made with freshly picked hops appear and then quickly vanish at bars and bottle shops. I really enjoy them, & so far Bale Breaker, Fort George, Single Hill & Lucky Envelope have made my favorite examples this season. What about you?
September 28, 2025 at 10:40 PM
September is a special month here in the PNW, as expressive beers made with freshly picked hops appear and then quickly vanish at bars and bottle shops. I really enjoy them, & so far Bale Breaker, Fort George, Single Hill & Lucky Envelope have made my favorite examples this season. What about you?
Big beer news from the East Coast. I find it simultaneously curious and clever.
September 24, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Big beer news from the East Coast. I find it simultaneously curious and clever.
Munich's Oktoberfest begins tomorrow and continues until October 5th. In this article, my friend Adam recommends 13 places to get into the spirit without leaving the US. And I'll add a favorite of my own for those in NYC: the historic Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden. www.foodandwine.com/americas-bes...
America’s Best Beer Gardens for Oktoberfest Season
Toast to a German biergarten experience at these modern day beer gardens at breweries and hop gardens from Washington state to Washington, D.C. Here's where to share beers al fresco around Oktoberfest...
www.foodandwine.com
September 19, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Munich's Oktoberfest begins tomorrow and continues until October 5th. In this article, my friend Adam recommends 13 places to get into the spirit without leaving the US. And I'll add a favorite of my own for those in NYC: the historic Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden. www.foodandwine.com/americas-bes...
Hop harvest is a special time of year here in the #PNW. To experience a symphony of Simcoe, I recommend Bale Breaker's Fresh Hop Topcutter. balebreaker.com/beer/fresh-h...
September 19, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Hop harvest is a special time of year here in the #PNW. To experience a symphony of Simcoe, I recommend Bale Breaker's Fresh Hop Topcutter. balebreaker.com/beer/fresh-h...
Reposted by Ben Keene
Our human rights are not protected if our leaders fail to tackle and end the epidemic of gun violence and gun deaths.
September 11, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Our human rights are not protected if our leaders fail to tackle and end the epidemic of gun violence and gun deaths.
Happy hop harvest season! Ranging from full-fledged farms to small-scale plots, a number of breweries around the country (and Canada, too) grow their own hops. In this piece for @vinepair.com, I recommend six places where you can toast under the trellises this month. vinepair.com/articles/bre...
Toast Under the Trellises at These Breweries That Grow Their Own Hops
From raising a liter of lager in a Bavarian beer garden to sipping a chalice of Trappist ale at a monastic brewery, or knocking back a pint of bitter in an English pub, there are a few quintessential ...
vinepair.com
September 11, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Happy hop harvest season! Ranging from full-fledged farms to small-scale plots, a number of breweries around the country (and Canada, too) grow their own hops. In this piece for @vinepair.com, I recommend six places where you can toast under the trellises this month. vinepair.com/articles/bre...
My first fresh hop beer of 2025 was an IPA dry hopped with wet Chinook from Sapwood Cellars: Wet Hop Maryland Summer. What's everyone else drinking?
August 31, 2025 at 3:31 AM
My first fresh hop beer of 2025 was an IPA dry hopped with wet Chinook from Sapwood Cellars: Wet Hop Maryland Summer. What's everyone else drinking?
It's been years since my last beer from Maryland's Burley Oak Brewing, so I was glad to find cans of this pithy, peachy IPA near my parents' place last night.
August 24, 2025 at 5:52 PM
It's been years since my last beer from Maryland's Burley Oak Brewing, so I was glad to find cans of this pithy, peachy IPA near my parents' place last night.