Walla Walla, the Washington wine town so nice they named it twice, epitomizes the fermented beverage industry adage: “It takes a lot of good beer to make good wine.”
Given this, plus the fact that there are some 120 wineries in the area, perhaps it should be surprising there are only six breweries in Walla Walla, proper. But it wouldn’t be a bold prediction to imagine the brewery population will reach double digits before the roaring ’20s are over.
Since we’re counting, we’ll start with four local breweries: Burwood Brewing, Five Dollar Ranch Brewing, Quirk Brewing, and Water Buffalo Brewery. Then, add a pair of brewpubs: Big House Brew Pub and Crossbuck Brewing, an upscale steakhouse set in a 1912 train depot, where the Black Angus cattle are happily fed the beer’s spent grains. And if you add the two breweries a short drive from downtown — the area’s oldest craft brewery established in 2006, Laht Neppur Brewing in nearby Waitsburg, and Dragon’s Gate Brewery located just a smidge over the state line in Milton-Freewater, Oregon — you’re already nearing double digits.
But enough with the counting. Let’s get to the beer.
A Beer Walk’s First Step
My first stop was Quirk, founded in 2016 by Troy Robinson and Casey Monahan. If you happen to fly into the area, it’s a logical first watering hole as it’s in the Airport District. Among its dozen-plus taps, Quirk offers a range of styles for every palate from pilsners to IPAs (both West and East Coast) and — unsurprisingly given its appellation — wine barrel–aged beers. Perhaps my favorite was Strano Italian Pils (hopped with Lorel and Adeena hops, then dry-hopped with more Lorels) but I’m a sucker for dual-brews like coffee stout (on nitro), made with cold brew from Walla Walla Roastery around the corner.
Not Nano Nomore
A short walk away is Burwood, founded in 2014 by husband-and-wife team David and Jennifer Marshall. David’s beers lean toward the Germanic — beyond great examples of pilsner and Schwarzbier, I found a malty Rotbier that tasted like an ESB, but Germaner. That said, he’s aware beer tourists are IPA crazy and since most tourists are the wine-kind, hops happen to make great palate cleansers between buttery Chardonnays and peppery Syrahs. Although it began as a nano, at more than 500 barrels a year, Burwood is the area’s largest brewery. It helps that it sports a massive outdoor space and hosts live music and food trucks.
Make that Appointment
On the flipside, Water Buffalo is the smallest among area breweries. It’s tucked in founder Michael Rossi’s backyard, meaning visits are by appointment only, but in this beer lover’s opinion, it’s a can’t-miss. Rossi went “commercial” a decade after getting bit by the homebrew bug in 2002 and his beers maintain that wide-eyed homebrewer’s approach. His Belgian witbier relies on Walla Walla’s staple crop (after grapes): white wheat. Fittingly, Rossi also sells beer in reusable swing tops at the farmers market, which might explain beers like 24 Carrots Golden Ale (so named for the number of carrots per barrel), which sorta tastes like a cream ale but, y’know, earthier. Among his Harvest Series beers, the cyser is made with local Harrison cider apples, wined up with a French saison yeast.
Go Yeast, Young Man
Speaking of which, Five Dollar Ranch founder Josh Hulett is such a yeast geek he lists the strains featured in each beer. Although he was also bitten by the brewbug in the late 20th century, it wasn’t until the pandemic that he decided to go pro. It’s fair to say he has since established the project as the local brewers’ favorite. While his styles span the gamut from Kolsch to doppelbock, it’s his thoroughly modern IPAs that make this brewery the most likely to break out among beer pilgrims. The de facto flagship, Goat Candy, is billed as a hazy Extra Pale Ale (5.25% ABV) and leans into extracting juicy flavors to the point where it contains no hops during the boil. Goat Candy is entirely dry hopped with a blend of 60% uber-popular tangerine-y Citra and 40% pineapple-throwing BRU-1 hops, my personal fave among Washington’s latest named hops. There’s a reason this beer has become a staple around town at bars and restaurants.
Walla Walla’s Oregon Destination
As a final suggestion for beer pilgrims, although situated a whole state away, don’t miss out on visiting Dragon’s Gate. It’s wholly unique among American craft breweries. Stylistically, you’ll exclusively find Belgian ales; Nary an IPA appears on tap. But between the malty Biere de Garde, the estery grisette and the citrusy orange saison (which, trust me on this, goes smashingly when blended with Le Morte D’Arthur, a Belgian chocolate stout named to honor the brewery’s King Arthur theme because, why not?), this northeastern Oregon farm-based farmhouse brewery is among the compelling reasons to visit southeastern Washington.
