Norm's: a seemingly mild mannered mini-mart bursting with malt and hops
But I was completely unprepared for what I learned was in nearby Lake Stevens, WA. On the outside it looks like your garden variety Shell Mini-Mart and gas station. But it's beer-o-mania on the inside. Not only do they have walls and walls loaded with refrigerators filled with bottled beer from everywhere you can imagine. Their walk-in cooler boasts an inventory of 52 quality micros on draft, all of which are vying for a spot in your 64 ounce growler that they're happy to fill for you. That's right: fifty two. One for each week of the year. But you'll need to drink at a faster pace than that since different products are being rotated in every couple of weeks or so.
For the beer connoisseur Norm's Market is Mecca. It rivals any place in the city of Seattle, 45 minutes away. Check it out. It's well worth a visit. Or several.
BowlingJoe next to the menu: 52 beers on tap waiting to fill your growler
Norm's Market is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/normsmarket
Everett Herald article about Norm's: http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110628/LIVING/706299980
Here is a recent sample of growler fill offerings... all $9.99 (unless otherwise marked) That's only $2.50 a pint if you do the math!!!
1. Southern Tier Pumpkin (New York) 8.6% $13.99
2. Dogfish Head Chicory Stout 14.99
3. Samuel Adams Double Pumpkin Ale 8.5% ( Boston,Ma) Sale $9.99
4. Mac N Jacks Blackcat Porter 5.3% (Redmond)
5. Mac' N Jacks Serengeti Wheat 4.7%
6. Mac & Jack Two Tun Ipa 7% (Redmond, Wa)
7. Mac 'n Jack's African Amber Ale 5.2% (Redmond)
8. Mac 'n Jack's Cascadian Dark Ale 6.9 (Redmond)
9. Hibernation Ale 8.8% $11.99
10. Humbolt Brewing Co. Nectar IPA (Ca) 6.8%
11. Big E's Rootbeer Non-Alcoholic (Lynwood)
12. Dogfish Head 90 Min IPA $15.99
13. Sleigh'R Double Alt Ale (Ninkasi) 9.99
14. Ninkasi Tricerahops 8.8% (OR) $11.99
15. Manny's Pale Ale (Georgetown) $9.99
16. Men's Room Original Red (Seattle) Eylsian Brewing 5.6%
17. Organic Abominable Winter Ale Hub Brew 7.3% (OR) $12.99
18. Stella Artois German Lager
19. Steelhead Dbl IPA -Mad River Brewery 11.99
20. Imperial Coconut Porter Maui Brewing Co. (Hi) $14.99
21. Spire Dark and Dry Cider $12.99
22. Diamond Knot HO HO $11.99
23. Super Cru Lips of Faith 10% (CO) $12.99
24. Georgetown Porter, Georgetown Seattle $9.99
25. New Belgium Down Under w/Passion Fruit (Seattle) 12.99
26. Stone Arrogant Bastard (CA) 7.2%
27. North Sound Goosetown Brown 6.8% (Mt. Vernon) $9.99
28. Scuttlebutt 10' Below 7.4% (Everett)
29. Great Divide Smoked Baltic Porter (Co) 7.5% $12.99
30. Autumn IPAnox- Cascade Brewery 6.7% (OR) $12.99
31. Firestone Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout $10.99
32. Lenny's R.I.P.A. He'Brew 10% (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) $14.99
33. Widmer Brrrr 7.2% $18.99
34. Big E Cinnamon Sour (Lynnwood, Wa) $11.99
35. Diamond Knot Industrial Pale Ale (Mukilteo) 7.9% $10.99
36. Mt. Shasta Jalapeno (Ca) $14.99
37. Pyramid Imperial Hefeweizen 7.5%
38. Cascade Brewing Imperial Amber 7.2% (OR) $12.99
39. Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale (Co) 6.1% $12.99
40. Irish Death Iron Horse Brewery (Ellensburg)
41. Wingman Porter 9.99
42. Big E Winter Blackberry Ale 7.2% (Lynwood)
43. Southern Tier Creme Brulee 19.99
44. Hooegarden Belgina beer $10.99
45. Stone Levitation Ale 4.4% (CA)
46. Fearless Mjoldir Double IPA 8% $10.99
47. The Vaporizer Pale Ale- Double Mountain Brewery 6% (OR)
48. Effen Heffen Skookum (Arlington, Wa)
49. Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu 10% (DE) 19.99
50. Judith Yeast, Beer Valley (Or) $12.99
51. Hop Dog Double Wheat IPA, Midnight Sun Brew. (AK) $18.99
52. North Sound Imperial Red $14.99
Norm's has an incredible selection of bottled beers from everywhere
9 comments:
It's too bad that they don't sell real beer there -- Guinness! :-) At least they did have Stella Artois on the board for those times when you simply must have a lager!
It would be interesting if they had Guinness. One rarely sees it at these kinds of establishments though since the pouring process and texture is so precise. Truth be told, I'd hate to waste a good Guinness by putting it in a growler.
Well yes, it would just throw the process off badly! A properly pulled pint of the black stuff takes 119 seconds from start to finish, from the pour, to the settle, and finally to the top off.
(And if they put the cutesy shamrock in the foam, they are just trying to dazzle the Americans.)
There are a few of the lighter microbrews that I do find quite good and refreshing, but I have never found a stout that did not pale next to a Guinness.
We will be back in Seattle briefly in early May, so we'll have to go have a pint at O'Donnell's!
It would be great to see you in May over a pint of Guinness, cvow. Or even a bowl of pho soup, which I completely blame you for getting me addicted to!
Way to go, Joe. Making me nostalgic for the NW. SoCal may have some nice features, but is woefully short on good Brew Pubs. I think there are only about 10 or 12 brew on premises Brew Pubs in LA and Orange Counties. A similar number in San Diego County. (Not counting a couple of Pizza chains that have a central brewery and multiple locations). Not like when we were in Everett and had over 50 nice Brew Pubs within driving distance. Still, its better than being in Nebraska and thinking that fizzy black water is a real beer!
However, my quest for locally produced brews is unabated! Yesterday we went to San Diego to have dinner at Coronado Brewing on Coronado Island. Then to Escondido to visit Stone Brewing. The “Idiot IPA” at Coronado is a great double IPA, and their regular “Islander IPA” is as good as any NW IPA. You know about Stone brews, but the brewery is far beyond the typical NW Brew Pub. Not be missed if you are in the area.
Looks like I might be in the NW working on a project in February. Maybe we can get together at Fred’s for their brews and food.
Tonight I enjoyed a very nice 12 year old Mortlach with son Chris, and lost all inclination to debate brewpubs! Count on a single malt to have the high trump card!
Wencil, I have acquired some new single malts for us to consider when you decide to drift through the heartland, but they live in Cheyenne, not Nebraska.
You forgot to mention that it's open 24/7, 365. The D-man and I treated ourselves to a Christmas Day visit. After quality time with family, we needed a quality beer.
Wencil, it would be great to get together with you in February at Fred's. It's a great establishment. And the California IPAs can be quite good, especially No Cal. In fact, the most recent growler I got at Norm's was Racer 5.
IMLOT, that's a great point about 24/7. I darned near made a Christmas day trip myself but decided the bottled stuff I had in the fridge was ample. Tell the D-Man that Captain ILL might be inviting him to watch a Bond movie at his place with us (we're picking away at the entire series). I'm lobbying for it as I'd like to have someone there who appreciates a good beer. The Captain is of course an outstanding friend but is clueless when it comes to things that ale us.
That is an excellent hop temple! There is one near by me as well called Chuck's Hop Shop. It's great to be in a part of the land that is flooded with great beers.
By the way, the brewing crew at the Winter Brewing Party at Brian's last Friday is contemplating expanding the event to be seasonal. Look for an invite to a Spring Brewing Party soon.
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