The 411 on Shorthead Brewing #

I was delighted to drive by this brewery and beer garden just a block off Tieton's main square on my most recent visit to the area. Its revamped warehouse feel is one I'm well familiar with after many years of living in areas that have redeveloped abandoned industrial areas into food, drink, and art destinations, whether in North Carolina or Oakland or everywhere I've visited in-between (Hello, Albuquerque! Hello, Glasgow!). For me, such ventures promote interesting experimentation and welcoming spaces to while away an afternoon or evening.

Shorthead Brewing opened in Summer 2024. Their Tieton taproom is an expansion of the home brewing and nano-brewing that the owners have undertaken for decades. It's housed in a revamped engine room and fruit packing warehouse, with lots of rustic seating and colorful shaded umbrellas. Do bring a jacket, it gets cold fast when the sun isn't shining down on the patio.

Food trucks rotate through—you can find their schedule on Shorthead Brewing's Instagram page. They've also hosted live music and poetry readings. Maybe I need to arrange one next time I have a book to promote…

My Take on Shorthead Brewing #

The Vibe: Inside, the bar has an industrial feel, with stainless steel from the beer vats and a concrete-and-wood bar.

The bar was close to full both times I went. A handful to a dozen patrons filled the outdoor seating at any given time. I love that there's a variety of seating options, which look to have been made with reclaimed wood: large, round tables; adirondack chairs; benches. Great for if you're with a group or by yourself.

The Beer: As someone whose favorite beers are stouts and hazy IPAs, I was delighted with the options at Shorthand. They offer around ten of their own drafts, and a few rotating guest taps as well. Their beermaking philosophy is to make beer "for the blue-collar worker. We believe that working men and women deserve a quality drink after a long day on the job, and our beers are perfect for winding down at the end of the day." Although I am a self-employed author, my beer tastes apparently align with those of the blue-collar worker!

That's the Fresh Outta County Oatmeal Stout that I didn't think to take a picture of until I'd already half-drank it. It was rich with a medium-to-heavy body, and lots of toasty oat flavor. One of the best stouts I've had in a while.

The next day I went, I opted for a hazy IPA. They had two options, and the Shorthead Fresh HBC Hazy 586 caught my eye. It was described as a denser hazy IPA with more alcohol, using fresh hops, which all sounded good to me (I am not that knowledgeable of beer).

I loved it! Bright citrus came through, with enough body to please my stout-loving soul and enough pine to keep me intrigued.

Would I Go Back? In addition to loving their simple-yet-beautiful logo line art, the beers were right up my alley. There are also plenty IPAs, ales, and other brews, even a rice lager, to keep things interesting for future drinking. With food truck options, fun seating, and a mellow vibe, I look forward to my next excuse to visit while in town.

Visited September 2024.