BeerVisits - UK - Europe - USA/Canada - World

Pub Visit - USA/Canada

Tuesday 22nd June 2011

Bob Thompson

powerhouse brewery 1 buildingThis brewpub is at 454 East Main Avenue, just over five minutes from the station. I had arrived on the Sounder commuter train from Tacoma. The pub is located in the former electricity generating power station built for the Puget Sound Electric Railway in 1907.

This railway was an Interurban, a type rarely seen outside of North America. The track was good for high speeds but lightly laid, so that only electric vehicles that resembled large tramcars could operate because they weighed very little.

There are many more museums dedicated to this type of railway than there are examples still running. They did go incredible distances however. This particular line ran from Everett, a long distance north of Seattle, then ran on the tramway through that city and then onwards to Tacoma. It didn't last long as Seattle to Tacoma closed on December 30th 1928, and Seattle to Everett on 1st January 1937. The closures were caused by the massive increase in car owners and subsequent huge improvements to the highway network.

powerhouse brewery 2 breweryAnyway, enough of the history, let's go to the brewery. I ordered the standard sampler set which came on two trays. This was because not all of their normal range is on all the time and they use two different tray mats. I got eight beers: IPA (6.0%), Powerhouse Scottish Ale (6.0%), Belgian White (4.0%), Four Alarm Stout (5.5%), Amperage Amber (5.0%), Powerhouse Pale Ale (4.3%), Roasted Porter (5.8%), and Hefeweizen (4.5%). I thought the IPA, Stout and Porter were very good.

I thought the Powerhouse was quite a reasonable brewpub but found it extremely busy and, consequently, the service was less than perfect. Recommended for a visit at a quieter time.

Important Information:

Powerhouse Restaurant & Brewery, 454 East Main Street, Puyallup, WA. 98372.
Tel: 253 845 1370

Open: Sunday-Thursday 11.30-22.30; Friday and Saturday 11.30-23.30

The pub is less than ten minutes away from Puyallup station. This is served by the Sounder Commuter trains. The times of these are really only suitable for an afternoon/evening round trip from Tacoma and this would give you 2 hours 20 minutes in town.

From the Seattle direction you could spend up to three hours in Puyallup but you must continue on to Tacoma and return to Seattle on an Amtrak train from another station.

There are Express buses to and from the town from both cities.

For further information on transport in this area refer to the website of Sound Transit at www.soundtransit.org.

Finally, the excellent Station U Brew pub is opposite the station, see Brewery Visits for details.