Some people go to breweries to analyze yeast strains and debate IBUs like they’re arguing case law.
I go for drinkability, atmosphere, and whether the beer makes me say “oh damn” out loud without meaning to.
That brings us to Maelstrom Brewing… a tiny, unassuming spot that quietly served up two beers that hit very different parts of my soul… and somehow both nailed it.
First Pour: Dark Side of the Barrel
Let’s start where my heart lives: bourbon barrel–aged double imperial stout.
First of all, the name Dark Side of the Barrel is doing a lot of heavy lifting, and it delivers. This craft beer doesn’t punch you in the face; it pulls you into a leather chair, hands you a glass, and says “sit down, we’re doing this properly.”
It’s rich, smooth, warming, and dangerously drinkable for something that probably has a higher ABV than my checking account balance. The bourbon is present but polite, not yelling, not flexing, just nodding quietly like, “Yes, I’ve been here the whole time.”
Clark (my fellow WeeBeer accomplice) immediately started talking about the beer dynamics
I interrupted him with:
“It tastes like confidence.”
He didn’t argue. That’s how you know it’s good.
Second Pour: Flotsam (Pineapple Hazy)
Then we pivoted… hard… to Flotsam, a pineapple hazy served in what can only be described as a carved glass with a face.
And listen… if you serve craft beer in a glass that looks like it could talk back to me, I’m already in.
This one was bright, juicy, and refreshing without going full fruit salad. The pineapple shows up, does its job, and leaves without overstaying its welcome. It’s the kind of craft beer that says, “Yeah, you could have another.” And maybe another. And suddenly it’s late afternoon.
Clark called it “interesting.”
I called it “effortlessly likable” … the kind of beer that makes friends fast and disappears even faster.
The glass just stared at us, silently judging.
The Maelstrom Brewing Atmosphere (Underrated, Undeniable)
Here’s the part that matters more than people admit: the room.
Maelstrom Brewing is cozy, relaxed, and welcoming in that “stay a while” way. Not loud. Not trying too hard. Just good energy. And a crucial detail… plenty of outlets.
Yes, outlets.
Nothing says modern brewery perfection like being able to sip excellent craft beer while pretending you’re being productive. We plugged in, knocked out some “very important WeeBeer work,” and somehow productivity went up. (Correlation? Causation? We’ll investigate further.)
Final Verdict for Maelstrom Brewing (Brady Scale™)
- Dark Side of the Barrel:
- Drinkability: Shockingly high
- Vibe: Dark, smooth, dangerous
- Would I order again? Immediately
- Flotsam:
- Refreshing, fun, and weird in the best way
- Bonus points for glassware with personality
- Overall:
A small brewery doing big things without yelling about it.
The kind of place you stumble into and immediately start planning your next visit.
Clark says he’ll come back for the nuance.
I’ll come back because it made me smile… and because that stout lives rent-free in my head now.
Small pours. Big stories.
And occasionally, a face staring back at you as you drink from the glass. Wee Beers, Cheers!
Brady’s relationship with beer started early. Very early.
At five years old, he occasionally “borrowed” sips when adults weren’t looking. A few years later, he and his sisters upgraded from curiosity to operation: a master plan involving a “locked” cabana refrigerator, a lookout position for Brady, and a daring extraction of Rainier beer bottles. Armed with nails and beach rocks, they poked holes in the caps, took their first real taste… and were promptly caught. Punishment followed. But so did destiny.
That moment set the stage.
Years later, Brady began brewing beer with his dad, a tradition that quietly stretched across decades. Beer became less about rebellion and more about process, patience, and shared time a theme that still defines how he approaches it today.
Over the last eight years, Brady’s beer journey evolved again alongside his longtime business partner and fellow beer enthusiast, Clark. In 2022, they merged work and pleasure in the most WeeBeer way possible visiting more than 560 breweries across Washington State. Research, obviously.
Brady’s perspective on beer is rooted in drinkability, atmosphere, and how a place makes you feel, not technical posturing. If the beer makes him smile, relax, and order another without thinking too hard about it, it’s doing something right.
Outside of WeeBeer, Brady is a lifelong entrepreneur, a musician, vocalist, and songwriter, and together with Clark currently leads a technology company. Creativity, business, and beer have always overlapped for him; WeeBeer just happens to be where they all pour together.
Favorite beers: Ones that invite conversation though Bourbon Barrel -Aged, Doubles, Triples, Quads… you get the pictures. Also Dynamic IPAs and Pilsners often hit the spot.
Least favorite beers: Ones that take themselves too seriously and Mosaic hops gone wrong.
