If you’ve never packed up a gear bag and headed north for a midweek Bellingham craft beer and karaoke run, you are seriously missing out. On our recent trip, we joined the local talent to experience how the tap lists hold up when the microphones turn on.
Spoiler alert: Bellingham knows how to party on a random Tuesday, and the local singers are fantastic!
Tuesday Night with Pizza, Fire, Massive Mugs, and Big Vocals
Our first stop on Tuesday was at Fiamma Pizza for a late lunch/early dinner. Their pepperoni and pineapple pizza is fantastic and makes it worth stopping in ever few trips up north. I paired my portion with the Scotch Ale from Boundary Bay Brewery as a bit of an homage to their vacant former location on Railroad Avenue.
After Pizza, Wee walked over to Gruff Brewing and enjoyed a pints of the Trash Bird Hazy IPA and revisited their IPA 007 by the fire pits before heading over to the Schweinhaus Biergarten to sing some Karaoke. If you haven’t been, this place is an absolute blast with a huge outdoor German beer hall energy right in the heart of downtown.
We grabbed a table, got our eyes on the taplist, and immediately ordered a round of Reuben’s Brews Hop Tropic in large, heavy glass mugs.
- The Beer:
- Boundary Bay Scotch Ale is a solid 4.0 cap rating on Untappd for its rich, malty goodness.
- Trash Bird and IPA 007, from Gruff Brewing both earning a respectable 3.75 caps from us.
- But the undisputed king of the night was Reuben’s Brews Hop Tropic. It’s got that signature Reuben’s clean, bright, tropical fruit profile that just punches you in the face in the best way possible. We logged it with a well-deserved 4.5 cap rating.
- The Karaoke: Once the singing started, the energy went through the roof. The crowd here is incredibly supportive, but don’t let the casual beer garden vibes fool you, there were some seriously great singers in the rotation. Belting out classics with a massive pint of PNW gold in hand? Perfection.
Four Wednesday Stops
Wednesday night required a bit of a strategy. We were excited to go back to The Royal (our standard Wednesday night Karaoke spot in Bellingham), but we had to do some work first and drove out to Darrington, WA to meet with a client for lunch where we ordered a pint of Wanderlust by Breakside Brewing along with burgers at Moe’s Darrington.
Unwinding at Beach Cat Brewing South Paw in Bellingham
Before we even made it into the heart of downtown, we had to stop by Beach Cat Brewing’s South Paw location. We grabbed a spot out on the deck right along the river, which was the absolute perfect way to ease into the evening. There is nothing quite like listening to the water rush by while sipping a fresh pint. We opted for their Tortoiseshell Hazy IPA, a beautifully juicy, smooth pour that totally matched the laid-back, scenic vibe of the deck.
A Quick Scout of Craft Beer and Karaoke at Juxt Taphouse
Before heading to our main destination, we made a quick stop at Juxt Taphouse to check out their Wednesday karaoke setup. Juxt is known for having a massive, tech-forward tap wall, so you know we weren’t leaving without a pour.
We went with the Ravenna Brewing Power Plant American IPA. Ravenna always delivers on the hop front, and Power Plant was no exception; crisp, resinous, and exactly the kind of palate-cleanser you need before hitting the stage. The karaoke vibe here was cozy and intimate, making it a great spot for a warm-up pint.
The Main Karaoke Event at The Royal
After Juxt, it was time to head over to The Royal for the real Wednesday night showdown.
If you want the classic, high-energy, stage-and-lights karaoke experience in Bellingham, this is the spot. The place was packed, the rotation was moving fast, and the talent was unreal. We saw everything from pitch-perfect pop ballads to full-on rock anthems that had the whole bar singing along.
To match the high-octane energy of the room, we stuck with a classic heavy hitter: Elysian Space Dust IPA. That familiar, sweet-and-boozy citrus punch is the ultimate liquid courage.
- The Beer:
- Breakside Brewing Wanderlust IPA hits 4.25 caps on Untappd for me.
- The Tortoiseshell Hazy IPA from Beach Cat Brewing was also a delicious 4.25 caps.
- It went down a bit from there with the Ravenna Brewing Power Plant American IPA at 3.75 caps.
- And the Space Dust from Elysian registering 4.00 caps while we were singing at The Royal.
- The Karaoke: We always enjoy our time at The Royal on Wednesday nights. AJ is a fantastic host and the staff and regulars are a lot of fun.
Wee Verdict for Bellingham Karaoke and Craft Beer
It was a fantastic trip to Bellingham. Between the awesome taplists, the top-tier singers, and the genuinely fun, welcoming vibe of the local crowds, Bellingham proved once again why it’s one of our favorite craft beer and karaoke cities in the state.
If you’re looking to shake up your midweek routine, grab some friends, map out your taprooms, and get ready to sing your heart out.
WeeBeers Cheers!
Clark believes that the best professional relationships are built on shared experiences and a bit of fun. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Clark has been a vocal advocate of the local craft beer scene for years. He enjoys exploring the unique flavors and community-driven atmosphere of Washington’s and Oregon’s many breweries while working through the complex software architecture opportunities presented by social interaction. After a hard day of work, Clark can often be found on the karaoke stage any day of the week belting out 80’s rock and heavy metal tunes while bringing the same passion and energy to his performances as he does to his startups; valuing confidence, engagement, and the power of a good song and a bourbon barrel aged beer to bring people together.
