Propolis Brewing
When Propolis Brewing owners Robert Horner and Piper Corbett go out for a nature walk, exercise is the last thing on their minds.
Forget the beauty of the majestic Olympics, the ferry gliding peacefully across Port Townsend Bay, the lofty evergreens reaching to azure blue skies. Their focus is on much smaller natural treasures: borage flowers, heather, wild herbs, nettles, cherries and other ingredients they will use to create unique herbal ales.
Capitalizing on their professional experience in science and art, Horner and Corbett challenged the norm in the world of brews by blending locally grown herbs and wild seasonal botanicals to craft ales with unique flavors. As a result, Propolis Brewing has earned awards and accolades on regional and national levels, including a “Best Of ” in Sunset magazine and multiple medals from The Great American Beer Festival.
But national recognition was never the goal. The intent was to create brews using native resources to produce organic indigenous ales that harmonize with local foods. Ingredients for each ale are 100% certified organic unless wildcrafted or foraged in the wild.
“We use local, seasonally sourced ingredients to reflect and celebrate the flavors of our home,” Corbett explains.
“There is a sense of place—its unique terroir—in each of our ales.“ Propolis Brewing “We are dedicated to brewing in the tradition of the old world,” Horner adds. “Beers from Belgium, Flanders, and throughout Europe, served as food and medicine. Captain Vancouver and Captain Cook, who sailed our region, were known for their healthy crews. They never got scurvy; they drank spruce beer which is high in vitamin C.” The name Propolis reflects their philosophy. A material that bees make when they collect resin from local trees, buds and other sources, propolis has been known since ancient times for its health benefits.
“We do what the bees do,” quips Horner. “It’s a metaphor, a reference to a time long past. Propolis encourages us to look to our surroundings for inspiration and health,” he adds. Propolis focuses on quality rather than quantity. Production is small by industry standards—roughly 400 bbls, or in wine terms, that would be about 5,000 cases. Every ale is crafted in small batches, then bottled, corked, capped, and labeled by hand. While many of the beers are conditioned in the bottle, some are barrel-aged or barrel-aged blended ales. The barreled brews can take 6 months to two years to age, which makes them more like a crossover between wines and ciders.
Many are made with indigenous fruits gathered in the wild. Releases coincide with the seasons. “Spring brings our Spruce saison, with lighter, more refreshing ales for the summer and darker, more complex ales in the winter,” Horner notes. Along with a slew of local fans, Propolis has attracted connoisseurs from as far away as the East Coast who come just to sample the ales. Accordingly, shipping out of state has increased along with the ales’ reputation.
But locals need not worry: some of the more rare brews are available only in the tasting room. “We have more than 40 vintage bottles to open. And we encourage people to enjoy them here in the tasting room, but they are available to take home,” Horner says. When you visit the taproom, you’ll find an array of unique brews such as: Litha, a golden saison brewed with spelt, chamomile, lavender and sage; Spruce, a golden saison with spelt and spruce; Urtica, a wild nettle ale; Beltane, an elderflower saison with brett; and Chaga, a chaga mushroom farmhouse stout with walnut and cognac, vat washed. Others are made with oso berries, salmonberries, huckleberries, rhubarb and strawberries. What you won’t find is an IPA!
Propolis Brewing
2457 Jefferson Street
Port Townsend, WA 98368
360.344.2129
propolisbrewing.com