What People Drink in Seattle: 6 Traditional Alcoholic Beverages

Seattle’s drinking culture is anchored in maritime weather, mountain views, and easy access to Washington’s farms. Damp winters encourage cozy taverns and hot, spirit-forward pours; bright summers shift to patios, pilsners, and chilled whites.

The city is a gateway to Yakima hop fields, Columbia Valley vineyards, and apple orchards just over the Cascades. With a seafood-heavy table and a craft ethos, Seattle’s beverages balance freshness, aroma, and a sense of place.

The Pacific Northwest IPA is an aromatic ale built on pale malt, American ale yeast, and a cascade of Yakima Valley hops such as Cascade, Citra, Simcoe, and Mosaic. Brewers ferment warm and dry-hop heavily, layering volatile oils late in the process to preserve bright aromatics. The result typically lands at 6.0–7.5% ABV for standard IPAs, with some double versions pushing past 8%.

Expect a bouquet of grapefruit peel, pine resin, and tropical notes over a biscuity malt frame and a firm, lingering bitterness. Seattle’s IPA history runs through early craft pioneers of the 1980s and 1990s and today’s dense constellation of neighborhood taprooms. You’ll find locals ordering fresh-hopped seasonal releases in late summer and early fall when cones are harvested, and pints of flagship IPA the rest of the year. IPAs are poured at brewery taprooms citywide, enjoyed with grilled salmon, spicy Thai or Vietnamese dishes, and after-day hikes when a bitter, aromatic pint is the reward.

Rainier is a light American lager with roots in Seattle that trace back to 1878. Brewed as a bottom-fermented lager with malted barley and adjuncts like corn or rice, it’s cold-fermented and lagered for a clean profile. At around 4.6% ABV, the beer is pale gold with soft grain notes, a touch of corn sweetness, minimal hop aroma, and a crisp finish that makes it an easy-drinking staple.

Rainier’s story mirrors Seattle’s: pre-Prohibition growth, mid-century popularity, and changing ownership that moved large-scale production out of the city, even as the red “R” sign remained a local landmark. For many Seattleites, it’s the beer of backyard barbecues, dive bars, fishing trips, and ballgames—a cultural touchstone as much as a beverage. You’ll see it ordered alongside oysters and burgers, or as the low-ABV counterpoint in a boilermaker at neighborhood taverns.

Seattle sits at the doorway to Washington’s Columbia Valley, where Riesling thrives in high-latitude sunlight, volcanic and loess soils, and large day–night temperature swings. Most producers ferment in stainless steel at cool temperatures to preserve aromatics, sometimes leaving a measured amount of residual sugar. Depending on style, ABV runs roughly 8–12%, with drier bottlings higher and late-harvest wines lower.

Aromas of lime zest, white peach, green apple, and jasmine are common, with electric acidity that handles spice and brine. In Seattle, Riesling is poured by the glass in seafood restaurants and wine bars, pairing neatly with Dungeness crab, spot prawns, oysters, and Southeast Asian flavors. Many visitors taste in nearby Woodinville before continuing in city wine bars, where off-dry and dry bottlings are equally at home with a shellfish tower or sushi. It’s a year-round white that shines brightest in summer when chilled bottles meet long daylight and patio tables.

Cider has deep roots in Washington, which leads the United States in apple production. Today’s Seattle ciders range from dry, tannic blends to aromatic, lightly sweet pours. Producers press dessert apples alongside bittersharp and bittersweet cider varieties, then ferment with wine or ale yeast—or sometimes native yeasts—for 6–8% ABV beverages. Some ciders are still; others are force-carbonated or bottle-conditioned for lively bubbles.

Flavors evoke fresh apple skin, pear, baking spices, and, in heritage blends, gentle tannins and a structured finish. Seasonal bottles fold in berries, quince, or even hops for a distinctly Northwestern twist. You’ll see cider served in taprooms and bars across Seattle, especially during autumn harvest, and celebrated at events like Cider Summit Seattle. It pairs cleanly with aged cheddar, pork, and fried seafood, and offers a lower-gluten alternative to beer without sacrificing regional character.

A modern tradition took shape after Washington’s 2008 craft-distillery law jumpstarted small producers. Seattle’s single malts use 100% malted barley—often sourced from regional farms—mashed, fermented, and distilled in copper pot stills, then matured in casks that include new American oak, ex-bourbon or sherry, and occasionally the rare local Garry oak (Quercus garryana). Bottlings commonly sit at 46–50% ABV, with cask-strength releases higher.

Flavors lean toward roasted malt, cocoa, toffee, dried fruit, and baking spice, with some expressions adding a whiff of smoke. The style reflects a cool, maritime climate and an ingredient-driven ethos borrowed from local breweries. Seattleites sip single malt neat or with a splash of water on cool, rainy evenings, or build elegant highballs to let malt character shine. Tastings are common in urban distillery rooms, and pairing with alder-smoked salmon or blue cheese underscores the whiskey’s savory depth.

Aquavit is a caraway-led Scandinavian spirit that found a natural home in Seattle’s Nordic community. Local versions are distilled from neutral grain or potato spirit infused with botanicals like caraway, dill, fennel, coriander, and citrus peel, sometimes finished in oak. Bottles typically clock in at 40–45% ABV, with clear styles emphasizing herbs and aged styles layering vanilla and spice.

Traditionally served as a chilled snap with savory foods, aquavit anchors toasts—skål—during festivals and holiday feasts. In Seattle, you’ll encounter it straight with pickled herring, gravlax, and rye bread at Nordic-themed spots, and in cocktails that spotlight its savory edge. Bartenders fold it into martinis, Collins-style long drinks, and riffs that pair aquavit with lemon and honey. It is most popular in winter feasts and museum events, but its bracing, herbal profile also cuts through rich seafood year-round.

Seattle’s gin reflects evergreen forests and inventive distilling. Producers build on juniper with botanicals like coriander, citrus peel, angelica, and regional additions such as Douglas fir or spruce tips—and even hop cones—using maceration or vapor infusion before redistilling. Many use a grain base; a few distill from malted barley. Most gins are bottled between 40–47% ABV to capture bright aromatics.

Expect aromas of pine, lemon oil, and fresh herbs, with flavors that range from classic London Dry snap to rounder, foresty profiles. The city’s cocktail culture helped revive pre-Prohibition recipes, and Seattle bars are known for crisp martinis, citrusy gin-and-tonics, and stirred classics. One emblem of the scene’s influence is the early-2000s revival of the Last Word at a downtown bar, which reintroduced the gin-forward cocktail to the wider world. You’ll find gin served in oyster bars, on sunny patios, and in tasting rooms where botanical blends are explained glass in hand.