Barking Dog Alehouse
If you read this blog with any regularity you’ll know that I don’t too often talk about beer. There is good reason for that - I don’t know that much about beer! And, to be quite honest, it’s not something that I’ve felt the need to learn about - I have enough vices in my life for heaven’s sakes!
But as I’ve been participating in this group effort and reading Donavan’s posts for the last several months I’ve been starting to get a little urge to know more. So I’ve been looking for opportunities to pick up more knowledge - although squeezing that in between my quest to up my cocktail and wine know-how has been a bit challenging!
A couple weeks ago, friends I meet with on a regular basis happened to choose the Barking Dog Alehouse as our meeting location. I took a look at a couple of the reviews and got excited. This really was an alehouse! And, it seemed, that the focus on food was as important as their focus on beer - this could be good!
As I was driving toward the address (in an area of town I’m quite familiar with) I started wondering if I’d written it down correctly. The coordinates would put me right smack dab in the middle of a housing area. Go a few blocks in either direction and you’ll hit little neighborhood centers but not in this particular area. Hmmm. I continued toward the address and was surprised to see the Alehouse pop up in the middle of the residential area. I guess you really could call this a neighborhood joint!
The beer menu was nearly overwhelming for someone like me, although I could imagine that it would be a beer lover’s dream. Twenty specialty beers on tap and another forty plus available in bottles! Wow! They also have a great selection of single malt whisky, several wines by the glass, and a full bar.
I was actually very proud of myself when reading through the beer menu as I recognized many of the brewery names and even some of the specific beers. (Thank you, Donavan!) And, I even understood some of the descriptions much better than I would have in the past.
After careful reading I made my selection and placed my order.
They were out of it.
I was sooo disappointed! But, my server was great and she immediately recommended a similar offering and, in fact, it had been another I had considered so all was right with the world once again!
The beer I ordered was the Maredsous 10. Now, even though I know more than I did before I still don’t have beer tastes and descriptors memorized. 
So, I’ll tell you that this beer had good full flavor, was a little bit sweet but ended with a tangy finish. I have no idea how to say that in beer-talk. 
I liked it and that’s what counts. The 10 in the name refers to the alcohol percent which is 10%, high for a beer but I didn’t find the alcohol taste to be overwhelming in any way. I think the sweetness balanced it and, in fact, if the alcohol had been lower the beer may have been too sweet. It was a pretty beer, too.
As for the food at the Barking Dog I thought it was ranged from interesting to comforting, from tasty to not-bad. I particularly liked the little dumplings we ordered. I think that I was so focused on being a good beer consumer that I nearly forgot to think about the food! Now that’s amazing!
Barking Dog Alehouse
705 NW 70th St
Seattle
206.782.2974
Brenda, Sounds like a great place. Maredsous 10 is definitely a good choice. I commend you on your taste. Beer is first and foremost a fun and convivial drink, so don’t worry about fancy descriptors and flowery language when talking about beer. I like beer because its full of flavor, usually not too sweet, it’s thirst quenching, and (in general) goes with food better than any other beverage (with the possible exception of pasta and Chianti).