Washington loves to drink! Our three favorite adult beverages—beer, wine, and coffee—are practically synonymous with Washington and have become part of our cultural fabric. Yakima became the first city in the nation to open a brew pub post-Prohibition. Washington ranks second only to California in the nation’s grape production, producing 14.8 million cases of wine annually. Six out of the top 10 cities in the United States with the highest density of coffee shops are in Washington.
Steins, Vines & Grinds documents the long history of beer, wine, and coffee in the region, from early Hudson’s Bay Company imports through modern-day innovative processes. Even predating statehood, beer, wine, and coffee quickly became important commodities. All three beverages could be found inside the walls of Forts Vancouver and Nisqually. Whether roasting their own green coffee beans from Hawaii, sipping on homemade wine, or imbibing a bottled India pale ale from London, early Northwest settlers took the first
steps in the creation of a cultural phenomenon.
Why do Washingtonians love their beer, wine, and coffee? It’s in our shared history and the efforts of a long line of brewers, vintners, and roastmasters whose devotion and determination have made Washington a state known and revered for its contributions to the beverage industry.
