During summer, Bellingham offers abundant outdoor drinking oases. Imbibers move indoors in the fall, and by the time winter and spring come around many of us are itching to get back outside. The cabin fever is real. Thankfully, many Bellingham breweries and taprooms continue operating their beer gardens during the cooler months. Want to warm up with a favorite brew while absorbing some Vitamin D? Check out these year-round beer gardens in Bellingham. Â
Fire pit at Stones Throw Brewery.
Covered Beer Gardens
There are a few places in town featuring fully-covered beer gardens year-round. These offer the best of both worlds: fresh air and a roof overhead. Don’t let the weather keep you indoors — these establishments have got you covered rain (wind, snow) or shine.Â
Twin Sisters Brewing and Bellingham Beer Garden
Wondering where’s the best place in Bellingham to warm up fireside? Bellingham Beer Garden takes the cake. Their fully-enclosed beer garden is home to a roaring fire, fed and stoked on the regular by beer garden staff. If the hot seats are taken or you can’t stand the heat (this fireplace puts out some serious sizzle), snag a spot around the fire pit tables instead. Either way, you can’t go wrong. Order a house-brewed beer and let it pour!
Read more about Twin Sisters Brewing and Bellingham Beer Garden here: Introducing Twin Sisters Brewing and Bellingham Beer Garden
Schweinhaus Biergarten
“It’s better outside.” That’s the slogan at Schweinhaus, whose Bavarian-style biergarten sports rows of picnic tables — all heated and sheltered from the elements. Here you’ll find German-style brews served in litre steins, alongside German sausage plates and pretzels cooked in the wood-fired oven. The entire place is open-air, with a permanent structure overhead to keep the elements away. On sunny days, venture out into the backyard for lawn games galore. You can even catch a pro game on the big screen TVs. Prost!
A beer by the fire at Schweinhaus Biergarten.
Read more about Schweinhaus Biergarten here: A German Beer Garden in the Heart of Bellingham
Stones Throw Brewery
You’ll find folks sitting and sipping outside all year long at Stones Throw Brewery in Fairhaven. That’s because of Stones Throw’s diverse seating arrangements. Out front, friends gather in the covered beer garden beneath heat lamps for a game of Giant Jenga. A seasonal tent keeps this area warm and dry during cooler months. Head through the taproom, and you’re likely to discover imbibers gathered around the fire out back. And if the sun’s out, climb upstairs (above the shipping container brewery) for a sweet taste of sunshiney bliss any time of year.
Fire pit at Stones Throw Brewery. Photo: Stones Throw Brewery (Facebook).
Read more about Stones Throw Brewery here: Stones Throw is Fairhaven’s New Neighborhood Brewery in Bellingham
Additional Year-round Beer Gardens
In addition to the fully-covered beer gardens mentioned above, there are several breweries offering partially covered outdoor seating. Take Kulshan Brewing (Sunnyland), for example. Here you’ll find a few heat lamps alongside the building, and umbrella-topped tables to keep the February freeze and April showers at bay. Aslan Brewing recently added a permanent covered area with heaters outside the brewpub. And the beer garden at Gruff Brewing is a great place to soak up some rays on a sunny winter day. Many of our local Bellingham breweries and taphouses offer some sort of outdoor seating year-round. Call ahead to double-check, or stop by and see for yourself!
Also, see our Beer page for more posts about Bellingham Craft Beer.
About the Author: Brandon Fralic
Freelance writer Brandon Fralic has called Bellingham home since 2006. He writes about the outdoors, travel, and craft beer for a variety of regional publications. Brandon co-founded Beers at the Bottom in 2013 to highlight Pacific Northwest trails and ales. His first book, Beer Hiking Pacific Northwest, was released in 2018.
